An Affective Computing in Virtual Reality Environments for Managing Surgical Pain and Anxiety
Abstract
Pain and anxiety are common accompaniments of surgery. About 90% of people indicate elevated levels of anxiety during pre-operative care, and 66% of the people report moderate to high levels of pain immediately after surgery. Currently, opioids are the primary method for pain management during postoperative care, and approximately one in 16 surgical patients prescribed opioids becomes a long-term user. This, along with the current opioid epidemic crisis calls for alternative pain management mechanisms. This research focuses on utilizing affective computing techniques to develop and deliver an adaptive virtual reality experience based on the user's physiological response to reduce pain and anxiety. Biofeedback is integrated with a virtual environment utilizing the user's heart rate variability, respiration, and electrodermal activity. Early results from Total Knee Arthroplasty patients undergoing surgery at Patewood Memorial Hospital in Greenville, SC demonstrate promising results in the management of pain and anxiety during pre and post-operative care.
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VR and BF demonstrated effectiveness in reducing self-reported pain.
“Integrated VR and BF technology has been increasingly applied to self-help healthcare training (Yu et al., 2018), demonstrating effectiveness in reducing stress levels (Rockstroh et al., 2021), anxiety (Gaggioli et al., 2014), and self-reported pain (Prabhu et al., 2019).”
From Frontal Electroencephalography Asymmetry and Desynchronized Functional Connectivity Associated with Long-Term and Short-Term Breathing Training (2026) · cites this paper as Prabhu et al., 2019
Cites
Increases in drug and opioid overdose deaths — United States, 2000–2014
Rudd, R. A., Aleshire, N., Zibbell, J. E., & Gladden, R. M. (2016) · MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report · doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6450a3 · Cited by 1,859 · see citing works
Lin, I. M., Tai, L. Y., & Fan, S. Y. (2014) · International Journal of Psychophysiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2013.12.006 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
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Ng, H.-Y. H., Hsu, A.-L., Wu, C. W., Huang, C.-M., Chao, Y.-P., Jung, T.-P., & Chuang, C.-H. (2026) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-025-02734-1
“…(VR) and breath signal BF. Integrated VR and BF technology has been increasingly applied to self-help healthcare training (Yu et al., 2018), demonstrating effectiveness in reducing stress levels (Rockstroh et al., 2021), anxiety (Gaggioli et al., 2014), and self-reported pain (Prabhu et al., 2019).”
- Authors
- G Prabhu, V., Linder, C., Stanley, L. M., & Morgan, R.
- Affiliations
- Clemson University (US)
- Montana State University (US)
- Prisma Health (US)
- Venue
- 2019 IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (AIVR)
- Publisher
- IEEE
- Published
- 2019-12
- Pages
- 235-2351
- OpenAlex
- W2996964062
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.42
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (AIVR) (publishedVersion)
- Montana State University ScholarWorks (Montana State University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pediatric Pain Management Techniques
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Music Therapy and Health
- Keywords
- affective computing, virtual reality, surgical pain, preoperative anxiety, postoperative pain, biofeedback, heart rate variability, electrodermal activity, respiration, adaptive virtual environments, total knee arthroplasty, opioid alternatives, pain management
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