Phoenix VR
Self-Confidence
Phoenix VR is an automated VR therapy designed to improve self-confidence in young people with psychosis. Using guided activities and positive feedback, the experience helps users build positive self-beliefs through evidence-based CBT and positive psychology techniques.
Early results from the ongoing trial are highly promising, with some users reporting that they now have the confidence to return to their normal lives and overcome feelings of paranoia.
My contributions to Phoenix
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Conducted QA testing and worked closely with the development team to identify, diagnose, and resolve bugs.
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Set up and locked down VR headsets for safe and consistent therapeutic use.
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Designed and implemented processes for routine headset maintenance and upkeep.
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Created and maintained training materials and support resources for therapy deliverers.
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Developed and implemented a hygiene and sanitation regimen to ensure headsets were safe for repeated clinical use.
Some Areas in Phoenix
Reflection
While much of Phoenix’s development took place before I joined my role at Oxford, I was directly responsible for the hardware used throughout the therapy. This included ensuring sufficient equipment was available, maintaining and repairing headsets, and managing their day-to-day reliability in a clinical setting.
A key part of my role involved identifying issues during delivery and communicating them effectively to the development team. This often meant working closely with therapy deliverers to understand problems as they emerged, reproducing issues myself, and translating experiential feedback into clear, technical reports that developers could act upon.
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One notable issue involved inconsistencies in user re-centring within the experience. To investigate this, I measured my physical position in the real world against my position in VR across repeated re-centring actions. This revealed a positional drift that compounded over time. Further investigation showed that two separate re-centring systems were active simultaneously, stacking on top of one another. Identifying this conflict allowed the issue to be resolved at a systems level.
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The project also highlighted the realities of deploying VR in real-world clinical contexts. In one instance, a participant sold a headset to purchase tobacco. In response, we introduced tamper-proof university labelling on all devices, adding a clear deterrent. Since implementing this change, we have not encountered any further incidents of this nature.
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Overall, working on Phoenix was a rewarding collaborative experience. Being part of a team delivering a therapy with the potential to meaningfully improve confidence and wellbeing for young people was both motivating and grounding. The project highlighted the importance of close collaboration between clinical staff, researchers, and technical teams, and reinforced how thoughtful, reliable systems can directly support real-world therapeutic impact.
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