Rescape has been deploying immersive therapies to treat patients' pain and anxiety for over 4 years with a class 1 medical device called DR.VR(r) - we have already licenced our solution to over 80 NHS locations. Our project innovation will combine closed-loop Vagus Nerve Stimulation with Virtual Reality therapies to amplify the benefits of both treatments in reducing depression and anxiety in Chronic pain sufferers. As many as 85% of people who suffer from chronic pain also suffer from a mental health condition, this could be as many as 11.5 million people in the UK. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has research evidence for efficacy in several mental and medical health issues, such as Depression, Disorders of consciousness, Epilepsy, Cardiovascular Diseases, Digestive system Diseases and Parkinson's disease. It works through the increase of parasympathetic activity (our rest and digest response) which leads to an increased immune response and a reduction of stress and other important body regulation. We believe by using VR in tandem with VNS we can significantly reduce a patient's depression or anxiety -- and even pain in some patients. Chronic pain guidance, in recent years, acknowledges factors other than just physical issues, such as mental health issues and a patient's environment or situation have an impact, this is called the biopsychosocial model. Shockingly an NHS report highlighted that all chronic pain clinics should be supporting this holistic model -- the report found that only 40% of clinics do more than address a patient's physical issues. Both our therapies have shown great promise, and Rescape is excited to collaborate with Mindspire whose patent-pending technology combined with our XR solutions will provide a unique offering. This project will increase the depth of knowledge and advance the learnings for both organisations. Rescape has already partnered with Dr Steffert from Mindspire. We used sensors to take different readings of a patient's body and empowered patients to exert control over the virtual environment, connecting bodies and minds. For example, by slowing their breathing, flowers grew in a meadow they were sitting in. The more their body changed the more flowers grew, giving the patient a unique and innovative feeling of control. The aim of this project is to demonstrate the innovation's viability and usability, working beside patients and staff. This will start a journey to initially create a consumer product and later a medical device capable of helping thousands of patients worldwide.

Rescape have been delivering immersive therapies for over 3 years. It has licenced and deployed DR.VR(tm) our pain and anxiety product, with over 100+ VR headset licences into 50+ healthcare environments. The software is a class 1 medical device. The system is designed to work out the box and we have created a rigorous covid decontamination protocol with Cardiff University. In 2022 after a trial period, we formally launched an immersive therapy solution, helping NHS staff manage stress, anxiety and burn out. This product is making impact in hospitals utilising an 8-part relaxation course developed with Psychologist Dr Smalley1\. Our next stage of development is to advance our platform, with clinical rigour, to make a specific mental health product available to a wider and diverse audience. The aim of this project is to explore how music content and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be utilised to advance current immersive therapeutic content from DR.VR(tm) and create a personalised VR solution for people experiencing symptoms of anxiety and build mental resilience. We are excited how this funding will help further patient benefits and outcomes through the use of immersive and emerging technologies.

**media.cymru** is a collaboration between industry, academia and stakeholders to accelerate growth in the Cardiff Capital Region's media sector. The £50 million programme will drive research, development and innovation (R,D&I), to move the region's media sector from national to global strength. This multi-faceted initiative reflects the complexity of the Cardiff Capital Region's media sector, which is made up of 1,300 SMEs and a large freelance workforce. Led by Cardiff University it brings together, for the first time, 24 partners to drive a comprehensive a strategic investment programme. Partners include broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4 and S4C), larger media players (Great Point), regional media SMEs (e.g. Rondo and Wales Interactive), media technology companies (e.g. Dragon Digital and Object Matrix), strategic organisations (Cardiff Capital Region, Welsh Government) and Universities to address key sectoral challenges and build R&D capacity. Building on the success of the region's media sector, **media.cymru** will construct strategic, future-focused interventions to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth. These interventions are designed to respond to **emerging technologies**, increase **capacity for innovation** among SMEs and address **sector skills** needs by: * Developing infrastructure to respond to industry demand and spur economic uplift, including a world-class **virtual studio** and **virtual studio lab** and new forms of **connectivity** and storage. * Curating an innovation pipeline - moving from ideas to R&D to market - that involves hundreds of regional SMEs, alongside a coordinated skills strategy to generate, attract, retain and upskill talent. * Addressing key challenges for the Welsh media sector to: develop **new formats and genres** (such as interactive film and modular journalism); make Wales a testbed for **carbon neutral media production**; exploit our expertise in **bilingual production** to reach new markets; make media production more **diverse and inclusive** (and therefore more creative and audience-focused); develop new forms of **media tourism** to showcase the sector; and develop **immersive technology** for use in other sectors. The partners include: Alacrity Foundation, BBC (Drama Studios, BBC R&D, BBC Wales), Boom Cymru, Dragon Digital, Cardiff Capital Region, Cardiff Council, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff Productions, Channel 4, Dragon Digital, Ffilm Cymru, Gorilla, Great Point Media, Nimble Productions, Object Matrix, Rescape Innovation, Rondo Media, Shwsh, S4C, Town Square, University of South Wales, Unquiet Media, Wales Interactive, and Welsh Government. This programme aims to make the Cardiff Capital Region **a global hub for media innovation and production**. The proposed £50 million programme includes £22,247,946 investment from SIPF matched by £28,015,014 in co-investment.