Daily Archives: January 27, 2022

Walter Greenleaf, PhD, neuroscientist and digital health expert at Stanford Universitys Virtual Human Interaction Lab, tells us about the new bookApplied Virtual Reality in Healthcare: Case Studies and Perspectivesand why he and his co-authors gathered insights from some of the most prominent figures in the field of medical extended reality (XR).

Medical XR (ie, virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) has emerged as an innovative approach to providing patients with non-invasive treatment and helping surgeons perform operations. Still, it can be challenging to acquire a complete picture of how this technology is used overall in medicine.

I observed that my colleagues who were working to develop and validate various clinical applications of virtual reality technology had no venue to publish their work in a way that would reach other scientists grappling with the same issues and constraints, Greenleaf said.

They could publish in specialised journals relevant to their specific area of research for example, journals focusing on addiction, autism, surgical skill training, pain mitigation, stroke rehabilitation and others but there was a need for a compendium that brought technology, science, clinical research, and relevant findings together in one place.

Our book Applied Virtual Reality in Healthcare provides an overview of innovative approaches, best practices, and coherent solutions to common concerns. It also supports those who are new to the field by presenting a synopsis of the general trends and status of the medical virtual reality industry.

Walter says pharma can wield many of the books insights to improve its portfolios and help advance immersive technology in medicine.

How pharma can leverage XR

Partnerships between pharma and XR companies have increased in the past few years. Organisations such asOrion Pharma have studied VR digital therapeutics in-house.

Theres a clear momentum from some of the larger companies to jump into this, but I think the main way VR will show up as being an important contributor to the pharma and digital health industries is by being a bridge as being an adjunct to combination therapy, Greenleaf said.

For many of the medications, for example, SSRIs, we get greater efficacy when we combine their use with concurrent cognitive behavioural therapy.

Mobile health apps or web-based apps used for combination therapy often have low adherence rates and are often less efficacious than VR in evoking a cognitive response.

VR is more effective in terms of getting full attention because we can block out the outside world and create more emotionally evocative environments, Greenleaf said.

Immersive technology can also help improve assessments of the effectiveness of treatment, particularly regarding behavioural health where a patients results are often subjective.

Self-reporting can put patients in an awkward spot to adequately describe their feelings or thoughts, and this method can sometimes be unreliable.

With VR, we can evoke a response and challenge the system in a reproducible manner. We will see a new generation of better assessments, which will empower better research, Greenleaf said.

Post-discharge follow-up and support are other examples of where immersive technology can be valuable.

In VR environments, patients can effectively converse with a group of people who have the same indications. Patients can be part of a support group or receive therapies somewhat anonymously, Greenleaf said.

Those struggling with addiction, for example, might not be able or willing to attend an in-person meeting because of concerns about job security or community reactions. VR can be a useful venue for them.

Additionally, pharma can use VR for monitoring brain health during treatments, such as chemotherapy.

People have different metabolisms and health states. Neurotoxicity needs to be monitored. One could wear a head-mounted display during infusions, which can be used to do neuropsychological assessments and tests to determine the decline in cognitive function, Greenleaf notes.

Several use cases exist for XR technology. Still, challenges will emerge as this medium progresses.

The last chapter in Applied Virtual Reality in Healthcare, entitled A Virtual Reality Platform for the Objective Measurement of Emotional State, highlights potential obstacles ahead and examines how pharmaceutical companies can help address these issues.

For example, mental health disorders and cognitive decline are rising. High-quality therapies are needed more than ever and increasing speed to market is essential.

The book notes pharma can utilise VR for clinical trials as it allows for a better understanding of the research subject. A users behaviour can be captured automatically via built-in sensors, and researchers can simulate various scenarios safely and realistically for ecologic validity.

Theres a great deal of potential of using VR technology to conduct virtual clinical trials and research studies effectively.

