CHARISMA LogoOver the past 10 years, the Emerging Technologies Lab at the Brain Performance Institute developed Charisma™, a flexible virtual simulation platform combined with a cognitive training program, to increase social adeptness.  Our developers, in collaboration with clinicians, have leveraged the rich opportunities of Virtual Reality (VR) to allow repeated – but novel – practice with real-time simulation of authentic, dynamic social interactions at varying levels of complexity. Charisma is currently in development to be used as the platform for other brain health programs at the Brain Performance Institute.

Participants receive live, interactive coaching from licensed clinicians.  As trained experts in social cognition, they serve as guides to promote successful engagement in complex social situations in the safety of a virtual world.  Through this practice, users develop confidence and adopt behavioral changes that have shown to translate into real-world interactions.

 

Milestones in the Evolution of Charisma

 

2006 traditional coaching, 2007 second life, 2011 virtual gemini, 2013 virtual gemini 2 and the research published in the journal of autism and developmental disorder, 2015 virtual gemini 3 and research published in computers in human behavior, 2017 Charisma released and research published in behavior research and therapy, international educational games competition finalist and research published in journal of the international society for autism research
More about the software:
  • Charisma utilizes cutting-edge game development software and techniques to bring a realistic virtual world to life
  • Developed in collaboration with expert clinicians
  • Unlike other virtual simulation programs, Charisma users always interact with a live, licensed clinician
  • Users can create a customized avatar to represent themselves
  • Users can role-play scenarios in locations such as a school, an office, an apartment, a coffee shop, a movie theatre and others
  • Leverages familiar gaming technology to promote ease of use
  • Customized control panel with objects and props
  • Voice-morphing software
  • Session recording capabilities
  • Built on Unreal Engine 4

Charisma is available anywhere via online access.  In-person training is available at the Brain Performance Institute located in Dallas, Texas.

 

Conference presentations

 

 

Charisma™ uses the Unreal® Engine. Unreal® is a trademark or registered trademark of Epic Games, Inc. in the United States of America and elsewhere. Unreal® Engine, Copyright 1998 – 2019, Epic Games, Inc. All rights reserved.
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