Virtual analgesic

Virtual reality technology is planned to be used as an anesthetic

Alexander @ragequit, Geektimes

Imagine that in the near future, a doctor may prescribe you some virtual reality games to ease the pain.

At least that's what Matthew Stoudt, CEO of AppliedVR, a startup that releases virtual reality content to relieve pain and anxiety before, during and after medical procedures, hopes.

According to MIT Technology Review (Better Than Opioids? Virtual Reality Could Be Your Next Painkiller), the company has already created three different virtual reality applications to relieve pain, as well as one to reduce anxiety. Headsets running the Applicedvr platform are currently used in various medical institutions for blood collection and the introduction of epidural anesthesia, as well as for the treatment of postoperative pain.

The potential of virtual reality has long been studied as an analgesic during medical procedures, for example, for the treatment of people affected by burns. However, the equipment needed to implement this technology in medical institutions is extremely expensive: Hunter Hoffman, head of the virtual reality research center at the University of Washington and developer of the SnowWorld game to reduce pain in burn victims, says that the equipment he uses in the intensive care unit costs $ 35,000.

A number of startups, including AppliedVR, see this as a business opportunity. AppliedVR sells its service content to customers at a price of about $5,000 per headset per year.

In turn, Brennan Spiegel, MD, Director of health services at Cedars-Sinail Medical Center, confirms that technology can help patients cope with pain without drugs or drugs.

The researchers found that in 20 minutes, the software reduces pain in patients by an average of 24 percent; before using VR by patients, the estimated average pain score ranged from 5.5 to 10, after the procedure, this indicator decreased to an average of 4 points.

"This is quite a significant result for reducing acute pain. It's not too different from what we see after taking painkillers," Spiegel said.

He believes that the technology can be useful for people who suffer from pain or, at least, can be used by some for relaxation. But whether it will help everyone will become clear only after collecting more data.

Elliot Crane, head of the pediatric department at Stanford Children's Health, also believes that VR can be useful, for example, to help children with physical therapy.

The biggest problem right now is finding software developers.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru  19.07.2016