Floreo

FAQs

See the most frequently asked questions about Floreo, answered in one place.
What is Floreo?
Floreo uses virtual reality to teach social, communication, behavioral, and life skills to neurodiverse individuals and others who can benefit from practicing these skills. Our immersive VR experiences are based on established, science-backed techniques and are designed to be used in therapy, educational, or family settings.
Why Are We Doing This?

Our immersive experiences provide a fun and engaging opportunity to practice skills that are difficult to learn and teach in "real life." We are striving to make important services more affordable and accessible for families, clinics, and educational institutions around the world.

How Does Floreo Work?
  • The coaching device and learning VR headset are paired to the Floreo app.
  • The Learner wears the headset to experience the immersive lesson.
  • The VR lesson’s view is streamed in real-time to the coaching device.
  • The coaching device uses a co-pilot mode to direct the lesson and learning experience, providing guidance, instructions, and feedback as needed throughout the experience.
  • Green bars indicate the learner’s field of view and prompts with suggested coaching language and tools help guide learning and move the lesson along.
How Much Does Floreo Cost?
Floreo is a subscription-based product with pricing starting at $49.99/month. Please contact us at info@floreotech.com to discuss subscription options. We offer monthly or yearly subscriptions and we are happy to help you find the best subscription for your situation.
Where Can I Buy/Download Floreo?

Floreo is a subscription-based product. Please contact us at info@floreotech.com to discuss subscription options for your situation. Subscriptions start at $49.99 per month (software only for one Learner).

What Equipment Do I Need to Make Floreo Work?

In order to use Floreo, you’ll need all of the following items:

  • Learner device: iPhone 7 with iOS 15.0 or above and any compatible Google Cardboard VR headset that fits you iPhone OR Meta Quest* compatible headset (Meta Quest requires an Immersive Learning Program Subscription - contact us for more details)
  • Coach device: compatible iPad with iOS 15.0 or above
  • WiFi connection
  • If you do not have the needed equipment, please contact us at info@floreotech.com for equipment rental options which can be bundled in with your subscription.
What Do I Do If I Have Trouble Pairing?
  • If you receive a general error:
    • Please close the app on your coaching and learning devices
      • For iOS devices with the “home” button double click the round "home" button and swipe up on the app's preview to close the app.
      • For iOS devices without the “home” button, swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen. Swipe left or right to find the Floreo app and up on the app's preview to close the app. see Close an app on your iOS device
      • For Meta Quest devices press and release the Oculus button. Using one of your hand controllers, select quit.
    • Then, reopen the Floreo app on both your coaching and learning devices, select the same Learner on both, and start the lesson via the iPad again.

If you have a version mismatch:

  • Your out-of-date device needs to be updated via the iOS app store (if using personal devices) or by receiving an update from Floreo (if using leased Floreo devices). You can find Floreo in the iOS app store with this direct link.  
  • Please contact us at support@floreotech.com if you continue to have trouble pairing after trying the above steps.
Is Floreo Available For HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, PlayStation VR, or Other High-End VR Consoles?

At the moment, Floreo is only available for mobile VR on iOS or the Meta Quest 2, or Meta Quest Pro headsets. When using a Meta Quest headset, children under the age of 13 may not register or create accounts through our Services or otherwise provide us with personal information. If you learn that a child has provided us with personal information in violation of this Privacy Policy, you may alert us at privacy@floreovr.com. Sign up to get notified about our progress here: https://www.floreotech.com/newsletter.

Is Floreo Available On Android

At the moment, Floreo is not available on Android phones. However, as we continue to grow, we expect to expand to other operating systems. Sign up to be notified when we launch on Android https://www.floreotech.com/newsletter.

Can I Use Another Device Such As A PC Monitor, Laptop Monitor, TV, Etc. Instead Of A Tablet As The Monitor Device?

At the moment, Floreo can only be used with an iPad as the Coach’s device. However, the iPad can be simultaneously projected to a TV using an HDMI cable or via AirPlay to an Apple TV to share with a group. As we continue to grow, we plan to expand the types of devices that can be used as a Coach device. Sign up to be notified about our progress: https://floreotech.com/floreo-newsletter.

What Type Of Content Are You Developing?

Floreo creates  content based on  evidence-based strategies  essential for building social connections, developing skills for independence, and  improving emotional regulation skills.

