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XRHealth to Build “World’s Largest XR Healthcare Platform,” with Acquisition

XRHealth’s recent acquisition of RealizedCare showcases a continued upwards shift

This week, XRHealth made further strides in deploying virtual and mixed reality solutions for healthcare end users and patients.

Those strides come from XRHealth’s recent acquisition of RealizedCare, an immersive digital therapeutics firm that enables XRHealth to integrate AI services within its product portfolio. Outcome Capital acted as a strategic and financial advisor throughout the acquisition process.

Following the purchase, the Founder & CEO of RealizedCare, Aaron Gani, is now lending their expertise to XRHeaelth by serving as its new US General Manager.

Gani said about the acquisition, “We are thrilled to become a part of XRHealth’s groundbreaking digital therapeutics platform.”

Gani also added:

By integrating our triage tool with XRHealth’s cutting-edge XR and mixed reality capabilities, we can expand access to evidence-based, value-based care solutions, helping more individuals manage chronic pain, and mental health conditions.

The integration of RealizedCare’s XR therapeutic solution platform also enabled XRHealth to include services to assist with various conditions, such as behavioural health, via “scientifically proven methods to manage chronic pain.” Additionally, XRHealth can leverage RealizedCare’s Triage tool, allowing AI-optimized, personalized patient care.

The RealizedCare solution appeared in the healthcare solutions market following a collaboration between the firm and Oxford University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Sumitomo Pharma, and Confluent Health.

Building the World’s Largest XR Healthcare Platform

“With the integration of RealizedCare’s groundbreaking triage tool and therapeutic solutions, we are building the world’s largest XR healthcare platform,” remarked Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth.

The news of the RealizedCare acquisition follows XRHealth’s acquisition of NeuroReality, another immersive patient-care healthcare solutions provider, and Amelia Virtual Care in 2023, showcasing XRHealth’s ongoing growth to deploy various patient care and digital therapeutic solutions.

XRHealth notes that over 2,000 clinicians to treat more than 50,000 patients on the XRHealth platform marking positive adoption for its service, with recent acisutions only driving this forward more.

Orr also added:

By merging the power of mixed reality, extended reality, and AI-driven insights, we are forging a new era of immersive, value-based care. This transformative approach will expand global access to high-quality therapy, empower clinicians with unparalleled tools, and ultimately reshape the way patients experience and engage with their own healing journey.

Quelle:

XRHealth to Build “World’s Largest XR Healthcare Platform,” with Acquisition

24. Februar 2025 0 comment

Examples

Virtual Reality – A Multimodal Approach to Pain Management

In today’s dive, we examine a significant study that showcases the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) in conjunction with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for managing chronic pain.

“Remote cognitive behavioral therapy utilizing an in-home virtual reality toolkit (Vx Therapy) reduces pain, anxiety, and depression in patients with chronic cervical and lumbar spondylytic pain: A potential alternative to opioids in multimodal pain management” by Matthew J. McGirt et al.

Full Article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38033880/

Key Insights:

Vx Therapy: This approach combines VR with cognitive behavioral therapy, offering a non-invasive, non-pharmacological option for pain management.
Significant Improvements: Patients reported significant reductions in pain intensity, anxiety, and depression levels.
Sustained Benefits: VR acutely reduced pain by an average of 33% and anxiety by 46%, with the duration of pain relief increasing over time.

Methodological Approach:

The research included 145 patients in a 14-week program combining VR with cognitive behavioral therapy.
The program involved weekly encounters with a trained therapist and daily VR sessions with 50 modules.
Pain, anxiety, and depression were measured using PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) at baseline and after the program.
VR’s immediate effect on pain and anxiety was quantified, showing significant reductions lasting several hours post-use.

Critical Observations:

Immediate vs. Long-Term Efficacy: While the study shows immediate and sustained relief, the long-term effectiveness of VR therapy, particularly post-treatment, remains an area for further research.
Integration Challenges: The integration of VR with traditional therapy represents a significant advancement, yet it also poses challenges in terms of standardization of protocols and ensuring consistent therapeutic outcomes across diverse patient populations.
Generalizability: The study’s results, while promising, may not be universally applicable given the specific patient cohort and treatment conditions. Further studies are needed to validate these findings in broader and more diverse populations.

