Category Archives: Virtual Reality

While Virtual Reality (VR) is most commonly associated with gaming, video entertainment and retail, there is a much more significant and deeper impact that this advanced technology is making, and that is in the healthcare industry. In recent years, there are positive outcomes that are being reported by the use of VR on the lives of patients, surgeons and medical professionals.

Heres an overview of how VR is impacting the healthcare industry.

In the U.S., pain management is a growing healthcare concern given that an estimated 100 million adults there suffer from chronic pain. An amount of approximately $17.8 billion is spent prescribing pain medication annually. While opioid medications have been used for pain management historically, it suffers from negative side effects such as delays in recovery and increased risk of permanent disability. Its use is further associated with increased hospital admissions, healthcare costs and even deaths. However, despite its flip side, the U.S. consumes 80% of the worlds opioids. In such a scenario, VR emerges as a viable alternative for management of chronic pain in patients with a majority of studies suggesting positive outcomes.

In addition to the management of chronic pain, the virtual reality technology is being used to calm patients before and during painful medical procedures, some of which result in acute pain. In December 2019, use of VR headsets at the St George Hospital in the UKshowedthat patients using them changed the way they experience anxiety during wide-awake surgery; 100% patients reported that wearing the VR headset improved their overall hospital experience and 94% said they felt more relaxed. Further, 80% felt less pain after wearing the headset and 73% reported feeling reduced anxiety. These are significant statistics.

The technology is alsohelpingchildren and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In aninitiative, the Center for BrainHealth and Yale School of Medicineare collaborating to help young adults withASDenhance their capacity for learning and developing the skills needed to achieve economic and social independence in life using VR. Unlike other therapeutic options, such as role-playing, VR represents real-life experiences in a safe, controllable manner that allow for repeated practice and exposure, which is a key element in treatment, says astudy.

Virtual technology is being used as a tool to increase empathy among the medical students and professionals for the elderly. One suchprojectwas done at the University of New England where technology was tested and the resultsshowedthat VR enhanced students understanding of age-related health problems and increased their empathy for older adults with vision and hearing loss or Alzheimers disease.

The technology is being applied in training surgeons as well as teaching medical students. Astudyfrom Harvard Business Review showed that VR training improved participants overall surgical performance by 230% compared with traditional training methods. The VR-trained participants were able to complete procedures on average 20% faster and more accurately. While medical students are now being taught using VR, at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, students arelearninganatomy and experiencing the clinical environment through aVR anatomy curriculumdeveloped in partnership with Zygote Medical Education.VR technology is being leveraged even for rehabilitation incasesof stroke and neurological conditions.

In addition, the technology has the potential to solve the issue of shortage of physicians. The U.S. will see a shortage of up to nearly 122,000 physicians by 2032, according todataby Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).Technologies such as VR can help fill such gaps to some extent through remote trainingand assistance.

The global VR in the healthcare market isprojectedto reach$30.40 billionby 2026, exhibiting aCAGR of 42.4% during 2019-2026.

The companies working in this segment include technology giants as well as start-ups. In January 2020, KT Corporation and the Samsung Medical Centerannouncedan innovative, 5G-powered medical service as an initial step to establishing a 5G smart hospital. Among other things, the hospital will refine 5G-powered medical technology by applying VR and AR technologies for real-time education.

In mid-2019, the CAE HealthcareintegratedMicrosoft HoloLens into its simulation-based training platform that allows physicians to practice ultrasound-guided placement of the worlds smallest heart pump.

Samsungs Gear VR isdesignedto implement a simplified seamless VR experience for patients.

Google hasdevelopedGoogle Cardboard, which is a simple and affordable VR tool. In addition, there is the Facebook Oculus Rift, HTC Hive and Lenovo. While an iOS appbasedon virtual and augmented reality (AR) and its effect on mood and stress is helping veterans manage anxiety.

