Heka VR

#AvatarTherapySpain ???? A week ago, the head of the Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Núria Montserrat Pulido, visited the Rise Center at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Deu, a research and innovation hub focused on mental health. She was welcomed by key figures in the research and mental health sector, including Dr. Josep Maria Haro and other directors from the research institute and hospital. During the visit, she spoke with researcher and our dear partner Susana Ochoa, learning about the Avatar-VR project – a psychological treatment using virtual reality for individuals with psychosis and treatment-resistant hallucinations. This project is an "extension" of the Denmark-based Challenge trial led by the VIRTU Research Group. Heka VR was one of the key technologies showcased, allowing attendees to experience how VR can be used in mental health treatments, particularly for psychosis. The visit ended with a meeting discussing future collaborations between Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu and the Department of Research and Universities, highlighting the importance of institutional cooperation in advancing scientific research. For more information about HekaVR and how it is used in Spain reach out to our team! Helena Bla?in?i?, Farah Shiraz, Sara Leander-Pehrson, Katarina Michelova, Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz!

#VoicesOfCourage ? For 27 years, Vibeke Andersen lived with an overpowering voice in her head, a symptom of schizophrenia that dictated her daily life and isolated her from the world. Traditional treatments—therapy, and medication—brought little relief. But a pioneering VR-based treatment changed everything. Through the VIRTU Research Group in Copenhagen, Vibeke confronted her hallucinations in a controlled virtual environment. With VR, she could see and respond to the voice that had tormented her for decades. This groundbreaking approach empowered her to regain control, and after eight VR sessions, the voice disappeared—something she hadn’t experienced in nearly three decades. This week, Vibeke’s story will also be shared in Colombo, where our colleague Farah Shiraz will speak about the transformative impact of VR on mental health at the "Rethinking Mental Health Care" conference organized by the Human Rights in Mental Health-FGIP. She will highlight how this technology is helping patients worldwide, offering new hope for those struggling with conditions like schizophrenia, eating disorders, and OCD. This innovative treatment is part of a paradigm shift in psychiatry. VR is proving more effective than traditional methods, not just for schizophrenia but also for conditions like anxiety and PTSD. By immersing patients in controlled, interactive environments, VR enables deeper therapeutic breakthroughs while potentially reducing the reliance on heavy medication. The results are promising: patients are moving from isolation to reintegration into society. Researchers and clinicians worldwide are now exploring VR as a standard treatment in mental health. For more info about ongoing trials and future trainings reach out to our team: Helena Bla?in?i? Sara Leander-Pehrson Katarina Michelova Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz #MentalHealth #VirtualReality #Schizophrenia #Innovation #Healthcare #VRinMentalHealth

#ScaleDigitalTherapy ?? Great news from Denmark ????! Erhvervsfyrt?rn Life Science has granted us funding for the project "Scaling a Digital Therapy Tool for Schizophrenia and Auditory Hallucinations." Heka VR is leading the project in collaboration with VIRTU Research Group. HekaVR is a digital therapy tool designed to help patients with schizophrenia and auditory hallucinations by reducing side effects and improving medication adherence. The goal is to transform Heka VR from a research innovation into a scalable, operational solution that enhances treatment outcomes in Danish psychiatry. Looking forward to the collaboration and following the progress! Read about other new projects here: https://lnkd.in/d8CfyDsf Erhvervsfyrt?rn Life Science is co-financed by the European Union. Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz Katarina Michelova Farah Shiraz Sara Leander-Pehrson Helena Bla?in?i? #HealthTech #DigitalTherapy #Innovation #Psychiatry #VirtualReality

#MeetHekaVR ?? Wrapping up the week with some exciting news! Farah Shiraz, our Chief Scientific Officer at Heka VR, will be delivering a keynote speech at the "Rethinking Mental Health Care: Navigating New Challenges and Innovations in the Digital Age", on the future of severe mental health using Virtual Reality and mental health care in the digital world. She will also be hosting an additional workshop during the conference, offering deeper insights into how HekaVR’s innovative software is transforming mental health treatment for patients with severe conditions like schizophrenia. VR is shaping the future of therapy, and Farah’s expertise will shed light on how immersive technology can create new pathways for treatment in mental health care. If you're attending, make sure not to miss this! Let’s push the boundaries of digital mental health together. ???? #MentalHealth #VirtualReality #HekaVR #DigitalHealth #Innovation #FutureOfHealthcare

#AvatarTherapyDenmark ???? Denmark, one of the world’s most digitized societies, is at the forefront of integrating technology into mental health care. The country is leading research and development in fields like virtual reality, offering new ways to support people living with conditions like schizophrenia and eating disorders. In this episode of Mindset, Al Jazeera Media Institute explores how innovative solutions—such as those from Heka VR, featured in the video—are transforming mental health treatment. Starting at 13:20, we hear from Sofie, a patient sharing her experience with schizophrenia and her participation in treatment with the VIRTU Research Group, which focuses on using virtual reality therapy to help patients engage with and manage their symptoms. For more questions about VR-avatar therapy software, reach out to our team Helena Bla?in?i? Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz Katarina Michelova Sara Leander-Pehrson Farah Shiraz #MentalHealthInnovation #VirtualReality #DigitalHealth #SchizophreniaAwareness #VRTherapy #AlJAzeera

