Category: VR

Virtual reality (VR) is proving to be more than just a tool for gaming and entertainment; it’s becoming a valuable asset in scientific research and medicine. Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, have delved into human perception using VR and uncovered a fascinating phenomenon they describe as a “phantom touch illusion.” Led by Dr. Artur Pilacinski and Professor Christian Klaes from the Department of Neurotechnology, the study sheds light on the intricacies of how our brains interpret virtual interactions with our bodies.

Published in the journal Scientific Reports in September 2023, the study involved subjects interacting with their own bodies using virtual objects in VR scenarios. Surprisingly, the participants reported experiencing a tingling sensation at the exact spot where the virtual object made contact, despite there being no physical interaction. Pilacinski explains, “People in virtual reality sometimes have the feeling that they are touching things, although they are actually only encountering virtual objects.”

In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, the line dividing reality from virtuality is progressively blurring. The emergence of augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) contact lenses serves as a testament to this convergence, ushering in a potential revolution that promises to reshape our daily existence in ways previously unimaginable.

These cutting-edge AR and VR contact lenses stand at the forefront of wearable technology, designed to overlay digital information onto our physical world or submerge us completely within virtual realms. Unlike conventional VR headsets, these lenses offer an immersive experience that seamlessly integrates real and digital elements, enabling users to interact with both realms concurrently.

Wolters Kluwer and Body Interact collaborate to build clinical reasoning skills and confidence of medical and PA students with realistic virtual patient simulations, in a safe-to-fail environment.

Wolters Kluwer, Health, a leading global provider of information and point of care solutions for the healthcare industry, has announced a new collaboration with Take the Wind, the company behind the leading digital simulation platform Body Interact, to help expand virtual training tools and resources for medical and physician assistant students. The offering allows students to interact with virtual patients in life-like scenarios, where they are encouraged to assess, order tests, and diagnose in a safe environment. 

UCLan medical students using the new VR technology at the Burnley campus

Medical students will be using virtual reality headsets to diagnose heart attacks and treat sepsis from the comfort of the classroom.

The University of Central Lancashire will be introducing the technology to Preston, Burnley and Westlakes to allow medical students to diagnose heart attacks, treat sepsis and examine the respiratory system following the development of technology by UK-based Oxford Medical Simulation (OMS).

It allows students studying within UCLan’s School of Medicine to practise treating acutely unwell patients in a simulated, virtual environment without risking patients’ lives.