NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.,
Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- It
all started with blood-soaked sand in a remote forward operating
base in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, but none of the founders of 2B3D
Inc. knew it at the time.
Robert Bell was the sales
executive and owner of Bell Medical Solutions, generating high
volumes of revenue managing multi-million-dollar accounts.
"I got involved with crypto shortly after the market crashed,"
Bell explained. "As an early investor in NFTs, I realized the
potential, but there was also no easy way to show off these digital
works of art. I knew there was a better way."
Bell launched his own NFT marketplace in 2021, intending to
create virtual spaces where NFTs could be genuinely appreciated. He
reached out to a childhood friend, Andrew Bjarnsen, to help develop
NFT galleries.
Bjarnsen graduated from Laguna College of
Art and Design with a master's in fine arts in Art of Game
Design. His University of Southern
California team had developed an "electrifying VR rhythm
game" called Super Nova, which was selected as a finalist
for the 2018 IEEE GameSIG Showcase in 2018, according to LCAD. This
game laid the groundwork for Bjarnsen's gaming studio.
"We started talking about his video game projects and my NFT
marketplace, and we decided to combine the two," Bell said.
Bell and Bjarnsen founded 2B3D Inc. to develop a VR metaverse
filled with NFTs using their combined marketing, cryptocurrency,
and game design expertise. But why stop there? They also wanted to
make a difference in the real world, and for good reason.
Bjarnsen had recently returned from a U.S. Army deployment in
Afghanistan, serving as a combat
medic.
"I quickly recognized that something had changed in my friend,"
Bell said.
Like many veterans returning from Afghanistan at the time, Bjarnsen had
difficulty recovering after experiencing a traumatic event. The
condition, known as post-traumatic stress disorder, could last
months or years, with triggers that bring back memories of the
trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.
Other symptoms include nightmares, unwanted memories of the trauma,
avoidance of situations that bring back memories, heightened
reactions, anxiety, or depression.
Veterans who have seen combat or feel isolated are the most
vulnerable to thoughts of suicide. Twenty to 30 percent of veterans
who commit suicide also screened positive for PTSD. Many more go
undiagnosed.
Bell immediately thought of his friend.
"Honestly, my 'aha' moment was when I looked at the 580
veteran suicides last year," Bell said. "When I wrote that number
down and really did that math, that's when something changed in me.
I no longer wanted to make something that was just fun or cool, but
something that could help heal and save lives. I knew it needed to
be done as fast as possible."
2B3D's flagship project is a gamified VR mental health solution
called VRx, for veterans who have PTSD.
VR therapy, or the use of VR technology for psychological or
therapeutic rehabilitation, is backed by more than 25 Years of
scientific research. The Office of Naval Research believes VR
therapy, with its game-like qualities, could resonate with the
current generation of warfighters. According to the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs, video games can help veterans recover from
post-traumatic stress.
In an open clinical trial of VR therapy by the Office of Naval
Research, veterans with PTSD experienced a 56 to 90 percent drop in
stress response measurements. Another 46 percent of veterans no
longer screened positive for PTSD after receiving treatment in
VR.
"I get phone calls from strangers who are desperate for this
solution," Bell explained. "Once I realized that every day closer
to our goal has the potential to save hundreds of lives, I stopped
sleeping as much. I knew we had to get this done."
With VRx preloaded on VR headsets, veterans with PTSD could step
into soothing virtual environments integrated with neurocognitive
mini-games designed with data points using research-backed by
neuroscientists and neuropsychologists.
Additionally, 2B3D has partnered with the veteran-owned and
operated nonprofit Forge Forward Project to conduct a peer-reviewed
study of VRx using the most advanced imaging and testing protocols
in the world. With six different cognitive tests performed inside
MRI machines, neuroscientists can measure the effects that their VR
games have on neurovascular coupling, which is the connection
between neurons and blood flow in the brain. By processing more
than 7000 near real-time images of the brain and comparing them to
a healthy control database, Forge Forward Project aims to show how,
exactly, VRx's neurocognitive mini-games jumpstart the healing
process in the brain.
To learn more about 2B3D's nonprofit partners, visit
www.ForgeForwardProject.org
Veterans will also be able to use VRx for socialization,
community building, and connecting with crisis response managers or
mental health therapists in a safe virtual space from anywhere in
the world.
2B3D is the first tech company of its kind to use virtual
reality technology to provide peace and healing to veterans for
free. VRx is currently under development, with alpha tests starting
early 2022. They are currently seeking investors and major partners
in this effort.
Visit their GoFundMe campaign to learn more or donate:
https://gofund.me/9e0e50d8
"I know we can do more," Bell said. "We now have the research
and expertise to make a real difference. It's time to end veteran
suicide. Because we should."
WATCH:
VRx Launch Teaser
VRx Full Campaign Video
Contact:
Robert Bell
9499109069
326372@email4pr.com
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SOURCE 2B3D Inc.