As the cost of headsets decreases, VR use is becoming more feasible for pharma and HCPs. Still, advancing the technology for better patient outcomes can be difficult due to the techs relative novelty.

Enriching immersive technology

The industry is evolving at a rapid pace, but theres much to be done around developing widely accepted standards of evaluating virtual environments used for testing and agreed-upon ways of standardising datasets.

Greenleaf says, In addition to working with technology developers and academic research groups to develop products that complement its products, pharma could become a player that takes datasets and creates a coherent format for their use and to move the industry forward.

For example, if we want to have a new standard of assessment for neuropsychological function, its not going to be effective if one company only develops standards for their product or their product stream. It will be hard to get regulatory agencies or the larger clinical community to accept those guidelines unless its something open-sourced by a variety of groups.

When other technologies emerged, such as home computers, standards needed to be set to make the ecosystem feasible for other manufacturers to bring their versions of the technology forward.

Eventually, there will be the infrastructure to support new emerging technology in healthcare. The challenge, though, is how much pain do we want to go through until those standards get set and till things are a little bit more harmonised? Greenleaf asks.

Finding ways to make it easier for people to connect who want to leverage the findings, technology, and resources available is key.

Pharma is no stranger to building connections through face-to-face interaction, and medical XR conferences have become more prevalent over the past several years, helping to develop a fruitful community.

The books publisher Robert Fine is the executive director and founder of the International Virtual Reality Healthcare Association (IVRHA), which hosts meetings throughout the year.

IVRHA is hosting a two-day conference on 2nd-3rd March in Nashville, Tennessee with speakers spanning different sectors of the healthcare ecosystem. Greenleaf says this is a good place to start.

Theres a need to have a platform for people who are moving into the industry and who want to learn from each other, he said. Thats what I would say served as the basic framework for the book to introduce this rapidly emerging area of clinical research and next-generation medical care.

To learn more about the IVRHA conference, click here.

About the interviewee

Walter Greenleaf PhD is a neuroscientist and a medical technology developer working at Stanford University. With over three decades of research and product development experience in the fields of digital medicine and medical virtual reality technology, Walter is considered a leading authority. He is a Visiting Scholar at Stanford Universitys Virtual Human Interaction Lab, the Director of Technology Strategy at the University of Colorado National Mental Health Innovation Center and serves on the Science Advisory Board of several medical product companies.

About the author

Jessica Hagen is a freelance life sciences and health writer and project manager who has worked with VR health companies, fiction/nonfiction authors, nonprofit and for-profit organisations, and government entities.

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Applied Virtual Reality in Healthcare: A comprehensive book on medical XR - - pharmaphorum

One of the most pressing issues of the twenty-first century is to find and implement countermeasures to the ongoing climate crisis and destruction of nature. While technical solutions are being developed at a fast pace, successful implementation depends not only on the availability of technology but on creating an awareness about mechanisms of sustainable development and on transferring this awareness into actual actions on the individual level. Besides efficiency and consistency as promising technology-based strategies, a persons relationship towards nature has been argued to be a predicting factor for sustainability-oriented behaviour within a sufficiency strategy1. Thus, it is vital for education for sustainable development that this relationship is nurtured and supported1,2. While a cognitive understanding of the impact of ones daily actions on nature is the intellectual base for finding new solutions2, they will only be implemented if a corresponding motivation is present. The role of other species and natural systems and their importance for the ecosystem have to be understood in order for people to be able to reflect on their relatedness towards nature1,3. Thus, it requires methods that address the affective dimension, break through previous habits, and train the ability to act4,5. In the concept of Education for Sustainable Development perspective taking is argued as an approach to foster understanding and reflecting one's relationship towards others (cognitive dimension), and by that, relating to it (affective dimension)6. Based on the idea of perspective transformation by Mezirow7, the experience of taking on someone elses role, by methods as such as role-play, is discussed as a promising method to reflect on one's own role in climate change, understand one's personal impact on climate change and promote the ability to relate to others8. Mayer and Frantz1 argue that a feeling of connectedness to nature leads to a stronger concern for nature and can invoke action such as pro-environmental behaviour. Previous studies have shown that direct exposure to nature can strengthen a feeling of nature connectedness or nature relatedness1,9,10,11. It can also influence environmental knowledge, attitudes, or behaviour12,13,14,15. In line with environmental psychology16,17, we define nature as a broad category of natural environments and features of those environments, such as single trees or plants (van den Berg et al.17, p. 57). This understanding includes images of nature in the form of videos, films, or other imagery.

