Virtual reality is most often associated with the gaming industry, however, with the Covid-19 pandemic placing a special emphasis on everything virtual, VR and its even more immersive sibling, augmented reality(AR), are both making their way into the medical field.
Virtual Reality:
By definition, virtual reality is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that can be interacted with, giving the user a chance to feel immersed in the digital reality around them. First released in 1968, VR has changed and grown immensely with the development of technology. Now, virtual reality is able to provide a unique and immersive way to interact with others, and can also be used as an effective training tool. What’s more, virtual reality is now more affordable than ever. This rapidly growing industry was worth 28.42 billion USD in 2022 and is expected to grow to be worth around 87 billion USD by 2030. Furthermore, its use in the medical field is expected to grow nearly 35% annually, carving out a total of 40 billion USD in the medical field by the end of 2026.
VR in Medicine:
Many people believe that immersive technology is the new future of healthcare, and with all of the newly discovered and invented benefits, it is not hard to see why. First, VR can be used for patient education and communication. Virtual reality has the ability to allow patients to access the human body in a way that would have been impossible before. Virtual models can also be displayed in real-time, allowing doctors to be able to share vital information in much greater detail. Patients would be able to visualize their conditions and see how treatments really work. Furthermore, they would do all of this in the comforts of their own home, greatly helping those who may live in rural areas or have a hard time traveling. On the topic of virtual models, not only would they be helpful to patients, but to students as well. Teaching students using VR may be vastly superior to teaching them through textbooks and cadavers. Clinical examinations would be replicated and taught to students in a risk-free environment that would cost less and save more time. Another wonderful benefit of VR would be its ability to help with mental health and adjunctive therapy. For instance, it would be helpful to those hoping to get over their fears by simply recreating a similar situation with the click of a mouse. The coaching for any disorders would be done in a more controlled and healthier way. Furthermore, VR can help create empathy in people such as healthcare workers. If they were to participate in a virtual reality simulation where they were disabled, healthcare workers would be able to better understand how to help their patients.
If utilized properly, virtual reality can change our healthcare industry for the better. It is guaranteed that there will be many more advancements and developments in the VR industry that will impact our future immensely.
Sources:
Thomas, Liji. “Applications of Virtual Reality in Medicine.” News-Medical.Net, 4 Jan. 2021, https://www.news-medical.net/health/Applications-of-Virtual-Reality-in-Medicine.aspx.
“Virtual Reality Market Size & Share Report, 2022-2030.” Grand View Research Logo, https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/virtual-reality-vr-market. Accessed 30 Jan. 2023.
“Virtual Reality in the Healthcare Industry.” VISUALISE, https://visualise.com/virtual-reality/virtual-reality-healthcare. Accessed 30 Jan. 2023.
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