Corinna Lathan Co-Founder and former Chief Executive Of昀椀cer, AnthroTronix Geoffrey Ling Professor of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Hospital The Surgeon General of the United States recently and TRIPP has created Mindful Metaverse, which declared war on what he calls “one of the country’s enhances well-being through VR-enabled guided most pressing public health issues of our time”. mindfulness and meditation.30 Excess screen time and social media can decrease 25 psychological well-being, but they can also Maturing interface technologies could further 26 enhance well-being when used responsibly. augment social and emotional connections between Screen time spent building connections in shared distant participants. For example, Emerge Wave 1 virtual spaces might help combat the growing is a tabletop device that uses ultrasonic waves to mental health crisis as opposed to contributing to it. simulate touch, enhancing users’ social experience. Noninvasive neurotechnologies can even provide Virtual shared spaces are digital environments feedback attuned to a user’s emotional state. For where people can interact professionally and example, Neurable headsets use electrodes to socially. The future of these spaces is commonly measure emotion and can adjust music accordingly. referred to as the metaverse, which may include Eventually, the metaverse will also connect to virtual shared spaces enhanced with augmented therapeutic neurotechnologies, such as direct brain or virtual reality (AR/VR). Just as multiple shared 31 stimulation to treat intractable depression. virtual platforms currently exist, there will likely be multiple metaverses, differing in purpose and level Leveraging the metaverse for the continuum of of immersiveness. mental healthcare needs could be a win-win. Not only would patients bene昀椀t, but grounding the The mental health crisis that existed prior to the metaverse in a practical, necessary application could COVID-19 pandemic has since increased to drive the emergence of this advancing virtual space. 27 making conditions ripe for unprecedented levels, metaverse-enabled mental health treatment. The number of mental health providers is insuf昀椀cient Impact 28 Image: to meet the escalating crisis, and, in the United 昀椀ngerprint The metaverse may States, a federal reimbursement opportunity for be used to provide a tele-mental health services is in the works to People 29 Ideally, a mental health- shared virtual space for combat this shortage. people to connect and centred technology-based infrastructure will access therapy. support all aspects of mental health: prevention, Credit: Midjourney and diagnostics, therapy, education and research. Equity Planet Studio Miko. Prompt (abbreviated): Gaming platforms are already being leveraged “People boating on lake for mental health treatment. Such platforms not in a glass cube”. only increase patient engagement but also help destigmatize mental health issues. For example, Read more: DeepWell Therapeutics has created video games Discover expert analysis to treat depression and anxiety; UK-based Xbox Prosperity related to metaverse studio Ninja Theory has incorporated mental health Industry for mental health on the Strategic Intelligence awareness into mass-market games and plans to Platform. expand into treatment with their Insight Project; Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2023 17