However, due to urbanization, it has been observed that more people live removed from nature, e.g., natural environments such as forests, and those have a low concern for nature15. Today, 82 per cent of the North American population, 81 per cent of the Latin American and the Caribbean population, and 74 per cent of the European population live in urbanized areas. This urbanization trend is predicted to grow from 55 per cent to 68 per cent of the worldwide population by 205018, with the result that the accessibility of nature, and thus the ability to experience it in person, is reduced. It then becomes harder to see oneself as part of a natural ecosystem, which in turn may lead to less concern for nature and thus less pro-environmental behaviour. At the same time, traveling to especially highly valuable ecosystems in terms of biodiversity and greenhouse gas capture as e.g., the Amazon, is neither feasible to provide a large number of humans with this kind of experience nor without risk for the local ecosystem. This raises a vital question: How can the processes of reflecting on oneself as part of the natural ecosystem be supported for those without access to natural environments, be it due to urbanization or other restrictions? The positive effects of being exposed to nature are not limited to experiences in real-world nature settings, as Meidenbauer et al.19 demonstrated. According to their study, even the act of simply looking at an image of nature or virtual environments depicting nature could achieve similar results. However, Zelenski et al.20 found that exposure to nature via video-watching can promote greater willingness to engage in environmentally sustainable behavior (Ref.20, p.24). These effects become more pronounced the more users perceive the experience as a real, personal one.

New solutions to provide such real, personal experiences of distant biospheres might be offered by modern immersive virtual reality (VR) technology. Thanks to highly developed technology, virtual sights of nature can be experienced with a 360-degree angle (e.g., Nature TreksVR). Putting on a Head-Mounted-Display (HMD), users can go beyond simply looking at a landscape in front of them. Instead, users can be completely surrounded by it. Hu-Au and Lee21 argue that immersive VR technologies offer increasing engagement, provide interactive, action-oriented, affective, and empathetic experiences, and can serve as an arena for visualising (Ref.21, p.216). Individuals can take on someone elses perspective, close the time gap between action and consequences, get interactively involved, receive direct feedback on decisions and behaviour, see consequences, foresee future climate change scenarios, and experience sensory stimulations that can have a strong impact on affections22,23,24,25,26. The assisting role and the success of technological components in creating a convincing and captivating experience can be subsumed under the term immersion27, while the engagement of multiple sensory channels has been coined sensory immersion28. Both definitions suggest that the perceived presence is influenced by the level of immersion provided by a virtual application, and the technological components used to experience the content. This in turn influences the motivation to transfer what was learned into actions. Immersive VR technologies are defined as technologies that immerse the user as much as possible in the virtual experience, especially via the use of HMDs29, which allow the users to translate their natural head movements into camera movements within the virtual environment, providing a higher level of immersion compared to watching videos or pictures via a desktop screen30. Immersive VR shows promising potential to reduce the gap between virtual representations and real-life experiences, which are vital to fostering behavioural change. Positive effects of VR applications on motivation, knowledge, engagement, task performance, and long-term retention have already been observed in the context of learning31,32,33,34,35. Today, immersive VR technology has evolved to a point where users can enter immersive artificial environments via HMD comfortably from their own living rooms30. Worldwide, the demand for VR headsets is forecasted to reach USD 62.1 billion by 202736. Side effects such as motion sickness have become more preventable via the appropriate design of the virtual environments or by accustomization37. Devices have become affordable, do not necessarily require access to high-end PCs, and can be used with a smartphone (e.g., Google Cardboard, the Oculus Quest, Valve VR, or the HP Reverb G2). This development is a prerequisite for bringing the proverbial mountain to the prophet: It allows researchers to provide the most immersive portal to nature experiences to people who are unable to have these encounters in-person.

