Virtual Reality News and Research

RSS

Virtual reality psychological therapy shown to work well for patients with mental health problems

In a landmark development, psychological therapy has been automated in virtual reality. With the user guided by a virtual coach, there is no need for a real-life therapist, meaning the treatment can reach many more patients.

6 Apr 2022

Virtual reality helps reduce COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

A new study investigates whether intention for vaccination is increased by a gamified immersive VR experience that shows how community immunity works.

28 Mar 2022

Virtual reality test could offer a promising way of effectively assessing functional cognition in adults

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London suggests that a virtual reality test in which participants "go to the shops" could offer a potentially promising way of effectively assessing functional cognition, the thinking and processing skills needed to accomplish complex everyday activities

23 Mar 2022

Nature's benefits may include savings on health care costs, finds study

A Clemson University faculty member collaborating with researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, has found that nature's benefits may include savings on health care costs.

22 Mar 2022

Periconceptional maternal smoking associated with delay in embryonic development

Smoking by mothers during the period immediately before and after conception is linked to a delay in embryonic development, smaller foetuses at the time of the 20-week ultrasound scan, and lower birth weight.

23 Feb 2022

Stroke rehabilitation experts propose a new paradigm for improving treatment of spatial neglect

Kessler Foundation experts in stroke rehabilitation proposed a new paradigm for improving treatment of spatial neglect, a disabling condition that hinders recovery for at least 30 percent of stroke survivors.

11 Feb 2022

Researchers receive £4.9 million to investigate pioneering biological electronics

Researchers from universities across the UK, led by the University of Bristol, have been awarded £4.9 million from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the UK's largest bioscience funder, to investigate how electrons and energy flow through biological molecules by building artificial protein-based wires and circuits.

29 Jan 2022

Research shows how a young healthy brain can successfully multitask while walking

New research turns the old idiom about not being able to walk and chew gum on its head. Scientists with the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester have shown that the healthy brain is able to multitask while walking without sacrificing how either activity is accomplished.

25 Jan 2022

Greater internet use linked with reduced risk of extreme social isolation during COVID-19 lockdown

The risk of hikikomori, or extreme social isolation, during COVID-19 restrictions has been linked to use of the internet. A greater increase in internet use during the COVID-19 lockdown was associated with reduced risk of hikikomori, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

20 Jan 2022

Social media use linked with worse physical health indicators among college students

Social media use was correlated with worse physical health indicators among college students, according to a new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking.

18 Jan 2022

'Presence' of a virtual person can reduce anxiety in women

A lot of people feel less anxious in a frightening situation if they don't have to face it alone. But what if these people suffer from social anxiety - a disorder characterized by fears of embarrassing themselves in social situations?

17 Jan 2022

Study: Many people prefer to speak about negative experiences with a virtual reality avatar

If you find opening up to a therapist too daunting, new research shows you're not alone – and you might soon have a new option.

5 Jan 2022

Researchers develop acoustic virtual reality-based archery game for blind people

Researchers at the IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia developed an acoustic virtual reality-based archery game, enabling blind people to experience for the first time this type of technology, which is typically focused on vision.

4 Jan 2022

New virtual reality platform could revolutionize the way single-cell omics data is analyzed

Science has the technology to measure the activity of every gene within a single individual cell, and just one experiment can generate thousands of cells worth of data.

23 Nov 2021

The Power of Digitalization in the Life Sciences and Diagnostics Sectors

In this interview, News-Medical talks to Frank Buescher and Wael Yared about the increasing digitalization of the life sciences and diagnostics sectors and the possibilities this entails.

From Tecan 19 Nov 2021

Virtual reality environments reveal neural signatures of anxiety disorders

Imagine you are in a meadow picking flowers. You know that some flowers are safe, while others have a bee inside that will sting you.

12 Nov 2021

Exercises using virtual reality to relieve COVID breathlessness

A recent study evaluates an immersive virtual reality-based digital intervention to alleviate refractory breathlessness in patients recovering from COVID-19.

31 Oct 2021

Researchers untangle dopamine’s diverse functions

Among the neurotransmitters in the brain, dopamine has gained an almost mythical status. Decades of research have established its contribution to several seemingly unrelated brain functions including learning, motivation, and movement, raising the question of how a single neurotransmitter can play so many different roles.

30 Oct 2021

Researchers compare two types of mindful breathing to reduce pain

It’s long been known that meditative mindful breathing helps with various health conditions, including pain.

12 Oct 2021

VR can provide a valuable treatment modality for adolescents' psychological distress

A new systemic review found that all studies reported benefits when using virtual reality (VR) to manage psychological distress in adolescents.

29 Sep 2021