Realities Lab

Accessibility and user comfort were central to the design. A simple, one-handed control system allows users to explore freely鈥攅ven imagining the physical constraint of having one arm at rest during a real donation. By integrating education, agency, and relaxation, this project demonstrates how extended reality can transform healthcare outreach and encourage a new generation of confident, informed donors. 

Each module combines visual storytelling, responsive controls, and immediate feedback to make learning cybersecurity fun and memorable. Players practice identifying threats, applying ethical decision-making, and reflecting on the consequences of digital actions while developing confidence in a safe, gamified learning space. 

By blending education, interactivity, and virtual immersion, Cybersecurity Awareness VR equips students with practical knowledge to navigate the digital world responsibly and prepares them for future opportunities in technology and cybersecurity. 

Enhancing Focus Through Immersive and Data-Driven Interventions 

The VR Classroom for Attention Training project explores how immersive virtual environments can help strengthen attention and focus for individuals on the autism spectrum. This research integrates interactive virtual reality with real-time physiological data to study and enhance attentional control in learning environments. 

The project introduces VR-PDA (Virtual Reality Physiological Data Analysis), a novel framework that monitors users鈥� gaze and physiological responses to adapt the training experience. Within a simulated classroom, participants engage in attention-based exercises using four reinforcement strategies鈥攏oise, score, object opacity, and red vignette鈥攅ach designed to guide and sustain focus in different ways. 

Preliminary findings show that these reinforcement strategies significantly improve attention among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), particularly when using the noise-based approach. The study also demonstrates how adaptive, data-informed VR environments can personalize attention training and promote more effective learning experiences. 

By combining virtual reality and physiological feedback, this project advances research in neurodiversity-centered technology design and lays the foundation for scalable, personalized attention-training tools for individuals with autism and related conditions. 

Funding: This work was partly supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grants CNS-2244450 and IIS-1850438.

Both modes include strict safety protocols. Participants are monitored at all times by trained research personnel, and the simulation is structured to end safely after a fixed duration or specific player choices. The experience is not intended as therapy, but as a research tool to advance understanding of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors related to crisis response. 

By combining immersive storytelling with psychological safety and empirical design, this project contributes to a growing body of research exploring how virtual reality can enhance suicide prevention training, awareness, and early-intervention strategies for mental health professionals. 

The system鈥檚 precision tracking and voice-guided instructions create a safe but powerful learning environment where users can reflect on how small physical challenges accumulate into significant barriers. 

A checklist interface, progress tracker, and adjustable difficulty settings support repeated practice and research data collection. Each task measures completion time and accuracy, providing valuable insights for future accessibility-oriented design and health communication studies. 

By combining medical knowledge, immersive technology, and human-centered design, this project demonstrates how VR can foster empathy, awareness, and understanding of neurodegenerative diseases, helping educators, caregivers, and the public see daily life through the eyes of those living with Parkinson鈥檚. 

Each interaction dynamically shapes the player鈥檚 stamina, emotional capacity, and progress, visualized through a 鈥渂rain map鈥� that illuminates as healing unfolds. 

The game world evolves in three stages: Desolation, reflecting emotional isolation; Transition, symbolized by a campfire and the birth of a fire fox representing hope; and Civilization, where players rebuild a peaceful garden signifying recovery and reconnection. Background music, visual cues, and reinforcement feedback are carefully designed to guide users through reflection and self-growth. 

Grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based intervention principles, this project demonstrates how interactive VR storytelling can be used for mental health education, empathy training, and early prevention. By combining professional counseling input with immersive design, the experience offers both caregivers and the public a powerful way to visualize and understand the journey of living with and recovering from depression.