However, there are still only limited numbers of virtual nature applications on HMD available, and valid research results for the use of these applications in the various fields of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are still in the nascent stage26. So far, there are only few data on the cognitive, socio-emotional, or behavioural effects of immersive VR technology applied to environmental awareness. Studies on immersive nature experiences in VR have investigated effects on mood23,38, physical engagement39, green product consumption40, interest26, pro-environmental behaviour22,25,41, and nature relatedness41. In the majority of the studies, participants have been exposed to 360 videos of nature via desktop or HMD. Ahn et al.22 showed that climate-change-related applications experienced via a HMD can be strong enough to transfer into the physical world to modify behaviour (Ref.22, p. 85). Filter et al.26 let students experience 360 videos about the life of wolves via HMD, showing that immersive technology can foster interest in nature experiences. Klein and Hilbig25 exposed participants to nature videos of trees or birds and compared it to conditions of watching videos about social interactions or urban environments. The authors observed that watching videos of nature destruction can have a stronger impact on pro-environmental behaviour compared to experiencing a video about actual intact nature. Soliman et al.41 investigated effects of artificial nature videos vs. real nature videos on nature relatedness and pro-environmental behaviour. As one of the results, the authors observed that watching videos of nature can foster nature connectedness irrespective of the technology used (immersive VR vs. desktop screen). Mostarejan et al.38 showed that watching 360 videos of a forest via HMD has a stronger effect on mood compared to looking at pictures of a forest using HMD.

The beneficial effects of immersive VR on inter-human relationships and cognition seem to be reproducible for the interaction with the impersonal other, such as nature. Immersive VR, with its typical display mode of exploring experiences from a first-person perspective, facilitates taking on the perspective from which the experience was filmed or created. This allows the experience of embodying the portrayed agent. This is a prerequisite for the learning transfer of applications set in the context of sustainable development. Seeing the potential of what effect the mere visual experience of virtual representations of nature can have on nature relatedness, a more immersive experience such as embodiment of nature could increase the impact even further. Available VR applications can include experiences that play with what it means to see the world from anothers eyes. Experiences such as The Machine To be Another from AnotherLab have provided insights into how swapping perspectives and embodying another person can be used to train empathy42. The beneficial effects can far surpass momentary affections: By swapping perspectives with that of female victims of domestic abuse, male offenders have not only reported increased levels of empathy towards victims but experienced the long-lasting effect of being able to better judge the emotions of others43. While the potential of embodiment, body-swapping, or body-ownership of a human in VR has been examined in various research contexts, research on non-human embodiment such as embodiment of an animal, a robot, or a plant is still in its early stages44,45,46,47. Ventre-Dominey and colleagues46 have examined the effects of embodying a robot on its acceptability. The authors observed that taking on the perspective of a robot can increase its likability as long as ones own body movements match the movements of the robot in VR. Oyanagi and Ohmura47 focused on the effect of embodying a bird on anxiety about heights. The authors could report a decrease in self-reported fear of heights. As of now, to our knowledge, there are only two studies that focus on embodiment and its effects in the context of nature relatedness44,45. Markowitz et al.45 conducted a study comparing non-human embodiment (a coral) and human embodiment (a scuba diver) stating that the more that people reported being attuned to the virtual environment in the post-test, the more they learned in immersive VR, felt connected to nature, and reported environmental concern (Ref.45, p. 10). In several experiments by Ahn and colleagues44, effects on nature connectedness by being a coral and a cow were measured by comparing the VR experience via HMD to watching a desktop video. The authors observed that embodiment of a virtual other, was crucial for a high degree of connectivity to nature. They argue that embodiment in VR can foster especially the potential of perspective taking.