Ethical and Practical Considerations:

Accessibility and Cost: The use of Vx Therapy, while non-invasive and non-pharmacological, could be impacted by the cost and current availability of VR technology. Addressing these factors is essential for ensuring wider accessibility, particularly in settings with limited resources.
Patient Adaptability and Support: The home-based nature of this therapy is advantageous for patient comfort and convenience. However, it also highlights the need for user-friendly VR systems and adequate support mechanisms to assist patients, especially those less familiar with technology.
Data Privacy and Security: As with any remote therapy, the implementation of VR solutions must include strong data privacy and security measures. This is critical to protect sensitive patient information and maintain the integrity of the therapeutic process.

Quelle:

https://vrforhealth.com/2023/12/02/🔍-sundayresearchdive-virtual-reality-a-multimodal-approach-to-pain-management/

4. Dezember 2023 0 comment

Examples Knowledge Research

Extended reality: opportunities, success stories and challenges in health and education

The report presents a glimpse into the opportunities and challenges the health and education sectors face in relation to the use of extended reality technologies.

The study describes the state-of-the art and provide an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the existing research results linked to the use of XR in health and education. It also identifies research fields where relevant data is still missing. The study investigates how XR can help in the daily life of vulnerable groups, such as children and persons with disabilities, as well as the challenges that they face when using these technologies.

Moreover, the study includes success stories on how XR benefits the education and health sectors at European level, as well as success stories in the engineering, manufacturing and logistics domains. Finally, it makes a market study of XR applications available in Europe, highlighting their societal and economic impact and identifying barriers for larger deployment or take-up.

The study provides recommendations both in terms of policy intervention, potential research and innovation areas at EU level, aiming at fully exploiting the opportunities and benefits that XR technologies can offer to individuals and European businesses, in particular those active in the health and education sectors, and to the society at large.

The study (ref: study N°: VIGIE 2021/0505) was commissioned by the Commission to better document the potential, societal benefits, and impact of extended reality (XR) to foster a wider take-up of XR in Europe.

Quelle:

Foto: © GettyImages

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/extended-reality-opportunities-success-stories-and-challenges-health-and-education

8. März 2023 0 comment

Knowledge Software/Apps

New Chipotle AR Experience Motivates Fans to Keep New Year’s Health Resolutions

Chipotle launches Snapchat Lens to inspire fans to stick to their New Year’s health resolutions.

Aside from serving great food made from fresh ingredients, restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill strives to promote health and wellness by making healthy food more accessible and creating engaging experiences. This January, it kicks off the year with a Chipotle AR experience that motivates fans to keep their New Year’s health resolutions.

Chipotle AR Experience: No Quitting on Quitter’s Day

Chipotle fans are no quitters. And Chipotle is all set to prove this as it launches its new Snapchat Lens this Friday, January 13. The first Friday the 13th of this year also happens to be Quitter’s Day, the day when people are most likely to give up on their New Year’s resolutions. For Chipotle, this is the perfect day to give fans the drive to push forward and not quit their journey to good health.

“We’re making New Year’s resolutions fun by gamifying the experience and offering balanced meals made with real ingredients that you feel good eating,” said Chipotle CMO, Chris Brandt, in a press release shared with ARPost.

To help motivate people to keep their health resolutions this year, the Chipotle AR experience will encourage fans to move and meditate using AR Lens. Chipotle-inspired exercises and meditation prompts will guide users as they move their bodies and calm their minds for holistic well-being.

Chipotle AR experience - Snapchat Lens Quitter's Day

Moreover, 100,000 participants who complete the prompts will be rewarded with promo codes (10,000 codes will be awarded per day from January 13 through January 23, 2023) for free guacamole—an irresistible healthy treat that tastes great with almost everything.

New Lifestyle Bowls Inspired by New Wellness Trends

Aside from the Chipotle AR experience, the company is also launching a new Lifestyle Bowl menu to further inspire consumers to maintain their healthy resolutions. Lifestyle Bowls are digital exclusive menu items available in the United States and in Canada.

The new lineup of bowls is inspired by wellness trends popular among the Gen Z and Millennial crowd. It features seven new Lifestyle Bowls that reflect the individualized, holistic interpretations of wellness of the younger generations.

The 2023 Lifestyle Bowl menu includes the Wholesome Bowl, Grain Freedom Bowl, Plant-Powered Bowl, Full Veggie Bowl, Go Half Veggie Bowl, High Protein Bowl, and Balanced Macros Bowl. The new Lifestyle Bowls were designed to make healthy habits easy to sustain and incorporate into daily routines.

