What We’re Doing to Help This VR Program for Veterans

Have you heard of STRIVE? It’s the ongoing program being developed over at University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies. We wrote a report on that.

That’s the name of the program, but what does it actually utilize? Well, in addition to ICT building their own hardware, and repurposing old parts, such as VR (virtual reality) headsets, they use their own software, developed with the help of funding from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Their software, appropriately named “Bravemind,” helps veterans cope with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It also allows scientists and military hospitals to employ and analyze personalized treatment. Using unique technology called “exposure therapy,” VA hospitals, military bases, and university centers, can assess the different PTS symptoms.

Here’s how it works:

Exposure therapy, in which a patient – guided by a trained therapist – confronts their trauma memories through a retelling of the experience…. The current applications consist of a series of virtual scenarios specifically designed to represent relevant contexts for VR exposure therapy, including Middle-Eastern themed city and desert road environments.

– Bravemind Project Page

According to ICT, vibrations and even smells can be put into the simulation! What’s interesting about this is that the younger generation training in the military, having grown up closer to the current proverbial zenith of digital gaming technology, may actually be even more engaged and comfortable with a VR treatment approach as an alternative to traditional therapy.

With all of this, and the ongoing rise of virtual reality, it’s cool to see it going into the medical field.

It has already shown results, even recently – which is why we’re writing about it. In any case, we’re definitely interested, and we’ve decided we want to get involved. Our Free Write has donated $100.00 to the program:

Proof of donation – personal information redacted.

I have donated $100 to @USC_ICT in @ourfreewrite’s name. Great stuff they’re doing over there, including helping veterans with PTSD. I have no doubt their program will succeed.

— Edward (@shadowwhonow) February 13, 2018

We’ve also reached out to the STRIVE team.

We’ll see if we can get a tour of their virtual reality facilities, located in Los Angeles, CA, and/or maybe even work with them in the near future. We can’t wait to see what this will yield in the coming months.