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FORNY20-FORNY2020

STUD: Yatek Multidirectional Treadmill for VR/AR Navigation

Alternative title: Yatek multidireksjonell tredemølle for VR/AR navigasjon

Awarded: NOK 1.00 mill.

Project Number:

327395

Project Period:

2021 - 2022

Funding received from:

Organisation:

Location:

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation in which a person can move around and interact with a three-dimensional environment using electronic devices, such as special goggles with a screen. This simulated experience is being used for entertainment (such as video games), healthcare (such as medical training) and business (such as virtual meetings). Using innovative and research-based hardware and software technology, Yatek aims to improve the health and well-being of the population by (i) developing an integrated software & hardware-delivered solution that allows the user to navigate a virtual environment and practice in virtual social interactions with the aim of reducing general discomfort in social situations, and (ii) developing a treatment for social anxiety disorder, where fear of the social interaction prevents the patients from living a normal life. In these situations natural walking is an important component, and using our product, the user can move easily and naturally in all directions and engage in natural and spontaneous dialogue with our AI-powered avatars, practicing in social situations in both social and professional settings, such as holding a presentation at work, small talk at the office, or at a dinner party.

This project enables the use of VR for improving mental health. Our initial focus is on two user groups: (a) people who experience discomfort and nervousness in social situations, and can benefit from a virtual environment to practice social interactions, and (b) patients suffering from social anxiety, by incorporating our product into the current gold standard of treatment provided by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Current gold standard for treatment for Social Anxiety consists of regular therapy sessions, combined with exposure training. The training is currently assigned to patients as homework, to be done in-between therapy sessions. However, many patients today do not carry out this training, often because the social situations can be hard to recreate in real-life for practice (i.e. holding a presentation, or talking to a supervisor or boss), which leads to slow progress and dropout. By allowing the patients to practice in a virtual world, our product aims to help improve overall treatment efficacy and reduce dropout. In the last 6 months we have been working closely with our two pilot customers to refine and testing our prototype, and have already signed a commercial agreement with one of them, who will begin using our product commercially in February 2023.

Funding scheme:

FORNY20-FORNY2020