This Program Uses Immersive Virtual Reality to Lift Cancer Patients' Moods
Rahul Kalvapalle — October 4, 2016 — Lifestyle
References: newswise
The Virtual Reality Patient Initiative is an innovative new pilot program that is designed to make use of virtual reality immersion to reduce patient anxiety and discomfort among people suffering from cancer.
Part of a collaboration between the University of Southern California's Norris Comprehensive Cancer Care Center and non-profit technology and media company Springbok Cares, the Virtual Reality Patient Initiative allows patients to access a whole library of virtual reality experiences that cater to people of different age groups. These VR experiences embrace the ethos of escapist entertainment, and help reduce patient anxiety and discomfort by allowing them to be distracted by a range of entertaining, educational and mood-lifting virtual reality immersions.
While most people associate virtual reality headsets with things like video gaming and sports broadcasting, the Virtual Reality Patient Initiative is setting out to prove the efficacy of VR experiences in helping improve the quality of life of people suffering from serious diseases.
Part of a collaboration between the University of Southern California's Norris Comprehensive Cancer Care Center and non-profit technology and media company Springbok Cares, the Virtual Reality Patient Initiative allows patients to access a whole library of virtual reality experiences that cater to people of different age groups. These VR experiences embrace the ethos of escapist entertainment, and help reduce patient anxiety and discomfort by allowing them to be distracted by a range of entertaining, educational and mood-lifting virtual reality immersions.
While most people associate virtual reality headsets with things like video gaming and sports broadcasting, the Virtual Reality Patient Initiative is setting out to prove the efficacy of VR experiences in helping improve the quality of life of people suffering from serious diseases.
Trend Themes
1. Virtual-reality Health Care - Increasing demand for VR applications that aid in the treatment of medical patients, opening a wide range of opportunities for innovation within health care technology.
2. Escapist Immersive Technology - The adoption of VR technology for mood-lifting experiences is expected to increase in popularity, providing an opportunity for disruptive innovations in the entertainment and mental health fields.
3. Virtual Reality Therapy - The fast-evolving field of therapy is seen as a crucial area where VR can make a significant difference, a trend that is expected to generate opportunities for innovation in the mental health industry.
Industry Implications
1. Health Care - Hospitals and cancer care centers can leverage VR technology to enhance patients' well-being, revolutionizing the Health Care industry.
2. Entertainment - VR experiences in both the gaming and non-gaming sectors are predicted to expand into new, uncharted territories and generate many innovative ideas for the Entertainment industry.
3. Mental Health - VR's capability to offer a sense of tranquility and escapism is becoming more common in therapy, suggesting that it will soon become a pervasive and disruptive innovation opportunity for mental health practitioners.
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