LimbixVR offers modern treatment tools for therapists

Published March 2, 2018 · Updated February 27, 2018

VR system uses customizable exposure therapy to immerse patients during treatment. Virtual reality remains an emerging technology, but researchers and developers are discovering new uses for it every day.

Limbix is one such developer. The company specializes in making VR applications for the treatment of mental health disorders. Research supports the idea that virtual reality could be a viable treatment option for those suffering from these disorders, and Limbix is on the cutting edge of this field of treatment.

Limbix was cofounded by Ben Lewis and Tony Hsieh. Lewis has worked at several different companies, including Google, Microsoft, Facebook and Oculus, and he helped start both Tapjoy and Karma Science before co-founding Limbix. Hsieh worked at Facebook, Google and Karma Science before becoming a co-founder of Limbix.

Private practice

In the private sector, Limbix VR exposure therapy can expose patients to sources of distress without the necessity of actually experiencing it. A virtual reality experience is more realistic than the alternatives, meaning it can more accurately help therapists gauge what a person is feeling when he or she is exposed to certain stimuli.

Limbix is useful for therapists in part because it can provide graduated exposures, meaning a provider can gradually expose patients to increasingly stressful stimuli, rather than throwing them into their phobias all at once.

Phobias can be at least partially related to locations, and Limbix VR has features centered on this facet as well. Using Google Street View and Google Maps, Limbix VR can take patients just about anywhere in the world, exposing them to trauma and stress in a new, more versatile way.

YouTube is a valuable tool for some clinicians, and Limbix VR can be used for this. Patients are able to watch any YouTube video while in VR. This is useful because being immersed in VR helps keep out distractions.

Researchers

Limbix is fully equipped to support VR research projects, and the company uses a four- step process to help VR researchers launch their projects. First, the researchers must define what VR content is required for their research. Limbix then approves a pricing proposal to be included in a grant application. Once a project receives approval, the Limbix video production works with researchers to shoot VR environments before processing it onto the Limbix VR platform. Then, the necessary hardware is provided to
the researcher in order to use the filmed environments in research projects.

The Limbix YouTube channel, named “Limbix, Inc.,” is a useful way to preview what the company and its technology have to offer. Short previews of environments such as a beach, a bar and a public speaking engagement.

The channel also features how-to guides for interacting with patients and general information about getting started with a VR-based therapy system. The videos include “how-to” guides on inviting a new patient to Limbix, providing a VR therapy experience and how to begin this VR therapy. The videos are accessible and easy to understand for new users and experienced users alike. The instructions are spoken and each step is demonstrated on-screen with a VR-based therapy system: