Investigating the Positive Effects of Virtual Reality Applications as Interventions for Pain Management

Supervisor: Assoc Prof Selen Turkay

Recent research has increasingly focused on the effects of virtual reality (VR) and computer games for pain management. However, key questions remain regarding what makes a VR game intervention effective and how such games can be improved better designed to enhance accessibility, efficacy, and treatment customization. This research investigates VR applications, exploring the elements that contribute to their effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement. Additionally, a systematic literature review was initiated was conducted to assess the impact of VR game interventions on adults with chronic back pain, aiming to identify gaps and inform future development, while considering project partners with a specific focus on the applications used. Applications were tested on a Meta Quest 2, utilizing both Steam and the Meta Horizon store. Key factors such as environment design, interactivity, accessibility, mechanics, required play space, and emotional and posture responses were measuredconsidered. This analysis found that many popular games, such as SnowWorld, are unavailable for public use, either requiring specialised hardware or proprietary software. An analysis of the available games found that many struggle with accessibility and learnability but still show that the interventions positive benefits. This analysis highlights the need for further explorations into the types of games used in these interventions, and how they can be better designed for their intended use-cases.