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Matrix and the SkyRa Platforms of the International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health (PsyTech)
Identification
Hosting Legal Entity
Self-standing RI
Legal Status
University or higher education institution
Location
37 Strada Republicii, International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health (the AVALON Building), Cluj-Napoca, PO: 400015, Cluj, Transylvania (Romania)
Structure
Type Of RI
Distributed
Coordinating Country
Romania
Status
Status
Current Status:
Operational since 2010
Scientific Description
The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health is an Institute of the Babes-Bolyai University (BBU: http://www.ubbcluj.ro), Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and of the Albert Ellis Institute (AEI: http://albertellis.org), New York, USA, an academic spin-off of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (http://www.clinicalpsychology.ro) of the BBU. The Institute is focused on (1) fundamental/basic/exploratory research (e.g., the mechanisms involved in mental disorders and mental health – in the clinical cognitive neuroscience paradigm); (2) translational research (e.g., using the developments of clinical cognitive sciences for developing new psychological treatments); and (3) applied research/development (e.g., focused on testing and disseminating new evidence-based psychological treatments). A main strength of the Institute is the combination of clinical psychology and technology (e.g., robotics, virtual reality therapy). The Institute has two major world-class integrated research infrastructures/platforms (see for details http://www.psychotherapy.ro) that allow the Institute (and other research teams all over the world) to run top research projects in the clinical cognitive neurosciences field: (1) the Platform for Robotherapy and Virtual Reality Therapy (the Matrix Platform: http://www.psytech.ro) and (2) the Platform for Advanced Imaging – MRI/EEG – in Clinical Cognitive Sciences (the SkyRa Platform: http://www.clinicalpsychology.ro/skyra/). The Institute’s research platforms were constructed based on national funds (our international grants also contributed to their developments) and they are used by research teams all over the world (e.g., Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, USA), independently and/or in collaboration with our research team. Clear procedures regarding the access and ethical guidelines are accessible on the platform’s websites. The Institute and its platforms are parts of larger international Networks (see at www.psychotherapy.ro): (1) ISIC Excellence Network; (2) rNetwork.

RI Keywords
Clinical psychology, Virtual reality assessment and therapy, Evidence-based assessment and psychotherapy, Robotic-based therapy (robotherapy), Clinical cognitive sciences, Cognitive-behavioural & rational-emotive therapy, Clinical cognitive neuroscience
Classifications
RI Category
Clinical Research Centres
Translational Research Centres
Biomedical Imaging Facilities
Telemedicine laboratories and E-Health technologies
Scientific Domain
Social Sciences
Information Science and Technology
Biological and Medical Sciences
Humanities and Arts
ESFRI Domain
Social and Cultural Innovation
Health and Food
Services
Main services provided to users: access to laboratories / technology, user support, training, and clinical services.

The conditions and the rules for the access on the Institute's platforms can be found on the websites of the Matrix Platform (http://www.psytech.ro) and of the SkyRa Platform (http://www.clinicalpsychology.ro/skyra/).

Equipment
"Holodeck " Lab (the Matrix Platform) - Eon icube

A four wall virtual reality cave system (Eon icube) produced by Eon Reality(http://www.eonreality.com/eon-icube).

"Clinical cognitive neuroscience " Lab (the Skyra Platform)

The lab has: (1) A 3 Tesla Simens Magnetom Skyra MRI (fMRI capable) with large bore (70 cm) and 32 channel head coil. Spinal coil, body coils, and flexible coils are also available for other clinical applications. Available imagistic applications include angiography, cardiology, abdominal, perfusion, diffusion tensor imaging, nervous tract visualization, functional imaging, spectroscopy and dynamic breast imaging. Parallel acquisition techniques and movement corrections are included (all coils are compatible for parallel acquisition). (2) A 32 channels EMS Pegasus/Phoenix clinical EEG system. It capable of FFT analysis, brain mapping and event potential registration and analysis. (3) A BIOPAC MP150 (https://www.biopac.com) amplifier for psychophysiological data recording and analysis, including the following modules: GSR / EDA, cardiac activity, respiratory frequency, pulse-oxymetry, and EMG.

"Pain Control " Lab (the Matrix Platform)

The lab includes a VR system created and used for pain control (http://www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/vrpain/). The lab also has state of the art VR equipment (e,g., Oculus Rift, HTC Vive) to be used in various VR-based psychological interventions or experimental investigations using VR. (e.g., cognitive bias modifications/CBM;).

"Stress Control " Lab (the Matrix Platform) - Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy Systems

The lab includes a VR system that was created by Virtually Better (VBI) and can be used for various anxiety disorders (e.g., phobias, social phobia), skills development, relaxation etc. (http://www.virtuallybetter.com/sales/). The lab also includes VR mobile equipment (e.g., Oculus Gear VR, dedicated mobile devices) and software applications to deliver similar psychological interventions in other settings.

"Data " Lab - Computer/online-based therapy and Robotic-based therapy (robotherapy) (the Matrix Platform)

(1) Holopodium system produces by Eon Reality (http://www.eonreality.com/eon-holopodium) (2) Various robots (e.g., Pleo, Keepon, Romibo, Ono, Nao, Robonova etc.) used in Robotic-based psychotherapy.

Other VR and VR-related Equipments (the Matrix Platform)

The Matrix Platform includes a series of world-class VR and VR-related equipment that can be used in research and clinical services. VR systems: (1) the Virtual Irak system (including instruments for"VR -smelling") -part ofthe "Stress Control" Lab; (2) the Virtual Classroom system- part of the "Virtual Classroom" Lab etc. VR-related systems: (1) the SMI Eye-tracking Glasses; (2) Augmented reality systems (e.g., (iWear VR920/CamAR) etc.

"Research of Sleep Disorders " Lab (also associated with European Sleep and Research Society)

The laboratory has full access to the equipment that is part of all other laboratories of in the Skyra or Matrix platforms, including a 3T Siemens Magnetom Skyra fMRI, a 32 channels EMS Pegasus/Phoenix clinical EEG system, and a BIOPAC MP150 amplifier for psychophysiological data recording.

Access
Access Type
Physical, Remote, Virtual
Access Mode
Excellence Driven, Wide, Market Driven
Users
Number of Users
Number Year
6 2017
6 2016
7 2015
7 2014
7 2013
5 2012
5 2011
Users Definition
Individual researchers, teams of researchers, institutions and affiliated researchers
User Demographics
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2017
European Users - 60.0% in 2017
National Users - 20.0% in 2017
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2016
European Users - 60.0% in 2016
National Users - 20.0% in 2016
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2015
National Users - 20.0% in 2015
European Users - 60.0% in 2015
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2014
National Users - 20.0% in 2014
European Users - 60.0% in 2014
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2013
European Users - 60.0% in 2013
National Users - 20.0% in 2013
European Users - 60.0% in 2012
National Users - 20.0% in 2012
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2012
Extra-European Users - 20.0% in 2011
European Users - 60.0% in 2011
National Users - 20.0% in 2011
Type of Users
Academic - 80.0%
Industry/private companies - 20.0%
Collaborations
ESFRI
RI is a node of an ESFRI project
Date of last update: 11/10/2018
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