The Fibromyalgia Project is a project we are developing for the UOC Open University of Catalonia to treat patients suffering from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic and complex condition that causes widespread pain, deep exhaustion, and a variety of other accompanying symptoms.
The project began with the development of an app featuring a 360º Virtual Reality experience, which allows users to engage in different mindfulness, breathing, relaxation, and attention training sessions. Fibro VR+ is a Virtual Reality application for mobile devices, requiring a smartphone (Android) and a pair of cardboard Virtual Reality glasses.
The first version was designed with two different environments, one set in a forest and one on a beach. Now, we have added two new scenarios: one focused on cognitive restructuring and another on empathy, which helps family members of fibromyalgia patients step into their shoes and understand their pain from their perspective.
Cognitive Restructuring
This scenario recreates a space for cognitive-behavioral therapy and emotional management, aimed at working on maladaptive thoughts, such as feeling incapable of doing something or feeling useless—thoughts that often recur due to fibromyalgia or in patients with chronic pain. Users can interact with a virtual patient who has also been suffering from chronic pain for years.
When filming in natural environments, we face various challenges, such as differences in lighting due to weather conditions (sun, clouds, rain, etc.) and ambient noise. However, all these difficulties are outweighed by the realism that cannot be achieved otherwise.
Empathy
This scenario recreates the daily life of a person with fibromyalgia, illustrating how simple actions for healthy individuals can be difficult for them. Even basic tasks, like putting on shoes or going outside, can be far more challenging than they appear.
We are very happy with the result of these new scenes, which will surely be of great help to all those who suffer from this little-known disease that affects those who have it so intensely.