Chipotle AR Experiences to Live Your Best Lifestyle

With its new wellness-inspired AR experience, Chipotle has positioned itself as the first restaurant brand to create a Snapchat Lens that promotes fitness and health.

As it strives to meet the needs and demands of modern consumers, the global food giant is likely to create more Chipotle AR experiences that encourage consumers to maintain healthy habits. By leveraging immersive technologies to enhance customer experiences, Chipotle helps fans live their best lifestyle.

Quelle:

New Chipotle AR Experience Motivates Fans to Keep New Year’s Health Resolutions

16. Januar 2023 0 comment

Examples

Waya Health deploys its Virtual Reality therapy solutions to VHA Centers across the US

Waya Health, a provider of a virtual reality (VR) platform for healthcare, has recently announced the deployment of its immersive VR creative arts therapy application across 56 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical centers in cities across the US, including in New York City, Los Angeles, Spokane and Miami.

According Waya Health President, Joe Morgan, MD, the deployment represents “One of the largest single deployments of virtual reality within a US healthcare system.” He added, “We are proud to provide the VHA with a unified system that promotes many ways of veterans healing, virtually.”

Under a USD $1.8 million contract with VHA, Waya Health has shipped more than 350 VR systems with the company’s proprietary software to VHA medical centers in 34 states and Puerto Rico. The company also is providing training, technical support, and software upgrades over the course of the two-year contract.

“The potential for immersive technology, specifically VR, to positively impact the lives of our staff and veterans is endless,” said Anne Lord Bailey, PharmD, Director of Clinical Tech Innovation and co-lead of VHA Extended Reality Network. “From helping address pain to empowering rehabilitation, we are seeing veterans engage in their care in really powerful ways. Creative arts therapy VR has been no exception.”

According to Waya Health, creative arts therapies promote physical, emotional, psychological, and social rehabilitation. They also help to relieve pain and other symptoms related to terminal illnesses.

The VR creative arts therapy modules that Waya Health developed and VHA is using include painting, dancing, drama, and playing musical instruments in addition to evidence-based relaxation environments.

Waya Health stated that VHA began using and testing its technology in 2018 in a variety of clinical situations in VHA hospitals and community living centers, including for pain relief, mental health, and clinical assessments.

“VHA has been an incredible embracer of innovation,” Dr. Morgan said. “They’re light years ahead of the rest of healthcare with a system-wide, integrated, virtual reality system. They’re going to reap the benefits in terms of outcomes, from a cost standpoint, and in terms of the kinds of care they’re able to provide.”

For more information on Waya Health and its virtual reality therapy solutions, please visit the company’s website.

Quelle:

https://www.auganix.org/waya-health-deploys-its-virtual-reality-therapy-solutions-to-vha-centers-across-the-us/

Image / video credit: Waya Health

11. Juli 2022 0 comment

Examples

XRHealth Integrates Medical-Grade Tobii Eye Tracking Solution within Its VR Platform

The pioneering healthcare company, XRHealth, announced the integration of Tobii’s medical-grade eye-tracking tech for their VR platform used for virtual therapy sessions. The new feature will enable clinicians to assist patients with neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Autism.

Tobii eye-tracking finds its way to the Pico Neo 3 Pro Eye headsets, powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ XR2 Platform. It will aid clinicians in measuring and diagnosing neurological conditions to assist patients better. They can use the tech to treat symptoms by increasing attention span, improving eye contact, and more.

For instance, during therapy sessions, they could use it to measure the patient’s pupil as a biomarker for stress and anxiety. Moreover, the clinicians will be able to collect a lot more data using the new eye-tracking capabilities and evaluate a patient’s progress over the treatment more comprehensively.

“We are equipping our patients with the latest virtual reality technology so that they have access to the best healthcare experience available today,” said Eran Orr, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at XRHealth. “We are excited to partner with Tobii – the leader in eye-tracking – which will significantly improve patient treatment with accurate neurological measurements to provide markers for success.”

XRHealth’s VR platform provides data and insights to patients and clinicians in real-time to track and measure the methods adopted during therapy and make necessary changes as they progress.