Osso VRis a VR surgical andmedicaldevice training platform. WhileImmersiveTouchcreates fully explorable 3D VR models from a patients own CT and MR data.Psiousis a VR platform for psychology and mental health whileAppliedVRis one of the most widely used VR platforms. In addition, names such asInTouchSolutions, Atheer,FirsthandTechnologies,Medical Realities,Mindmaze,EchoPixel,Surgical Theater, and 3D Systems (DDD) are working on providing solutions for better patient care, management, treatment and trainings using VR.

Overall, VR offers an innovative way to advance patient care as well as medical procedures and training. In times to come, the technology will provide a healing touch to patients while sharpening the skills of medical practitioners, thereby adding value to the whole healthcare ecosystem.

Disclaimer: The author has no position in any stocks mentioned. Investors shouldconsider the above information not as a de facto recommendation, but as an idea for further consideration. The report has been carefully prepared, and any exclusions or errors in reporting are unintentional.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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How Virtual Reality (VR) Is Impacting the Healthcare Industry - Nasdaq

One of the drawbacks of telehealth has been the two-dimensional aspect of the technology, with medical practitioners as observers and patients as the observed.

However, a new technology is expanding the practice through the use of virtual reality (VR), which bridges the gap between practitioner and patient to create an uncommon state of shared experiences.

XRHealth, with headquarters in Boston and Israel, has devised an approach that blends software with VR technology solutions in a manner that enables the treatment of significant health conditions. This is achieved by putting the patients through VR-based games and activities that measure mobility and pain thresholds.

For example, a patient seeking upper extremity rehabilitation would put on an Oculus VR headset to engage in a game where virtual swords are swung at a series of balloons that appear and disappear, while another exercise explores cognitive training via a memory game using a virtual conveyor belt of items that a patient is challenged to recognize.

While the XRHealth approach might seem like fun and games for the patient, there are serious medical observations that take place during the activities. The clinical staff can control the VR unit while the patient is wearing it and is able to see what the patient is viewing. Clinicians can remotely adjust the settings and treatment while the patient is in motion. After an initial training session, the patient can use the headset independently, with the therapy data being stored and analyzed in real-time, thus allowing clinicians to monitor patient status.

XRHealth, which began in 2016 under the name VRHealth, is promoting its technology for acute conditions, including traumatic brain injury and stroke rehabilitation, chronic pain treatment, spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, memory decline and anxiety attacks.

Eran Orr, the companys CEO, called the technology a game-changer by enabling medical practitioners to see the world albeit a computer-generated version the same way as the patient.

The VR headset is able to capture and analyze everything we do and quantify processing that had been very hard to quantify, he explained.

Last October, the company received Series A funding from AARP Innovation Labs to focus on health maintenance therapies for seniors. In November, Israels Sheba Hospital announced it would be utilizing XRHealths technology throughout each of its departments, adding it would become the worlds first VR-based hospital. Amitai Ziv, director of Shebas Rehabilitation Hospital, stated the XRHealth systems would also be able to provide improved training for our facility, along with better and more personalized care for our patients.

XRHealth partnered with the VA St. Louis Healthcare System to bring its brand of VR therapy to veterans seeking pain relief, rehabilitation and relaxation for various medical conditions. On March 1, XRHealth launched VR telehealth clinics in New York, Connecticut and six other states plus the District of Columbia, with more markets scheduled for later this year.

Orr noted his company has contracts with four health care providers and is in negotiations with 50 more, including Medicare.

The insurance companies understand that if we provide good access to medical devices, people will become healthier, he said. That reduces the cost of care.

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The Next Big Thing: XRHealth brings virtual reality to telehealth services - Westfair Online

MILWAUKEE Local teens are breaking new ground in the virtual reality industry by creating the first game made by students on the autism spectrum.

A Milwaukee organization called Islands of Brilliance came up with this idea because 83 percent of young adults on the autism spectrum are unemployed.

Local teens are building the virtual reality game from scratch, learning tech skills that are highly sought after in a growing industry.

Inside a computer lab in the Third Ward, teens are hard at work developing a game to take people across the world into a fantasy land of their creation.

"Basically, what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to generate infinite terrain randomly," said Nathan Schmitt.

Schmitt took an interest in computer coding when he was just 5 years old. Now as a Franklin High School sophomore, he's participating in the massive project to make it his career.