In our study, we transfer and expand the ongoing embodiment research to non-human and non-animal agents, and systematically compare the effects of embodying a tree between a standard viewing condition and an immersive VR (iVR) condition that displays the experience with a HMD and features the option to make small branch movements via controllers on nature relatedness. While perspective taking in itself is associated with favourable attitudes, the immersion via HMD in a virtual environment has been shown to be the determining factor of the occurrence of attitude change48. Therefore, a combination of perspective taking supported by embodiment through iVR is a promising approach to explore the transfer to a non-human, non-sentient entity in the context of climate change and nature relatedness. Thus, the aim of our study was to investigate whether experiencing the embodiment of a tree via iVR fosters a) a feeling of immersion, b) relatedness with nature, c) perspective-taking, and d) reflection on the relationship between humankind and nature. Taken this under consideration, we understand our study as continuing the conversation on how embodiment in VR technology can foster nature relatedness.

We carried out an experimental study with 28 participants in a 222 between-subjects design with condition (iVR vs. video watching) and ending (negative vs. positive) as between-subject factors and time (pre-post measurements) as a within-subject factor. Both experiencing conditions differed as follows: the iVR experience allowed for free head movement, creating the ability to look around freely. Additionally, hand-held controllers translated the users arm movements into a slight movement of the trees branches. The video desktop screen condition displayed a fixed orientation of the view and did not include the interactive element of branch movement. This decision was made based on the technical limitations of making the experience which has been developed for iVR accessible via desktop screen.

Three dependent variables (perceived immersion, nature relatedness, perspective-taking) were measured with a questionnaire that asked additional open questions to tackle further reflections on the experience of embodiment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (iVR vs. video watching; positive vs. negative ending). As positive vs. negative endings were not of focal interest and did not yield different results, we report hypotheses and results for the factor experience condition only. Thus, the following hypotheses were tested:

H1: Experiencing the embodiment of a tree via iVR is perceived as more immersive than watching the experience as a video on a desktop screen.

H2: Experiencing the embodiment of a tree via iVR leads to higher levels of nature relatedness than watching the experience as a video on a desktop screen.

H2b: Perceived immersion levels are associated with an increase in nature relatedness.

H3: Experiencing the embodiment of a tree via iVR facilitates more perspective-taking of the tree compared to watching the experience as a video on a desktop screen.

We were also interested in exploring the subjective experience of participants concerning the reflection of their own relationship with the tree, assuming that the experience of embodiment of the tree in iVR initiates a stronger process of self-reflection than when watching a video of the same experience as a video on a desktop screen (H4). We therefore added open questions, described in measures. By the explorative combination of qualitative and quantitative data, we hope to enrich the discussion about the effects on embodiment in iVR as a tool to foster perspective-taking as one relevant goal of education for sustainable development by means of reflecting on the role of other living beings on this planet2,6,7,8.

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Becoming nature: effects of embodying a tree in immersive virtual reality on nature relatedness | Scientific Reports - Nature.com

I recently got the urge to review Ready Player Onethe film adaptation, directed by Steven Spielberg, of Ernest Clines influential novel, which tells of a future in which virtual reality and the real world. In the opening scene, protagonist Wade Watts climbs up and down a ramshackle trailer park before putting on a headset. Most people have abandoned neglected and crumbling reality for Oasis, a virtual world of limitless possibilities, where everyone can do, be or appear as they please.

If a year ago they asked me if we were close to the world of Ready Player One, I would have snorted, listing any of the objections my more skeptical colleagues had expressed. On a recent Saturday afternoon, however, my husband wore a virtual reality headset Meta Quest 2 to play Puzzling Places, a 3D puzzle, while our children were busy with their soft toys and I sorted the laundry.

