Phobia Therapy Using Virtual Reality
In Pakistan, almost 25% to 30% of our community is undergoing some kind of phobia (a form of depression and anxiety). This project aims at building an automated solution for the treatment of a particular phobia known as acrophobia(an extreme or irrational fear or phobia of heights). Virtual en
2025-06-28 16:34:27 - Adil Khan
Phobia Therapy Using Virtual Reality
Project Area of Specialization Augmented and Virtual RealityProject SummaryIn Pakistan, almost 25% to 30% of our community is undergoing some kind of phobia (a form of depression and anxiety). This project aims at building an automated solution for the treatment of a particular phobia known as acrophobia(an extreme or irrational fear or phobia of heights). Virtual environments created by virtual reality (VR) tools can help to make the treatment of certain types of phobias more efficient. The main target of this project is to supply interactive and immersive virtual environments (VE) for the effective treatment of acrophobia patients. This project uses the VR technology to create a stimulated environment around a person, the person will launch our mobile phone application on his smartphone and put that on a VR headset and he/she can enter the world of Virtual Reality. The proposed therapy system is operated by using three types of state of the art technologies i.e. Kinetic motion sensor, Gear VR, and Smartphone. The given system provides a cost-effective solution for rehabilitation centers in Pakistan. VR is the best tool for creating practical situations and circumstances facilitating the treatment procedure for psychotherapist and also speeding up the therapy process for the patient.
The problem that this project attempts to solve, is the lack of a Phobia Therapy tool that can help psychologists treat their patients. One of the approaches that both satisfies these specifications and connects Phobia Treatment with the Informatics and Multimedia field is Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy.
The objective of the project is to develop a software to be used by the patients in conjunction with the psychologists’ consultation: The patient would view, experience and move in the environment in VirtualReality, while the psychologist would monitor him and control the scenario. The software can also be potentially used by the patient alone, using a controller to interact with the environment, as a form of selftherapy.
After the initial findings from the market research by visiting different psychologists and rehab centers the data is refined and by using unity 3D a user friendly 3D VR environment is created consisting of both the city view and mountain view for the acrophobia patients. The patient dives into the stimulated VR environment by the help of HMD (Samsumg gear VR). In order to detect the patient’s motion and to create his/her physical image on the screen kinetic software development kit (SDK)(Kinect motion sensor) is used. Hence the patient appears as avatar (An icon or figure representing a particular person in a video game) on the computer screen. The avatar data is transmitted from the PC to the android system (wireless network) which is inserted in the VR kit. Thus, the VR replace the user’s natural environment with virtual reality content (prerecorded 360 degree VR environment) that allows the user to turn and look around, just as in the physical world.
Benefits of the ProjectIncreased Safety and Control Virtual Reality Exposure :involves exposing the patient to a virtual environment containing the feared stimulus in place of taking the patient into a real environment or having the patient imagine the stimulus. The real environment can be unpredictable and in-vivo exposure therapy leaves much to chance. The therapist through the computer keyboard controls the virtual environment ensuring exposure to the programmed situations.
More Efficient Treatment and Ease of Scheduling: The VR software and models of virtual environments have been carefully designed to support exposure therapy of anxiety disorders. Standard exposure therapy can be very costly because it usually requires leaving the therapist's office and therefore extended sessions. Virtual reality programs can accomplish the same exposure within the standard therapy hour (usually 45-50 minutes) and within the confines of the therapist's office. Multiple sessions can be scheduled in the same week.
Less Risk to Patient's Confidentiality: Since therapy is conducted in the therapist's office, there is no more risk than with any other type of unlimited potential for running into friends, encountering difficult situations and being in public should the exposure go too far.
Shorter Sessions May Mean Better Chance of Reimbursement: Many insurance companies will not pay for the extended sessions required for standard exposure therapy. This may not be a problem with a VR system to assist with exposure. The sessions are conducted in the therapist's office and can usually be completed within 45-50 minutes.
Unlimited Repetitions of Feared Situations: The use of VR allows the therapist ultimate control over stimuli for the perfect exposure. Standard exposure therapy is bound by real world limitations. VR exposure allows the therapist to manipulate situations to best suit the patient, for example, to repeatedly cross the bridge.
A Virtual product will be developed which will follow the method mentioned above and will provide a quick acrophobia therapy which is a cost effective and flexible solution that allows unlimited repetition. The direct customers of this project are the well-established rehabilitation centers. Moreover, children’s, adults and even the people with old age can also use it as a self-therapy. Since this kind of virtual experience in rehabilitation centers has not been initiated yet in Pakistan, this project can develop a new market where developers will use their skills of Virtual Reality that will drag more people to overcome their fear of phobia.
Inorder to implement the above project the hardware required is:
1)Kinect Motion sensor 2)Samsung Gear VR
Final Deliverable of the Project HW/SW integrated systemType of Industry Medical Technologies Augmented & Virtual RealitySustainable Development Goals Good Health and Well-Being for PeopleRequired Resources| Item Name | Type | No. of Units | Per Unit Cost (in Rs) | Total (in Rs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total in (Rs) | 43000 | |||
| Kinect Motion Sensor | Equipment | 1 | 35000 | 35000 |
| Samsung Gear VR | Equipment | 1 | 8000 | 8000 |