Virtual reality (VR) took a big leap in 2015: Google made cardboard cool again, and The New York Times went virtual, which is pretty cool for a newspaper. And this was just the tip of the iceberg. 2016 should be even bigger for VR with more medically focussed projects. Sophisticated devices like the Oculus Rift are already hitting the market and it’s expected that medical students will start examining patients through VR by the end of the year. Life’s looking virtual for us humble patients too. Homebound people might soon be able to take virtual bike rides thanks to research being done at Stanford and even Apple is on the hunt for medical tech talent with the internet spreading rumours about a virtual reality team. Moral of the story: Be prepared, virtual reality is growing up and getting a medical degree. Next showing at your local GP’s office.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are revolutionising what s possible in the medical field, and many other industries. Some of these companies are transforming the way we see the world through scientific research and technological advancements. These companies are paving the way for a new wave of advancements in how science and technology will impact the medical field. Here are some of these companies: immersive Technologies, Inc., is creating personalised medical equipment for a broad range of uses that can be used in any number of applications in the healthcare industry. The company has received grants from the Surgical Technology Institute, the United States National Institutes of Health and the Defense Advanced Research Laboratory. Their goal is to enable surgeons and patients to completely visualize any operation or treatment possibility, in an extraordinary environment.
The virtual reality system at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is changing the way surgeons operate. By combining the power of virtual reality with 3-D computer design, the surgeons are now able to perform more difficult surgeries and even complete smaller procedures without losing mobility. The revolutionary feature was discovered by accident. A team of Carnegie Mellon University dental surgeons were designing a new model for a denture device when they realized that they could actually make the mouth smaller by placing it in front of a computer screen. Today, when the surgeon needs to remove tissue for a tooth cleaning procedure or reshape the jaw during a surgical procedure, he does not have to give up his mobility; he can perform the task simply by looking at a display on a screen placed in front of him.
At first, the idea of putting a virtual reality system in front of a surgeon may seem a bit counterintuitive. After all, most people imagine a surgical procedure as something that takes place in “the real world,” away from the body of the patient. However, a medical student who has been assigned to the new program said that patients get the feeling of being inside the body when they wear the headset. In addition to helping surgeons perform their tasks more easily, the new technology may also help patients feel more comfortable before and after their procedures.
In addition to assisting surgeons with difficult tasks, the new program may also be beneficial to patients themselves. Many people suffer from motion sickness, an abnormal fear of movement that can affect their daily activities. Patients wearing VR headsets may become less nauseous during their procedures and this can reduce the amount of time that they miss out on because of discomfort. The potential for growth lies in the fact that the medical field is constantly looking for ways to make patients’ visits to their doctor more pleasant and virtual reality systems provide the basis for advancements in this area.
One particular application is being used in the emergency room of a hospital in the State of New York. There, a videographer works with a resident doctor to design a 3-D digital medical picture from a patient’s own video through the use of the most recent version of the virtual reality technology. In this process, the videographer is able to capture vital information about a person such as the colors of their skin and eye movement. The information then is fed into a computer, so that it can be viewed by a medical team in real time.
As advances are made in this area, the importance of virtual reality in medicine will become more pronounced. In the future, it may even be possible to design and create entire surgical suites in VR. The capabilities of today’s VR software allow for sophisticated graphics that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing. For example, the surgeon can then create a medical movie in which he operates on the patient or one in which he performs a procedure and the scene immediately appears in front of him inside the operating room. These virtual reality programs are designed specifically for use in providing virtual assistance to healthcare professionals, improving the quality of their work while simultaneously increasing patient comfort.
Within the next decade, this technology will be commonplace within the healthcare industry. This means that the success of any given healthcare operation will largely depend on the effectiveness of the technology used. This also means that if you are interested in using virtual reality to enhance your business or to further your cause, you should find a company that can provide you with the highest quality experience. By researching and finding the best VR rehabilitation solutions, you can ensure that you can provide patients with the best possible care.