"I want to be either a game developer for making games or I want to work at Microsoft," Schmitt said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 out of every 59 kids are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but far more concerning for Islands of Brilliance Executive Director Mark Fairbanks is their job outlook.

"The 83 percent unemployment rate is just an astronomical figure and there's systemic reasons for that so we're trying to address some of the root causes around it," Fairbanks said.

Fairbanks said creating a virtual reality game helps these students learn complex computer programs while building social and emotional skills by working as a team.

"What we see with our students is that they are naturally suited for that type of work," Fairbanks explained. "They can focus for longer periods of time, they are gifted with technology so if we give them the opportunity to learn in a supported environment, the likelihood for them to go on and work in this community only increases."

These students will spend the next 18 months building the game from start to finish. It will one day be accessible on the internet.

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Islands of Brilliance: Local teens on autism spectrum break new ground in virtual reality industry - WTMJ-TV

Local ownersexcited to share experience with community

Ashley Schafer, Ashley.Schafer@hearstnp.com

You4ia Virtual Reality is coming soon to the Midland Mall. (Logo provided)

You4ia Virtual Reality is coming soon to the Midland Mall. (Logo provided)

You4ia Virtual Reality is coming soon to the Midland Mall. (Logo provided)

You4ia Virtual Reality is coming soon to the Midland Mall. (Logo provided)

Virtual Reality center coming to Midland Mall

A new gaming center, You4ia Virtual Reality, is coming to the Midland Mall, bringing visitors the opportunity to play virtual reality games.

Virtual reality, known as VR, is a simulated gaming experience that places gamers in life-like scenarios using simulated sights and sounds. Headsets, like goggles, are often used to provide realistic, 360-degree views of simulated environments.

"It's something newer and it's very cool; it's very immersive," said Coleman McCarthy, co-owner of You4ia. "If somebody hasn't experienced it before, it's going to be completely different for them."

McCarthy and Jacob Lewis, business partners and friends since high school, are bringing a VR gaming center to the Midland Mall, catering to people of all ages. The business duo has lived in Midland most their lives, and said they are excited to share this experience with the community.

"When I envision us opening, honestly the thing that I am really, really excited for, aside from the business, is being in there, seeing people in there just experiencing it and having fun," Lewis said. "It's going to be super cool, and just to see people that haven't experienced it before, see something new and we're offering it to them-- it's going to be super fulfilling."

Using top-of-the-line equipment and gaming computers, McCarthy said they will cater mostly to gamers who want extended play, as opposed to quick games. However, he said they plan to have a flat rate for people who just want to give VR a quick try.

When a customer comes into the shop, which is the where the former Monster Lounge was located, they will be able to browse a game catalog, and if all the booths are full, they can reserve a time slot to play. McCarthy and Lewis said certain games can also be synched up so players in separate booths can play the same game together. This will lend itself to birthday parties and other event groups who come in together.

The space will have four booths to start, each with their own gaming set. The booths will have curtains to allow for privacy, although they can be opened to allow friends and visitors to see the player in action. Each booth will have a chair as well, for the option of sitting or standing.

However, just like at the movies, games will be screened for their appropriateness and gamers under 18 years old will need a parent's permission to play certain games, including more violent shooting games.

In addition, Lewis said they were intentional in looking for empty space at the Midland Mall because they wanted to help keep it going and add to what the market there has to offer.

McCarthy and Lewis said they have been renovating the space but have a lot of technical computer work that still needs to be done before they announce soft open dates. They said they've set the goal of March 1 for the grand opening.

"We're doing all this with our blood, sweat and tears - in there late nights, sometimes until (1 a.m.) just trying to get it going," McCarthy said. "And we're hitting to the point where most of the remodeling is done, but now it comes to all the technological things ... that's probably going to be the hardest part - working out all the bugs."

To stay up to date with You4ia Virtual Reality, follow the company's Facebook page.

