Isabelle Cuber

Sleep difficulties negatively impact health and well-being. Virtual reality (VR) has shown potential to support pre-sleep relaxation, yet most interventions rely on predefined environments. With advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), it is now possible to personalize VR environments, potentially improving engagement, relaxation, and sleep. We developed an AI-supported approach that enables users to generate personalized VR environments based on desired pre-sleep emotions. We conducted a formative evaluation with 15 participants over seven nights by collecting sleep data, self-reports, and qualitative data via interviews. Results show that both predefined and personalized VR experiences positively impacted sleep quality. While no significant differences in sleep metrics were found between the predefined and personalized conditions, participants preferred the personalized approach. They cited greater emotional alignment, engagement, and agency. The results suggest that personalization primarily enhances the lived experience of pre-sleep routines, with limited direct impact on physiological sleep metrics.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by patterns of inattention and impulsivity, which lead to difficulties maintaining concentration and motivation while completing academic tasks. University settings, characterized by a high student-to-staff ratio, make treatments relying on human monitoring challenging. One potential replacement is Virtual Reality (VR) technology, which has shown potential to enhance learning outcomes and promote flow experience. In this study, we investigate the usage of VR with 27 university students with ADHD in an effort to improve their performance in completing homework, including an exploration of automated feedback via a technology probe. Quantitative results show significant increases in concentration, motivation, and effort levels during these VR sessions and qualitative data offers insight into considerations like comfort and deployment. Together, the results suggest that VR can be a valuable tool in leveling the playing field for university students with ADHD.