IGF::OT::IGF Constructed Environments for Successfully Sustaining Abstinence Through Immersive and On-Demand Treatment. Period of Performance: September 22, 2017 - March 21, 2018. N43DA-17-5583.

Charles River Analytics, Inc., Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

Charles River Analytics and our partners at Massachusetts General Hospital and Virtual Reality Medical Center propose to design and demonstrate Constructed Environments for Successfully Sustaining Abstinence Through Immersive and On-Demand Treatment (CESSATION). We will build VR environments using our in-house game engine and content (cues) that are diverse, realistic, and well-placed, bolstering traditional psychological therapy delivery, and use research-based principles of narrative and game design to produce immersive and engaging content to motivate continued use. We will use probabilistic models (e.g., Bayesian networks) and machine-learning (e.g., neural nets) to learn from patient data and clinician input to assist in selecting and combining therapies in a way that is tailored to the individual patient. Finally, CESSATION will communicate information to clinicians in a manner that is understandable, and gives them enough meta-information to foster appropriate trust in the system. The anticipated results of the proposed Phase I work are: (1) an initial domain analysis; (2) initial VR content; (3) initial motivational content; (4) prototype sensor capabilities; (5) a prototype Intervention Tailoring Component; (6) a prototype Clinician User Interface and Remote Patient Data Server; and (7) an initial Phase I CESSATION prototype demonstration and evaluation.