Virtual Reality System for the Treatment of Acrophobia

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly being used as a therapeutic solution for different phobias. In this paper we describe a system that applies VR in Exposure Therapy to treat Acrophobia. Users are exposed to two Virtual Environments, which have features to reproduce different levels of anxiety. In these environments, users can navigate and interact with avatars and objects, while being monitored by a therapist. In addition, users can also control the actions responsible for create the anxiety, such as the height they are exposed.