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Virtual Reality center coming to Midland Mall - Midland Daily News

Around 3,300 years ago, the port city of Ugarit was a vibrant urban centre, located strategically on the overland network linking Egypt with Asia Minor and on the route between Persia and India in the east and Greece and Cyprus in the west. The citys origins date back to 3000BC and the first alphabet and alphabetic writing system are believed to have developed there in the 14th century BC.

Today Ugarit is a Bronze Age archaeological site in northwest Syria, first excavated in 1929. It can tell us a huge amount about the past, but Ugarit is also a place in its own right. The conservation of the site needs to help us understand the sites history, as well as preserving and restoring what remains. Our work on virtual reality and reconstruction can meet both these goals.

Although only 30% of Ugarit has been excavated, the discovered areas give clues about the organisation of the city. The buildings include royal palaces, large houses, tombs, sanctuaries, public buildings and temples. Ugarits golden age was between the 14th and 12th century BC, and the excavated ruins show that interesting political, social and economic evolution took place in the city.

The royal area shows evidence of a developed political system, with complex defensive architecture and a well-structured palace. Domestic areas reveal important information about the Ugaritic peoples everyday life and their veneration of the dead. However, the structures are in a ruined condition and some are deteriorating, thanks to being exposed for more than 90 years with only minimal maintenance and repair work.

A shift toward using virtual technologies as preservation methods to document historic sites and provide educational opportunities has taken place in recent years. This prevents misguided architectural conservation, which can damage a site.

Augmented reality can project reconstructions onto archaeological ruins, such as at the medieval village of Ename in Belgium. Elsewhere, virtual reconstruction has produced 3D textured models, including of the Sala dello Scrutinio at the Doges Palace in Venice.

We have used computer-aided design modelling to test out conservation options for Ugarit and to investigate the effects of possible conservation interventions on the ruins. This led to changes in design concepts and materials to better fit the aims of the conservation.

Excavations have revealed a key sacred route that linked the Royal Palace with the main Temple of Baal and passed through public areas of Ugarit. Researchers believe that the king followed this sacred path to practice cult sacrifices at the temple.

The route contains important tangible elements, such as the remains of the palace, houses, and the temple, for example. But the conservation strategy also intends to reconstruct the intangible aspects of the route the monumental fortifications, the scale of the temple, and the experience of walking the sacred path, all of which cannot be easily grasped from the remaining ruins.

Virtual reconstruction is an effective tool to assess these proposals and judge their ability to protect the ruins, as well as revealing intangible aspects, such as the atmosphere of a street, which are lost to time. We have developed virtual tours which create an opportunity for screen displays to be installed on the site before the actual proposal is implemented.

These virtual tours include an area of the site that historically featured a plaza and tavern. Here the conservation approach includes the creation of a social and entertaining hub. This will allow the urban environment of the plaza and the dim and cosy interior of the tavern to be restored.

The tours provide reliable evidence for the second stage of the conservation proposal, the design stage and community consultation. However, the political situation in Syria has put the consultation process on hold.

This political situation also means that it is not possible to visit Ugarit at the moment a position shared by hundreds of archaeological sites around the world. So the virtual reconstructions serve another purpose: they allow those interested a glimpse of this fascinating city and provide an opportunity to raise awareness of the sites cultural importance with an international audience.

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Virtual reality can bring ancient cities back to life and improve conservation - The Conversation UK

All Nippon Airways (ANA) said it plans to introduce virtual reality (VR) training designed to help its mechanics identify and predict future risks as well as to improve safety in all aspects of aircraft operation.

The new VR safety training system will use 3-D simulations of work environments to create real-world scenarios based on common work-related accidents.

Workers participating in the VR training program will actively participate in a series of narrated simulations, following instructions while performing a range of basic safety actions. If any mistakes are made, trainees will experience sensory cues and will be prompted to review their actions so that they are able to understand the precise nature of their mistakes. This process of immersive learning will better prepare ANA mechanics to react in real-life scenarios.

"Safety has always been a top priority for ANA, and incorporating the latest VR technology into our training procedures is the next step in creating a safer environment for our employees," said Tatsuhiko Mitsukura, Executive Vice President of ANA. "Time and time again, we have embraced advanced technology to train our employees because we believe that it is important to remain at the cutting edge when it comes to safety."

