What is Bright Future?
Bright Future was created by Denton’s premier ABA therapy center, Bright Mosaic, and virtual reality industry veterans and pioneers, From the Future. Our goal is to present professional behavioral therapy in an engaging, immersive, and rewarding environment while collecting progress data and data unique to virtual reality.
What is Islands in The Sun?
Islands in the Sun is a VR island themed framework that contains activity modules to aid in autism therapy. Activities provide both engaging and immersive therapies that are designed to be more effective due to their proximity to reality than actual reality. Activity goals are tracked and measured over time.
What data do you collect?
All data is tracked inside of the experience and then stored on an database server designed for VR data. Measures like time, number of custom goals reached, view data (direction, time, frequency) and vocal measurements are just a few examples of the types of data that can be recorded by Islands in the Sun.
This is currently a work in progress and due to its proprietary nature we are not showing it at this time.
How do you view the data?
Data will be viewed via the therapist’s mobile device and a web portal.
There are also plans to view data through a one-of-a-kind VR visualization tool where progress can be quickly viewed at a macro level and then drilled down to the finest detail.
How do I become a partner?
Sign up on our form and indicate your interest. We will then follow up with you.
When can I buy this? When is this coming out?
The platform is in production and we aren’t saying when it will be finished until we have had a chance to further define scope with our partners.
How much will this cost?
Since the platform is in production we are not ready to answer this question but we will say one of the price drivers will be based on feedback from potential customers at shows like this one.
What VR systems does this support?
What you see today is the HTC Vive networked with iPads. The system currently works with Oculus Rift and will support Oculus Quest when those come out. Any new system with full range of motion can be easily supported with our system.
We feel that the Oculus Quest is the real game changer in regards to price, mobility, and capability.
Will your system support AR (Augmented Reality)?
Yes, this is on the roadmap. We are looking at the Magic Leap but the price point is a little high for now. We have designed our platform to easily integrate AR hardware when it makes sense.
What’s included in the purchase?
This is to-be-determined but the plan is to have a strong base of therapy modules that every parent or therapist will find useful. Additional modules will be released periodically in the form of downloadable content.
How does VR therapy, your VR therapy, help people with autism?
Virtual reality allows us to do many things that are not easy to do in reality. These include:
- Include many real situations and simulations that are not affordable or safe in the real world. Such as:
- Any dangerous situation that kids can find themselves in such as crossing streets or dealing with police officers.
- Provide a filter on sensory input to make it easier to interpret what is happening and to make it easier to apply to the real world. Examples are:
- Cartoon characters for facial recognition and eye contact.
- Low poly objects that are simpler to look at.
- Limited noise input.
- Exaggerated facial expressions.
- Simpler versions of objects for shape generalization, comparison, etc.
- Visual prompts - making them glow, bounce, etc.
- Fantastical settings that are engaging. Like a game but not a game. Even when playing they are always learning.
- Direct therapist interaction through voice over IP and lip syncing.
- Observer capabilities for parents or other interested parties.
- Parent at home or work logging and observing sessions.
- Multiplayer features for social interactions.
Can younger children use this?
Yes! Certain therapies, such as:
- Object identification
- Visual motor planning
- Imitation
- And many more!
Is this safe for a child?
Yes, absolutely. The game is designed to have a supervisor present.
Will insurance cover this?
This is another tool for a therapist to use with a child. Because it is a one to one ratio with a therapist then it is considered direct therapy and the therapist has control over the activities.
In the future, the tool could be considered for telehealth and cover long distance and/or in home use.
What do you mean by therapy?
Many of the activities directly reflect common ABA, OT, and speech goals. Since a therapist is present and controlling the session and even though it is utilizing VR to enhance and heighten the experience it still closely resembles traditional therapies.