We had an excellent new year start with two new innovation projects on VR-based therapies.

Swimming with AI dolphins

The first Knowledge Exchange project will deliver an innovative VR therapy “Swimming with AI Dolphins” which offers a unique interactive underwater experience to ease the symptoms of mental illness with the Northampton-based company VR Therapies which has provided private therapy sessions for over 1000 people.

The figure above shows the outcome of the original “Swimming with Dolphin” project. Users can book a therapy session to be submerged in water virtually in a 360-degree view as the dolphin slowly and peacefully encircles the viewer. The current application is based on a conventional 360 video delivery. The content of the video is the same for all users and it will not respond to user activities.

With our expertise in game art and machine learning, the application will be transformed with interactive features and an AI-assisted dolphin character. We will use hand/eye tracking sensors and integrated microphones of new-generation headsets to capture and model user movements. Machine learning will be employed to develop an “AI dolphin” that can respond to viewer activities (such as voice and hand gestures) with natural movements.

The unique offering of the “Swimming with AI Dolphins” experience will help the company stand out from its competitors. Besides improved sales of onsite private therapy sessions, the solution can become a “killer app” of the company’s new Headsets@Home service, which allows people with mental illness to rent headsets with pre-loaded therapy content for self-administered therapy at home.

Feasibility study of an innovative VR-based psychotherapy

This Innovation and Commercialisation project will conduct a feasibility study of an innovative VR psychotherapy as a pathway to commercialisation. The VR application automates comprehensive psychotherapy that is widely used for life-changing treatment of anxiety disorder and depression. This revolutionary design can help improve public access to the therapy amid ongoing challenges in NHS. We will conduct a small-scale user trial, assisted by partnering health institutions (St Andrew’s Healthcare and Cardinal Clinic).

The project will support the following activities.

• Product development. Transform the prototype into a clinically ready product that can be operated by patients. This step requires significant input from the patient and the public. Therefore, we will invite public volunteers of different age, gender, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to support the product development. 
• User trial preparation. This activity will focus on preparing all necessary documents, protocols and procedures for the trial. Involvement from the public is also critical for this activity. We will seek public participation in developing the trial.
• User study. The study includes recruiting and screening 5-10 participants. EDI will be considered an important part of the recruitment. The study will be carried out by a trained therapist. The study will assess the feasibility of the solution and its pathway for adoption by the health services. We will collect feedback from patients and therapists at partner institutions.
• Result analysis and dissemination. We will seek public involvement (PPI) to help the team to interpret the data. We will gather public opinions on our VR digital health innovation.

Evidence from the study will inform a commercialisation strategy for the effective delivery of services to patients, working within the NHS delivery structures, and maximising the number of patients that benefit from this work.