Efficacy

Safety and efficacy:

We are proud to announce that Virry VR complies with the NHS UK's DCB 0129 Standard of Clinical Safety. Prepared by the NHS Digital Clinical Safety team, DCB 0129 is designed to help manufacturers of Health IT software evidence the clinical safety of their products.

Virry VR is classified as a Class 1 Medical Device with the MHRA, as a product intended for the prevention, treatment and/or alleviation of neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with conditions, such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and ADHD and is CE accredited.

Virry VR was developed with psychologist Dr Gail Melson, of Perdue University, and Prof. Jeremy Bailenson of Stanford University, to ensure we created a VR product that is safe and emotionally beneficial to use.

Virry Life is compatible with Pico G2 4K headsets. Pico headsets are designed to be easy to clean and are hygienic for shared use. The equipment can either be taken apart and easily wiped down between uses, or solutions such as Cleanbox Technology, which can kill 99.999% of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in 60 seconds, can be used.

User feedback:
User feedback was collected during the development phase of Virry VR. We ran test groups of various ages at a Virry VR Experience space, set up at our studio in London, to trail the product test build and collect feedback. This feedback was used by the Virry team to amend our design and ensure we built a product that was easy and intuitive to use by all ages.

Employees — HeadHunter

Positive effect of everyday VIRRY VR breaks on office employees.

Longitudinal study conducted by Fountain Digital Labs (London, UK) in the top online recruitment company Headhunter Group (hh.ru)

Research dates 27.08.2019 — 29.09.2019

The negative impact of a prolonged state of psycho-emotional stress negatively affects not only the efficiency of an employee, but also health and wellbeing. In addition to purely psychological methods for assessing the level of psycho-emotional stress and its negative effects on humans, there is an array of studies of psychophysiological markers related to heart rate variability (HRV).

We conducted a study of the effectiveness of Virry technology for a short conscious break in the headquarters of HeadHunter Group (HH.ru).

The study was conducted in summer at HeadHunter headquarters.
47 people took part in the study of the instantaneous impact of a conscious break experience in virtual reality. 21 people took part in the longitudinal study of the effects of a conscious break in virtual reality that lasted over 4 weeks. All participants took part in the study on a voluntary basis, had normal or corrected to normal vision, were mentally healthy, had no cardiac or neurological diseases, and did not take any medication during the study period that could significantly affect the brain and heart work.

For data recording we used the VNS-Micro NeuroSoft Neuropathy Analyzing System (Neurosoft LLC, Russia). The heart rate measurement procedure was performed in the study three times: before and after the first immersion in the virtual savannah with Virry Life and after 10 visits to the virtual savannah.

Apart from the VNS-Micro testing used self-report analysis. Throughout the series of initial screening, employees could go online using their own devices by clicking on the link virry.life/tests_before/en, to fill in the application form and pass the tests in the beginning and the end of research and also everyday

The results of a study at HeadHunter Headquarters show the positive effect of the conscious breaks on the psycho-emotional state of employees, as indicated by the following psychophysiological markers: heart rate decreases statistically significantly after a single visit to the virtual savannah when measured in a calm position, the HRV frequency indicators show an increase in the activity of the parasympathetic system after a single conscious break.

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Senior Care — Malakhovka

Positive effect of everyday VIRRY VR breaks on care home residents diagnosed with dementia.

Longitudinal study conducted by Fountain Digital Labs (London, UK) in a care home

Research dates: 27.11.2018 — 29.12.2018 & 19.02.2019 — 28.05.2019

In developing this study we built upon Harvard University Professor Edward O. Wilson’s biophilia hypothesis, which expands E. Fromm’s theory to position biophilia as the basis of human existence and wanted to learn how nature in VR can affect people with dementia.

We tested 20 elderly residents of a Moscow care home in Malakhovka. Residents participated in a study looking at the impact of visiting a virtual savannah using Virry VR technology. These 20 people later formed an experimental group. A control group was formed of 22 elderly residents. Among the participants were elderly people with differing levels of cognitive function, but all with an MMSE score of at least 24. We used primarily the following tests:

— Questionnaire to collect information on the participant’s features and emotional state/mood.
— A. Luria’s "10 words method" test to assess the state of the participant’s memory, fatigue and attention. This method allows exploration of the process of memory — memorization, preservation and reproduction.
— "Visual memory" test to study short-term memory.
— "Subjective age" questionnaire.

