The Challenge Project
Fighting auditory hallucinations by using Virtual Reality simulation training
What is it?
CHALLENGE is a project to develop a novel therapy to aid people who suffer from auditory hallucinations, specifically, hearing malevolent voices.
Khora is developing the core software to support this novel treatment. The software includes a virtual reality simulation training program and voice modulation in real time, which will enable the patient to face their malevolent voices and lessen their control over the patient’s life.
The Challenge Project is a research project in collaboration with Region Hovedstaden in Denmark and funded by the Innovation Fund Denmark.
Contact link for more information: https://www.
What does the press say?
(DK) Tre regioner afprøver ny behandlingsform
Forskere eksperimenterer med virtual reality som værktøj mod psykiske lidelser som fobier, psykoser og posttraumatisk stress.
(DK) Virtual Reality skal hjælpe skizofrenipatienter med at bekæmpe stemmerne i hovedet
En ny behandlingsform skal gøre det lettere for patienter med alvorlige hørelseshallucinationer at kontrollere de plagsomme stemmer, de hører. VR-brillerne testes i Region Hovedstaden, Nordjylland og Syddanmark.
Why use VR simulation training?
The use of Virtual Reality allows exposure to challenging situations in an immersive, but also protected, flexible, and controlled environment. Exposure to auditory hallucination in real life is impossible to organize and control. VR exposure therapy can overcome or mitigate this problem by producing greater user acceptance and providing control over and access to situations.
With this project, we expect patients to be able to develop new skills and strategies to cope with their malevolent voices.
This type of treatment may also improve the cost effectiveness and efficacy of the current treatment of auditory hallucinations.
Who is involved in the project?
What makes this software unique?
Face Creation
Creating a visual representation of the patient’s malevolent voice, where gender, age, and facial characteristics are all customizable.
Voice Modulation
A recording of the therapist’ voice can be modulated – by changing age, gender, pitch, and other traits – to resemble the patient’s persecutory voice.
Real Time VR
The patient can engage in a dialogue with the visual representation of the malevolent voice in VR, where the therapist is acting as the voice via the real time voice modulation feature.
What is good to know?
- CHALLENGE is a research project funded by the Innovation Fund
- The project aims to develop a novel therapy
- The target group is patients suffering from auditory hallucinations
- Patients are consulting in the development of the software
- The software is being designed to be used with the Oculus Rift S (VR Headset)
- This is a 5 year project set to be concluded in 2024
- Pilot testing is set to begin in Spring 2020
Contact us
Contact-Challenge
Farah Shiraz
Chief Scientific Officer
+45 91 85 30 90