From: ATP Laboratory Subject: APPS: Someone has patented VR apps for mental health! Date: Wed, 10 Sep 1997 09:51:17 +0200 Message-ID: <34165174.61EF7AED@gse.it> Organization: Centro Auxologico Italiano I've just received this message about an approved patent related to "VIRTUAL REALITY MENTAL CONDITIONING MEDIUM" As you can read below, this patent can strongly influence research related to VR applications in the treatment of mental health (phobias, autism, etc.), even if research in this field has been working since late '80s. Do you know any way to counter such a claim? Any help is welcomed. Giuseppe ---------------------------------------------------------------------- My name is Frank Sever, Jr. I am a registered Patent Attorney (Registration No. 37,569). I have recently been advised by the United States Patent Office, that my patent application 08/502,362, entitled: "VIRTUAL REALITY MENTAL CONDITIONING MEDIUM" has been allowed. Below is one of Three (3) independent claims which define the metes and bounds of the invention. "8. An article of manufacture for use with a virtual reality device comprising a medium with a program imprinted thereon operable with the device and designed for achieving a goal desired by a subject by presenting to at least to the visual senses of the subject, a dynamic scenario which communicates in chronological sequence: (a.) a condition which requires a remedy; (b.) a mode for effecting the remedy; (c.) the performance of the mode so as to effect the remedy; and, (d.) rectification of the condition through the performance of the mode; for causing mental visualization within the mind of the subject sufficient to enable the subject to achieve the desired goal; wherein the goal is selected from the group consisting of: physical training, mental training, physical healing, mental healing and combinations thereof; when the device is mounted on the subject and the medium is operably interfaced with the device, and the program is caused to run." I also have independent claims to the article in combination with a Virtual Reality device and a method of using the combination. --------------------------------------------------------------- Giuseppe Riva, Ph.D. Head, Applied Technology for Psychology Lab. Istituto Auxologico Italiano P.O. Box 1 28044 Verbania - Italy E-mail: auxo.psylab@auxologico.inet.it WWW site: http://www.ehto.be/ht_projects/vrepar