INTERSTRESS · Interreality in the management and treatment of stress-related disorders

INTERSTRESS aims to design, develop and test an advanced ICT based solution for the assessment and treatment of psychological stress. The system will aim at (1) objective and quantitative assessment of symptoms using biosensors and behavioral analysis; (2) decision support for treatment planning through data fusion and detection algorithms; and (3) provision of warnings and motivating feedback to improve compliance and long-term outcome.To reach its goals the project will use a new concept for e-health - Interreality – integrating assessment and treatment within a hybrid, closed-loop empowering experience, bridging physical and virtual worlds: (a) behavior in the physical world influences the experience in the virtual world; (b) behavior in the virtual world influences the experience in the real world. This is achieved through:1) 3D Shared Virtual Worlds – immersive (in the health care centre) or non immersive (at home) role-playing experiences in which one or more users interact with one another within a 3D world;2) Bio and Activity Sensors (From the Real to the Virtual World): to track the emotional/health/activity status of the user and to influence his/her experience in the virtual world (aspect, activity and access);3) Mobile Internet Appliances (From the Virtual to the Real World): the social and individual user activity in the virtual world has a direct link with the users' life through a mobile phone/PDA.The clinical use of Interreality is based on a closed-loop concept that involves the use of technology for assessing, adjusting and/or modulating the emotional regulation of the patient, his/her coping skills and appraisal of the environment based upon a comparison of that patient's behavioural and physiological responses with a training or performance criterion. The project will provide a proof of concept of the proposed system with validation in clinical settings guaranteed by the clinical expertise of the coordinator (HC research centre).