What are some interesting healthcare applications of AR, VR or other extended reality (XR) technology you have come across?
The popular clinical applications so far appear to be as a distraction from clinical procedures or phobia treatment through exposure or desensitisation therapy. The potential to create environments, manipulate virtual objects and create a sence of presence can have boundless potential in healthcare. I would love to know if you have used, or had used on you, an XR device in a healthcare setting.
Here is an great video on the pros, challenges and current progress of VR exposure therapy in addressing trauma and fear. The issues highlighted are, as in many areas of healthtech, the security of data and privacy. National and international Standards on this area can help to unlock the potential of this technology and help us understand its long term effects as more people will be willing to and can safely participate in development and research.
Definitely a lot of research going on here at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute regarding VR/AR/XR with healthcare applications. Some including the incorporation of EEGs. These are mostly within the Empathic Computing Lab.
There’s also some research at Victoria University - one that we have seen recently is the use of VR technology during labour for pain management.
