This project aims to create a more relaxed environment to expose those who are afraid of the dark to a controlled space with cognitive tasks to give users something other than their fear to focus on.

Description

The core of this program is an enclosed space, lit by a light source in the centre of the room, that dims as you get further away from it. To encourage leaving the centre of the room, there are some small, simple activities in the corner of each room, to which the reward for completing is lighting up that corner. When two corners are lit, a light between them also lights up, permanently lighting that side of the room.

The significance of this application is that it’s low cost and rather easily modifiable. As current, the program features a barebones room, with 2 tasks in the corner along one wall. This has primarily been built upon by using standard unity assets, as well as a couple of third-party 3D models.

Modifying the room that the application operates would be less costly, as well as less time consuming than traditional in vivo exposure therapy, which would require altering a real space. In addition to the cost of the program being low, Bun et al (2017) show that even low cost VR devices can be used to achieve a positive effect from some (but not all) phobias.

Virtual Reality provides a safe environment for people with phobias to experience the object of their phobia, with no risk of physical harm to the user. Freitas et al (2021) compared the effects of more traditional forms of exposure therapy, namely controlled physical exposure, to exposure therapy done in virtual technologies, and found that it is an effective, low-cost option that should be pursued as an initiation tool for those who feel that traditional exposure therapy is too intrusive.

Interaction Design

The interactions in this application are necessary mostly due to enticing the user to leave the bright area of the campfire. Whilst the original goal of a different task in every corner of the room was not met due to time constraints, the two implemented are very simple. Namely, there is a button-operated code in one corner, and a table with cubes to stack on the other.

This simplicity is by design, so that the tasks in the corners are non-daunting and approachable. This is so that should an adequate explanation of the reward for completing the tasks be provided (by person or via an in game source, like a main menu screen), that users aren’t afraid of approaching the tasks.

This is due to another interaction which is performed by moving, namely the dimming of the centre light. The light in the middle of the room (represented by a model of a campfire), dims as the player moves further away from it and towards the challenges. This provides a gradual decrease in the amount of light in the room, allowing players to retain a level of comfort, and a way to retreat to light when they need to.

The main way for this to be improved is to allow the user to select how fast that this dimming occurs. Currently, it decays at a fixed rate, but could have several changes made, such as the range of the dim should the room be made bigger/smaller, or a multiplier to modify the rate while keeping the limits the same.

Additionally, a simple teleport script was added, initially for testing purposes, but also to allow faster movement around the room. This would be notable for traversing to all four corners of the room.

Technical Development

This program was made using the Oculus Quest 2 for testing, comprising of a VR headset with motion controllers, and makes use of these in the tasks. The two implemented interactions are possible on a traditional desktop interface, but make use of the 3d space perspective that VR headsets provide, at the very least in the case of the block stacking.

The teleportation is achieved by holding the X button on the second controller, which provides an aiming reticule, and using the index button to actually move the player.

For the block stacking task, players can use the lower button on the controllers to grab a block from a distance and continue holding to move them around. When ready to release, simply release the button.

As for the code puzzle interaction, players can interact with the buttons by ensuring that the hands in the application are pointing, and then tapping the blocks with their index finger. (The code does not reset on an incorrect input due to time constraints)

Descriptions of 3D Models

A small brown side table, used to signify the “play area” for the block puzzle. Simplistic, and could be changed to allow for different interactions.

A low-poly campfire which acts as the centre light of the room, marking a safe place for users to return to.

References

References

Bun, P, Gorski, F, Grajewski, D, Wichniarek, R & Zawadzki, P 2017, ‘Low – Cost Devices Used in Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy’, Procedia Computer Science, vol. 104, pp. 445–451, viewed 19 September 2019, .

Freitas, JRS, Velosa, VHS, Abreu, LTN, Jardim, RL, Santos, JAV, Peres, B & Campos, PF 2021, ‘Virtual Reality Exposure Treatment in Phobias: a Systematic Review’, Psychiatric Quarterly.

Campfire by Poly by Google [CC-BY] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/, via Poly Pizza https://poly.pizza/m/0vzzmM-t8CP

Side table by Darwin Yamamoto [CC-BY] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/,  via Poly Pizza https://poly.pizza/m/dfL6q_VTWVf

Base unity project and teleportation script via University of Tasmania’s MyLO for KIT208

Teleporter unity package by I_Jemin, via https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/input-management/simple-vr-teleporte...

Storyboard made at https://www.storyboardthat.com/