After the initial tests, the study participants visited the Virry VR site on a daily basis to watch one or two videos of animals. After completion of the first stage, the study continued for a further 4 months.

The positive effect of embedding a visit to a virtual savanna in the everyday routine of care home residents with dementia was noted. Over the course of the study, the mood of the participants improved significantly and their satisfaction with life increased after each immersion in the virtual reality environment. Their level of pain also decreased and through long-term observation, it became apparent that a visit to the virtual savannah has a cumulative effect associated with a decrease in the subjective level of pain.

There was a clear improvement in memory test results. It should be noted that the inclusion of a new type of activity in an elderly person’s environment gives them a stimulating experience and it is highly probable that this has a positive effect on cognitive abilities that decline with age. It can be assumed that visiting the savannah via VR arouses interest in the new and re-orientates the entire cognitive system with knowledge, whilst also having an immediate positive impact on the individual’s wellbeing, setting a positive emotional scene that enables a different attitude to life. A break with Virry VR has, for many participants, become an integral part of their life in the care home. Furthermore, VR experience has also become a communicative platform for discussing new topics with new people.

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Patient reviews

"I was pleased with the Virry Life VR treatment and enjoyed it so much. I was delighted with the scenery, I was in such a joyful mood! I wanted to run into this natural beauty, swim in this lake under the waterfall, to feel young again. I just imagined having a rest, and it was so pleasant and good - a rush of energy and joy in my heart ... Sunshine, warmth, tenderness of the day and warm air and still cool water. Really great! Solitude, meditation, dawn... The sun rises and everything wakes up. And now this bright, sunny, beautiful summer's day. It's worth living for! Very cool! Thanks to the outpatient geriatric nurse, for the wonderful and necessary treatment."

"The impression Virry Life VR gave me was wonderful! You really feel yourself immersed in the centre of wildlife, you see animals up close, you communicate with them as if in person. The voice of Nikolay Nikolayevich Drozdov adds a lot to the experience - special thanks to him!"

"I really enjoyed looking at the Virry Life VR experiences. Very beautiful waterfall, mountains and landscapes. Really enjoyed it! Thank you!!!"

"I am delighted with the wonderful Virry Life VR treatment. Your clever nurse transported me to a world of beautiful amazing nature, which immediately lifted my spirits and colored my life with unforgettable shades. Thank you to the medical professionals who work on geriatric issues, support us, people of elegant age, and strengthen our healthy spirit, which, as we know, is a consequence of a healthy body! Many thanks and a big bow to all who work on this problem."

"On Friday, my nurse came and talked to me about the new treatment and then brought me a virtual reality headset. I really liked these helmet-glasses. Such a beauty! First of all, the waterfall is a miracle. You look at it and it calms you down a bit... I remember when we were at the waterfalls. Secondly, a very beautiful panorama: everything is beautiful and very pleasant, one gets distracted and the mood rises. I am very grateful to both the nurse and the doctor psychologist who had a very useful conversation and testing with me."

"Today a nurse from the outpatient geriatrics department gave a session on the Virry Life VR treatment. It was a very pleasant procedure. During the session I enjoyed looking at nature in different parts of the world and at animals. I liked looking at the animals very much, because I like animals very much. I got great pleasure and a good mood from the experience. Thank you very much to the nurse for the session."

"I have had the great fortune of trying Virry Life VR. It was a kind of magic, so beautiful and relaxing. I had the great pleasure of communicating with nature, listening to the birds sing, seeing the waterfall and landscapes. How beautiful the clouds are floating over the trees, and mesmerizing nature all around. The green trees and the falling waterfall shimmer in the sunlight. I enjoyed and marveled at what I saw. This was the first time in the hospital I've experienced these feelings and emotions. The enjoyment of what I saw was immense. There is no limit to my excitement!!!! I never thought that such a thing could be seen. I will come home to my village and tell everyone about my delight and admiration at what I have seen. I would think it was a fairy tale if I had not seen it with my own eyes. Thank you so much for such pleasure and enjoyment!!!"

"A very pleasant experience. During the treatment you feel pleasure from contemplating nature, relaxing and enjoying being in a good mood. And such a charming nurse! Just talking to her lifted my spirits. Thank you for the treatment!"

