Virtual Zootherapy in times of pandemic

Can a virtual animal help us get out of isolation? Can it be a tool to help treat certain psychological or cognitive pathologies?

?Many animal mediation experiences take on a new dimension thanks to the immersive devices of virtual reality.

Virtual reality exposure therapy VRET

VR-exposure, as compared to in-vivo exposure has the advantage of providing the patient a vivid experience, without the associated risks or costs

Is also commonly used for treating specific phobias, especially small animal phobia. Commonly feared animals such as spiders can be easily produced in a virtual environment, instead of finding the real animal.

In this article we will talk about a gentler therapy not to overcome phobias but that the images of animals will be used as a method of relaxation and distraction.

The therapeutic power of animals

Pet therapy or animal mediation is an activity that is developing more and more in health establishments welcoming people with physical or psychological disorders in order to allow residents to stimulate their motor skills as well as their cognitive and sensory capacities.

This therapy, which has been widely practiced and widespread in the United States and Canada for more than two decades, involves the animal as a new interlocutor in charge of accompanying and comforting the person while arousing physical reactions in them, emotional and social aimed at promoting their well-being.

Indeed, specialists consider animals as an intermediary of care or a factor contributing to the improvement of our daily life. If animal mediation is not strictly speaking a cure, it is undeniable that animals arouse feelings and emotions in us. Thus, the simple exchange of glances between a handler and his dog increases the production of oxytocin, also called the hormone of happiness. The purring of cats is said to have tremendous powers against stress, anxiety and insomnia ...

But sometimes having a pet is impossible. And this is where virtual reality has a role to play.

RoVR is a virtual reality pet simulator with artificial intelligence. The project is aimed at dog lovers who cannot have their own pooch but wish to play, educate and interact with a dog. An ideal companion that combines all the advantages of a real dog without the constraints of this one.

Bring the zebra into my living room.

But of course, virtual pet therapy is not just about pets. The Murdoch Children's Research Institute wanted to provide the opportunity for young patients staying at the hospital to take an immersive visit to Melbourne Zoo. This virtual reality experience allows you to approach the wildest animals without disturbing them and without having any impact on their environment. Beyond its therapeutic aspect, the process also has an educational and awareness-raising goal for the protection of species in their natural environment.

ECLOX zootherapy experience

Eclox offers a unique immersive zootherapy experience thanks to virtual reality. 360 ° images and videos to get closer to animals and nature in an innovative and multisensory way.

To do this, we shot some of our images at the Thoiry ZooSafari, France, where we were able to record different wild animals in their daily lives and without human presence, except when the meals were distributed by the animal keepers.

Of course, there are animals that elicit more emotional responses than others, but all of them arouse different stimuli.

In many cases, domestic animals have been favored for their ease in interacting with humans, but the interest of Thoiry Park is precisely the opposite. It is about allowing the animals to fully retain their wild instincts, and thus be able to watch them "unfiltered" which, in our opinion, becomes a more authentic experience.

With my team, we were able to record rare and sometimes astonishing scenes which will certainly captivate the spectator. Some animals surprise and amaze us because of their behavior, their "voice" or their size, which we appreciate in a different way thanks to the positioning of our cameras.

The power of the image is accentuated with special sound effects and original musical compositions created to enhance the visual content we provide.

Our project has already received good reviews from experts in the creation of VR experiences and we are convinced of the usefulness of our offer for a wide and varied audience in centers for the elderly, hospitals, nursing homes. rehabilitation, or in individuals.

Conclusion

Whether therapeutic or simply fun, virtual pet therapy can give us joy and comfort in a highly anxiety-provoking socio-economic and health context. Contact with the animal world also helps us to reconnect with nature and with our essential values which are the key to our balance and our physical and emotional well-being.

Contact us for more information.

We will work in several projects linked to Virtual reality and animals so if you have interest in create your own experiences or integrate one of ours we can discuss.

You can read about our Thoiry experience in our last article Eclox launches its content production in virtual reality

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