Virtual Reality News and Research

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Cognitive differences exist between modern humans, Neanderthals: Researchers

Whether cognitive differences exist between modern humans and Neanderthals is the subject of contentious disputes in anthropology and archaeology. Because the brain size range of modern humans and Neanderthals overlap, many researchers previously assumed that the cognitive capabilities of these two species were similar.

10 Nov 2010

Positive adult interactions during childhood guard against personality disorders later in life

Learning a hobby or other complex task in childhood with assistance from a trusted adult may help guard against the emergence of a personality disorder (PD) later on in life, reports a study in the current issue of the journal, Development and Psychopathology.

9 Nov 2010

St. Jude Medical to highlight OCT product platform at TCT meeting

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, will highlight recently launched technology, including its new Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) product platform, at the 22nd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in Washington, D.C.

23 Sep 2010

Survey shows strong interest in video games, virtual reality environments for doctor training

Today's students were raised with a digital mouse in their hands. So it should be no surprise that a majority of medical school students surveyed say video games and virtual reality environments could help them become better doctors.

11 Aug 2010

Special issue on new developments in vestibular rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is essential for patients with disabling symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, and unsteadiness caused by disorders of the vestibular system. A special issue of The Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy (JNPT) presents an update on new and emerging vestibular rehabilitation techniques, highlighting the physical therapist's role on the multidisciplinary teams providing patient care and research.

4 Aug 2010

Researchers win $2.3M grant to develop virtual reality simulator for training laparoscopic surgeons

Minimally invasive surgery is increasingly common and effective for operating inside the human abdomen. In these laparoscopic procedures, which use slender, handheld tools inserted into the body of the patient, the skill of the surgeon is the most important factor determining the success of the operation. A team of interdisciplinary researchers led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has won a $2.3 million federal grant to develop a touch-sensitive virtual reality simulator that will standardize how surgeons are trained and certified to perform laparoscopic procedures.

16 Jul 2010

Virtual food can be used for evaluation and treatment of eating disorders: Researchers

Food presented in a virtual reality environment causes the same emotional responses as real food. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Annals of General Psychiatry compared the responses of people with anorexia and bulimia, and a control group, to the virtual and real-life snacks, suggesting that virtual food can be used for the evaluation and treatment of eating disorders.

5 Jul 2010

Hospital for Special Surgery announces receipt of $5M commitment from CA Technologies

Hospital for Special Surgery announced the receipt of a $5 million commitment from CA Technologies, an IT management software and solutions company, at its 27th Annual Tribute Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria on June 21, 2010.

28 Jun 2010

NJIT biomedical engineer awarded $1.3M grant to develop better ways to help stroke patients

Helping stroke patients regain use of their hands and arms through innovative robotic and virtual reality-based video game therapies is the focal point of NJIT Associate Professor Sergei Adamovich, a biomedical engineer. Thanks to a $1.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Adamovich is developing better ways to rehabilitate people who have lost control of their hands, fingers, shoulders and elbows.

11 Jun 2010

Two Buffalo scientists develop first procedure-based HOST software system

Two Buffalo scientists have paired up to create technology that has the potential to revolutionize surgical training worldwide, developing the first procedure-based, hands-on surgical training software. Their patent-pending system, Hands-On Surgical Training, guides surgeons through real-time operative procedures using the Robotic Surgical Simulator - interface.

2 Jun 2010

Researchers develop new therapy for psychological treatment of patients suffering from fibromyalgia

Researchers of the Labpsictec at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellon and the LahHuman Group at the Universidad Politecnica of Valencia and the University of Valencia have developed a new therapy based on the use of mobile devices and virtual reality for the psychological treatment of patients suffering from fibromyalgia.

24 May 2010

NWO awards 31 grants in Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 grants in the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme for the acquisition of equipment, the setting up of data collections and the production of software and bibliographies. The total investment amounts to 10 million euro.

30 Apr 2010

Tel Aviv University researcher pioneers 3-D occupational therapy for children with disabilities

It was her love of ballet that led her to work with children who have motor disabilities. The retired dancer, now an occupational therapist, is pioneering a new "virtual" method to analyze movement patterns in children ― and more effectively treat those with debilitating motor disorders.

28 Apr 2010

Researchers discover link between protein structure and hearing process

Rising from the top surface of each of the specialized receptor cells in our inner ears is a bundle of sensory cilia that responds to the movement of sound. As sensitive as they are fragile, these cilia can move to wisps of sound no larger than a molecule-but can shear at sounds that are larger than life.

17 Apr 2010

NSF Faculty Early Career Development Award for Zhihao Zhuang

Zhihao Zhuang, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware, has won the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award.

17 Apr 2010

Researchers develop experimental protocol to detect age-related memory disorders

By studying the aging of memory in the mouse, researchers in the Laboratoire Neurobiologie des Processus Adaptatifs have developed an experimental protocol that can detect age-related memory deficits at an early stage. They have shown that even at 10 months, which corresponds to a third of their life expectancy, some mice present with age-related memory disorders.

1 Apr 2010

Bonis project develops multimedia system to identify dengue plague and febrile illnesses in Paraguay

Xabier Basogain Olabe (Donostia-San Sebasti-n, 1962), lecturer at the Higher Technical School of Engineering in Bilbao, is leading this project, known as Bonis. It involves developing a multimedia system in order to undertake visual monitoring of epidemiology in isolated areas of Paraguay and thus avoid the dengue plague and other febrile illnesses.

29 Mar 2010

SensAble Technologies to showcase PHANTOM haptic devices at Haptics Symposium

SensAble Technologies, Inc®, a leading provider of haptic devices, 3D modeling software, and dental CAD/CAM solutions, is showcasing a wide range of haptically-enabled computer applications using its industry-leading PHANTOM® haptic devices, at the 18th Haptics Symposium starting Thursday, March 25th.

22 Mar 2010

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center announces clinical trial of minimally invasive procedure for opening carotid arteries

Patients who suffer from plaque-related narrowing of a carotid artery but are not good candidates for open surgery may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of a minimally invasive procedure designed to open carotid arteries the way angioplasty and stenting clear arteries of the heart.

19 Mar 2010