"I am delighted to share my experience of the "Virtual Glasses" treatment! The first session was the day after the operation. The feeling of being completely immersed in the natural world with its funny events and animal interactions distracted me from my own painful sensations, brought joy and improved my mood. The next day, the session was aimed to bring the sense of tranquility, complete immersion in the natural world. Then there was a deep immersion in a relaxed state of the body and mind. I had a session lying down, and even after the session lay motionless for several minutes, in a light state of complete relaxation, calm and peacefulness. A very pleasant feeling."

"I really liked the treatment as it is very calming and relaxing. You see wildlife, animals, you hear birds singing... I was especially struck by the waterfall as if water drops were reaching me. Everything looked real to me. Above me was the savannah with a herd of elephants passing in the distance. And one seemed to come closer to me, wanting me to stroke its trunk It is as if I walk through the meadows and the forest and breathe fresh air. Thank you for such a pleasant procedure!"

"This is the first time I have used these "magic glasses" and I am happy to share the feelings I had during the session. This is something incredible! It seems as if I am in the prairie: you hear the chirping of birds, the cry of elephants, which are very close! You can touch the trunk, stroke them, feed them with grass. Indescribable feelings. And when you sit by the waterfall and hear the sound of water, you want to close your eyes and enjoy these exciting sounds. From everything you see, your mood rises, you want to breathe deeply, enjoy the environment and think that life is beautiful. And that everything is going to be fine!"

"Thank you so much for the pleasure I had whilst using Virtual Reality Glasses. I enjoyed watching the films that were shown to us. The nature, the waterfalls, and the animals are soothing, uplifting, and stress relieving. I would really like to be able to spend more time in virtual reality and to see more patients using them. This means that you need to have more virtual reality glasses to bring this beauty to people."

"When I put on the VR glasses for the first time, I had the feeling that I was on a slope, and on the opposite side, there was a waterfall. I can go down to it and touch it. You can hear the flap of wings when you see birds flying, it feels like you're actually there.
The elephant is a magnificent animal. He is coming towards you, he is about to step on you, and you want to step aside and give him the way. The huge colossus stands over you, and as if you were in the wild, in the savannah, he waves his huge ears like a fan as he passes by. After the session, you feel a surge of energy. I want to pull myself up, spread my legs and arms wide, relax my body. As a result, my sleep has improved."

Our research partners

The Virry team have started working together with researchers at the Centre for Immersive Technologies, University of Leeds to explore how virtual reality can be used to augment educational experiences in the primary school years. Existing research has shown that childhood vocabulary can be predicted by environmental exposure and children from low socioeconomical backgrounds lag behind their wealthier peers in language development. Our aim is to contribute towards democratising learning opportunities and help all children, irrespective of their socioeconomic background, experience informationally-rich environments such as exploring the wonders of the natural world through Virry Safari. We are currently in the process of conducting a feasibility experiment to understand how to best align the Virry VR safari experiences with the UK national curriculum to facilitate educational development.

Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL) is currently running a study in which hundreds of experimental participants are experiencing VR scenes via spherical video. The goal of the study is to create a database of VR experiences that induce particular emotions (i.e., high versus low arousal) and to better understand the link between head movement and emotional experiences in VR. Virry VR has provided essential videos that are being used as stimuli in the experiment, given they provide unique experiences that are emotionally charged.

The VHIL have also used Virry VR products in a study conducted at a senior care home, looking at how virtual reality can help improve the quality of life of their senior residents.

Current research

A study led by Vivian Hill, from the Department of Psychology and Human Development at the UCL Institute of Education, will look into Virry VR’s effectiveness as a non-medicinal treatment on children with ADHD. A pilot study is currently being carried out on a group of children in Year 1 who have been identified with complex behavioural and emotional needs.

Invitation to researchers

We have already investigated the application of our product, Virry Life, in several areas, but would like to invite researchers to collaborate on investigating the use of Virry VR further in the following areas:

— Epigenetics — looking at how meditation changes gene expression.
— Treatment of ADHD symptoms in children and teenagers.
— Pain reduction for patients/ people living with chronic pain.
— Improving the quality of life of dementia patients.
— Improving dementia patient’s memory .
— Improving mental health and emotional balance at high risk companies.
— Decreasing the subjective age of older adults.
— Depression.
— Anxiety.
— How psychological health can be improved by exposure to nature and wildlife.
— Improving empathy and ecocentrism.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss research opportunities with our team.