WO2023140467A1

WO2023140467A1 - Method and device for controlling anxiety level using virtual reality

Info

Publication number: WO2023140467A1
Application number: PCT/KR2022/015668
Authority: WO
Inventors: 류인균; 윤수정; 강일향; 서채원
Original assignee: 이화여자대학교 산학협력단
Priority date: 2022-01-19
Filing date: 2022-10-14
Publication date: 2023-07-27
Also published as: KR20230112197A

Abstract

Disclosed is a method and device for controlling anxiety levels using virtual reality. A method for controlling anxiety levels using virtual reality comprises the steps of: identifying a user's first autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation; determining user's anxiety level according to anxiety index by using the identified user's first autonomic nervous system response and the user's second autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality in which anxiety indices involved in each of a plurality of different types are randomly provided; identifying a user's third autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality similar to the reference situation after the anxiety indices are provided in virtual reality; classifying user's anxiety subtypes by using the determined user's anxiety level and the identified user's third autonomic nervous system response; and generating a treatment protocol for controlling user's anxiety level in the virtual reality on the basis of the classified anxiety subtypes.

Description

Anxiety control method and device using virtual reality

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling anxiety level using virtual reality, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining the level of anxiety of a user using objective evaluation indicators in virtual reality and providing a treatment protocol for controlling the determined level of anxiety.

Emotions such as depression, anxiety, and fear cause various problems related to the user's mental health. Emotions such as depression, anxiety, and fear can generally be evaluated using self-report scales, but since evaluations by these self-report scales are very subjective indicators, there are differences among users who perform self-reports. Therefore, based on this, it is difficult to efficiently manage the user's emotions.

In order to solve this problem, various conventional technologies for systematically managing the user's mental health by converging virtual reality technology and mental health management technology, which have recently been in the limelight, are being developed.

However, such conventional technologies are merely implemented on a display by simply connecting the user's biometric information to virtual reality, or content is unilaterally delivered to the user, and diagnosis of the user's mental health state using virtual reality, or a configuration for selecting and providing appropriate content for treatment, prevention, training, etc. according to the diagnosed mental health state of the user has not been suggested.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for classifying the user's anxiety subtype using the user's autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality and generating a treatment protocol for controlling the user's anxiety level based on the classified anxiety subtype.

In addition, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for enabling effective treatment by shortening the treatment time and reducing side effects by providing treatment contents classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality based on the generated treatment protocol.

An anxiety control method using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the present invention includes identifying a first autonomic nervous system response of a user measured in virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation; Determining the user's anxiety level for each anxiety index using the identified user's first autonomic nervous system response and the user's second autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality in which anxiety indicators included in each of a plurality of different types are randomly provided; identifying a third autonomic nervous system response of the user measured in virtual reality similar to the reference situation after the anxiety indices are provided in virtual reality; classifying the user's anxiety subtype using the determined user's anxiety level and the identified third autonomic nervous system response of the user; and generating a treatment protocol for adjusting the level of anxiety of the user in the virtual reality based on the classified anxiety subtype.

The first, second, and third autonomic nervous system responses may include at least one of skin conductance and heart rate variability of the user.

In the step of classifying the user's anxiety subtype, the anxiety subtype of the user may be identified using the number of anxiety indicators whose anxiety level is equal to or higher than a preset standard for each of the plurality of different types, the average value of the anxiety level in the anxiety indicators for each type, and the recovery pattern of the third autonomic nervous system response.

The generating of the treatment protocol may generate a treatment protocol in which at least one or more of the type of anxiety index for each type selected to be exposed in the virtual reality, the number of repeated exposures of the selected anxiety index, and the size of an anxiety provocation scale applied at the start of exposure of the selected anxiety index may be created according to the user's anxiety subtype.

Based on the generated treatment protocol, the method may further include performing exposure therapy to provide treatment contents classified in stages according to a user's psychological distance to an anxiety index exposed in virtual reality.

In the performing of the exposure therapy, treatment contents having a psychological distance to the anxiety index may be provided in an order from treatment contents having a far psychological distance to the user.

