Virtual Interactive Imagery: Virtual Reality in the Treatment of Obesity

This paper proposes a multidisciplinary framework that applies psychological treatment. The framework uses virtual reality to apply guided imagery scenarios, where a person imagines a certain situation positively, to better deal with similar ones in reality. The idea is to use virtual reality to achieve self-efficacy; a self-belief that empowers success. The proposed concept of "Virtual Interactive Imagery" represents immersing users in virtual images to live and interact in a predeveloped scenario positively, instead of having people depend on a facilitator to guide them through imagination. The paper focuses on obesity treatment and the role of imagination in human weight loss. The methodology of creating a virtual system is presented, and a proof of concept for the system is developed and tested through a usability test.