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OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT07192822

Magic Bowl Virtual Reality Analgesia

Participants will rate how much pain they experience during several brief thermal stimulations at painful but tolerable temperatures participants pre-approve. During some of the stimuli participants will be in virtual reality, and during some stimuli participants will not be in VR. Sometimes participants will receive two brief stimuli at the same time.

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Key information

Conditions

Pain Acute Acute Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Washington

Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States

About this study

During VR, participants will put their cyberhand into a bowl of animated water and will place virtual objects in the bowl and stir the virtual water. Participants will also receive several brief thermal heat stimulations at a temperature of their choice (sometimes one stimulus, sometimes two simultaneous stimuli). During some of the stimuli participants will be in virtual reality, and some stimuli will not be in VR.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Currently enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., participating in the UW Psychology subject pool
  • Able to read, write and comprehend English
  • Able to complete study measures
  • Willing to follow our UW approved instructions
  • 18 years of age or older

Exclusion criteria

  • People how have already previously participated in this same study (e.g., last quarter) are not eligible to participate again.
  • Not enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., participating in the UW Psychology subject pool
  • Not be able to read, write and comprehend English
  • Younger than 18 years of age.
  • Not capable of completing measures
  • Not capable of indicating pain intensity,
  • Not capable of filling out study measures,
  • Extreme susceptibility to motion sickness,

Treatment and study plan

Virtual Reality Distraction

Behavioral

Participants goes into an immersive virtual reality during a brief painful stimulus

No Virtual Reality

Behavioral

Participant receives a brief thermal stimulus during no treatment

One brief pain stimulus

Behavioral

patient receives one brief pain stimulus with no simultaneous second stimulus

Two simultaneous brief thermal stimuli

Behavioral

Participants receive two brief thermal stimuli at the same time

Primary outcomes

  1. worst pain during one stimulus vs during two simultaneous stimuli

    Time frame: measured immediately after each pain stimulus

    graphic rating scale of worst pain intensity measured after one brief thermal pain stimuli, minimum = 0, maximum = 10, and measured again after two simultaenous thermal pain stimuli. In both cases, higher scores mean worse outcome

Secondary outcomes

  1. worst pain during No VR vs worst pain during Virtual Reality

    Time frame: measured immediately after each pain stimulus

    graphic rating scale of worst pain intensity measured after one brief thermal pain stimulus with no VR, minimum = 0, maximum = 10, and measured again after one thermal pain stimuli during virtual reality. In both cases, higher scores mean worse outcome

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Washington

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Using Immersive Virtual Reality to Reduce Brief Pain During Thermal Heat Stimuli

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Sep 25, 2025
Registry last updated
Jan 7, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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