Award Title: SOUNDFIELDS: A Virtual Reality Therapeutic Framework for Children with Autistic Spectrum  Disorder.
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Virtual reality has been an important tool for delivering therapy to those with autism for over two decades. Advancements in consumer equipment are allowing the technology to become increasingly accessible, facilitating therapy frameworks to be delivered via a fun and motivating format. We have developed a VR experience called 'SoundFields' which is a serious game designed to provide an exposure therapy framework for autistic children with auditory hyper-sensitivities. The VR experience rewards players who interact with problematic auditory stimuli. The game utilises novel immersive spatial audio for creating realistic soundscapes. Our prior research demonstrated that this creates a significant benefit to the effectiveness and duration of the therapy.   We have conducted preliminary trials within environments where many participants experience their problematic sounds, such as schools. Such real-world context could potentially influence and improve clinical practice, support treatment in a community setting, and overall improve access to treatment for autistic children. Moreover, our current version of the application is developed for the Oculus Rift S, which requires a PC and is relatively expensive. The goal of this project is to develop the application for more affordable and practical devices, such as the Oculus Quest, thus enabling wider reach.   This proposal includes collaboration from the Child Oriented Mental health Intervention Centre (COMIC) at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and the AudioLab at the University of York, bringing together clinical autism experience and technical expertise. It will involve co-design from families with lived experience and ASD professionals. The development process will involve stakeholders including children and young people and their families, and academics, teachers and clinicians who work with autistic children.   The University of York is the owner of the IP. Our goal is to develop the application so that it can be widely used for therapy worldwide under non-exclusive licensing and via a not-for profit commercial entity.

Lay Abstract: Virtual reality has been an important tool for delivering therapy to those with autism for over two decades. Advancements in consumer equipment are allowing the technology to become increasingly accessible, facilitating therapy frameworks to be delivered via a fun and motivating format. We have developed a VR experience called 'SoundFields' which is a serious game designed to provide an exposure therapy framework for autistic children with auditory hyper-sensitivities. The VR experience rewards players who interact with problematic auditory stimuli. The game utilises novel immersive spatial audio for creating realistic soundscapes. Our prior research demonstrated that this creates a significant benefit to the effectiveness and duration of the therapy.   We have conducted preliminary trials within environments where many participants experience their problematic sounds, such as schools. Such real-world context could potentially influence and improve clinical practice, support treatment in a community setting, and overall improve access to treatment for autistic children. Moreover, our current version of the application is developed for the Oculus Rift S, which requires a PC and is relatively expensive. The goal of this project is to develop the application for more affordable and practical devices, such as the Oculus Quest, thus enabling wider reach.   This proposal includes collaboration from the Child Oriented Mental health Intervention Centre (COMIC) at Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and the AudioLab at the University of York, bringing together clinical autism experience and technical expertise. It will involve co-design from families with lived experience and ASD professionals. The development process will involve stakeholders including children and young people and their families, and academics, teachers and clinicians who work with autistic children.   The University of York is the owner of the IP. Our goal is to develop the application so that it can be widely used for therapy worldwide under non-exclusive licensing and via a not-for profit commercial entity.

Research Activity Codes: 5.6 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL
Health Categories: MENTAL HEALTH