In the performing of the exposure therapy, stimulation intensity of the therapeutic contents provided in the virtual reality may be changed according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic contents are provided.

In the performing of the exposure therapy, an avatar may be provided so that the user indirectly experiences treatment content for an anxiety index in virtual reality.

In the step of performing the exposure therapy, when anxiety level equal to or greater than a preset level is measured according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is being provided, the virtual reality is automatically terminated, or separate treatment content for recognizing that the user exists in virtual reality may be provided.

The method may further include modifying the treatment protocol to include drug treatment when an avoidance response equal to or greater than a preset magnitude is identified according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is being provided.

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a processor, the processor identifies a first autonomic nervous system response of a user measured in virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation, determines the user's anxiety level for each anxiety index by using the identified first autonomic nervous system response of the user and a second autonomic nervous system reaction of the user measured in virtual reality in which anxiety indicators included in a plurality of different types are randomly provided, and determines the user's anxiety level after the anxiety indicators are provided in the virtual reality. The user's third autonomic nervous system response measured in the above may be identified, the user's anxiety subtype may be classified using the determined user's anxiety level and the identified user's third autonomic nervous system response, and a treatment protocol for controlling the user's anxiety level in the virtual reality may be generated based on the classified anxiety subtype.

The processor may identify the anxiety subtype of the user by using the number of anxiety indices for which the anxiety level is equal to or greater than a preset standard for each of the plurality of different types, the average value of the anxiety level in the anxiety indices for each type, and the recovery pattern of the third autonomic nervous system response.

The processor may generate treatment protocols in which at least one or more of the type of anxiety index for each type selected to be exposed in virtual reality, the number of repeated exposures of the selected anxiety index, and the size of an anxiety provocation scale applied at a start point of exposure of the selected anxiety index are set differently according to the user's anxiety subtype.

Based on the generated treatment protocol, the processor may perform exposure therapy to provide treatment contents classified in stages according to a user's psychological distance to an anxiety index exposed in virtual reality.

The processor may provide the treatment contents in order of the closest psychological distance from the treatment contents having a farther psychological distance to the anxiety index.

The processor may change the stimulus intensity of the treatment content provided in the virtual reality according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is provided.

The processor may provide an avatar so that the user indirectly experiences treatment content for an anxiety index in virtual reality.

The processor may automatically terminate virtual reality or provide separate therapeutic content for recognizing that the user exists in virtual reality, when an anxiety level equal to or greater than a preset level is measured according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic content is being provided.

The processor may modify the treatment protocol to include drug treatment when an avoidance response equal to or greater than a preset magnitude is identified according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is being provided.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the user's anxiety subtype can be classified using the user's autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality, and a treatment protocol for controlling the user's anxiety level can be created based on the classified anxiety subtype.

In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, based on the generated treatment protocol, treatment content classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality is provided, thereby shortening the treatment time and reducing side effects, thereby enabling effective treatment.

1 is a diagram showing an anxiety level control system using virtual reality according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a diagram showing a method for controlling anxiety level according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram illustrating a method of performing exposure therapy for providing treatment contents according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Users may feel anxious about anxiety indicators experienced in various situations in daily life. As such, the anxiety level control device 100 of the present invention may measure the level of anxiety for the anxiety index that the user feels during daily life and provide a customized treatment protocol capable of solving it in virtual reality. That is, in virtual reality, the user can relieve anxiety about the anxiety index he or she feels through exposure therapy according to a customized treatment protocol.

More specifically, referring to FIG. 1 , the apparatus 100 for controlling anxiety level of the present invention may provide a plurality of different contents in virtual reality using the virtual reality device 110 installed by the user. In this case, the anxiety level control device 100 may identify a response of the autonomic nervous system of the user who is experiencing a plurality of different contents in virtual reality through a sensor attached to at least one or more parts of the user's body. At this time, the user's autonomic nervous system response identified through the sensor may be collected through a separate bio-signal detection device 120, and the collected user's autonomic nervous system reaction may be input to the anxiety control device 100 through wireless or wired communication.