“At Tobii, our mission is to create a better future for everyone through innovative technology,” said Johan Hellqvist, VP of XR at Tobii. “XRHealth’s eye-tracking integration to their VR platform proves once again that our technology positively impacts people’s health and lives. As a company, we are committed to catalyzing the commercialization of healthcare innovations and working with partners to address challenges.”

Quelle:

Foto: XRHealth Medical-Grade Tobii Eye Tracking Solution

20. Dezember 2021 0 comment

Examples

Virtual reality collaboration is transforming Veterans’ health care

Allison Amrhein is the director of operations for the VHA Innovators Network and communications lead for the VHA Innovation Ecosystem

the Veterans Health Administration Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) and Wellovate announced the launch of a groundbreaking initiative using Wellovate’s Waya Health platform to enhance the care provided to Veterans. By collaborating with VHA IE, Waya Health’s innovative virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality tools enable Veterans to partake in VR immersion therapy, effective for managing pain, stress and anxiety; promoting relaxation; decreasing negative behaviors; and enhancing positive behaviors.

“We are extremely proud that we have the opportunity to collaborate with VHA IE and the VHA Extended Reality (VHA XR) Network to help prove the value of virtual reality in health care across its diverse facilities,” said Wellovate President Dr. Joe Morgan. “We believe that our cutting-edge technology will bring better and safer care to Veterans, while helping VHA reduce the costs of providing that care.”

Augmented reality can be a valuable therapeutic tool for Veterans. Through a previous three-year evaluation of Veterans using Waya Health’s VR tools in inpatient and long-term care settings at the Western North Carolina VA Health Care System (WNCVAHCS), in Asheville, N.C., 84 percent of Veterans reported reduction in discomfort, 89 percent reported reduction in stress, 96 percent reported enjoying their experience, and 97 percent said they would recommend it to their peers.

For this newly launched pilot program, Veterans and clinical staff in 12 VA Medical Centers across the country will use wearable headsets loaded with Waya Health software developed to address critical medical use cases. This intention is to be a validation pipeline to develop, test and deploy VR solutions not only for Veterans, but also for physicians, clinical staff and patients outside VA, with the goal to determine the utility of VR in falls risk assessments, neurological risk assessment, palliative care, procedural use, acute and/or chronic pain management, and anxiety.

“A key to innovation is collaboration, and we are grateful for industry collaborators like Waya Health who are eager to ensure Veterans are given the opportunity to be the earliest adopters of tools that can transform the way we think about care delivery,” said Dr. Anne Lord Bailey, co-lead of the VHA XR Network and VHA Emerging Tech clinical specialist with VHA IE’s Diffusion of Excellence. “The opportunities are limitless for extended reality to assess, monitor and help manage numerous diseases; reduce the use of risky medications like opioids and sedatives; and really improve the quality of life for thousands of Veterans.”

Caitlin Rawlins, Innovation Specialist, co-lead for the VHA XR Network, and site lead for WNCVAHCS’s VR program added that “WNCVAHCS was very forward-thinking in offering the Waya Health platform to Veterans in 2018. The Veterans who participated in the Asheville pilot advocated strongly for VHA to expand the use of virtual reality in their health care. We highly value their perspective and are very excited about what this new, broader collaboration may reveal.”

Quelle:

Foto: Caitlin Rawlins, BSN, RN, assists a Veteran with using VR therapy following a total knee arthroplasty

Virtual reality collaboration is transforming Veterans’ health care

13. Oktober 2021 0 comment

Examples

How the pandemic made virtual reality mainstream

As lockdowns encourage people to turn to technology for social connection, distraction and exercise, VR no longer seems an overpriced or mystifying pastime.

When I logged on to the fitness app Strava three weeks into the current lockdown, I was shocked to see that one of my friends had clearly been breaking stay-at-home rules. The map on her latest post showed that she was on an island in the Pacific Ocean, staying in a mountainous part of Teanu. She had recorded her ten-mile cycle that morning. I clicked on it to look at the pictures she’d posted.

As I swiped through, I realised my mistake: each picture was a CGI image showing a point-of-view perspective from the seat of her bike. She had recorded it using Zwift, a Peleton-style cycling programme that usesvirtual reality to allow users to visit countless destinations and experience what it would be like to cycle on that terrain. She had completed the entire route from her London flat, live, with a group of other people across the UK also hoping to experience something foreign.

