ZeroPhobia: Fear of Flying

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Scientific
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VR
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We created ZeroPhobia: Fear of Flying, a mobile VR application that combines immersive technology with proven therapy techniques to help users overcome their fear of flying.
Made for

InSession

VR Development: Orb Amsterdam
UI Design, 3D Art: Studio Barbaar

Next Phobia: Fear of Flying

After the success of "ZeroPhobia: Fear of Heights," Dr. Tara Donker and her team sought to expand their approach to tackle aviophobia, building on the initial app’s framework and adapting it to address the unique challenges of fear of flying.

Having already collaborated with Orb Amsterdam on the original ZeroPhobia edition, they asked us to help address these challenges and co-develop this new solution.

Crafting Realistic Flying Experiences

We created a mobile VR app that uses gradual exposure therapy to guide users through the various stages of air travel, helping them confront their fears step by step. The app immerses users in the different phases of a flight, from check-in to landing, with every stage carefully reconstructed.

By leveraging visual and auditory cues, we ensured a highly immersive experience, accurately replicating even the most anxiety-provoking moments like takeoff and landing. This approach made the virtual exposure nearly as impactful as real-life scenarios.

Proven Results, Backed by Science

The app underwent randomized controlled trials at VU Amsterdam, proving VR exposure therapy as effective as real-life exposure, also for aviaphobia. The app has contributed to key publications, including:

Donker, T., Fehribach, J. R., Van Klaveren, C., Cornelisz, I., Toffolo, M. B. J., Van Straten, A., & van Gelder, J. L. (2022). Automated mobile virtual reality cognitive behavior therapy for aviophobia in a natural setting: a randomized controlled trial. *Psychological Medicine*, 1-10.

Fehribach, J. R., Toffolo, M. B. J., Cornelisz, I., Van Klaveren, C., van Straten, A., van Gelder, J. L., & Donker, T. (2021). Virtual Reality Self-help Treatment for Aviophobia: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. *JMIR Research Protocols*, 10(4), e22008.