Arachnophobia VR

Description

This application allows users to experience and overcome their fear of spiders through virtual reality.

Users can view the spiders and be however close they feel comfortable with. Users can also kill the spiders user a broom to strike them from a distance and work their way up to using a shoe and being much closer to the spider.

The application recreates a typical exposure therapy experience, which removes many burdensome factors of the actual therapy. When dealing with a fear such as arachnophobia, “patients gradually and systematically approach closer to a live spider over a period of several one-hour sessions” (Garcia-Palacios et al, 2001), by doing it virtually there is no danger to the user but also no danger to the spider. The user can also move at their own pace regarding approaching and interacting with the spider and the spider also won’t become aggressive towards the user or runaway.

Using virtual reality for this application allows the user to fully experience their fear while knowing they are completely safe. By using a head-mounted display users are fully immersed in the environment but can still easily interact with their therapist at the same time, which is “an important active ingredient for in virtuo exposure” (Gega 2018). The immersion is also increased using special virtual reality controllers that give the user the sensation of using their actual hands to pick up items to use to interact with the spider, as well as moving the spider with their hands. 

Interaction Design

By using buttons to spawn in spiders, this allows the user to decide when they are ready to see and interact with the spider, instead of it being already present in the environment. The user can then grab the broom or the shoe to kill the spider. Being able to grab and use these objects adds to immersion as they are objects typically used to interact with spiders. 

1. User sees table and buttons

2. User presses button to spawn spider

3. Spider appears on table

4. User grabs broom

5. User uses broom to strike spider

6. Spider dies

Technical Development

This application was developed for a Meta Quest 1.

Users can interact with the buttons on the wall by closing their hand around the controller and leaving their index finger extended and using that finger to press the buttons.

Users can interact with the spider by closing their hand completely around the controller to make a fist and using their fist to move the spider.

Users can interact with the broom/shoe by closing their hand completely around the object to grab it, they can then use the object to hit the spider which will cause damage to be dealt to it, eventually killing it.

Descriptions of 3D Models

A black and white broom	Used to interact with the spider at a distance
A black shoe	Used to interact with the spider at close range
Spider	Used to represent the spider in the application
House interior	Used to create the environment

References

Garcia-Palacios et al 2001, Virtual reality in the treatment of spider phobia: a controlled study, viewed 15 August 2023, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796701000687

Gega 2018, The virtues of virtual reality in exposure therapy, viewed 15 August 2023, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/virtues-of-virtual-reality-in-exposure-therapy/55998656F7FF812CFE90783ECE0A1227

3D Models:

House Interior by Studio Billion - https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/interior/free-house-interior-223416

Spider polygon by Dante’s anvil - https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/characters/animals/insects/spider-polygon-221108

Low poly models by Rob Iuo - https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/3d/props/15-low-poly-models-202061