Such an autonomic nervous system response is difficult for users to control on their own, and as a quantifiable indicator, it is an important indicator for objectively confirming the user's feelings. For example, in the present invention, the response of the autonomic nervous system may include at least one of electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV). However, this type of autonomic nervous system response is only one example and is not limited to the above example.

(1) Skin conductivity

Skin conductivity is a characteristic of the human body that continuously changes the electrical characteristics of the skin, and can be measured using a phenomenon in which fine sweat is produced in the body according to the response of the autonomic nervous system when emotions such as stress or anxiety are heightened. Such skin conductance is a neurophysiological test that can measure emotions by measuring fine sweat generated on a finger using electrodes. In this case, the greater the skin conductance value, the greater the anxiety felt by the user, and the smaller the skin conductance value, the less anxious it may be.

The anxiety level control apparatus 100 may convert a time point at which a user is exposed to an anxiety index in virtual reality into a digital signal and record the time together with the skin conductance. At this time, the skin conductance can be measured by dividing it into a skin conductance response (SCR), which is an immediate response according to each anxiety index, and a skin conductance level (SCL), which is a macroscopic change.

First, the skin conduction response can be measured using the change in skin conductance at the moment the user is exposed to the anxiety index, and more specifically, the user's anxiety level can be quantified using fine sweat measured through electrodes attached to the fingertips.

At this time, the anxiety level control device 100 can record the phase change of the skin conductance immediately after the user is exposed to the anxiety index (eg, 2-4 seconds) for every anxiety index.

Next, as for the skin conductance level, the degree of change in the skin conductance value for a certain period (ex. 10 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, etc.) after the user is exposed to the anxiety index, the average value of the skin conductance value within the corresponding interval, the maximum value, the minimum value and standard deviation, etc. can be measured, and the corresponding value can be recorded for every anxiety index.

(2) Heart rate variability

Heart rate variability refers to a variance of heart beats, that is, a heart rate interval between heart beats. Heart rate variability in a healthy state is irregular, but it is a neurophysiological test that can measure an emotional state by using a phenomenon in which heart rate variability becomes regular in an emotional state such as stress or anxiety. In this case, the smaller the heart rate variability, the greater the user's anxiety, and the larger the heart rate variability, the more stable the state may be.

The anxiety control device 100 may measure the heart rate variability of a reference stage indicating a calm state and set the heart rate variability of the last 1 minute section as reference data. Thereafter, the anxiety control device 100 may quantify the user's anxiety level by recording the heart rate variability for a certain period (eg, 1 minute) immediately after the user is exposed to the anxiety indicator and comparing it with reference data.

In this case, the heart rate variability recorded by the anxiety control device 100 may include a time interval between the user's anxiety index exposure time and the heart rate variability change time point, the difference between the change values representing the degree to which each indicator measuring the heart rate variability changes compared to the reference data, the maintenance time each indicator is maintained after change, and the time required until the indicators are stabilized close to the reference data in the recovery phase. At this time, the indicators measured in the heart rate variability include SDNN, which is the standard deviation of NN intervals, RMSSD, which represents the Root Mean Square (RMS) of successive difference values between normal heartbeats, High Frequency band (HF), Low Frequency band (LF), LF/HF ratio, and the like.

The anxiety control device 100 may quantify the level of anxiety that the user feels through the identified user's autonomic nervous system response, and based on the digitized level of anxiety, separate treatment content may be provided through the virtual reality device 110, thereby enabling more immediate and effective treatment.

In step 210, the anxiety level control device 100 may identify an autonomic nervous system response measured while the user experiences content provided in virtual reality. At this time, the anxiety level control device 100 may identify the user's autonomic nervous system response through three stages: i) a reference stage, ii) an anxiety indicator exposure stage, and iii) a recovery stage.

First, i) in the reference step, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide a comfortable daily life in which the user does not feel anxiety in virtual reality. For example, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide the user with virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation related to stable daily activities, such as conversation with a close friend or reading, and may identify a first autonomic nervous system response of the user experiencing the virtual reality corresponding to the reference situation.

ii) In the anxiety indicator exposure step, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide anxiety indicators included in each of a plurality of different types in virtual reality. For example, as shown in Table 1 below, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may identify the user's second autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality where anxiety indicators included in each of five different types of anxiety situations (interpersonal relationship, specific object, place, sound, smell) are randomly provided as shown in Table 1 below. In Table 1 below, the types corresponding to anxiety situations are composed of 5 types, but this is only one example and is not limited to the following examples.

