Researchers from the University of Kent have managed to harness Virtual Reality (VR) technology to hold remote health appointments for those suffering from eating disorders with experts and specialized doctors, the German News Agency reported.
According to a study published in Human-Computer Interaction Journal, the new idea requires participants and therapists to wear VR head-mounted displays and to acquaint within a VR environment.
Participant would then customize their virtual avatar according to their look including the body shape and size, skin tone and hair color.
The meeting between the participant and therapist is then held in a virtual environment where they can communicate without having to sit in the same place. The participants are allowed to adjust body shapes using virtual sliders, while describing their feelings, thoughts and concerns during the therapy.
In the study, the participants noted the lack of fear of judgments during the interviews enabled them to commit to the session's aims.
The study found that the avatar of the therapist was vital to the participant. Unlike the conventional sessions held in person, the cartoon avatar facilitated greater openness from participants.
The Science Daily website quoted researcher Jim Ang, professor of multimedia/digital Systems, as saying: "VR can be utilized throughout the health sector. It can give people the confidence to engage with and embrace medical advice. This technique also helps in remote non-contact medical appointments between patients and practitioners, which offer significant benefits especially in times of pandemic."