#InternationalCollaboration ?? At Heka VR, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of immersive VR-based therapy. By integrating cutting-edge AI-driven voice modulation, we aim to enhance the experience for our patients, helping them better confront their fears and voices during avatar therapy sessions. Over the past three months, our PhD student, Anders Bargum, had the incredible opportunity to conduct part of his doctoral research on AI-based speech manipulation at Qosmo/Neutone in Tokyo, Japan. In close collaboration with their research team, he worked on audio representation and disentanglement, conditional auto-encoders, and neural, streamable F0 extraction—applied to both music instrument transfer (tone-morphing) and voice conversion. If you're into the nerdy technical details, Anders is the person to ask! Feel free to reach out—he's always happy to share insights about his amazing developments in AI-driven voice modulation. ??? Anders also shares his experience: "During my stay, the Neutone team gave me a warm welcome. Collaborating with researchers who share the same interests and have such a high level of expertise was an enriching experience. The visit was not only professionally rewarding but also personally fulfilling. I look forward to incorporating the knowledge and skills gained into my future research on voice conversion and speech manipulation for Heka VR." This collaboration exemplifies the value of international research exchange, fostering innovation and advancing the field. A big thanks to Neutone, Multisensory Experience Lab at Aalborg University, and Innovation Fund Denmark for making this happen! Special appreciation to Andrew Fyfe from Neutone for hosting Anders, and of course Stefania Serafin and Cumhur Erkut — great scientific leads and friends of Heka VR—who continue to drive innovation in avatar therapy from a sound engineering perspective. Your expertise and dedication are invaluable to advancing our work! #AI #VoiceModulation #VR #MentalHealth #Innovation #InternationalCollaboration #HekaVR

#FromTheArchive ?? For everyone still wondering what happens behind the scenes at HekaVR, this video is for you! ?? Our CEO, Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz, walks you through how we work, what we do, and the technology powering VR-based Avatar Therapy. This innovative approach is changing the way we treat auditory hallucinations, OCD, and other mental health challenges, offering immersive and interactive therapeutic experiences that were once impossible. At Heka VR, we're not just building technology—we're creating tools that empower therapists and give patients new ways to confront their inner voices in a safe, controlled environment. Watch the video to get a closer look at the process, the science, and the impact: https://lnkd.in/dEbmcJ3h ?? Have thoughts on the role of VR in mental health? Drop a comment below! Let's start a conversation. For more questions reach out to Sara Leander-Pehrson, Farah Shiraz, Katarina Michelova or Helena Bla?in?i?! #HekaVR #AvatarTherapy #VRforMentalHealth #Innovation #VirtualReality #Psychology

#AvatarTherapyGermany ???? Together with VIRTU Research Group, the team from Universit?tsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf, Lara Wille, Luzie Lohse, Steffen Moritz, Lena Jelinek, and others published a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology on Avatar Therapy for OCD using Heka VR. This innovative approach helps patients externalize their OCD through a virtual avatar, improving insight and control. Early results are promising, showing a 71% improvement in insight, 51% reduction in symptoms, and a 33% boost in self-esteem. We’re excited to see how this develops! Read more: https://lnkd.in/eaQrcw8N and contact our team if you have more questions about the use of avatar therapy! #VirtualReality #MentalHealth #OCD #AvatarTherapy #Innovation

#AvatarTherapyGermany ???? Together with VIRTU Research Group, the team from Universit?tsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf, Lara Wille, Luzie Lohse, Steffen Moritz, Lena Jelinek, and others published a study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology on Avatar Therapy for OCD using Heka VR. This innovative approach helps patients externalize their OCD through a virtual avatar, improving insight and control. Early results are promising, showing a 71% improvement in insight, 51% reduction in symptoms, and a 33% boost in self-esteem. We’re excited to see how this develops! Read more: https://lnkd.in/eaQrcw8N and contact our team if you have more questions about the use of avatar therapy! #VirtualReality #MentalHealth #OCD #AvatarTherapy #Innovation

#LivedExperiences ??? In 2024, the Wellcome Trust has shared its latest guidelines on lived experience engagement in digital mental health, reinforcing the importance of co-creation and inclusive research. This aligns perfectly with our approach at Heka VR, where patient ambassadors are central to our innovation process! Reach out to us to learn more about how we integrate lived experience into our innovation! Katarina Michelova Helena Bla?in?i? Sara Leander-Pehrson Farah Shiraz Simon Max Bloch Lajboschitz #LivedExperience #DigitalMentalHealth #HekaVR #WellcomeTrust