Khora: Fighting auditory hallucinations by using Virtual Reality
Heka VR is an innovative Virtual Reality (VR) based software system combining technology within the field of mental health. Heka VR is an innovative psychological tool aimed at treating patients suffering from auditory hallucinations using immersive virtual reality.
Fighting auditory hallucinations by using Virtual Reality
The goal and mission of Heka VR is to support and treat schizophrenia patients suffering with continuous malevolent auditory hallucinations through a new immersive VR avatar therapy. The patient learns to become more empowered to stand up to and manage the malevolent voice which will help improve their mental health and wellbeing significantly. If a person with schizophrenia gets the right treatment and the support they need, they can manage their symptoms and go on to have a better quality of life.
The unique innovative aspect of the Heka VR software is that we have made it possible for patients to create an avatar and have a dialogue with that digital representation (avatar) of their presumed persecutor, which is voiced by the therapist within a virtual immersive environment.
The unique Heka VR simulation program combines 3 components:
- A face creation module where the therapist can create a visual representation of the patient’s malevolent voice, where gender, age, and facial characteristics are all customizable.
- A voice modulation module where a recording of the therapist’ voice can be modulated – by changing age, gender, pitch, and other traits – to resemble the patient’s persecutory voice.
- The Real Time VR simulation where the patient can engage in a dialogue with the visual representation of the malevolent voice in VR and practice confronting it whilst the therapist is acting as the voice via the real time voice modulation feature
The patient learns to become more empowered to stand up to and manage the malevolent voice which will help improve their mental health and wellbeing significantly.
Heka VR lets patients with schizophrenia confront their malevolent voices in VR and develop new skills and strategies to cope with the voices and make their lives easier. We also know that caring for family members with schizophrenia exposes caregivers to mostly negative experiences, which in turn negatively impacts the caregivers themselves and their quality of life. Thus, this VR intervention will not only help patients it will also help build greater knowledge and experience for the carer and family members of people suffering from schizophrenia. They will gain greater insights into the reality of how patients experience their voices as a key aspect of the Heka VR program is that patients can also share the avatar with their family and friends. The VR intervention is also expected to greatly improve the cost effectiveness and efficacy of the current treatment of auditory hallucinations.
If a person with schizophrenia gets the right treatment and the support they need, they can manage their symptoms and live a healthy life. We believe Heka VR can be a strong driver in achieving this goal.
Heka VR offers the digitalization of new psychological methods which will inspire and rejuvenate the field of mental health. The Heka VR project will allow long awaited partnerships between the field of mental health and technology. The significance of such innovation is the beginning of a new era within mental health, and we believe this will help start a revolution of use of innovative methods in the field. In addition, Heka VR aims to improve the quality of life of a group of patients who suffer every day, and we propose that this tool can be a driver in improving their overall mental health wellbeing.
About Khora
Khora is an award-winning Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) production studio based in Copenhagen, creating cutting-edge content and pioneering the possibilities within XR and immersive experiences.
The company explores the value of VR and AR through meaningful collaborations and partnerships, working within multiple industries, such as renewable energies, the built environment and healthcare.
They started as a VR showroom in 2015. It was the first place in Denmark where the common citizen could walk in and try VR for the first time. Since then, Khora has produced VR and AR content in many different industries. As a few examples, they have created tools for pain distraction in needle procedures, changed minds by sending millions of people to space in VR, revived the ruins of an old monastery, and motivated children to move more in class through an educational AR game.