Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed an innovative technology that can make life easier for people suffering from stress in various life situations, such as public speaking and interpersonal conflicts. The technology, based on virtual and augmented reality, offers effective tools to overcome emotional stress. This is reported by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

The new system creates realistic stress scenarios in which users can practice self-help strategies: wearing VR/AR glasses, a person finds himself on a virtual stage in front of a digital audience or in a simulation of a complex conversation. It's a modern version of exposure therapy - but with the ability to press a button and turn on breathing or meditative practices right in the middle of a virtual argument.

“Most existing mental health apps put a person in an idealized space - a beach or a forest,” said project leader Anna Fung. - "But that doesn't teach how to deal with stress in real life. We want people to be able to train in conditions that are as similar to the real thing as possible."

The team investigated three of the most stressful scenarios: speaking in public, participating in unfamiliar social events and personal conflicts. Twenty-four prototypes were created with different levels of interaction, from fully immersive virtual reality to text-based interfaces. In the interactive versions, virtual characters were able to speak to users using an AI language model, and express emotions through realistic facial expressions and movements.

Testing the technology on 19 volunteers showed that users felt greater awareness and confidence. Many would like to be able to use the app in real-world locations - for example, practicing a conversation in the same room where it's about to take place.

The researchers hope their project will make self-help skills more accessible and adaptable to real life.

“Our goal is to create a tool that people can experiment with, find techniques that are right for them, and confidently apply them in real-life stressful situations,” Fung summarized.