Immersive Audiovisual Experiences: Effects on Well-being

The alarming rise in stress-related issues among warfighters, such as suicide, alcoholism, and substance abuse, poses a significant threat to their well-being and mission readiness. Recognizing the critical need for effective stress management strategies, the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies (IACS), with funding from Lumena Labs, Inc. (Denver, CO) and the Department of Defense (U.S., Air Force), is embarking on a groundbreaking 90-day study to evaluate the impact of stroboscopic (flashing lights) brainwave entrainment on stress reduction and burnout mitigation.

With funding from Lumena Labs, Inc. (Denver, CO), the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies (IACS) will conduct a research study comparing the impacts of two immersive content-delivery systems on subjective experience and cognition. The pieces of content will be delivered via either an immersive “infinity cube” outfitted with mirrors, mylar, and LEDs where participants physically sit inside, via a Virtual Reality headset that will play a 360-degree video recording of the internal “infinity cube” environment., or via a 360 Youtube video via an online survey platform. This study will evaluate the impact of two 10-minute pieces of content on an individual’s anxiety, depression, arousal, valence, awe, ego dissolution, dispositional empathy, and cognitive state.