The JUAN XXIII FOUNDATION, with more than 55 years dedicated to the social and labor inclusion of people in situations of psychosocial vulnerability, especially those with intellectual disabilities and/or mental disorders, has partnered with Nokia, a leader in technological innovation, to launch the ‘INCLUVERSO 5G’ project. This strategy combines traditional therapy with virtual reality, offering an immersive experience that allows people with intellectual disabilities to face and overcome their fears.
The project was born when the Center for Opportunities, Training and Labor Insertion (COFOIL) of the JUAN XXIII FOUNDATION detected that some people in this group experienced fear when going up or down stairs, a common element in many environments such as public transportation, shopping centers, homes and health centers. This fear limits their mobility and independence, significantly affecting their quality of life and their ability to participate in everyday activities. To support these people in overcoming this fear and improving their autonomy and social inclusion, ‘INCLUVERSO 5G’ was born.
In addition to integrating therapy with advanced technologies, it addresses the difficulties that people with intellectual disabilities face in their capacity for imagination and abstract reasoning. Thanks to tools such as virtual reality glasses, these barriers can be overcome. New technologies make it possible to create a controlled and safe simulated environment, facilitate gradual exposure to anxiety-producing situations, promote active interaction and offer impressive realism.
JUAN XXIII FOUNDATION and Nokia launch INCLUVERSO 5G
The main objective of ‘INCLUVERSO 5G’ is to research extended reality technologies and advanced 5G telecommunications to create immersive communication experiences applied to therapy, telepresence and teletraining. These experiences are designed for people at risk of psychosocial vulnerability, as a step towards the development of a completely inclusive Metaverse.
In this first phase of the project, the psychological technique of systematic desensitization combined with virtual reality has been applied to reduce fear of stairs in people with intellectual disabilities. Specific challenges include reducing anxiety associated with using stairs, promoting participants’ autonomy, acquiring coping strategies, and promoting their social inclusion.
The objective of INCLUVERSO 5G is to apply the classic psychological technique of systematic desensitization combined with virtual reality to reduce, in this first phase, the fear of stairs that some people with intellectual disabilities have.
From February to June 2024, a total of 10 users, 5 men and 5 women between 21 and 61 years old, participated in this phase of the project. The therapy sessions were carried out at the headquarters of the JUAN XXIII FOUNDATION, where both the therapist and the patient were in the same room, with a limited area that allowed the user to move freely and, at the same time, also do so in the room. virtual scene. The therapist controlled the session from outside this area and, through the Nokia Unity application, could measure each patient’s responses to this fear.
The therapy was structured in two phases: a relaxation phase, where patients learned relaxation and breathing techniques, and an exposure phase, which allowed users to face the feared stimulus. At the end of each session, participants completed a questionnaire to assess spatial presence, levels of relaxation and fear experienced, possible dizziness, and their assessment of the technology.
This technology not only provided a safe and controlled environment, but also allowed the experience to be personalized according to the needs of each user. After the sessions, the participants were able to face the feared stimulus in their real lives, and both they and their families expressed being very satisfied with the experience.
