virtual reality
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost function by focusing on their remaining abilities.
AMES, Iowa -- James Oliver picked up an Xbox game controller, looked up to a video screen and used the device's buttons and joystick to fly through a patient's chest cavity for an up-close look at
New Rochelle, NY, October 27, 2009 -- Smokers who crushed computer-simulated cigarettes as part of a psychosocial treatment program in a virtual reality environment had significantly reduced nic
Rugby players worldwide could benefit from a new virtual reality training programme created at Queen's University Belfast.
Team members from Ulster Rugby have been working with researchers in the School of Psychology at Queen's on a range of virtual training scenarios that test expert players' perceptual skills.
New research from the University of Southampton has demonstrated that it is possible for communication from person to person through the power of thought alone.
KANSAS CITY, MO -- September 1, 2009 -- New research on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is being presented this week at the Military Health Research Forum (MHRF), a scientific conference hosted by the Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- The Nintendo Wii may help treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, including depression, a Medical College of Georgia researcher says.
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- A realistic computer game will soon be used to help dental students worldwide learn and reinforce dental implant procedures.
Raymond Kurzweil, inventor and futurist, predicts that by the 2030s, it will be possible to
Researchers have shown that they can tell where a person is "standing" within a virtual reality room on the basis of the pattern of activity in the brain alone.
A tuberculosis drug called D-cycloserine (DCS), used in concert with psychotherapy, is an effective treatment for some anxiety-related disorders, according to scientists. In the study of 28 people suffering from acrophobia, which is an abnormal fear of heights, either DCS or placebo was given to study participants, followed by two virtual reality sessions that simulated standing in a rising glass elevator. Compared to subjects who took only placebo, those treated with DCS experienced a significant reduction in their fear of heights that was maintained for at least three months (the longest time tested) after concluding therapy.
Here's an interesting story from the NY Times about how we perceive "self" and personal space around us.
The When the Brain Says, 'Don't Get Too Close'
Scientist have been able to map our personal space to
specific cells in our brain. What is truly amazing is the
ability for that personal space to grow and shrink in size.
Just by carrying a stick or driving a car our personal
space can grow. Even cultural differences can result in
different sized spaces. This work has implications for
Virtual reality appears to dramatically change how the brain physically registers pain, not just how people subjected to pain perceive the incoming signals, according to a new study researchers. The work, which used a specialized type of magnetic resonance imaging to track pain-related brain activity, showed drops of as much as 97 percent in such activity in some brain centers. The study marks the first time that scientists have documented a link between virtual reality and pain reduction in terms of an actual physiological response.
Virtual reality conjures up images of video games - dizzying flights on simulated jets or auto races at death-defying speeds. But researchers at Ohio University have developed a kinder, gentler use for the technology: the diagnosis of back problems. Within the next two years, the team hopes to patent a software and equipment package that could be sold to schools that train osteopathic physicians, physical therapists and other medical practitioners.
Virtual reality games that enable children with physical challenges to see themselves playing sports can also enhance their self-esteem, says a University of Toronto study. At the Department of Occupational Therapy, children with cerebral palsy participated in experimental therapy in which the child's image was captured by video camera and inserted into a virtual reality scene on TV, such as a volleyball game. As the balls started moving across the screen, the child could "hit" them across the net by moving his or her arms. Researchers conducting follow-up interviews found the simulated games had a positive impact on the children's belief in their abilities.
