Communication University of China | China
Yuanyuan Lu is an emerging researcher in Virtual Reality (VR) therapy and digital health innovation, currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Digital Arts at the School of Theatre, Film and Television, Communication University of China, where she explores the intersection of immersive media, psychology, and human–computer interaction (HCI) to create meaningful mental health solutions for young audiences. She specializes in translating clinical therapeutic practices into engaging interactive experiences, with a strong focus on adolescent emotional well-being, game-based interventions, and user-centric design. Her flagship research project, “NightmareBreaker: VR Therapeutic Adventure Game for Adolescent Night Fear Management,” stands as a notable contribution to VR-based emotional intervention research. As lead designer and researcher, she developed a unique therapeutic gameplay model that integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), exposure-based design, and guided breathing exercises into a narrative-driven VR experience tailored specifically for adolescents experiencing night-related fear and anxiety. By introducing a “friendly horror” aesthetic, she redefined the concept of fear-exposure therapy in a way that is safe, age-appropriate, and empowering rather than intimidating, enabling young users to build emotional resilience through playful confrontation rather than avoidance. A key innovation of this project is the custom breathing-interaction mechanism, designed to support emotional self-regulation through real-time integration of user breathing patterns into gameplay, reinforcing calmness, grounding, and confidence during challenging in-game scenarios. User studies demonstrated significant emotional benefits and anxiety reduction among participants, validating VR’s potential as a complementary therapeutic tool for youth mental health. The research achieved international recognition through acceptance and publication at CHI PLAY 2025, a leading ACM conference in games and HCI, reflecting the global academic value of Yuanyuan’s work and establishing her early contribution to the field of VR therapy. Her research interests span VR Therapy, Mental Health, Digital Health Interventions, Game Design, HCI, and Adolescent Psychology, and her work is characterized by an interdisciplinary approach that merges artistic design, scientific grounding, emotional storytelling, and technology-enabled behavioral support. As a member of SIGCHI, she is actively engaged with the global HCI research community and is committed to advancing VR-based emotional health solutions that are accessible, effective, and appealing to younger generations. Yuanyuan is motivated by the belief that mental health interventions should be relatable and immersive, especially for adolescents who respond positively to digital and experiential forms of support, and she aims to expand her research into scalable VR therapeutic models that can be integrated into schools, counseling programs, and community mental health settings. Through her innovative work and commitment to meaningful societal impact, Yuanyuan exemplifies the qualities aligned with the Best VR Researcher Award, demonstrating creativity, research excellence, and a strong vision for the future of VR in mental health care.
Featured Publication
Lu, Y. (2025). NightmareBreaker: VR Therapeutic Adventure Game for Adolescent Night Fear Management. In CHI PLAY 2025 — Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play. ACM