Using VR and Tech to Reduce Fear Response

To close out spOoOoky season, Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club invited the bravest of members to join in on an immersive, virtual reality (VR) experience with a haunting twist.

Over the course of two days, nine people showed up at The Clubhouse to face their fears by (virtually) transporting themselves 80 stories high via the new Oculus Quest 2 VR headset. 

Combining the virtual world of Richie's Plank Experience with real world wooden planks, attendees tricked their brains into feeling as if they were actually in a situation that would be pretty terrifying for those with acrophobia, the extreme or irrational fear of heights. A portable fan was also added towards the end of the plank to provide a physical sensation of “wind” as they approached the edge.

Prior to walking the plank, community members discussed phobias, an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something, in general – and what their specific ones were:

• Heights

• Spiders

• Close spaces

• Water

• Traffic (we hear ya, ATLiens)

A few attendees even cited they were fearful of nothing, which could be pretty scary in itself. As the late Sean Connery (who happened to pass away on Halloween) once said, “If you fear nothing, you love nothing. If you love nothing, what joy can there be in life?”

Also in attendance was Mitsuko Ito, a Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Admin Professional, to help us dive a bit deeper into fears, and solutions to negate them. 

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is an alternative therapy started in the 1990s for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions. Ito stated that EFT Tapping is one way she helps to manage stress, or fears. It’s a newer mind-body tool which research is  revealing quickly affects the amygdala (fear response), while also having the effects of vagus nerve stimulation, which supports the parasympathetic (calming) response.

---

DID YOU KNOW?

Amebous Labs, an Atlanta-based gaming software company founded by a Georgia Tech graduate, will open a virtual reality studio in the city. The 4,457 square foot studio will be located at 500 Bishop Street in Midtown. The new facility is a $1.5 million investment in the local esports community that will create 12 jobs, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

---

What is your biggest fear? Would you be willing to face it – in person or VR? Let us know in the comments below.