유형category	불안 지표Anxiety Indicator	불안유발척도(severity)Anxiety Severity
대인관계(A)Interpersonal relationship (A)	발표 진행, 회의 참석, 무대 공연, 대중교통 이용, 쇼핑몰 이용 등Presenting, attending meetings, performing on stage, using public transportation, shopping malls, etc.	인원 수Number of people
사물(B)Thing (B)	새, 강아지 등 특정 동물이나 벌레, 바늘, 칼 등Certain animals such as birds and dogs, insects, needles, knives, etc.	개체 수, 개체의 크기number of objects, size of objects
장소(C)Place (C)	엘리베이터, 육교, 비행기, 정리되지 않은 집 안 등Elevators, overpasses, airplanes, unorganized houses, etc.	높이, 개수height, count
소리(D)Sound (D)	사이렌 소리, 층간 소음, 자동차 경적 소리 등Siren, interfloor noise, car horn, etc.	소리 크기(dB)Loudness (dB)
냄새(E)Smell (E)	담배 냄새, 타는 냄새, 해산물 냄새 등Cigarette smell, burning smell, seafood smell, etc.	농도density

At this time, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 uses i) the user's first autonomic nervous system response measured in the reference step and ii) the user's second autonomic nervous system response measured in the anxiety indicator exposure step. The user's anxiety level can be determined for each anxiety index. More specifically, the anxiety control device 100 may quantify the anxiety level from 0 to 100 through Equation 1 below based on the degree of change in the first autonomic nervous system response and the second autonomic nervous system response.

On the other hand, for each anxiety indicator, an anxiety inducing severity that can determine the degree of anxiety is set. For example, in the present invention, the anxiety induction scale may be set to 1 to 5, and the anxiety level control device 100 sets the anxiety induction scale of anxiety indicators for each type to 3 in the anxiety indicator exposure step to provide virtual reality. At this time, anxiety provoking scale 3 may mean a general situation that does not interfere with daily life in the case of a user without daily anxiety.

In addition, the anxiety level control device 100 provides anxiety indicators for each type in virtual reality in various situations, such as a situation in which one is alone, a situation with comfortable acquaintances, a familiar or unfamiliar place, a situation in which danger is expected or not, and measures the user's second autonomic nervous system response.

iii) In the recovery phase, after anxiety indices for each type are provided in virtual reality, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide i) virtual reality similar to the reference situation. At this time, the anxiety control device 100 monitors the user's third autonomic nervous system response in real time in the iii) recovery step to measure the time and recovery aspect until the user's anxiety level is similar to that of the i) reference step. Can be measured. In this case, the recovery pattern may refer to a state in which the user's third autonomic nervous system response is within a certain error range compared to the skin conductance and skin conductance levels measured in the reference step or the change pattern of heart rate variability.

In step 220, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may classify the user's anxiety subtype using the user's anxiety level determined in the ii) anxiety indicator exposure step and the user's third autonomic nervous system response identified in the recovery step.

More specifically, the anxiety control device 100 can identify the main anxiety subtype of the user by comprehensively analyzing the number of anxiety indicators whose anxiety levels are equal to or higher than a preset standard (eg, 50 or more) for each of a plurality of different types, the average value of anxiety levels in the anxiety indicators for each type, and the recovery pattern of the third autonomic nervous system response. For example, (i) a person who has high anxiety only for the anxiety index included in interpersonal relationships (A) and recovers quickly, (ii) a person who has high anxiety and slow recovery only for the anxiety index included in interpersonal relationship (A), and (iii) a person who has high anxiety for anxiety indicators included in objects (B) and places (C) can be classified into different anxiety subtypes.

