Health and Accessibility in XR

VR for Therapy and Empathy

VR’s immersive qualities make it a uniquely powerful tool for fostering empathy and aiding mental health. Projects like Michigan State University’s A Mile in My Shoes place users in the virtual perspective of a wheelchair user to build awareness and understanding of accessibility challenges. Platforms like Eunoe, led by Callie Leone, use VR to help users explore and reshape their thought patterns for therapeutic benefit.

In many ways, it’s natural that VR would evolve into a standard tool for mental health—after all, it is a world shaped by the mind. A healthier mental state can contribute to and benefit from a better virtual environment. And with features like safe exposure therapy, simulated social interaction, and guided visualizations, VR opens new doors to accessible psychological care.

Increasingly, mental health platforms are experimenting with biofeedback and emotion tracking, such as monitoring pupil dilation, voice tone, and heart rate to subtly adapt environments in real time. This makes VR not only immersive, but emotionally intelligent.

Expanding the Sensory Norms of Media

Historically, media has focused on the senses of sight and sound. This creates systemic design biases, marginalizing those in blind, deaf, or neurodivergent communities. XR invites a different future. If done well, it could shift away from “visual-first” or “audio-primary” assumptions and embrace a broader, multi-sensory approach—including haptic, olfactory, and even gustatory cues.

This shift could make virtual spaces not only more inclusive but also more emotionally resonant. A brush on the shoulder or warmth from sunlight could carry meaning, not just immersion. Tactile floors, adaptive haptics, and even spatial audio beacons are already being tested to create navigation cues for blind or low-vision users.

Cultural accessibility also matters. XR design must be adaptable to different norms around disability, therapy, and personal boundaries across global communities.

Post-Mortem and Memory-Based Avatars for Healing

One of the more controversial yet increasingly discussed applications of XR is the creation of post-mortem avatars—digitally reconstructed versions of deceased loved ones using recorded voice, video, and behavioral data. While this raises ethical questions, some therapists and grief researchers are exploring how controlled interactions with such avatars could offer closure or help navigate grief.

In clinical or support settings, memory-based XR environments could allow patients to revisit moments with lost family members or pets, potentially aiding in therapy for unresolved trauma. Used responsibly, these tools may become a powerful complement to traditional therapeutic methods.

Headspace XR: Social Mindfulness

Headspace XR, launched in March 2024 for Meta Quest, reimagines meditation through immersive interaction. Developed with Nexus Studios, it combines guided breathing, ambient environments, and social play. Features include:

Multiplayer meditation rooms
Mood-boosting mini-games
Evidence-based designs (with a Virginia Tech RCT trial planned in late 2024)
Flexible session lengths and approachable tone

At \$29.99, it aims to normalize mindfulness, especially for younger users facing burnout or isolation. Despite data collection concerns, it represents an important move toward digital emotional wellness.

VR in Healthcare: Physical and Cognitive Applications

1. COVID-19 as Catalyst
VR was used during the pandemic for radiographic visualization and remote rehabilitation of ICU patients with post-intensive care syndrome.

2. Medical Training and Simulation
Virtual cadavers, surgical practice, and anatomical immersion allow practitioners to train without physical risk. Tools like Osso VR provide step-by-step procedures in explorable environments.

3. Consumer Wearables + Diagnostics
Integration of VR with health wearables enables real-time monitoring of biometrics. Applications like Vivid Vision treat amblyopia (lazy eye) using visual training in VR.

4. Therapy
Applications range from pain management and PTSD treatment to stroke rehab and autism support. Techniques like distraction therapy (for burn patients) or virtual social cognition training help broaden therapeutic reach.

5. Elderly Care
VR is also being used in memory care centers, allowing older adults to relive familiar places or travel virtually. These experiences can reduce loneliness and improve cognitive stimulation in ways that are difficult to replicate in traditional settings.

The Future of XR UI/UX and Ubiquitous Design

Designing XR for health and accessibility requires more than 3D buttons. It involves:

UUI (Ubiquitous User Interfaces): Interfaces that flexibly adapt to different physical and virtual contexts.
Zero UI: Interface strategies with minimal visuals—relying on voice, gesture, or gaze.
Environment-aware layout: Avoiding text color clashes and supporting multiple viewing angles.
Subtle AI dynamics: Worlds that feel alive without overwhelming the user. Examples include ambient seagulls, breeze animations, or dynamic lighting.
Reward and social layers: Keep experiences meaningful with progress loops, social options, and interactivity.
Emotion-driven feedback: Use biosignal inputs like breathing rate or heart rate to adapt the experience in real time.

As flat UI begins to fade and AR/IoT becomes standard, XR designers must balance skeuomorphic familiarity (real-world mimicry) with intuitive abstraction. Smart homes, wearable displays, and reactive environments demand adaptable UX principles.

Inclusive Design: The Next Imperative

True accessibility in XR means:

Low sensory mode for neurodiverse users
Tactile-rich experiences for blind users
Closed captioning and ASL avatar options for deaf users
Adjustable interaction speeds for motor-impaired users
Library-based or clinic-shared VR access points for economically marginalized communities
Localized language and culture modes to reflect regional diversity

Inclusive XR isn’t a side quest—it’s the foundation of the medium’s legitimacy.

Written by Aura (OverwriteXR)