Virtual Reality News and Research

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University of Montreal expands treatment capacity with EON Reality's simulations system

EON Reality, the world's leading interactive 3D software provider, today announced that the Visual Psychophysics and Perception Laboratory at the University of Montreal expands their treatment capacity with a fully immersive environment from EON Reality. A new simulations system for rehabilitation and training of athletic performance, developed by Professor Jocelyn Faubert's team, will be immersed within the EON Icube, a technology that allows virtual training in a natural and realistic environment.

6 Jan 2010

ARNMD meeting examines psychological and neurological aspects of PTSDs and traumatic brain injuries

War is hell, as the old saying goes -- with loss of life and limb, destruction of infrastructure and the environment, and devastating costs. Recent biomedical research has shed light on another pernicious consequence of military conflict: psychological and neurological conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. At the same time, researchers have worked to uncover some of the motives and meanings of war.

17 Dec 2009

MU occupational therapy professor says recovery from brain injuries can last a lifetime

Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost function by focusing on their remaining abilities. Although this belief has been refuted, a University of Missouri occupational therapy professor believes that the current health system is still not giving patients enough time to recover and underestimating what the human brain can do given the right conditions.

18 Nov 2009

3-D software uses real patient data; offers virtual reality technology for doctors and students

James Oliver picked up an Xbox game controller, looked up to a video screen and used the device's buttons and joystick to fly through a patient's chest cavity for an up-close look at the bottom of the heart.

12 Nov 2009

Simbionix's patient specific system receives Magna Cum Laude EPOS Award

Extensive research conducted by the Imperial College of London, Ghent University Hospital and University of Sheffield on the Simbionix PROcedure Rehearsal Studio(TM), was awarded a Magna Cum Laude EPOS Award at the CIRSE 2009 congress in Lisbon, Portugal.

11 Nov 2009

Simbionix launches advanced simulator for GI endoscopy and flexible bronchoscopy training

Simbionix, the world's leading developer of medical simulation systems, introduces it's new advanced simulator, the GI-BRONCH Mentor, a comprehensive solution for virtual reality training of GI Endoscopy and Flexible Bronchoscopy.

28 Oct 2009

Crushing virtual cigarettes reduces nicotine dependence

Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nicotine dependence and higher rates of tobacco abstinence than smokers participating in the same program who grasped a computer-simulated ball, according to a study described in the current issue of CyberPsychology and Behavior, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

28 Oct 2009

Philadelphia's Franklin Institute to exhibit Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds 2 & The Brain

Gunther von Hagens' Body Worlds 2 & The Brain made its debut at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute on October 17, and will be one of many points of interest for visitors eager to explore the area's vast array of scientific treasures.

21 Oct 2009

Cork University Hospital uses a computer simulation system in its clinical trials

SensAble Technologies, Inc., announced that its customer, the Cork University Hospital, is leading clinical trials in two European hospitals using a haptically-enabled computer simulation system for testing physician competency in administering spinal anesthesia.

20 Oct 2009

Virtual Reality Exposure Treatment to help tackle driving phobias

Researchers at The University of Manchester have recruited volunteers with a variety of driving phobias to test whether virtual reality can be used alongside conventional psychological therapies to help tackle their fears.

From The University of Manchester 20 Oct 2009

$Online education programs for medical professionals at a fraction of the cost of travel-based programs$

Online education programs for medical professionals at a fraction of the cost of travel-based programs

With business travel budgets expected to remain tight through 2010, online clinical best practice programs may offer the healthcare industry its best educational value, according to Sara McMannus, Program Manager of GE Healthcare’s Global Clinical Best Practice Education. “Vendor-neutral, online programs provide education on-demand at a fraction of the cost of travel-based programs,” she said.

19 Oct 2009

New virtual reality training programme test perceptual skills of rugby players

Team members from Ulster Rugby have been working with researchers in the School of Psychology at Queen's on a range of virtual training scenarios that test expert players' perceptual skills.

15 Oct 2009

NICoE to study how brain works after sustaining combat-related injury using Elekta Neuromag

Projected to open in mid 2010, the National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE) is a facility dedicated to the study and care of military personnel and veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and psychological health issues. Using Elekta Neuromag®, an advanced magnetoencephalography (MEG) device, NICoE plans to shed light on how the brain works after sustaining combat-related injury.

From Elekta 15 Oct 2009

It is possible to communicate through power of thought alone: Study

New research from the University of Southampton has demonstrated that it is possible for communication from person to person through the power of thought alone.

6 Oct 2009

Two new products released by Simbionix USA Corporation

Simbionix USA Corporation, the world's leading developer of medical simulation systems, just released two new products: a new Laparoscopic Essential Tasks Module for its LAP Mentor(TM) and a breakthrough technology for patient-specific simulation based on actual patient data - the PROcedure Rehearsal Studio(TM).

21 Sep 2009

New research on post-traumatic stress disorder to be presented at MHRF

New research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being presented this week at the Military Health Research Forum (MHRF), a scientific conference hosted by the Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). Depending on the conflict in which they served, 10 to 30 percent of soldiers who have spent time in war zones experience the debilitating and life-altering symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

2 Sep 2009

St. Jude Medical opens first Advanced Learning Center in Brussels

St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE:STJ) today announced the official opening of the St. Jude Medical Advanced Learning Center, in Brussels, Belgium, offering education and training in advanced, evidence-based therapies for physicians who treat heart disease.

28 Aug 2009

Max-Planck scientists show that people really walk in circles when lost

Scientists in the Multisensory Perception and Action Group at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in T-bingen, led by Jan Souman and Marc Ernst, have now presented the first empirical evidence that people really walk in circles when they do not have reliable cues to their walking direction. Their study, published today in the journal Current Biology, examined the walking trajectories of people who walked for several hours in the Sahara desert (Tunisia) and in the Bienwald forest area (Germany).

21 Aug 2009

Virtual reality users adjust their identity to be consistent with that of their avatars

Creating a Second Life avatar, or virtual representation of oneself, that is thin and physically fit may encourage individuals to become healthier and more physically fit in their real lives, according to a study by researchers at RTI International.

4 Aug 2009

Research reveals that sick children do not always have their pain-relief needs met

Despite great effort to reduce anxiety, fear and pain, related to health care, children still considered "being in pain" as the worst aspect of their procedure, according to Karin Enskär, associate professor at the School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden.

6 Jul 2009