In step 230, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may generate a treatment protocol for adjusting the user's anxiety level in virtual reality based on the classified anxiety subtypes. More specifically, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may create a treatment protocol in which at least one or more of the type and number of anxiety indicators for each type selected to be exposed in virtual reality, the number of repeated exposures of the selected anxiety indicator, and the size of the anxiety induction scale applied at the start of exposure of the selected anxiety indicator are set differently according to the level of anxiety felt by the user based on the user's anxiety subtype. For example, in the treatment protocol, the number of exposures of anxiety indicators and the number of exposures may be set differently according to the level of anxiety that the user feels about the type of anxiety indicator that the user feels high, that is, the severity.

In step 240, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 provides exposure therapy that provides treatment content classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality based on the generated treatment protocol. Exposure therapy can be performed. At this time, the exposure therapy targets the anxiety index that the user has a level of anxiety higher than a preset standard (ex. 50), and the final goal of treatment is to indicate an anxiety level lower than a preset standard (ex. 20) for the anxiety index.

At this time, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may change the stimulus intensity of the treatment content provided in virtual reality through biofeedback according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the exposure therapy for which the treatment content is provided, that is, the anxiety inducement scale of the anxiety index may be changed.

For example, if it is identified that the user's anxiety level increases according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while exposure therapy is being performed, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may lower the stimulation intensity of the currently provided treatment content, that is, the level of the anxiety provoking scale of the anxiety index.

On the other hand, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide safer and more effective treatment by providing an avatar to indirectly experience the treatment content for the anxiety index while the exposure therapy is being performed. More specifically, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide a 'user avatar' and a 'guide avatar' in virtual reality.

At this time, the 'user avatar' is an avatar that symbolizes the user receiving exposure therapy, and the 'guide avatar' is an avatar depicting a real person who is familiar to the user and gives a sense of security.

On the other hand, the anxiety control apparatus 100 may automatically end virtual reality or provide separate treatment content for recognizing that the user exists in virtual reality, when an anxiety level equal to or higher than a preset standard (ex. 90) is measured according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is being provided.

In addition, for the user's safety during exposure therapy, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide a way for the user to voluntarily get out of the space where the anxiety index exists. For example, when the user no longer wants exposure therapy or wants to take a break due to extreme stress, the anxiety level control device 100 moves to a safe space through a door provided in the virtual reality space, or provides a method for ending exposure therapy.

In addition, the anxiety level control device 100 may configure a virtual reality space suitable for the user in consideration of personal attributes such as age and gender of the user. For example, the anxiety level control device 100 may limit use of a user who is too young for the user's safety or who is likely to be unable to rationally control himself due to deterioration in cognitive function.

Finally, the anxiety control device 100 may modify the treatment protocol to include drug treatment when an avoidance response of a predetermined magnitude or more is significantly identified according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is provided.

As mentioned above, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may provide treatment contents classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality.

For example, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide treatment content through three steps: i) observation, ii) approach, and iii) exposure. In this case, in the i) observation step, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may provide the treatment content with the furthest psychological distance from the anxiety index in virtual reality.

For example, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide a picture depicting an anxiety index in virtual reality so that the user avatar can experience it. If the user's anxiety level is below a preset standard (ex. 50), the anxiety level control device 100 may change and provide treatment content that can increase the level of anxiety due to high stimulation, such as a picture that more realistically depicts the picture the user's avatar is viewing, a photo or video taken as it is. If the anxiety level is maintained below a preset standard (ex. 40) even when watching a video, the anxiety level control device 100 may end the i) observation step and proceed to the ii) approach step.

ii) In the approach step, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide treatment content having a close psychological distance compared to the i) observation step in virtual reality. For example, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may indirectly witness a situation in which the user avatar corresponds to the anxiety index in virtual reality. That is, the user avatar does not directly experience a situation corresponding to the anxiety index, but may exist in a position where other avatars can observe the situation.

At this time, when the user's anxiety level is less than or equal to a preset criterion (ex. 50), the anxiety level control device 100 increases the anxiety induction scale or the distance between the situation corresponding to the anxiety index and the user avatar is closer. You can adjust the virtual reality environment. If the anxiety induction scale is 4 or if the anxiety level is maintained at 40 or less at a very close distance enough to touch another avatar experiencing an anxiety index in virtual reality, the anxiety control device 100 terminates the ii) approach step and iii) It can go to the exposure step.

