Dissemination

The Inner Project: Virtual Reality to help reduce anxiety before surgery

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TIP – The Inner Project brings together CIAC, the Algarve Biomedical Center (ABC) and the Algarve Local Health Unit to develop an immersive experience that aims to contribute to reducing preoperative anxiety by familiarising patients with the surgical environment and procedures.

Coordinated by Bruno Mendes da Silva, a researcher at CIAC – Research Centre for Arts and Communication, the project proposes to develop a serious game in Virtual Reality to support patients’ emotional preparation before a surgical intervention.

Preoperative anxiety is frequently associated with uncertainty, unfamiliarity with procedures and fear of what might happen. Against this background, TIP aims to investigate how an immersive experience can make the hospital environment more familiar and serve as a complementary tool for preparing patients.

In its first phase, the research focuses on laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder. Using Virtual Reality headsets, participants will be able to explore a three-dimensional representation of the operating theatre, learn about the equipment used and follow a simulation of the different stages of the procedure.

One of the project’s features is the integration of a biofeedback system, which will enable users’ physiological responses to be monitored through heart rate variability. Using artificial intelligence techniques, the experience will be able to adapt to these responses, adjusting the interaction and suggesting relaxation and emotional regulation exercises.

Evaluation in a hospital setting

The project includes an evaluation at the Algarve Local Health Unit, particularly at Faro Hospital, using a methodology that combines the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

A clinical study involving two groups of participants is planned: one will have access to the Virtual Reality experience, while the other will receive the preoperative information usually provided by the hospital. Comparing anxiety levels, assessed using validated questionnaires, will make it possible to study the intervention’s potential contribution.

Feedback will also be collected from patients and healthcare professionals to assess ease of use, the immersive experience and the tool’s suitability for clinical needs.

An interdisciplinary approach

The team includes researchers from the University of Algarve, the Algarve Biomedical Center, the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém and the Algarve Local Health Unit, bringing together expertise in digital arts, communication, technological development, artificial intelligence, psychology, quantitative methods and biomedical sciences.

The project also involves collaboration with international experts in serious games, minimally invasive surgery and Virtual Reality applied to psychology and healthcare.

By bringing the arts and digital technologies closer to the health sciences, TIP seeks to contribute to more informed, patient-centred preoperative preparation. The effectiveness of this approach will be investigated through the planned clinical evaluation. In the long term, the team intends for the knowledge and tools developed to be adaptable to other surgical procedures and clinical settings.

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