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Realism in audiovisual stimuli for phobias treatments through virtual environments

Abstract:

This article proposes a system of perception of the real world through audiovisual stimulation for the treatment of different types of phobias. The proposed system is made up of various virtual environments which will be selected according to the phobia to be treated, i.e., the user-environment integration depends on the type and degree of the phobia. The interface allows visualize the environment where the patient must comply with a predetermined therapy by the psychotherapist, in which the biometric signals of the patient are feed back in real time through wearables devices. This information is processed in order to ingest directly in the algorithm of the user’s behavior; algorithm that controls the audiovisual stimuli related to the phobia during the interaction of the virtual environment with the user. In addition, the parameters of the biometric signals are displayed graphically/numerically in the virtual environment in order for the patient to control their behavior and face their irrational fear-phobia. The results are validated based on the realism of the virtual environments developed, and the audio-visual stimuli applied to the patient based on the change of the parameters of the biometric signals acquired through wearable devices.