中老年虛擬犬陪伴：VR治療的沉浸式設計研究

Virtual Dog Companionship for Older Adults: An Immersive Design Study of VR Therapy

虛擬實境（VRVR）應用於高齡者心理支持已具發展潛力，而伴侶動物對情緒安撫與陪伴效果亦有實證支持。惟中老年族群實際飼養動物常受限於環境與身心負擔。本研究透過16位具犬隻飼養經驗之中老年人深度訪談，探討其與犬隻的情感互動歷程，並作為VR犬隻互動系統設計依據。研究採主題分析，歸納出四大互動特徵：主動撒嬌與情緒回饋、日常照護與默契節奏、遊戲互動與共同記憶、非語言理解與陪伴感。根據此基礎建構四大VR模組，包括：互動行為模組、日常節奏模組、遊戲參與模組與簡化指令模組，模擬人犬情感連結。本研究強調從真實經驗轉化為虛擬互動參數之過程，提出以伴侶動物介入為核心的VR虛擬犬陪伴設計架構，為未來高齡者數位陪伴介面開發提供實務依據與創新觀點。

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has gained increasing attention as a digital tool for promoting psychological well-being among older adults. While companion animals offer emotional comfort and social support, pet ownership is often limited among older adults due to physical, environmental, or psychological burdens.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the emotional interaction patterns between older adults and dogs, and to translate these real-life experiences into the design of an immersive VR dog companionship system for therapeutic use.
Methods: Sixteen older individuals with dog ownership experience were interviewed in depth. Using thematic analysis, we identified key features of human–dog interactions to inform VR module development.
Results: Four primary interaction themes emerged: (1) affectionate behavior and emotional feedback, (2) daily caregiving and rhythm, (3) playful interactions and shared memories, and (4) non-verbal understanding and companionship. These informed the design of four VR modules: Interactive Behavior, Daily Rhythm, Play Participation, and Simplified Commands.
Conclusion: This study proposes a user-informed framework for VR pet therapy design, demonstrating the potential of virtual dog companionship as an emotionally resonant and accessible support tool for aging populations.