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ANA introduces virtual reality safety training to improve risk prediction and work safety - Japan Today

Vantari VR is leading the way for the future of healthcare inAustralia by bringing to life the human body through Virtual Reality. UsingAustralian made technology to provide transformative applications, Vantari isimplementing VR to in two distinct areas to improve patient outcomes, namelySurgical Planning and Medical Training.

Vantari empowers doctors and patients to better visualiseand read medical imaging such as CT and MRI scans. The companys cutting-edgerendering technology takes the current visualisation of these images intoVirtual Reality by creating an immersive and intuitive environment.

Signalling the end of two-dimensional (2D) black and whitemedical scans, Vantaris technology modernises imaging by rendering patientscans in true 3D, offering new and intuitive ways for the surgeon to visualise,interpret and understand medical images. Vantaris vision is to be the goldstandard for medical visualisation, leading to better decisions when it comesto planning patients life changing operations.

Medical training is crying out for Vantari, with the oldphilosophy of see one, do one, teach one as well as expensive and outdatedequipment such as mannequins providing suboptimal procedural education.

Vantari prepares students and doctors for patient carethrough procedural modules and scenarios in VR which replicate real lifeevents, allowing a safe way to practice while a powerful data portal in thebackground collects performance for personal and professional review. Vantariis the flight simulator for doctors which can be done anywhere and at any time.

Founded in late 2017, Vantari was created by two doctors DrVijay Paul and Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan who worked for over 8 years in theAustralian health system. They met on their first day of internship and bondedduring several night shifts during the first years of medical work, and soondeveloped a keen interest to better understand and improve their profession.

As a medical doctor with experience in emergency medicine(Dr Vijay Paul) and in surgery (Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan), the duo spenttheir careers working in medical centres and hospitals across Australia. Fromthis, they discovered firsthand the pain points and realised that a commonissue amongst all of them was understanding medical imaging, the only visualrepresentation patients had of their condition. In 2017, they decided to dosomething about it.

Working in the industry made us aware of the challengesthat medical professionals and their patients face on a daily basis. A clearissue was reading and understanding medical images. This can be tricky even forthe most experienced of professionals, who normally go through years oftraining just to learn how to read a standard medical scan, reflects Dr VijayPaul, Vantari VRs Co-CEO.

So, you can only imagine how hard it is for them tomentally reconstruct hundreds of slices prior to operating on patients. At thetime, the way we read medical images hadnt changed in 30 years, so it pushedus to start thinking of a better way to do it. We knew that there was asolution in technology so decided to explore it.

Fast forward to the middle of 2017 and the duo brought onDaniel Paull, an expert in VR, AI, AR and computer vision, to bring to lifetheir vision and add much needed technical flair as a CTO for the company.

With a prototype ready and a Cicada program with NSW Healthunder their belt, Vantari received a huge milestone in 2018 when it achievedpre-seed funding when selected as 1 of 10 companies to partake in leadinghealth insurer HCFs Catalyst program. Catapulted by the success of theprogram, Vantari achieved the both a local NSW grant as well as most recentlyreceiving almost AU$560,000 in the latest round of the federal governmentsEntrepreneurs Programme.

However, as most companies whove spent time in startupworld will attest, it hasnt always been smooth sailing. In late 2018 whenVantari VR were working with an investor to secure the federal governmentgrant, the company in avertedly ran into some trouble.

We were in a great position where we had secured fundingfrom an investor to submit as a matched contribution to the grant, but at thefinal hour we found out that the investor didnt actually have the funds. Thismeant we had to scramble to find another investor or risk losing the grant. Bysome miracle we found another investor and secured the grant in the end. As youcan imagine however, it was an incredibly stressful time we learnt the hardway of what can go wrong when it comes to raising funds, said Dr NishanthKrishnananthan, Vantari VRs Co-CEO.

The future for Vantari VR is in further securing keypartnerships that will widen their digital footprint in the health space. Atpresent, the company is working with Westmead Hospital and Royal Prince AlfredHospital (RPAH), embedding their technology in procedural training and cardiac surgicalplanning respectively.

