Virtual Reality News and Research

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Three articles explore new technologies in nursing

From nurse education to bedside nursing, nursing is experiencing an electronic makeover. Eighty seven percent of nursing schools now use high-fidelity mannequins to bring various levels of simulation to their students. Prescriber orders, previously written on paper, are now entered into a comprehensive electronic ordering system.

26 Aug 2011

Noninvasive brain computer interface could turn thoughts into motion

"Brain cap" technology being developed at the University of Maryland allows users to turn their thoughts into motion. Associate Professor of Kinesiology José 'Pepe' L. Contreras-Vidal and his team have created a non-invasive, sensor-lined cap with neural interface software that soon could be used to control computers, robotic prosthetic limbs, motorized wheelchairs and even digital avatars.

28 Jul 2011

Virtual reality study to address alcohol abuse issues in veterans

The spoils of war for returning veterans may include addictions, injury and the constant images of horrific events they witnessed. Now a University of Houston joint study funded by the Veterans Health Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development service looks to address these issues through the use of virtual reality.

27 Jul 2011

Virtual and physical reality exercises can increase movement speeds in Parkinson's patients

In people with Parkinson's Disease (PD), the inability to make quick movements limits basic functioning in daily life. Movement can be improved by various cueing techniques, such as providing visual or auditory stimuli when movements are started. In a study scheduled for publication in the August issue of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, researchers report that virtual reality (VR) and physical reality exercises can be used to provide effective stimuli to increase movement speeds in PD patients.

11 Jul 2011

NIH-funded study to develop virtual reality simulator for 'scarless' endoscopic surgery

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have secured a $2.7 million grant to develop the first-ever virtual reality simulator for next-generation "scarless" endoscopic surgery.

20 Jun 2011

Self-perception of body traced to specialized multisensory neurons

By taking advantage of a "body swap" illusion, researchers have captured the brain regions involved in one of the most fundamental aspects of self-awareness: how we recognize our bodies as our own, distinct from others and from the outside world. That self-perception is traced to specialized multisensory neurons in various parts of the brain that integrate different sensory inputs across all body parts into a unified view of the body.

17 Jun 2011

People can benefit from virtual world weight-loss program

Participants in two weight-loss programs -- one involving traditional health club sessions and the other delivered online in a 3D virtual world -- lost similar amounts of weight and body fat, but the online contingent reported significantly greater gains in behaviors that could help them live healthier and leaner lives.

4 Jun 2011

Virtual reality offers returning soldiers 'psychotherapy by computer' to treat PTSD

For those soldiers worried about the stigma associated with seeing a therapist, virtual reality applications for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be the alternative to the traditional "talk therapy."

17 May 2011

Swedish adds new virtual reality training simulator to help surgeons practice on robotic-assisted system

As one of the first medical centers in the Northwest to perform robotic-assisted surgery, Swedish is home to the fastest growing, most comprehensive and experienced robotic-assisted surgical program in the region. Swedish established the multidisciplinary, robotic-assisted surgical program in 2005 and has since performed more than 3,400 robotic-assisted surgeries -- more than any other program in the region.

12 May 2011

Hangovers affect surgeon's performance

A new study has shown that excessive alcohol consumption, even on the previous day, appears to be associated with changes in some surgical skills performed on virtual reality simulator testing the following day. The study appeared in the April issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

19 Apr 2011

Scientists to discuss innovative technologies at UMDNJ Symposium

Advances in technology have accelerated the effectiveness of scientific and medical research, producing rapid advances that were unthinkable even a decade ago. At its Third Annual Inter-School Technology Symposium, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey will bring together scientists from throughout the University who are at the forefront of this revolution.

11 Apr 2011

Virtual reality games can improve motor function in stroke patients

Virtual reality and other video games can significantly improve motor function in stroke patients, according to research from St. Michael's Hospital.

8 Apr 2011

Study finds high utilization of CTC and Medicare coverage in recent years

Medicare coverage and nationwide utilization of computed tomographic colonography, commonly referred to as virtual colonoscopy, has tripled in recent years, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

4 Apr 2011

JobTIPS for individuals with ASD

Do2Learn.com, an innovative, online provider of educational resources for individuals with special needs, is expanding its website to include JobTIPS. JobTIPS offers free "how to" interactive materials for individuals with an autism spectrum disorder and other special needs to help them evaluate, identify, and maintain employment.

1 Apr 2011

SimQuest develops open-incision surgical simulation platform

SimQuest LLC, a leading developer of technology-assisted education and training, has developed the first platform for open-incision surgical simulation, which will enable surgeons to practice open surgical techniques with no risk to patients. The platform will allow surgeons to practice their skills in an environment that allows for errors and provide objective feedback on performance.

23 Mar 2011

STJ inaugurates Advanced Technology Center for physicians in Beijing

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today celebrated the grand opening of the St. Jude Medical Advanced Technology Center Asia Pacific, located in Beijing, China.

22 Mar 2011

Despite absence of Medicare coverage, hospital use of CTC is on the rise: Study

Despite the absence of Medicare coverage, hospital use of computed tomographic colonography, commonly referred to as virtual colonoscopy, is on the rise, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

1 Mar 2011

Swedish neuroscientist demonstrates how brain produces sense of ownership of the body

Leave your body and shake hands with yourself, gain an extra limb or change into a robot for a while. Swedish neuroscientist Henrik Ehrsson has demonstrated that the brain's image of the body is negotiable. Applications stretch from touch-sensitive prostheses to robotics and virtual worlds.

21 Feb 2011

Virtual reality exposure therapy reduces PTSD symptoms in active military service members

An article published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress is one of the first to provide evidence of the effectiveness of exposure therapy with active duty military service members suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study shows that virtual reality exposure therapy resulted in significant reductions in PTSD symptoms after an average of seven treatment sessions. Additionally, 62 % of patients reported clinically meaningful, reliable change in PTSD symptoms.

17 Feb 2011

Nine new Research Units to be established by DFG

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) is to establish nine new Research Units. This decision was taken by the DFG's Senate at its February session in Bonn. The new groups are intended to provide researchers with the opportunity to address current and urgent issues in their fields and to develop new research strategies.

14 Feb 2011