Virtual reality is often considered one of the least accessible, most mystifying pastimes. It’s associated with astronomical prices, exclusivity and, above all, geekiness – images of The Big Bang Theoryand bulky headsets come to mind. But since the beginning of the pandemic, virtual reality has begun to creep into the mainstream: Currys PC World has said its sales of VR headsets are up 350 per cent on the year.More and more people are willing to pay to virtually escape our current monotony. And while many of them went to VR looking for distraction, some have found it has become an emotional lifeline.

Will, 48, based in Eastbourne, was familiar with VR before the pandemic hit. As a director of TechResort, a digital skills development charity, he had run sessions using virtual reality, which he says were always TechResort’s most popular. However, he had never considered buying a VR headset for himself and his family. That changed as lockdown began to drag on.

“Like a lot of people, we had been saving for a holiday,” Will tells me. “The money was just sitting there and we were wondering what to do with it, because there’s nowhere to go.” After enjoying a few online events as a family – one in particular which showed the power of VR by simulating a Black Lives Matter protest in the US – they decided to use this money to invest in one of the most popular VR headsets: an Oculus Quest.

Now Will and his son Adam, 13, regularly use VR to break up the boredom of lockdown life: playing games, doing exercise, and digitally travelling using an app called Wander. “It’s good to reminisce and revisit the places you’ve gone, but also plan where you want to go next,” Will says.

“It’s no substitute for actually going to a place,” he adds, “but it’s a nice escape from every single day being the same.”

For Adam, who describes himself as very sociable, VR’s main appeal is the fact it allows him to meet his friends in a virtual space. “It’s helped me cope a lot with being deprived of all the things that make us human,” he says. “Socialising, talking, communication.”

VR provides a form of social connection that can feel closer to in-person contact than a phone call or Zoom. David, a 31-year-old secondary school teacher living in the north east, said this is how he felt when he picked up the virtual reality headset he inherited from his uncle, which he had barely touched before March. “Over Easter last year I used it to hang out with my friend – it genuinely felt like we were doing something fun together, without having to use Zoom,” he says. He now socialises on it regularly.

“It just feels like a way to be with someone… it’s hard to express how profound that has felt.”

Luke, a 26-year-old communications officer in Norfolk, has always been interested in gadgets. He bought himself his own Oculus Quest 2, his first virtual reality headset, at the end of last year. Although he largely uses it for solo gaming and virtual sport – golf, in particular – he too has been struck by the feeling of connection that virtual reality can create.

“One of the moments where I felt the true power of VR was playing mini golf with my brother,” Luke tells me. He had moved out of his family home roughly a year before, and hadn’t seen his brother or parents for a few months because their household was shielding. “I walked up to his virtual character and his VR headset had accurately depicted the extra four inches of height he has on me.

“Being able to joke, laugh and just meander around with my brother again made me more emotional than it really should,” he says. “It has given me an appreciation for VR that I didn’t think I’d have.”

Lawrence, a 31-year-old accountant based in south London, invested in a Zwift bike last February, and although he initially used it for classes and indoor exercise, he began to explore more of the virtual reality elements as lockdown began, “travelling” to Watopia (the name of Zwift’s virtual world).

“During the first lockdown I religiously did an hour on Zwift pre-work with a number of people from my cycling club, replacing my lost cycle commute,” Lawrence tells me. “Maintaining this routine and exercise certainly helped my mental state and productivity.” Lawrence says that, while he is not able to get out into the countryside for solo rides or able to cycle around London with his club, “riding or racing with your friends on the platform is much more enjoyable than staring at the wall for an hour”.

“The social aspect of Zwift has been important for a lot of people,” a spokesperson for Zwift tells me. Globally, the company’s user growth has more than doubled year-on-year; it is 2.33 times greater in the UK than in 2019. With social connections made difficult, impossible even, due to lockdown measures, many friends and clubs have moved their rides to the virtual space. MeetUps – live virtual gatherings Zwift – are up eight-fold, and the platform’s peak concurrent users in 2021 is nearly three times the peak before the pandemic.

While the appeal of VR may be obvious to some, often it is the price that poses a problem. Most mainstream headsets cost around £300, with games priced at around the £40 mark. A Zwift trainer, which needs to be hooked up to a bike you already own, costs roughly the same as a headset.

