VR Facility
Welcome to the C3N Center's cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) laboratory, a state-of-the-art facility that integrates innovative technologies to propel psychiatric research to new frontiers. The VR systems at our center are specifically tailored to investigate the complexities of psychotic disorder and schizophrenia, unlocking novel insights into the cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of these disorders.
Immersive VR Environments
Our VR systems transport participants into immersive virtual environments, replicating real-world scenarios with unparalleled realism. These carefully crafted simulations enable researchers to assess behavioral responses and cognitive functions in ecologically valid settings.
Multi-Dimensional Tracking
- Eye Tracking: High-precision eye-tracking technology records participants' gaze patterns and visual fixations, providing a comprehensive analysis of attentional focus, eye movement abnormalities, and cognitive processing during virtual experiences.
- Hand Motion and Gestures: Precise hand motion tracking sensors capture participants' fine motor control and gestures within the virtual world, offering unique insights into motor impairments and interactions with virtual objects.
- Full-Body Motion Capture: Our advanced motion capture system accurately estimates participants' body positions and movements, allowing researchers to study spatial navigation, postural abnormalities, and motor coordination in the virtual realm.
Social Interaction and Cognitive Assessments
The VR laboratory is equipped with tailored social interaction experiments that mirror real-life social scenarios. Researchers can observe and analyze social cognition, interpersonal behaviors, and emotional responses within these virtual social interactions, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals with psychotic disorder and schizophrenia.
Cognitive assessments conducted in our VR environments provide invaluable data on attention, memory, decision-making, and executive functions, enabling a deeper understanding of cognitive impairments associated with psychiatric disorders.
Therapeutic Interventions and Rehabilitation
Our VR systems open new possibilities for therapeutic interventions and cognitive rehabilitation. Researchers can develop targeted interventions within the virtual space to enhance cognitive skills, improve emotional regulation, and foster social competence among participants with psychiatric disorders.
Translational Impact and Collaborative Research
The C3N Center is dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between clinicians, researchers, neuroscientists, and psychologists. The insights gained from our VR-based studies hold promise for translating into improved diagnostic tools, personalized treatment approaches, and evidence-based interventions.
Ethics and Participant Well-being
The ethical well-being of our participants is of utmost importance. All studies conducted in our VR laboratory undergo rigorous ethical review and adhere to stringent data protection protocols, ensuring participant privacy and confidentiality throughout the research process.