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.

Patients suffering from colon cancer often undergo ostomy surgery. In many cases this means a large change in the life of the patients. While some patients had time to prepare for this change, it is sudden for others. The patients need to take care of their stoma on a daily basis. The steps required for this, are often taught by demonstrating the steps. However, patients often remain uncertain. In this paper, a training application for patients is discussed. This application aims to use virtual reality in order to help patients learn the necessary steps of stoma care, as well as reduce their anxiety about their new life situation. In a small feasibility study, users have tested the application and rated it with the help of a questionnaire. This has yielded positive results, and a larger, long-term study to determine the effectiveness of the application is planned in the near future.