Grensing, Florian

The field of virtual reality (VR) is no longer limited to the entertainment sector, and the use also increased in the sector of healthcare and therapy. This paper attempts to compare the effectiveness of a Behavioral Avoidance Test for spider phobia in virtual reality to in vivo. To do this, two different BAT approaches are designed for both in vivo and in virtuo to be compared by a group of phobic participants. In addition, physiological data of the participants were recorded to investigate this comparison on a physiological level.

Memory training methods are often not designed for all age groups, which causes older people to be failed by educational systems. However, the brain remains plastic for a lifetime. The application discussed in this paper demonstrates how approaches to learning psychology can be implemented in virtual reality to create an individualized learning environment that addresses all age groups. In addition, personal memoirs were used to address the episodic part of the brain and to increase motivation. In a small usability study, twelve participants tested the application and filled out a questionnaire. This showed that the design and usability of this application, using a virtual learning environment customized to the user as well as different perception channels, has been successful. Moreover, the wellbeing was rated positively as well.