However, you can find options that are only a fraction of this price. “The game which has had me coming back for a while now is a virtual boxing game I got for $10,” says Marcus, a 28-year-old bank worker based in the US. By contrast,the coveted, sold out Playstation 5 that cost him $500 sits gathering dust in his living room.

It’s clear that, for those who are willing to pay, virtual reality has a wide-ranging appeal: it can be used for connection, distraction or exercise. And though VR consoles are often seen as a way to escape the real world, many are now in fact using them to try and recreate their pre-pandemic reality.

“It can be an escapist tool for some people,” Will tells me. “But we use it to try to get closer to what we would be doing normally.”

Quelle:

https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/coronavirus/2021/02/how-pandemic-made-virtual-reality-mainstream

9. März 2021 0 comment

Examples

Smart Health: I Tried Virtual Reality Telehealth for Chronic Arthritis Pain — And Here’s What Happened

Who knew that telehealth and virtual reality (VR) made such a helpful combination? I tried it for my rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and stress management.

After living with chronic pain from rheumatoid arthritis for over eighteen years, I’m no stranger to pain relief strategies. I’ve tried everything from hot packs to cold packs, massage to cognitive behavior therapy, acupuncture to traditional western medicine. However, until recently I had never tried virtual reality (VR) teletherapy for chronic pain.

What Is XRHealth Virtual Reality Telehealth for Pain?

XRHealth is a company that provides traditional healthcare services (such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy) through innovative virtual reality technologies.

Here’s how it works: First you have a telehealth screening and evaluation appointment where a professional makes sure that you can appropriately receive services via this technology. Then you receive a VR Telehealth Kit, which includes a VR headset, two hand controls, and access to a plethora of specially designed programs to help with pain management, orthopedic injuries, cognitive impairments, neurological disorders, stress, and anxiety.

After learning how to use the technology, you have live video sessions with the appropriate health professional, who collaborates with you on your therapy goals. Your goals could be anything from increased range of motion for your neck to decreased pain. You’ll then have weekly or twice weekly sessions for three months on average.

During the sessions, you’ll spend some time talking back and forth with your therapist via live video chat, just like any other teletherapy appointment. Additionally, you will spend some time actively engaged in the VR activities your therapist has assigned to you. The therapist then remotely monitors your progress and suggests ways to modify your activities in real time.

The teletherapy process for XRHealth also includes a special app where you can track your progress and chat with your therapist in between sessions. They can see all the activities you’ve done with the headset in between sessions. According to my occupational therapist, this really helps patients remember to keep working on their goals in between sessions.

Finally, when you’ve reached your goals, you get discharged from therapy and can opt to return the headset or purchase a subscription plan where you can continue using the headset on your own without the therapist’s oversight.

As for the cost, fees vary based on your state, your health insurance plan, and the number of telemedicine sessions that you require. Learn more on XRHealth’s pricing guide. For people who do not have insurance coverage and pay out of pocket, prices start around $179 per month.

Here’s What Happened When I Tried It

I met with an experienced occupational therapist named Valishali Patel, who walked me through the technology and suggested specific programs that could help with my chronic pain and anxiety. She also shared an example treatment plan that she could make for a patient like me, which included three virtual reality 10 to 30 minute exercises a day to target decreased stress, decreased pain, improved cognition and improved hand range of motion and strength.

She really took interest in who I am as a person, what’s important to me and how I relate to my pain and anxiety. She also helped me figure out which settings on each program would be best for me. My favorite program was Luna, which walked me through beautiful guided meditations and breathing exercises in a snowy forest, and Balloon Blast, which got me up and moving to help me continue working on my arm and hand range of motion and strength. It definitely brought out my competitive side, at times I felt like I was playing a video game and I wanted to “level up!”

Three Things I Liked About XRHealth Virtual Reality

Convenience I’ve spent the last two decades running from medical appointment to appointment, paying for parking, spending time away from my small child while spending too much time in the car. I loved the convenience of accessing this from my own home!
Real-Time Feedback It was incredible to see the real-time feedback while I did exercises involving movement and cognition; the programs immediately reported my success rate percentages. The stress and pain programs also showed me how my pain and stress levels decreased after the exercises.
Relaxation Results I spent a lot of time working on relaxation and breathing, as those techniques work well for both stress and chronic pain. Whenever I’ve tried guided meditations in the past with audio only, I’ve found that my mind wandered a lot. With the Virtual Reality platform, the visual and auditory stimulation kept me immersed and engaged in the exercise so I felt very relaxed after completing it.