At Westmead, junior doctors and trainees can learn from theimmersive simulations hosted by Vantari VRs platform, while at RPAH theirtechnology is being used to render cardiac CT and MRI scans into VR to assistcomplex heart surgery. Doctors are also trialling the technology to showpatients their scans using VR headsets, mimicking what the future might looklike for all doctor consultations.

Its clear that the future of healthcare is in technologyand as experts search for a better way, Vantari are showcasing a new digitalreality for all. Patients will also benefit from Vantari, because its abilityto help clinicians decipher often complex medical diagnostic imagery assiststhem in making empowered decisions about their health, in conjunction withtheir doctor.

Redefining whats possible, Vantari predict that this typeof technology will soon become the new norm for healthcare professionals andpatients alike. As the company continues to explore the endless possibilitiesat the intersection of medical imaging and virtual reality, the sky is thelimit in the virtual world of Vantari VR.

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Aussie medtech startup Vantari brings the power of virtual reality (VR) to healthcare - Anthill online

With the ninth generation of games consoles on the horizon and forums lighting up with rumours and speculation, our resident games and XR industry expert, Paul Dakers, explores the exciting VR console developments we could see this year, as well as two key considerations for VR innovators.

The console catch-up

The virtual reality (VR) market is growing fast and adoption is on the rise. New hardware and ideas seem to be constantly emerging as new players enter the market, particularly those famed for console gaming.

While Oculus and Vive headsets are still stealing the show among PC gamers Oculus' wireless Quest headset has sold out all around the world Sony has delighted console gamers with its well-received PS VR headset for PS4. Other developments include Nintendo's Labo which, rather than being a fully-fledged headset like the others, is a budget offering similar to Google Cardboard, and holds the Switch close to the face like the Cardboard holds a smartphone.

Now, with the PS5 and Microsofts Xbox Series X due to be released towards the end of the year, it seems a pertinent time to explore the potential new VR technologies that these console giants could release. Unfortunately for gamers, at least for now, Microsoft appears to be content with developing its enterprise-level Hololens 2, rather than focusing on the gaming market.

Sonys patent applications

Sony, however, seems to place gaming at the forefront of its R&D efforts. Blogs and forums are being flooded with chatter about various patent applications, filled with exciting ideas.

Its important to point out at this stage that recently published patent applications dont always give an accurate picture of upcoming products or features theres usually an 18-month period between the time a patent application is filed and its publication, so many other important applications might exist that we just haven't seen yet.

The key considerations for VR innovators with any new console technologies are how the headset and console communicate with one another, and how the headset detects and interacts with its surrounding area.

The wireless worry

While the Oculus Quest has separated itself from the many wires associated with its predecessor to become a standalone and entirely wireless VR headset, this comes with a drawback. Without a wired connection to a PC, the Quest cant leverage the much greater processing power of the PC, so it must cope with the lower capabilities of its onboard hardware. Graphics quality and frame rate suffer as a result.

However, if Sonys patent applications are anything to go by, its new VR technologies could overcome this hurdle.

In EP3376674, published back in September 2018, Figure 1 appears to show a PS4 connected to a TV and base station, and a VR headset communicating wirelessly with the base station. The application describes the base station as a relay device which can communicate with the headset in two frequency bands, one of which operates at 60GHz. It appears that all data communicated between the PS4 and the VR headset is transferred wirelessly via the relay device.

Another application EP3547081, published in February 2019 appears to show a next-generation PS VR headset and controller. Interestingly, Figure 14 shows a backward-facing camera located on a rear strap of the headset, which supplements two forward-facing cameras. The cameras appear able to continually capture image data of the environment, so that the console can analyse the relative motion of the headset and objects in the room. This inter-image detection appears to work in a similar way to the Quest. However, without a rear-facing camera, the Quest cant as easily determine whether you're about to smack the back of your knee into the coffee table.

Looking at these two applications together, there is reason to hope that well see a Sony PS VR 2 which functions not only as a wireless headset, but one that can exploit the considerable power of the PS5 to generate high resolution images at the high frame rates demanded by VR gaming.

