WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE brings together artistic & technological innovation to explore how arts-based therapeutic content can be combined with XR.

精神卫生问题的发生率和对精神卫生服务的需求正在稳步增长，COVID-19加速了这一增长，而NHS服务的资源无法满足不断增长的需求。研究表明，有意识地使用表达性触摸可以改善临床互动，从而改善患者的健康，研究报告称，目前护理教育未能优先考虑同情心和同理心作为关键技能。解决培训和治疗提供方面的差距可以提供巨大的质量和经济效益。WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE将艺术和技术创新结合在一起，探索基于艺术的治疗内容如何与XR技术相结合，为患者提供积极的心理健康结果，并确保为护士和护理人员提供有效的培训结果。该项目以患者为中心，专注于可以应用、试验和最终大规模采用的解决方案，为英国精神卫生部门提供广泛的经济效益，例如“情感触摸”培训和护士的同理心技能。我们已经发现，沉浸式XR技术在探索触觉和触觉使用的数字心理健康疗法方面的研究存在重大差距。我们还确定了一个通常的重点，即优先考虑技术创新本身，而不是参与者的体验和情感影响——这就是这个创新项目作为艺术和技术方法的独特结合，将重新调整优先事项，将患者的情感体验放在首位和中心。作为一家以残疾人为主导的艺术制作公司，我们将受益于Greenwich合作伙伴ZU-UK在体验表演领域的专业知识和宝贵的投入。前NHS护士，医疗模拟和劳动力发展教授Sharon Weldon说：“在触摸距离内是权力艺术的一个完美例子，它必须推动医疗模拟的极限，使医疗专业人员超越自己的现实。”利用技术和触觉来提高同理心的重要性，是一种强有力的方式，它将关怀的本质带回了我们所做事情的最前沿。”

The rates of mental health problems and demand for mental health services are steadily growing, accelerated by COVID-19, while NHS services are not resourced to meet increasing demand. It has been shown that conscious use of expressive touch improves clinical interactions, hence, patient wellbeing, and studies report a current failure in nursing education to prioritise compassion and empathy as key skills. Addressing gaps in training and therapy provision could provide huge quality and economic benefits.WITHIN TOUCHING DISTANCE brings together artistic and technological innovation to explore how arts-based therapeutic content combined with XR technologies can provide positive mental health outcomes for patients and ensure effective training outcomes for nurses and carers. The project is patient-centred, focussing on solutions that could be applied, trialled and ultimately adopted at scale, to provide a broad economic benefit to the UK mental health sector, such as 'affective touch' training and empathy skills for nurses.We have identified a significant gap in research into immersive XR technologies towards digital mental health therapies which explore the use of haptics and touch. We have also identified a usual emphasis that prioritises technological innovation as an end in itself over participant experience and emotional impact - this is where this innovative project as a unique combination of arts and technological approach will realign priorities to place the patient's emotional experience front and centre. We will benefit from Greenwich partner ZU-UK's expertise and invaluable input as a disabled-led producing arts company in the field of experiential performance.Former NHS nurse, and Professor of Healthcare Simulation and Workforce Development, Sharon Weldon said "Within Touching Distance is a perfect example of the power art has to push the limits of healthcare simulation and make healthcare professionals think beyond their own reality. The use of technology and touch to raise the importance of empathy is a powerful way of bringing the essence of what care is back to the forefront of what we do"