'Seeing Is Believing' is an immersive project that combines experimental art and neuroscience research -- with the goal of generating more sympathy and understanding for sufferers of chronic pain.
More specifically, the Australian event considers the issues associated with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, otherwise known as CRPS. In order to create the experience, Seeing Is Believing offers a personal interaction between artists and participants, targeting many senses of the body to simulate the condition. With this, the event shows participants how pain can result from perceptions caused by the brain, rather than physical tissue damage alone.
In order to understand this, participants are put through three different stages, beginning with a 'Mediated Reality' experience that creates movement distortion. Next, VR goggles are fitted to them and the "altered sensory-cognitive responses of people living with chronic pain" is simulated. Lastly, the artist performs a grounding exercise and discusses the participant's response.
Chronic Pain Simulations
'Seeing Is Believing' Uses Immersive Experiences to Simulate CRPS
Trend Themes
1. Chronic Pain Awareness - The immersion experience is a way to increase empathy and understanding of chronic pain. Innovative companies can invest in similar immersive art and science-based experiences to increase chronic pain awareness in their communities.
2. Mediated Reality Experiences - The Mediated Reality experience, which creates movement distortion, can be used as a tool for creating immersive and interactive marketing campaigns in other industries such as fashion or tourism.
3. VR Therapy - Virtual Reality can be used in therapeutic contexts, and innovative companies can invest in integrating similar technologies with talk therapy or other therapeutic modalities to treat chronic pain.
Industry Implications
1. Health Care - The Seeing Is Believing project highlights the underserved need for research and development for CRPS treatment, providing disruptive innovation opportunities for health care companies to address chronic pain.
2. Art and Entertainment - The immersion experience can be used as a way for artists and entertainment companies to tell engaging stories, with interactive and emotional experiences for their audiences.
3. Technology - The use of VR technology in this project opens opportunities for innovative companies to develop immersive experiences for education, tourism, and marketing.