Biofeedback

Another development that has piqued my interest is a patent application, published on Christmas Day 2019 as EP3582865, for an attachment for the PS5s DualShock 5 controller.

The attachment includes a pair of sleeves that fit over the arms of the controller. The sleeves contain small electrodes and galvanometers, using biofeedback measurements and analysis of aspects like heart rate and sweating to make in-game adjustments that cater for each player specifically, depending on their biological reactions.

The possibilities for such technology are seemingly endless. Perhaps well see auto-adjusting game difficulties, different storylines that manifest depending on what you experience while playing, or new ways for games to deliver health and fitness benefits. If as the patent application suggests this technology could be compatible with VR, or even integrated into the Move controllers, Im excited to see what further innovations will be developed.

While its hugely exciting to speculate, patent applications and online discussion only tell us so much. Hopefully, with more PS5 details expected to be announced at a reveal event in the next couple of months, the wait for more clues about PS5 and PS VR 2 technology will soon be over.

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VR 2020 can Sony's PlayStation catch PC in the virtual reality game? - Lexology

Oftentimes when people hear about virtual reality technology, they think of video games or movies. Though it was initially largely used for entertainment purposes, today, VR is being used for immersive learning, a phenomenon wherein VR tech is employed to simulate scenarios and train employees in a way that presents no harm to company property or themselves. In doing so, allegedly, knowledge retention can be increased, risks can be eliminated, and learning outcomes can be improved.

In doing so, allegedly, knowledge retention can be increased, risks can be eliminated, and learning outcomes can be improved.

One area where this is being applied is tackling active shooter situations. In response to its rising incidence in the United States, companies are taking it upon themselves to better train their employees in preparation for such cases. In 2018, for example, Verizon contacted Strivr, a VR software training company, to develop modules that could train store managers to handle armed robberies in a way that would place trainees in a safe environment whilst giving them the opportunity to develop their decision-making skills and reaction times. Following this training, 95% of trainees felt more prepared to handle dangerous situations.

Likewise, software companies are beginning to develop their own VR-based Active Shooter Response training programs to distribute amongst interested employers. Two of these companies include Seattle-based Pixvana and Alexo, who have partnered together to create one such program in an effort to improve situational awareness and overall readiness.

Virtual reality is the future of workplace learning and development,asserts Pixvana COO Rachel Lanham.

Virtual reality is the future of workplace learning and development, asserts Pixvana COO Rachel Lanham. This particular project has great meaning for us everyone, including our own team, knows someone touched by [gun violence] in some way. We hope that through this video, we can prepare employees for violent situations, help them make quicker decisions, and potentially save lives.

Outside of retail workplaces, VR is also being used to improve training amongst police forces. The Cornwall Police Services in Ontario, for instance, employed VR technology for the first time this past February to facilitate force and firearms instruction. Through these simulations, officers were able to practice handling firearms, firing virtual bullets, and de-escalating potential violent scenarios, all whilst knowing they would be completely unharmed.

Additionally, fire safety departments are also beginning to adopt VR usage. In Australia, for example, fire departments have begun partnering with Australia-based FLAIM Systems to immerse trainee firefighters in real-life situations too dangerous to recreate, using simulations of smoke, fire, water, and fire-extinguishing tools in projected environments such as houses, aircrafts, and forests. As well, to further enhance realism, electronic suits have been allowing trainees to experience changes in temperature in relation to the wearers proximity to simulated fires.

comments Julie Rider, fire department captain. It was amazing to experience the inherent risk, extreme danger, and fire intensity without feeling any of the dangerous effects from the fire.'

I could feel my heart rate climb as I looked around the room, seeing where the fire started, watching the rapid rate of fire spread, comments Julie Rider, fire department captain. It was amazing to experience the inherent risk, extreme danger, and fire intensity without feeling any of the dangerous effects from the fire.