Three Things I Disliked About XRHealth Virtual Reality

Learning Curve For most patients, virtual reality will be a brand new skill, and like any skill, it can be difficult to learn. However, XRHealth does provide tech support during the first appointment to help you get used to it.
Graphic Quality The quality of the graphics was uneven at times. Some of the programs were stunningly beautiful and realistic, such as one where you can feel like you’re swimming with dolphins! Other sections looked unfinished to my eye. For example, in one section where you can clearly tell that a deer looks like it’s been rendered in a computer program.
New Habit Even though I was very excited about the technology, since it wasn’t part of my normal habit or routine, I found it hard to remember to do the exercises (however I know with time that would be remediated).

How XRHealth Virtual Reality Telehealth May Help During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Now that many chronic pain patients are accessing medical services via telehealth technologies, and also spending a lot of our working days on Zoom meetings, many are struggling with “screen fatigue.” Receiving services via virtual reality, however, feels different than looking at a regular computer monitor, tablet, or phone. The immersive quality really transported me, and I found it to be a welcome change from my regular screen routine!

Additionally, I found it refreshing that my occupational therapist took my mental health into account. She said that almost all of her patients currently benefit from stress management techniques, which are included for every patient in the VR Telehealth Kit.

The Bottom Line

Telehealth services provided via virtual reality are an immersive, engaging, and dare I say fun way to receive traditional physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) services. I found it safer, more convenient, and more engaging than traditional in-person services. I particularly enjoyed the immersive relaxation exercises which resulted in decreased stress and pain.

Other Ways I Manage My Chronic Pain

The first line of defense for my rheumatoid arthritis pain is addressing the underlying disease, which involves medications prescribed by my medical team. Additionally, on a daily basis I use lifestyle factors and daily techniques such as:

Compression Gloves Compression works really well on my inflammation and pain. I have a variety of gloves for different intensities of pain!
Exercise Simple daily exercise, including walking my dog, boosts my mental well-being, decreases stress, and also is good for preventing the sort of pain and stiffness and can result from inactivity.
Stress Management Stress triggers inflammation, which can worsen pain. I use mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques on a daily basis.

Quelle:

Foto: Not the same old physical therapy! Virtual reality is incorporated into remote occupational and physical therapy exercises designed to help relieve joint pain.XRHealth

https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/smart-health/i-tried-virtual-reality-telehealth-for-chronic-arthritis-pain-and-heres-what-happened/

8. März 2021 0 comment

Examples

Health Reality – Kreative Anwendungen im Gesundheitswesen einsetzen

Zu einem Online-Event mit dem Titel ‚Health Reality Labs: Games For Health‘ lädt das Projekt ‚Health Reality‘ alle interessierten Personen am 17. Juni 2020 von 10:00 bis 12:00 Uhr ein. Health-Anwendungen aus Lehre, Forschung und Praxis werden vorgestellt und diskutiert. Die Teilnahme ist frei; Anmeldung per Mail (info@healthrealitylabs.com).

Ziel des Projekts ‚Health Reality‘ ist es, Augmented- und Virtual Reality-Anwendungen (AR/VR) im Gesundheitswesen aufzuspüren und den Markt zu analysieren. Welche Anwendungen gibt es schon? Welchen Nutzen haben sie? Denn nicht nur in der Spieleindustrie werden AR- und VR-Anwendungen nutzbringend eingesetzt. Außerdem sollen die Bereiche der Gesundheits- und Kreativwirtschaft im Rahmen des Projekts zusammengebracht und über Veranstaltungen sowie über die Health Reality Plattform vernetzt werden.

In dem Online-Event werden am 17. Juni 2020 verschiedene AR- und VR-Projekte vorgestellt, um neue oder ergänzende Behandlungs- und Therapiemethoden sowie die Möglichkeiten in AR-/VR-Verfahren zu präsentieren.

„Wir werden Projekte vorstellen und mit den Teilnehmer*innen diskutieren, welchen Nutzen diese innovativen Technologien im Gesundheitswesen haben. Wir sehen zahlreiche Anwendungsmöglichkeiten für die AR- und VR-Technologien und hoffen, kreative Prozesse für die Gestaltung von neuen nutzerzentrierten Anwendungen in der Gesundheitswirtschaft voranbringen. An dem Online-Event kann erst einmal jeder teilnehmen, der sich informieren und einen Einblick in die Möglichkeiten der AR- und VR-Technologie im Gesundheitswesen erhalten möchte“, erklärte Alina Napetschnig, wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin im Projekt ‚Health Reality‘ im Department of Community Health der Hochschule für Gesundheit (hsg Bochum).