In the iii) exposure step, the anxiety level control device 100 may provide treatment content having a close psychological distance compared to the ii) approach step in virtual reality. For example, the anxiety level control apparatus 100 may allow a user avatar to be directly exposed to a situation corresponding to an anxiety index in virtual reality.

iii) In the exposure step, the anxiety level control device 100 starts with the stimulus intensity of the treatment content, that is, the anxiety index of the anxiety index, at 1, and when the anxiety level is below a preset standard (ex. 50), the anxiety level is increased by 1 so that the situation exposed to the virtual reality can be adjusted in real time. If, even on the anxiety provoking scale 5, if the anxiety level is maintained below a preset standard (ex. 40), the anxiety level control device 100 may end the exposure step iii) and complete all exposure therapy.

Meanwhile, the method according to the present invention is written as a program that can be executed on a computer and can be implemented in various recording media such as magnetic storage media, optical reading media, and digital storage media.

Implementations of the various techniques described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or combinations thereof. Implementations may be implemented as a computer program product, i.e. a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g. a machine readable storage device (computer readable medium) or radio signal, for processing by, or for controlling the operation of, a data processing device, e.g. a programmable processor, computer, or operation of multiple computers. Computer programs, such as the computer program(s) described above, may be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and may be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be processed on one computer or multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

Processors suitable for processing a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from read only memory or random access memory or both. Elements of a computer may include at least one processor that executes instructions and one or more memory devices that store instructions and data. In general, a computer may include one or more mass storage devices that store data, such as magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks, or may be coupled to receive data from or transmit data to, or both. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include, for example, semiconductor memory devices, for example, magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as compact disk read only memory (CD-ROM) and digital video disks (DVD), magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, read memory only (ROM), random access memory (RAM). , flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), and the like. The processor and memory may be supplemented by, or included in, special purpose logic circuitry.

In addition, computer readable media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer, and may include both computer storage media and transmission media.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details, they should not be construed as limiting on the scope of any invention or what is claimed, but rather as a description of features that may be unique to a particular embodiment of a particular invention. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments individually or in any suitable subcombination. Further, while features may operate in particular combinations and be initially depicted as such claimed, one or more features from a claimed combination may in some cases be excluded from that combination, and the claimed combination may be modified as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Similarly, while actions are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, it should not be construed as requiring that those actions be performed in the specific order shown or in the sequential order, or that all depicted actions must be performed to obtain desired results. In certain cases, multitasking and parallel processing can be advantageous. Further, the separation of various device components in the embodiments described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the program components and devices described may generally be integrated together into a single software product or packaged into multiple software products.

On the other hand, the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in this specification and drawings are only presented as specific examples to aid understanding, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition to the embodiments disclosed herein, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other modified examples based on the technical idea of the present invention can be implemented.

Claims

identifying a first autonomic nervous system response of a user measured in virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation;

Determining the user's anxiety level for each anxiety index using the identified user's first autonomic nervous system response and the user's second autonomic nervous system response measured in virtual reality in which anxiety indicators included in each of a plurality of different types are randomly provided;

identifying a third autonomic nervous system response of the user measured in virtual reality similar to the reference situation after the anxiety indices are provided in virtual reality;

classifying the user's anxiety subtype using the determined user's anxiety level and the identified third autonomic nervous system response of the user; and

generating a treatment protocol for adjusting the level of anxiety of the user in the virtual reality based on the classified anxiety subtypes;

Anxiety control method using virtual reality comprising a.
According to claim 1,

The first, second, and third autonomic nervous system responses,

Anxiety control method using virtual reality comprising at least one of skin conductance and heart rate variability of the user.
According to claim 1,

The step of classifying the anxiety subtype of the user,

Anxiety control method using virtual reality for identifying the anxiety subtype of the user by using the number of anxiety indicators for which the anxiety level for each of the plurality of different types is equal to or greater than a preset standard, the average value of the anxiety level in the anxiety indicators for each type, and the recovery pattern of the third autonomic nervous system response.
According to claim 1,

The step of generating the treatment protocol,

An anxiety level control method using virtual reality for generating treatment protocols set differently according to the anxiety subtype of the user, at least one of the type of anxiety index for each type selected to be exposed in the virtual reality, the number of repeated exposures of the selected anxiety index, and the size of the anxiety induction scale applied at the start of exposure of the selected anxiety index.
According to claim 1,

Performing exposure therapy based on the generated treatment protocol to provide treatment contents classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality.

