ITI, a technology center specializing in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), is dedicating its efforts to improving mental health, considered one of the great social challenges of our time. Faced with the increase in problems such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness, and the growing demand for care, the organization emphasizes the need to complement traditional psychological attention with more accessible and personalized technological tools.
To this end, ITI is developing new technological solutions with the clear objective of transforming the potential of technology into useful tools for both healthcare professionals and patients. A prominent example is the cuidAR project, funded by the Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE+i). In collaboration with the Technological Institute of Children's Products and Leisure (Aiju), ITI is investigating how generative artificial intelligence and mixed reality can be used to design immersive therapeutic experiences.
These solutions allow virtual environments to be adapted to the patient's real context, facilitating the personalization and creation of tailored scenarios that respond to specific needs, fostering greater involvement in the therapeutic process. To validate the results, the project collaborates with entities such as Fundación Acavall, Fundación SASM, Play&Go, Innoarea, DomusVi, and the European Institute of Exercise and Health (EIEH).
Another important initiative is the Prev-ED project, which focuses on the prevention of eating disorders. This project, funded by the State Research Agency of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and developed with the participation of UIC Barcelona, is especially aimed at adolescents and young people. Within this framework, a mixed reality experience for group therapies has been developed, offering a safe and controlled environment to train emotional regulation strategies.
ITI has a consolidated track record in research on mixed reality applied to mental health. The result of this experience is ITI MIND, a platform based on mixed reality and gamification that transforms therapeutic sessions into more dynamic, motivating, and personalized experiences, with the aim of improving treatment adherence and contributing to the physical and emotional well-being of users.
“"Working on aspects such as emotional regulation and mindfulness is fundamental for well-being, and mixed reality offers us a unique advantage to support it: it does not isolate the person. By not losing sight of the real world, the user can perform enjoyable and gamified dynamics while maintaining visual contact with their environment and with the professional accompanying them. In this way, we achieve a tool that facilitates psychological support, making it much safer, closer, and more motivating."
