By Kathryn Jeffords
Virtual reality is an exciting immersive storytelling technology that has been eagerly embraced by gamers, journalists and other visual media makers. But VR's potential extends far beyond the world of gaming and storytelling. Now, forward-thinking doctors and researchers are exploring VR's potential to save lives and revolutionize healthcare.
HoloLens: Augmented Reality in Medical Schools
Microsoft Hololens has joined forces with Case Western Reserve University to release an app for Hololens that allows students to explore the human anatomy in augmented reality. The headset superimposes 3D graphics into the user’s viewfinder allowing them to explore a virtual body. This developing app may even replace medical school cadavers. The possibilities for medical education are endless with VR and AR technologies, and universities are starting to see the effects in a big way.
USC Professor Helping War Veterans overcome PTSD
Professor Skip Rizzo, Ph.D. spends a lot of time with his patients in war zones – virtually. Skip is the founder of virtual reality treatment to help heal active duty and veterans of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This method of “exposure therapy” helps participants relive the traumatic events they experienced in a safe and controlled environment. They learn to process instances that may otherwise trigger difficult emotional memories.
The Virtual Surgeon
Combining 360 Video, 3D and interactive content places you in a virtual operation room
With already 19,147 downloads, The Virtual Surgeon is quickly becoming the leader in surgical simulation. According to Medical Realities, the developer, medical training has come to a plateau in the past few years and this app offers a solution to more effective training accessible all over the globe.
Changing perceptions of pain
SnowWorld combines Pixar-like animation and medical use into a virtual reality game. This program relieves the pain of burn victims, changes perceptions of pain and treats chronic pain through mindfulness.
As the curators of the Science Media Awards Summit in the Hub (SMASH), we believe storytelling is a common thread in our shared human experience, and that new media allows us to convey the wonders of scientific discovery in new and compelling ways.