Rida Faraz

Virtuoso-VR is an intervention developed by researcher Noah Glaser at the University of Missouri to help adults with autism navigate different social landscapes. Virtuoso works by guiding adults with autism through instructional content to navigate public transport, and its main aim is to provide a safe and controlled space for people with autism to gain confidence in themselves and their social ability. The training process is broken into four main parts: skill introduction, 360-degree video, VR task rehearsal (Virtuoso-VR), and real-world practice. By progressing through each stage, users will be able to build adaptive skills for themselves, or skills that are necessary for gaining independence.

The primary motivation for incorporating VR into the training process was to easily transfer learned skills to the real world, and as a result, Virtuoso uses extremely realistic 3D rendering of university surroundings. After evaluating various user experiences, Virtuoso-VR was found to have an overall positive impact on the learning of autistic individuals. Users were satisfied with the technology’s ease of use, immersiveness, and accessibility, but some issues that still need to be addressed are physical accessibility issues. With Virtuoso-VR being one of many technologies in the space of autism management, researchers will continue to explore simulated interventions.

This Case Study is part of a larger essay on Simulations Overcoming Disability.

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