Anxiety control method using virtual reality further comprising.
According to claim 5,

The step of performing the exposure therapy,

Anxiety control method using virtual reality, in which the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index is provided in the order of the treatment content having the closest psychological distance from the treatment content.
According to claim 5,

The step of performing the exposure therapy,

Anxiety control method using virtual reality, wherein the stimulation intensity of the therapeutic content provided in the virtual reality is changed according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic content is provided.
According to claim 5,

The step of performing the exposure therapy,

An anxiety level control method using virtual reality for providing an avatar so that the user indirectly experiences treatment content for an anxiety index in virtual reality.
According to claim 7,

The step of performing the exposure therapy,

When an anxiety level equal to or greater than a preset level is measured according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic content is being provided, the virtual reality is automatically terminated or the user recognizes that the user exists in virtual reality. Anxiety control method using virtual reality in which separate therapeutic content is provided.
According to claim 5,

Modifying the treatment protocol to include drug treatment when an avoidance response of a predetermined magnitude or more is identified according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is provided.

Anxiety control method using virtual reality further comprising.
In the anxiety control device using virtual reality,

The anxiety level control device includes a processor,

the processor,

A first autonomic nervous system response of the user measured in virtual reality corresponding to a reference situation is identified, the user's anxiety level is determined by using the user's second autonomic nervous system reaction measured in virtual reality in which anxiety indicators included in each of a plurality of different types are randomly provided, and after the anxiety indicators are provided in virtual reality, a third autonomic nervous system reaction of the user measured in virtual reality similar to the reference situation is identified, and the determined user's anxiety level and the identification An anxiety level control device using virtual reality for classifying the user's anxiety subtype using a third autonomic nervous system response of the user and generating a treatment protocol for adjusting the user's anxiety level in the virtual reality based on the classified anxiety subtype.
According to claim 11,

The first, second, and third autonomic nervous system responses,

Anxiety control device using virtual reality comprising at least one of skin conductance and heart rate variability of the user.
According to claim 11,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality for identifying the user's anxiety subtype by using the number of anxiety indicators for which the anxiety level for each of the plurality of different types is equal to or higher than a preset standard, the average value of the anxiety level for each type, and the recovery pattern of the third autonomic nervous system response.
According to claim 11,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that generates a treatment protocol set differently for at least one of the type of anxiety index for each type selected to be exposed in virtual reality according to the user's anxiety subtype, the number of repeated exposures of the selected anxiety index, and the size of the anxiety induction scale applied at the start of exposure of the selected anxiety index.
According to claim 11,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that performs exposure therapy based on the generated treatment protocol to provide treatment contents classified in stages according to the user's psychological distance to the anxiety index exposed in virtual reality.
According to claim 15,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that provides treatment content in the order of the closest psychological distance from treatment content with a far psychological distance to the anxiety index.
According to claim 15,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that changes the stimulation intensity of the therapeutic content provided in the virtual reality according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic content is provided.
According to claim 15,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that provides an avatar so that the user indirectly experiences treatment content for an anxiety index in virtual reality.
According to claim 17,

the processor,

An anxiety level control device using virtual reality that automatically terminates the virtual reality or provides separate treatment content for recognizing that the user exists in virtual reality when an anxiety level equal to or greater than a preset level is measured according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the therapeutic content is being provided.
According to claim 15,

the processor,

Anxiety control device using virtual reality that modifies the treatment protocol to include drug treatment when an avoidance response of a predetermined magnitude or more is identified according to the user's fourth autonomic nervous system response measured while the treatment content is provided.