After lunch, my six year old daughter was allowed to spend half an hour on Tilt Brush by Google, a 3D drawing application with which he created a frosty winter landscape, complete with snowfall and two snowmen named Lisa and Tom. My four-year-old son watched in delight as the viewer transmitted images to the screen. After dinner, I caught my husband putting his headset back on. I asked him to put it on charge once it was finished, because in an hour I would try some new games with a colleague.

Being the parent of an unvaccinated 4-year-old, in the middle of a rainy winter in Oregon, during an ongoing global pandemic, is not an experience I would recommend. My children go to school and kindergarten, but to reduce the risk we have canceled swimming and gymnastics lessons, as well as play dates. Virtual reality isnt perfect, but allowed us to extend our lockdown indefinitely, at least until my child can be vaccinated. And then I have to admit: I like it.

A new hope

But things didnt start out that way. I had received Meta Quest 2 on loan in November, to try coworking with my colleagues and experience virtual reality meetings. For work or relaxation, I found the headset absolutely unsatisfactory. If I want to meditate, I take the dog for a walk, while when I need to let off steam I go for a run. No app is like realitymy husband gloated after seeing the viewer left to gather dust and unused on my desk for about a month.

That was until Christmas, when relatives from both sides of my family came to visit, prompting us to restore strict social distancing to protect older family members in the midst of the peak of infections due to the omicron variant. Trapped in the house with no chance of escaping loved ones, I dumped one night Puzzling Places. Meditative music plays in the background as you manipulate pieces of monuments, clothes and places in the surrounding 3D space. The click and glow produced when each tile falls into place is addictive.

I started downloading other games. Then others still. Getting used to the headset wasnt easy. Meta Quest 2 is much lighter and easier to use than previous versions, but still heavy and impractical. Being catapulted into an empty space without legs is still disorienting; I bought myself a sack of the same ginger gummies that I used to fight nausea during pregnancy.

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Metaverse, virtual reality can be better than the (almost) nothing that Covid-19 forced us to do - D1SoftballNews.com

Posted in Georgia Attractions January 24, 2022by Marisa Roman

Any Georgians who are 21 and over looking for an out-of-this-world experience can head on over to Revery: VR Bar in Atlanta. As the very first full bar to incorporate virtual reality technology into the experience, you wont want to miss out on this adventure. Located in Midtown, near Ponce City Market, this virtual reality-themed bar is unlike anything youve ever experienced. So come strap in for a wild ride, while you can simultaneously get your drink on!

During these uncertain times, please keep safety in mind and consider adding destinations to your bucket list to visit at a later date.

Have you been to Revery: VR Bar in Atlanta before? Share with us your experience in the comments section! Or if youre looking for more information about this virtual reality pub in Georgia, such as current hours of operation, then check out the website or Facebook Page.

Address: Revery: VR Bar, 728 Monroe Dr NE Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30308, USA

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Theres A Virtual Reality Bar In Georgia, And Its Out-Of-This-World - Only In Your State

Gadget-loving dads are hogging family devices and controllers so they can indulge in games such as FIFA, Candy Crush and Fortnite.

Research shows that 'Digital Dads' have maintained their love affair with tech, sparked by the likes of PlayStation, Blackberry and Xbox, and now indulge online games, livestreamed esport matches and even experiment with Virtual reality (VR).

When they're not battling it out for supremacy in a post-apocalyptic world, leading their team to footballing glory or blasting through pieces on Candy Crush, dads are catching up with pals on social media.

A study of 16,000 people revealed that two-thirds (59%) of British dads aged between 25 and 44 play computer or video games, like FIFA or Fortnite, every week.

More than half (56%) also say they play mobile games like Candy Crush while 84% use social media to keep up with pals.

In contrast, less than one-third (29%) of female Brits aged between 25 and 44 years old find the time to play computer or video games, like FIFA or Fortnite, every week.

