VR and Immersive Therapeutics in Healthcare

We talk lots about how VR is changing the face of gaming, and introducing a whole new way of accessing the internet, but less so about the more human side of the growing virtual world. The sheer interactive nature of VR makes it ideal for dealing with people’s emotions and allowing people to engage in safe and inclusive environments, even if they are on different continents. In fact, this kind of therapy is becoming so successful that it is fast entering the mainstream as a means of connecting with patients and helping with their needs. But just what is Immersive Therapeutics?

The therapeutic subfield of immersive therapeutics is constantly developing new ways to treat patients by incorporating cutting-edge technologies like AR, VR and AI into the healing process. By putting patients in situations that are both stimulating and relaxing to the senses, it reduces their discomfort and improves their recovery. Using immersive therapeutics, patients can experience less pain and distress, and can be almost completely distracted from their surroundings by emotionally connecting with virtual settings in an immersive therapy session. It gives the patient a safe environment that can be altered to remove any stress factors that they may feel, leaving them only good feelings to reinforce the therapeutic elements of the session.

Therapeutics is a rising field and with an increasing number of people seeking this out as a valid alternative to pharmaceutical intervention, the future of therapy looks good. However, one of the main issues with intervention of this nature is that it is usually carried out on a face-to-face basis, with the therapist and the patient in the same location. But with more people seeking the service, and simply not sufficient therapists to go around, an alternative to the traditional means of delivery is becoming essential. One of the main issues with therapy is that the practitioner may not be in the same area as the person needing the help and previously this has usually meant connection via a phone or Zoom call, which may not be the most relaxing environment. And most professionals would agree that placing the patient in a conducive place is always the best way to start any therapy session.

This is where VR systems can be of a huge benefit to both the practitioner and the patient by allowing them to connect in a suitably developed immersive and relaxing environment, regardless of where they actually are physically in the country, or even world. The usage of VR for therapeutic purposes has been shown to be useful. There are two primary methods presented in the literature for accomplishing this. The first uses familiar settings and soothing stories to help people feel in charge of their bodies and responses, while the latter uses virtual reality-mediated activities to give people confidence in their own emotional regulation skills. The goal of this contribution is to add a new perspective to the discussion of how virtual reality may help people unwind by suggesting a third method. Virtual reality with custom content based on user research into meaningful life moments would be used. Second, the defining characteristics of these occasions can be represented by means of symbols, actions, or other elements of virtual environments. Recent investigations suggest that this method may help people feel more at ease for longer periods of time, and help towards establishing a long-term solution to their issues.

However, simply connecting people long distance is only a small part of the answer, and VR is able to offer far more than just simple communications in engaging settings. By using other tools alongside VR, such as artificial intelligence a holistic approach to the issue of mental health and therapeutic intervention can be constructed. AI can be used to drive VR experiences based on the patient’s history and needs. By eliciting strong emotional responses from users, immersive therapies can change how the brain processes pain and provide a welcome distraction that is essential for the overall healing process. 

One of the major players in this expanding field is the Real System, which has been developed by a company called Penumbra Inc. The Real System has been developed as a virtual reality rehabilitation tool that may be used to challenge and engage patients in novel ways, from head to toe, in order to help them reach their specific rehabilitation goals. Its role is to put the patient through a series of linked physical and mental tasks in a lifting environment that help increase their self-esteem through the use of this physical work, and thereby positively impact their mental health.

Initial trials showed that the system worked in an astonishingly good way, and the project was extended to reach out to others with different health issues. The system was also found to be highly effective in the treatment of people with a history of substance abuse. Initial trials showed that this group of patients benefitted hugely from group therapy sessions but it wasn’t always possible to get everyone in a room together, so the potential for using VR really came into its own. In addition, the use of virtual worlds helped comfort the group, making them more receptive to the therapy, thus increasing its overall effectiveness. 

Physical treatment, occupational therapy, speech-language rehabilitation, and psychological health are all areas that REAL’s virtual reality experiences aim to improve. The company claims that the sensation of immersion provided by VR helps patients forget about their discomfort and exhaustion. Patients are more likely to follow their treatment plans when they are entertained and engaged, which is promising for long-term adoption of the process.

The ultimate purpose of immersive therapeutics is not only to expand patients’ access to transformative care but also to simplify the process of receiving such care. Immersive solutions can assist patients in overcoming health issues and ensuring that they make the best possible recovery, regardless of whether they are receiving care in a medical facility or at home. Immersive treatments have the ability to bring about a sea change throughout the whole healthcare sector if they are developed via sustained collaboration between professionals in the medical and technological fields.

Therapeutics has shown that the twin technologies of VR and AI can be used together to create a highly immersive solution to what is seen as a large and growing issue. Mental health is affecting a growing number of people and we need to come up with strong solutions to combat the rising tide.  With the work now being done on a number of fronts, it seems that immersive therapeutics could well be that tool.