AR and VR in Healthcare
Modernization in technology has taken significant strides in recent years, with the improvement of data collection and automation in healthcare, usage of AI in data analysis, and the improvement of mechanics and robotics in the surgical field. Alongside these developments is a more abstract and digital visual form of technology, in the form of augmented reality and virtual reality, which have each found their own place in healthcare. Augmented reality and virtual reality add a whole different dimension to digital media and resources that are typically and frequently used in the medical field, whether it be through informational, educational, or therapeutic sources. With the advance of networking and technology followed quickly by the shift of many industries towards digital frontiers during the pandemic, VR and AR technologies in medicine have only expanded, being used more and more commonly in various hospitals and training and educational fields in healthcare.
What are VR and AR?
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) add new sensory elements and dimension to the way we perceive the world through use of different digital software and hardware. Virtual reality and augmented reality are different based on the degree of sensory simulation that they provide. Virtual reality simulates an entire experience or media through use of hardware like headsets and controllers, allowing users to see and interact with a digital environment and feel immersed in it. Augmented reality, however, uses cameras and software to add visual elements to existing camera views of the real world. For example, virtual reality has been used to immerse users into game worlds, allowing them to play and see in a new fantastical world through use of hardware like the Playstation VR and Oculus Quest. Alternatively, augmented reality uses any camera devices, typically phones, to superimpose images like GPS routes or other visual animations onto the real world, accessible by using a device to look around and interact with the environment. Both VR and AR add significant dimension and visuals to media and digital resources, as opposed to just reading or watching informational or educational materials, though to different degrees and with varying hardware.
Training and Education
Usage of VR and AR in medical training and education has shown significant benefits by providing a no-risk, immersive, and analytic method of teaching, practicing, and improving.
By using a simulated environment, students can practice their skills or be provided significant amounts of real time data through displays in their headset, allowing for guided and no risk practice of surgical procedures. Since there is no actual surgery taking place, but rather a very exact and precise simulation, students can learn in very controlled and technical environments, allowing for significant practice before attempting real surgery or use of techniques. Additionally, the controls and data used in these simulations can be used quite effectively in the long term of teaching, as any mistakes and inefficiencies can be worked on by modifying these controls, while environments can also be made more difficult or complicated as students improve. A study by Mahnaz Samadbeik and other researchers indicated that medical students taught using virtual reality resources were found to have improved learning in 74% of studies regarding virtual reality in medical learning, with studies also indicating a higher accuracy in medical practice in 80% of these studies. These results are cohesive with predictions resulting from the benefits provided by virtual reality learning, considering the efficacy of immersive and controlled environments with minimal risk involved.
With the onset of the pandemic and distance learning came the desire to improve and provide adequate interaction and nursing education, leading to a shift towards adaptive digital learning methods that could facilitate better understandings and learning of in-person and patient interaction. Thus, usage of improved AR and VR resources would be highly beneficial to engaging and educating medical students at a distance, supplementing an immersive simulation even at a distance.
Diagnosis and Therapy
VR headsets and AR technology have also been used to diagnose, understand, and assist with medical conditions and ailments. Conditions like PTSD and Alzheimer’s have also been diagnosed and detected using VR and AR technology, with visual impairments and even physical injuries being detected and rehabilitated using VR.
Sync Think, for example, uses customized and tech fitted VR goggles to test for visual impairments, particularly after concussions or other head trauma. Augmedix, on the other hand, has used AR and Google Glass to provide doctors quick and easy access to patient’s electronic health records. VR has also been used in rehab, guiding patients through gradual motor movement and expanding their physical range.
VR and AR apps have also been developed to assist in psychological treatments and therapy, with companies like GuidedVR and Psious providing platforms for psychology and mental health in VR and AR. Virtual and augmented reality also have secured a place in pediatrics, helping children as they prepare for difficult or frightening procedures. Immersing them in calming or educational media could help significantly in their emotional and mental state as they experience potentially scary medical procedures or hospital experiences.
Outreach
Augmented and virtual reality could be used for very effective and widespread public education and outreach. Augmented reality in particular offers a very accessible media for the public to access, considering that AR can function off almost all smartphones and similar devices. By using AR applications, the general public can be educated about medical information, such as information regarding the pandemic, the spread of disease, and related symptoms. By facilitating the proliferation of this information, public readiness and awareness can be improved and adapted, making significant strides towards better responses and controlled reactions.
Such uses of augmented reality have already been used in diagnosis and discussion of approach, as doctors use AR and VR to better visualize and explain medical conditions. Different approaches can be found using the depth and immersion of 3D visual objects like in virtual and augmented reality, also being especially useful in helping patients understand the progression of their diagnosis and illness.
References
Samadbeik, Mahnaz et al. “The Applications of Virtual Reality Technology in Medical Groups Teaching.” Journal of advances in medical education & professionalism vol. 6,3 (2018): 123–129.
Vicent, Lluís. “How Can Virtual Reality Help Diagnose Mental Disorders?” Psious, 14 Aug. 2020, psious.com/how-can-virtual-reality-help-diagnose-mentaldisorders/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20PTSD%20and,In%20this%20sense%2C%20Dr.