  • With Floreo, Learners can learn and practice foundational social and communication skills, including: 
    • Joint Attention
    • Imitation
    • Recognizing facial expressions
    • Orienting and attending to communication partners
    • Initiating and responding to greetings
    • Participating in a group conversation
    • Communicating in work situations
    • Decision making 
  • Using interactive story experiences, Learners are exposed to a variety of scenarios to build their skills for independence, such as:
    • Responding to police questions
    • Navigating the community by riding the bus and safely crossing streets
    • What to expect when going through airport security
    • Exploring around the grocery store
    • Job skills training like organizational habits for time management and teamwork
  • The immersive, calming environments help Learners  explore and gain strategies for emotional regulation. These include: 
    • Guided meditation in an underwater scene
    • Body relaxation in a crystal cave
    • Yoga poses and stretches
    • Relaxation while flying over snowy landscapes
    • Playing a marimba
  • We invite you to view the full list of our immersive experiences along with descriptions of each: https://portal.floreotech.com/library/
Who Is Developing Your Content?

We take seriously our commitment to developing a research-backed product, we have hired experts in the field of development, education, disability, and neurodiversity to lead the development of our content:

  • Director of Therapy Content, Rita Solórzano, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist with over 30 years of experience working with children with special needs, including autism
  • Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sinan Turnacioglu, MD, is a board-certified neurodevelopmental pediatrician and former director of the Fragile X Clinic at Children’s National Health System in Washington, DC
  • Lead Self Advocate, Sam Farmer, autism spectrum community self-advocate and advisor to Floreo
  • Joe McCleery, Assistant Professor of Psychology & Executive Director of Academic Programs in the Kinney Center, Saint Joseph’s University
  • Marsha Stepensky, MS.Ed, BCBA: Therapy Content Producer
  • Emma DiFrancesco: Content Producer
Is Floreo An Approved FDA Product?

The FDA has not yet evaluated the safety or effectiveness of Floreo’s virtual reality app and content for use as therapy. We intend to pursue the path to clearance in the near future.

Where Is Floreo Located?

We are located in Washington DC, though many of our staff work remotely outside of the DC area.

How Is Floreo Funded?

Floreo is a for-profit technology company based in Washington DC. We are fortunate to be supported by wonderful investors. We have also been generously supported by grants from NIH. If you have further questions or investment interests, feel free to email info@floreotech.com.

Who Is Floreo For?

Floreo is designed for neurodiverse individuals, as well as their respective support networks (e.g. families, providers, special educators, etc.).

Why Are You Focused On Neurodiverse Learners?

Each person is unique in the way they learn and experience the world. To that end, Floreo is working with schools, researchers, therapy practices, and autism specialists to develop a science-backed and affordable virtual reality tool and content platform that can help neurodiverse individuals develop the real-world skills they need to live independent and productive lives.

Is Floreo Just For People With ASD?

No. Floreo is committed to developing experiences for any individual that needs assistance developing their social, behavioral, communication, and life skills. Some of our partners and current customers have already utilized Floreo with individuals with ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and many other neurotypes.

Does A User Have To Have A Certain Level Of Spoken Language Skills In Order To Use Floreo?

No. Floreo is committed to developing experiences that support Learners of all language skills and communication styles. Many of our current customers use Floreo with nonspeaking or minimally verbal Learners.

Is There An Age Requirement To Use Floreo?

Floreo is intended for use with individuals ages 5 and above. This guidance is based on current recommendations for Google Cardboard, View-Master, and similar devices, as well as advice from experts in the field.

 

The Meta Quest headset is recommended for individuals aged 13+.

 

In addition, consumers must also adhere to manufacturer recommendations for whichever headset they purchase.

 

Are There Any Health Risks Related To Using Floreo?

Virtual reality is not recommended for people with certain pre-existing conditions such as a history of seizures or photosensitive response on EEG, eye movement impairments such as strabismus, and migraines, or who may be prone to motion sickness.

 

The vision of young children (especially those under six years old) is still under development. Consult with your child’s doctor or optometrist before allowing young children to watch virtual reality images or play virtual reality games. Adults should supervise young children to ensure they follow the recommendations listed above.

 

Various VR headset manufacturers have their own health and safety warnings included with the hardware (such as Meta, Samsung, HTC, etc). Users are responsible to read, evaluate and follow these guidelines, warnings, and instructions. Please ensure all users use the headset in accordance with these health and safety warnings. Adults should monitor children closely during and after the use of VR headsets.

Can Floreo Help Us With Our Grant Or DonorsChoose Applications?

Yes! Once you have identified a grant opportunity, we are happy to help with the needed information for your application. Just send us a note at info@floreotech.com.