Deputy Managing Director of Digital at Entain Dom Grounsell said: "Enthusiasm for gaming, mobile, and more social forms of interactive entertainment, is far from confined to younger generations.

"People of all ages, particularly middle-aged dads, enjoy gaming and seem to love experimenting with new and exciting content.

"It seems dads are taking the opportunity to put their feet up and enjoy some 'me' time through online gaming.

"We're developing new interactive entertainment experiences, with more gaming and social features, because it's increasingly clear this is what people want."

The results of the survey, by gaming group Entain, certainly challenges the notion that gaming is predominantly the domain of 'Zoomers' (adults up to the age of 22).

Despite Digital Dads nipping at the heels of tech-savvy kids, Zooomers do reign supreme.

Adults under the age of 24 are the biggest video gamers, with 53% playing computer or video games every week.

While those in the 25-34 bracket and 35-44 age range don't lag too far behind (at 46% and 36% respectively).

A vast majority (85% of 35-44-year-olds, and 89% of 25-34-year-olds) also use platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok in a typical week just slightly behind younger cohorts, with 92% of adults under the age of 24 engaging on social media.

The same can be said for esports, though at a smaller rate.

Of those quizzed, 10% of adults under the age of 24 say they watch esports on platforms like Twitch on a weekly basis, closely followed by 9% of 25-34-year-olds and 6% of 35-44-year-olds.

There is also a clear link between betting and gaming. Entain's research shows that video gamers are more than four times more likely to bet or participate in online gaming than non-gamers, and more open to using social features.

Other research studies commissioned by Entain show how interest in new technologies among the global adult population will continue to grow.

A global study of 20,000 adults across 16 markets reveal that 37% of adults in the UK expect to watch esports in the future, more than twice as many who currently do so (15%).

In the US, the same study found 40% of adults expect to watch esports in the future (compared to 17% currently).

This increases further with our European counterparts - with 52% in Italy (compared to 22% currently) and 55% in Spain (versus 21% currently).

And it's not just gaming and social media grabbing people's attention, with another Entain study revealing that interest in immersive gaming experiences is highest among 35-44-year-olds.

Of this age range, 60% of Entain's digital customers claim to be 'very interested in VR, compared to 57% of adults under the age of 35.

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Two-thirds of dads hog devices and controllers to enjoy FIFA, Candy Crush and virtual reality - Wales Online

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone Health, working with other organizations, participated in a research trial to assess the impact of mind-powered virtual reality and neurofeedback to improve mood and reduce stress among healthcare workers directly involved in patient care.

In the 100-employee study at Boone Health, participating healthcare workers were fitted with a portable brain-sensing head strap and portable virtual reality goggles to record the users brain patterns associated with stress. They were then placed inside a beautiful environment that responds to the users biometric information, modifying the scene if the brain becomes stressed.

Nursing is a difficult profession with incredibly high expectations. Providing an outlet for our nurses to rejuvenate and care for themselves is a high priority. We are excited to participate in a study focused on the well-being of our nursing staff, said Monica Smith, MSN, RN, NE-BC, FACHE, Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Operations Officer of Boone Health, in a release.

The experience is powered by Healiums patented technology that modifies and recommends immersive media content based on their brain patterns measured by electroencephalogram. The technology was able to tailor the stress-relieving content shared through the goggles specifically to the wearer so if they respond most positively to walking on a beautiful beach, that is what they experience. Results show the intervention quickly improved mood, increased feelings of happiness and calm as well as reduced tension in as little as four minutes.

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Study: Boone Health part of mind-powered VR experiences help healthcare worker anxiety - ABC17News.com

VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global data visualization market size was USD 9.48 Billion in 2020. Continuous developments in data visualization solution are driving market revenue growth during the forecast period. Various factors such as generation of large data volumes and rising need for multi-device access facilities are driving adoption of data visualization tools by large-, medium- and small-scale enterprises globally.

