This project focuses on the development of a Virtual Reality (VR) Emotion Recognition Trainer tailored for older children (8+ years) who face specific mental health challenges, such as conduct disorder. The primary goal is to assist these children in recognizing facial expressions and understanding the associated emotions. To achieve this, the Emotion Recognition Trainer will be stylized in a manner reminiscent of popular TV shows for the target age group, ensuring it is immersive, engaging, and centered around play-based learning.

The VR experience consists of four 10-minute sessions in total, with each session including the emotional: happy, sad, angry, and scared. The player will go through a story-driven experience with a friendly non-human guide character (companion). The companion character is designed to establish a connection with the child, fostering a sense of trust and comfort. And providing guidance, encouragement, and positive reinforcement throughout the VR experience. In each session, the player will learn about recognizing facial expressions and understanding emotions, and will be asked to answer questions during the experience to evaluate their understanding of the given emotional situation.