Virtuous Reality

Virtuous Reality, is an Edinburgh based interactive media company that specializes in providing VR experiences.
Specifically tailoring experiences for those unfortunate enough to suffer from Alzheimer's or Dementia.

There are currently more than 56000 Scots living with dementia, according to the most recent Dementia UK report carried out in 2014. It's a figure that's expected to increase to over 78500 in less than five years, and without a breakthrough it is almost unbearable to think what the numbers could be past that.

On November 14th 2016, the BBC reported that Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, has overtaken heart disease as the leading cause of death in England and Wales.

Depending on the type of dementia, various treatments are used to help with symptoms but most do not slow down the condition's progression. Until a cure is found, the kind of care and support patients receive from carers, family, and friends to improve the quality of life is key. This is where virtual reality can help.

Virtual reality (VR) is already being used in certain areas of healthcare for robotic surgery, medical personnel training, phobia treatment, and as a diagnostics tool.
For people living with dementia, VR can offer relief by triggering memories and positive emotions, as well as providing stimulation to relive boredom.

We are currently using the ‘validation approach’ developed by Naomi Fell to further enhance the immersion and positive effects that VR can have. This approach consists of the acceptance of the individual’s own reality and is based on caregivers empathizing with the world the person believes that they are experiencing. This will help to better understand that particular individual. The various applications we use can be tailored somewhat to the user’s personal preferences, for instance if they have a favourite animal, location or hobby, even a specific moment in history they are interested in.

To varying degrees these experiences can be simulated as either a guided tour, an area for them to explore and interact with physically, to being able to fully immerse themselves with every creative medium humanity has come up with so far.

As amazing as growing up with technology is, we have the underlying problem that we have also became desensitized to the advances. Most people can only dream of the full immersion and sheer wonder service users can experience using VR.

As a therapeutic tool, this experience is so immersive that residents can feel that they have truly been to this place that has been created for them, even if the resemblance to that exact location is minimal. Escaping the possible monotony of their day to glimpse a new part of the world and really try to engage that part of their brains that triggers wonder and excitement over seeing something incredible, new or truly beautiful is our ultimate goal.
However until we have concluded enough research in the UK, I think it would be mildly irresponsible to market our service as purely occupational therapy and would emphasize that while research certainly shows these elements thus far. I would air on the side of caution and lean more towards our service in its current form being more for recreational and improving quality of life.

Looking at studies done so far in countries pioneering this field, the results have been astonishing with marked positive changes in behavior after the patients have had a VR experience. Researchers have used the Abbey Pain system for assessing the well-being of patients before, during and after their virtual reality sessions. The outcomes have been 100% positive so far. Additionally carers have noticed a big difference in the behaviors of the patients involved. In a lot of cases leading to less anti-depressant medication being required, which in turn further helps improves the service users’ quality of life.
VR has also been able to solve a few specific care needs, examples include- dramatically increasing patients appetites with a VR experience that includes a table of delicious food to a church sermon experience with hymns and prayers for those wishing to reconnect with their faith, but due to varying constraints are unable to physically go.
While Virtual Reality is in its infancy, the scope of things we can re/create virtually is infinite. Examples of already pre-existing software we intend to use are:

· Exploring an exotic island and uncovering its many mysteries, proceduraly generated nature treks though forests with all the accompanying wildlife and ambient sounds you would expect to see along the way

· Climbing Mount Everest to the tundras of the north and witnessing the Northern Lights in all its glory
· Sailing the Mediterranean in a luxury yacht while dolphins are playing in the sea

· An underwater experience of the ocean and all its wonders and coming face to face with a great white whale while standing a board a sunken treasure ship.

Using various simple methods we could help bring back memories through questions and keywords that either we or a care provider can ask. We ask a series of open questions in a similar theme to the scene, i.e. What do you remember from visiting the beach as a child? What are your favourite animals? What do you remember about during the Queen’s coronation? As previously mentioned, this helps us engage and learn more about the individual. More importantly it has the potential to trigger and help them relive some of their most treasured memories.


What is the product and service that we provide?

· A range of immersive virtual reality experiences and 360 VR
videos for individuals living with dementia and other healthcare
needs.

· After creating a profile for each service user, each recommended
experience is easily accessible based on there preferences
· Installation, maintenance and periodic upgrade of the hardware
required to provide these experiences.
· Pre-installed software and easy to follow training for all staff that
are likely to use the equipment.

· As well as an ever-evolving library of experiences that will be
completely feedback driven at no extra cost.

· Technical and customer support is also available via phone,
email and in person if required and any problems will have a
solution within 24 hours, with any time lost being refunded.

· Not only will clients be investing in a product or service but also
an ever-expanding team behind the scenes, that truly has its
clients’ needs first and foremost in mind, working tirelessly to
further improve our current and future service.

As an added bonus, it can also be used to help reduce stress levels in care providers if they so wish.

Pricing is still being worked out and may be slightly less closer to launch, currently we are aiming to keep it low as possible to entice early adopters. Free trials will be available once we are closer to launching and it should come to around £400 per month with no initial extra charges for installation.

While were not quite ready to launch, if this sounds like something that you would be interested in, we would love to hear back from you and you can contact us directly via facebook message/phone/email. Also we are more than happy to meet up if you wish to discuss any particulars or would like a demonstration / free trial.


Kind Regards,
Matthew Cassidy