Home-Based Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy with Virtual Health Agent Support

Conference paper (2016)

Authors

D. Hartanto Interactive Intelligence - EEMCS
W.P. Brinkman Interactive Intelligence - EEMCS
IL Kampmann Universiteit van Amsterdam
N Morina Universiteit van Amsterdam
Paul Emmelkamp King Abdulaziz University, Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study
M.A. Neerincx Interactive Intelligence - EEMCS , TNO
Research Group
Interactive Intelligence (EEMCS) (TU Delft)
More Info
expand_more

Published Date

09-04-2016

Language

English

Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Department

Intelligent Systems

Research Group

Interactive Intelligence

Abstract

To increase the accessibility and efficiency of virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) this paper proposes a system for home-based use where patients with social phobia are supported by a virtual health agent. We present an overview of our system design, and discuss key techniques such as (1) dialogue techniques to create automated free speech dialogue between virtual characters and patients in virtual reality worlds; (2) a multi-modal automatic anxiety feedback-loop mechanism to control patients’ anxiety level; and (3) motivational techniques applied by a virtual health agent. The system was evaluated in a pilot study where five patients with social phobia utilized our home-based VRET system. The results showed that the system was able to evoke the required anxiety in patients and that over time self-reported anxiety and heart rate gradually decreased as expected in exposure therapy.

Files