Drivers: Rising need for interactive virtual representation of data for speedy business actions

Data visualization enhances presentation of data and makes it easy to understand. Various data visualization elements such as graphs, charts, tables, and tools are being widely used to communicate data insights, which also helps in fast decision making. Furthermore, using cloud computing adds flexibility to the process of managing and scaling high-volume data and deriving useful value out of it. Hence, rising demand for quick decision making and rapid adoption of cloud computing are key factors expected to continue to drive market revenue growth during the forecast period.

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Restraints: Lack of skilled workers

Proper implication of data valuation requires sound technical knowledge of data valuation tools and software. Lack of skilled resources as well as high implementation costs are key factors hindering market revenue growth.

Growth Projections

The global data visualization market size is expected to reach USD 20.16 Billion in 2028 and register a revenue CAGR of 10.2% over the forecast period, according to the latest report by Emergen Research. Rapid adoption of data visualization tools and software among small- and medium-scale enterprises is expected to continue to boost market revenue growth during the forecast period.

COVID-19 Direct Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic had major impact on global economic conditions, which also affected global data visualization market. Severe slowdown in the global technology industry due to halt in current and upcoming projects had resulted in significant decrease in demand for data visualization tools and solutions. However, towards the end of first quarter of 2021, the market began to regain some pace with an increase in demand for data visualization tools to track the impact of COVID-19. With growing use of line charts, bar charts, and choropleth maps in news and social media platforms, simple visualization tools have become a key mode of communicating data with the general public. As a result, the market is projected to register more than average revenue growth rate during the pandemic for a few years going ahead.

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Current Trends and Innovations

Innovation and advancement in data visualization tools have helped market achieve significantly higher revenue growth. For example, with the launch of Slack-First Analytics application, Tableau is providing greater access to insights from slack. Slack analytics dashboard gives a better insight into an organization.

Geographical Outlook

Market in Asia Pacific is expected to register a significantly rapid revenue growth rate during the forecast period due to growing awareness among various companies to explore new patterns in data silos. Furthermore, commercialization of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies in developing countries such as China and India is boosting demand for data visualization tools in this region.

Strategic Initiatives

In March 2021, Alteryx Inc., which is a California-based computer software company partnered with Tech Data with the aim of simplifying analytics, data science, and process automation to accelerate digital transformation for customers.

Some Key Highlights from the Report

Explore Complete Report Description and Table of Contents of Data Visualization Market [emailprotected] https://www.emergenresearch.com/industry-report/data-visualization-market

Emergen Research has segmented the global data visualization market on the basis of component, deployment, enterprise, end use, and region:

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Digital Water Market, By Solution Type (Hardware, Software, and Services), By Technology (Metering & Customer Management, Network Management, and Others), By Utility Tier (Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3), and By Region Forecast to 2028.

Metaverse in Gaming Market By Component (Hardware, Software), By Device (Mobile, VR Headsets, PCs, Gaming Consoles), By Technology (NFT, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Extended Reality), and By Region Forecast to 2028

Metaverse in Automotive Market By Component (Hardware, Software), By Technology (NFT, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, Extended Reality), By Application (Advertising, Online Car Purchasing, Designing, In-car Entertainment, Others), and By Region Forecast to 2028.

Metaverse in Healthcare Market By Component (Software, Hardware), By Technology (AR, VR, AI, MR), By Device (VR Headsets, AR Devices, Mixed Reality Platforms), By End Use (Medical Training & Education Modules, Diagnosis, Treatment, Designing ORs, Surgical Training, Remote Monitoring, Others), By Region Forecast to 2028.

Non fungible Token Market By Type (Physical Asset, Digital Asset), By Application (Collectibles, Art, Gaming, Utilities, Metaverse, Sport, Others), By End-Use, and By Region Forecast to 2030

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Data Visualization Market Size to Reach USD 20.16 Billion in 2028 | Rapid Development in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Technologies for Better...