Over the last decade demand has grown rapidly for innovative digital technologies and behavioral healthcare researchers and providers have not overlooked the opportunities these technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) afford. In fact, Clinical VR got started in the early-to-mid 90’s as clinical scientists dissatisfied with old school methods of medical practice saw promise and power in new technology. In Engadget’s recent Public Access article, The Ultimate Skinner Box: Clinical Virtual Reality 1990-2016, Skip Rizzo, Ph.D., Director of the Medical Virtual Reality Lab, University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies, provides insight into the development and use cases for Clinical VR.
The applications of Clinical VR have been widespread and useful. Constructing everything from virtual airplanes to spiders to classrooms, clinical VR scientists have been able to help reduce fear of certain phobias, treat PSTD, and care for other conditions. Clinical VR is just one example of the numerous applications of VR. Interested in learning more about the possibilities for VR? Skip will provide insight on this topic at the annual SXSW Conference and Festival, 10-19 March, 2017. The session, AR/VR: The Promise and Danger Behind the Hype, is included in the IEEE Tech for Humanity Series at SXSW.