More recently, VR training has been finding itself employed in the medical field. While medical technology has been rapidly advancing, surgical training and assessments have been lagging behind, leaving doctors unprepared for complicated surgeries and procedures. This ubiquity of inexperience becomes even more concerning when considering the continuingly increasing complexity of surgeries and the alarming discrepancies occurring between surgeons based on opportunities offered during residences. With virtual reality training, however, these skills gaps can be reduced by offering more occasions to practice different procedures and familiarizing surgeons with new technologies in a consistent and standardized way.

In practice, VRs effectiveness is appearing to be consistent with these assumptions. According to a study at UCLAs David Geffen School of Medicine, VR training had improved participants surgical performance by 230% in comparison to traditional methods, with VR-trained individuals being evaluated as generally faster, more accurate, and all-around more skilled.

While at one point it had been believed that virtual reality technology would be just a temporary fad, it has now demonstrated itself as a powerful educational tool. Posing many advantages such as increased accessibility, faster training times, and lower resource consumption compared to traditional training methods, VR training is indeed revolutionizing the way in which employees are being trained, and it should come as no surprise should you hear about it in your field soon, too.

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How Virtual Reality is Revolutionizing the Workplace - The Bull and Bear

There are some relatively new murals, finished in September 2019, in downtown Durham. Head over to East Chapel Hill Street, right across the road from Ninth Street Bakery, and youll find them pretty quickly. On the right, Frida Kahlo gazes upward from her colorful perch on a parking lot garage door. To her left is a similarly vibrant scene with a monarch butterfly as its centerpiece. However, should you approach them closer, youd notice an accompanying instructional plaque.

After reading the instructions, you find out that by downloading the app Mariposa AR (mariposa means butterfly in Spanish), the murals become enhanced by augmented reality. Once downloaded, the app reveals stories of immigration, floating objects and even portals that virtually transport you into a related North Carolina Museum of Art exhibit. Be careful not to get hit by a car while getting lost in exploring the virtual reality world.

The app was created by Code the Dream, a Durham-based organization that provides free software development classes for people from low-income backgrounds. By providing real life, hands-on work, Code the Dream is empowering people with the skills they need to succeed, and Mariposa AR is one of these projects come to life.

On Mariposa AR are several stories of immigration to Durham. By using monarch butterflies as pinpoints, a world map shows all the different places Durhamites come from. The monarch is a fitting symbol for such information, as it is famous for its large migrations between Mexico and the United States.

Visitors to the murals can also leave a short story about their own experiences with migration. These range from the intense, like Cruz from Celaya, Mexico, who wrote, Swam rivers and crossed borders to get here, to the silly, like the monarch butterfly over Moscow that says Hi, Im Mike, and Im a ninja. I was born in Russia and moved to the U.S. at a young age. Been a ninja ever since then.

The app is greatly connected to the artwork, which takes influence from Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, two artists famous worldwide for making Mexican modernism popular around the globe. This focus of the artwork is, of course, a conscious choice by each of the artists. Just like how the butterflies on the app represent the stories of each viewer, the murals represent the personal life of the artist.

The artist, in the case of the butterfly mural, is Cornelio Campos, a Mexican American painter. In an interview with the North Carolina Museum of Art, he said, This was a real opportunity to represent my culture in my own style.

The artist of the Frida Kahlo painting, Cecilia Lueza, is from Argentina and enjoys working on public pieces of art, a medium that is not present in her native country. Her mural, called I am my own muse, aims to [bring] a lot of brightness, color dynamic, and it creates an interesting focal point for the community, according to an interview with the North Carolina Museum of Art. She decided to paint Frida Kahlo because her life especially is a big inspiration for many people, including me.

In any case, both the murals and augmented reality experience are a favorite among Duke students and Durham residents alike.

Its another perspective on life, first-year Alex Burgin said. We can see how other people view the world, how they express themselves, and you can get some enjoyment out of it too.

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Another first-year, Sarah LoCurto, found the virtual reality component of the murals compelling: It definitely has a contrast with the real art thats right in front of you.

Without any background with AR previously except Pokemon Go, LoCurto appreciated the combination of public art and virtual reality.

Its definitely a much more interesting use of augmented reality, she said.

Originally posted here:

An augmented reality app is bringing two Durham murals to life - Duke Chronicle