Research Projects

This project aims to address the growing prevalence of anxiety and affective disorders (AADs) among Indian adults by developing an immersive biofeedback system utilizing virtual reality (VR) technology. Traditional mental health treatments in India face challenges such as limited accessibility, cultural stigma, and dependence on trained professionals, leading to a significant treatment gap. The proposed VR-biofeedback system seeks to provide an innovative, self-managed, and culturally relevant therapeutic tool that offers real-time physiological feedback within controlled, therapeutic VR environments. By integrating VR into biofeedback, this system will empower users to monitor and regulate their stress responses, fostering greater emotional resilience. Scientific Objectives: 1. To design and develop VR environments tailored to various categories of anxiety and affective disorders. 2. To design and test an experimental protocol to evaluate the system's effectiveness in symptom reduction and emotional regulation. 3. To develop a scalable, platform for the biofeedback system and integrate with VR, and fine-tune based on physiological markers, making it accessible for self-management in diverse, remote settings. 4. To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed VR-biofeedback system through collected quantitative data and physiological signals. Hypothesis/Model: Hypothesis 1: The incorporation of VR technology within biofeedback systems will significantly enhance user engagement and therapeutic outcomes by providing immersive, interactive environments that support real-time physiological feedback. Hypothesis 2: Post-test measurements of physiological signals and questionnaire responses will show significant improvement compared to pre-test data, indicating reduced symptoms of AADs. The methodology consists of four main phases: 1. Experimental Protocol Design: A controlled study with two groups, experimental (VR-biofeedback) and control (standard treatment), using a pretest-post-test design to assess changes in anxiety and affective disorder symptoms. 2. VR Environment Design: Creation of therapeutic VR environments (relaxation spaces, exposure therapy, and biofeedback-integrated mindfulness exercises). 3. Development of VR-Biofeedback System: Integration of physiological signals (EEG, HRV) into VR for real-time biofeedback, adaptive environments, and a user-friendly interface. 4. Pilot Study and Data Collection: Testing the system with a small sample, collecting physiological and behavioural data during interventions, followed by experiment with pre- and post-test assessments to evaluate effectiveness. Significance: This study combines VR and biofeedback to create a novel, non-invasive tool for managing AADs. It offers a scalable, accessible solution, enhancing personalized treatment and contributing valuable insights to digital mental health research