Shinrin-yoku is a japanese nature therapy based on outdoor natural environment feeling, phytoncide smells, sounds hearing which are close to natural ones. 

 

We have reproduced as part of this project a Virtual Forest bath using polysensory environment using 3D images rendering a digital forest, sounds of the forest and smells known for their phytoncides (Cedar) and could help the Alzheimer patient to live an experience similar to a walk in the forest with its usual benefits(Li, 2010).  Our hypothesis was : Could a walk into a virtual forest reduce stress (Park, 2010), patient anxiety levels, improve patient’s creativity and brain function(Atchley, 2012) , as well as cardiovascular and metabolic improvements like a real one ? 

 

The schema below represent the simulation process we used to produce an alternate reality of that mimic a polysensorial bath : 

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Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Kasetani T, Kagawa T, Miyazaki Y. The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan;15(1):18-26. doi: 10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9. PMID: 19568835; PMCID: PMC2793346.

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Atchley RA, Strayer DL, Atchley P. (2012)Creativity in the wild: improving creative reasoning through immersion in natural settings. PLoS One. 2012;7(12):e51474. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051474. Epub 2012 Dec 12. PMID: 23251547; PMCID: PMC3520840.

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Li Q. (2010)Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan;15(1):9-17. doi: 10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3. PMID: 19568839; PMCID: PMC2793341.

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Li Q, Kobayashi M, Kumeda S, Ochiai T, Miura T, Kagawa T, Imai M, Wang Z, Otsuka T, Kawada T. (2016)Effects of Forest Bathing on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Middle-Aged Males. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:2587381. doi: 10.1155/2016/2587381. Epub 2016 Jul 14. PMID: 27493670; PMCID: PMC4963577.