Virtual Reality News and Research

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VR demonstrations help patients feel less anxious before medical procedures

Using virtual reality (VR) to explain what to expect ahead of a medical procedure could help patients better understand their treatment and reduce anxiety, a new study suggests.

12 Mar 2026

Virtual reality system supports social skills training for people with autism

Researchers at TU Graz are using virtual reality and large language models to support people with autism spectrum disorder in training social skills.

5 Mar 2026

New study explores family concerns regarding youth virtual reality use

A new study of what families think about virtual reality (VR) technologies reveals that parents want more research-based information on how VR technologies may influence brain and behavioral development. Families also placed a higher value on VR features that increase physical activity, compared to features such as educational content.

3 Mar 2026

Greater food variety at buffets may lead to overeating

At Super Bowl parties, weddings, Independence Day cookouts and Thanksgiving dinners, people celebrate with large spreads of food.

27 Feb 2026

New Mandarin cognitive tests improve dementia diagnosis for Chinese older adults

Asian Americans are the fastest-growing group of older adults in the U.S., but they often face language and cultural barriers when seeking care for dementia-related symptoms.

26 Feb 2026

Can mobile apps change how we eat?

Evaluating digital tools for sustainable eating, the review highlights initial positive impacts but stresses the importance of long-term effectiveness research.

18 Feb 2026

Natural movement timing enhances ownership of robotic arms

When AI powered prosthetic arms that move autonomously become widespread, understanding how people feel about them and accept them will be crucial.

13 Feb 2026

Targeted therapy for the less impaired arm improves movement for stroke survivors

Traditional stroke rehabilitation therapy focuses on restoring strength and movement to the more impaired side of the body, but a new randomized clinical trial has revealed that targeted therapy for the less impaired arm significantly improved movement and control for stroke survivors.

2 Feb 2026

Three dimensional dataset transforms emergency medical training and robotic assistance

Researchers from Tianjin University have introduced the Emergency Medical Procedures 3D Dataset (EMP3D), a pioneering resource that captures the intricate movements of medical professionals during life-saving interventions with unprecedented precision.

24 Jan 2026

New insights into how rhythmic brain waves create a coherent sense of bodily self

A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications, reveals how rhythmic brain waves known as alpha oscillations help us distinguish between our own body and the external world.

12 Jan 2026

People with central vision loss can accurately judge approaching vehicles

People with central vision loss can judge the motion of vehicles almost as accurately as people with normal vision, a new international study shows.

19 Dec 2025

How the brain tracks distance in the dark without landmarks

Whether you are heading to bed or seeking a midnight snack, you don't need to turn on the lights to know where you are as you walk through your house at night.

17 Dec 2025

Varenicline helps young people quit nicotine vaping regardless of cannabis use

Adolescent and young adult nicotine vaping has become an urgent public health concern, as 2024 marked the first year that nicotine vaping was the most initiated drug.

12 Dec 2025

New audio-enhancing device can improve mindfulness in a distracting world

The whisper of two palms rubbing together. The squeak of a marker on a whiteboard. The swish of fabric against fabric. The woosh of a running faucet. These sounds can help center the mind on the present moment.

4 Dec 2025

Study: PTSD treatment dropout rates vary widely

About a quarter of U.S. service members and veterans who start psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder quit before they finish treatment. But not all therapies are equal in their appeal, with some effective approaches reporting the highest dropout rates, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

17 Nov 2025

VR raises eye temperature and thickens protective tear layer

VR gaming impacts tear film dynamics, increasing lipid layer thickness and eye temperature, but fails to enhance tear stability or alleviate dry eye symptoms.

14 Nov 2025

Study reveals the effectiveness of Painimation in decoding pain for sickle cell patients

Pain is a constant, complex companion that clinicians often struggle to understand and measure for people living with sickle cell disease. Traditional pain scales reduce this deeply personal experience to a single number that is often inaccurate.

13 Nov 2025

Novel method uses VR headsets for real-time observation of tear film dynamics

Virtual reality (VR) gaming has gained significant attention in recent years, with an increasing number of users integrating VR and immersive headsets into their daily lives.

11 Nov 2025

Innovative control strategy enhances stroke rehabilitation with CASIA-EXO exoskeleton

Stroke is one of the leading causes of non-traumatic disability worldwide, affecting more than 15 million people each year, with about three-quarters experiencing long-term functional impairments.

11 Nov 2025

New virtual reality training task can help stroke survivors living with visuospatial neglect

A team of researchers at the University of Jyväskylä (JYU) has developed and tested a new virtual reality (VR) training task designed to help stroke survivors living with visuospatial neglect (VSN), a disabling condition that affects attention and awareness of one side of space.

21 Oct 2025