A new AI-driven virtual reality application, MindfulVerse, generates personalized mindfulness meditation content by dynamically adjusting to individual users' ideas and states. In an exploratory user study, the generative meditation approach improved neural activation related to self-regulation and showed positive effects on emotional regulation and participation compared to standardized meditation frameworks.
Loving-kindness meditation (LKM) can improve intimate relationships, but long-distance couples often lack access to shared LKM activities. Researchers conducted workshops with couples to design a virtual reality (VR) prototype for LKM. In a study comparing the VR prototype to a video conferencing tool, both methods positively affected intimate relationships, but the VR prototype was preferred for long-term use. The work proposes design considerations for VR apps supporting LKM for long-distance couples.
A systematic review of 19 papers from IEEE and ACM databases examined how virtual reality technology is used in meditation research. The review found no existing guidelines or comprehensive reviews on conducting such studies. It analyzed meditation types, design considerations, and VR technologies employed in the eligible studies, and identified research opportunities and challenges for future work in this area.