Assignment 3 Report

The App is a prototype, which employs VR to create a simulation of a cramped space, with the possibility of being used in a low-level exposure therapy session. The app tries to achieve a safer environment where the user can always retreat to a safe space, either of their own accord or through a therapist's input.

With VR, we are able to simulate an environment to adhere to a patient's phobia, where Claustrophobia is used in this case for the prototype. While Claustrophobia varies in severity and triggers, in most cases, a cramped space will trigger the phobia, which may cause panic, accelerated heart rate, hyperventilation, etc. Today, most claustrophobic patients are treated with cognitive therapy, whereas the patient's thoughts and perception of a cramped space is modified to not relate to danger. For example, a claustrophobic patient may associate Elevators with danger, upon where the therapist would assure that elevators are in fact, useful and safer, than say, stairs. Another option to treat Claustrophobia is through exposure therapies. The patient would be told to go inside an elevator, and then the difficulty rises to going inside an MRI. This may induce severe reactions from the patient. Hence why VR is used in this application. Through a controlled simulated environment, we are able to allow the therapy to stop at any time in those cases, which couldn't be done so easily with the aforementioned methods. Not only that, but we gave the option of 'retreat' to the patient, by allowing them to expand or shrink the room as much as they want, through the use of 'magic' potions, similar to the main character in the fantasy book 'Alice in Wonderland'.

The interactions present in the application is designed as such that the user always has control over the environment, thus reducing the level of danger the user is exposed to. They, i.e. the patient is given a large potion bottle and a small potion bottle. They are prompted to 'drink' the 'magic potion' by putting the object near their mouth. This will enlarge the hallway towards the goal, thus creating a safer space for the patient to retreat to, shall they deem it stressing. They are also capable of shrinking the hallway, allowing the patient to fine-tune the amount of exposure they are given. The potion themselves are attached to the hand model, and thus can never be lost, providing another safety measure in the exposure therapy. There also exists an end room, i.e. the goal, where the player need to reach to 'finish' the therapy. This provides the user with a sense of accomplishment after going through their phobia, possibly increasing the effect of the therapy.

As it is a prototype, not all parts of the application is perfect. For one, the 'animations' may appear unrealistic which defeats the purpose of the application itself. The exposure introduced in the application can also be improved, as the prototype only contains a single hallway. The final version of the application may introduce bends and a maze, where the patient need to reach the goal within a set time, shortening the time with every successful session.

The prototype utilizes Oculus Integration, allowing VR integration into unity, essentially adding the VR headset as an object into unity, and was tested on the Oculus Quest.

The prototype scene utilizes several assets as listed below.

References : 

• Stylized Hand Painted Dungeon (Free) by L2S ARTS. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/stylized-hand-painted-dungeon-free-173934. Used to create the environment.
• RPG Food & Drinks Pack by Holotna. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/food/rpg-food-drinks-pack-121067. Used to implement the interaction.
• Paintings Free by Webcadabra. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/interior/paintings-free-44185. Used to complement the scene.
• Oculus Integration by Oculus. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/integration/oculus-integration-82022 . Used to provide VR Implementation.
• Historic environment by VK GameDev. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/environments/historic/historic-environment-142116Used to complement the scene.

• Books, Scrolls and Other Things (HDRP, URP, Standard) by Vergis. https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/books-scrolls-and-other-things-hd. Used to complement the scene.
• PARTY POPPER with SOUND Green Screen HD by Andi Ik S. “https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp9dohg1IqA"
• Youtube to MP3. https://en.y2mate.is/50/youtube-to-mp3.html