An dem Projekt sind folgende Kooperationspartner beteiligt: das Fraunhofer-Institut für Software- und Systemtechnik ISST, die Gluon Studios GmbH, die die Konsortialführung übernommen hat, und die hsg Bochum mit Dr. Wolfgang Deiters (Professor für Gesundheitstechnologien) und Alina Napetschnig. Das Projekt Health Reality wird vom Land Nordrhein-Westfalen und der Europäischen Union unter dem Förderkennzeichen EFRE-0801063 gefördert.

„Das Online-Event empfehlen wir vor allem Personen, die im Medizinsektor tätig sind oder an der Anwendung und der Nutzung von neuen Behandlungs- und Therapiemethoden interessiert sind. Es werden die Einsatzgebiete, Potentiale und Herausforderungen anhand drei verschiedener AR- beziehungsweise VR-Anwendungen im Gesundheitswesen demonstriert und erläutert. Die Ergebnisse sind sehr spannend und bieten Raum für weitere neue kreative Anwendungsmöglichkeiten, um das Gesundheitswesen zu verbessern. Darüber würden wir uns gern mit unseren Online-Gästen austauschen“, so Alina Napetschnig.

Dieser Austausch soll laut Napetschnig künftig eine Community aus Entwickler*innen, Anwender*innen, Wissenschaftler*innen, Nutzer*innen und Expert*innen aus kreativen, medizinischen, technischen und gesundheitsbezogenen Berufen entstehen lassen, die sich in Veranstaltungen und auf einer geplanten Plattform treffen und Anwendungen testen und diskutieren können.

Napetschnig: „In vielen Bereichen hat sich der positive Nutzen des Einsatzes von AR und VR im Gesundheitswesen wissenschaftlich bestätigt. Studienergebnisse zeigen Verbesserungen in Physio- und Psychotherapien sowie in der Pflege, aber auch beim Lernen komplexer medizinischer Inhalte oder bei OP-Verfahren.“

Am 17. Juni 2020 werden die Projekte Teamplay Quest und TeleSTAR sowie eine Entwicklung einer VR-Trainingssimulation für Beatmungsgeräte und VR-Games for Health vorgestellt.

Die VR-Anwendung ‚Teamplay Quest‘ ist im Projekt ‚HeathReality‘ entstanden und wird für Personen entwickelt, die eine sitzende Tätigkeit ausüben. Das Ziel des VR-Prototypen ist es, mit Atemübungen und angeleiteten Bewegungen im Rahmen einer virtuellen Skifahrt, die Arme und den Oberkörper zu mobilisieren und den Stress zu reduzieren.

Das Projekt ‚TeleSTAR: The Next Step – AR for Surgical Training‘ des Fraunhofer Instituts HHI in Zusammenarbeit mit ARRI Medical zeigt eine AR-Anwendung, die durch ein Mikroskop intraoperative Eingriffe erleichtern soll. Es werden operative Verfahren mittels AR aufgezeichnet und für Lehrzwecke verwendet, sodass neuartige Verfahren in der medizinischen Ausbildung visualisiert dargestellt werden können.

Zu Zeiten von Covid-19 ist der Einsatz von Beatmungsgeräten rapide gestiegen. Die Weltenmacher GmbH präsentiert eine Entwicklung einer VR-Trainingssimulation für Beatmungsgeräte.
Die Gluon Studios GmbH stellt ‚VR-Games for Health‘ vor. Sogenannte Serious Games zielen auf die Wissensvermittlung, die Bildung und das Training in verschiedenen Bereichen durch das Lernen neuer Fähigkeiten und Kompetenzen ab. Serious Games for health werden beispielsweise zur Gesundheitsförderung oder in der Lehre eingesetzt und bieten Fachexpert*innen und Studierenden neue Möglichkeiten in der Medizin- und Gesundheitsbranche.

Per Mail können sich Interessierte zur Online-Veranstaltung anmelden: info@healthrealitylabs.com

Hier sind weitere Informationen über das Projekt zu finden.

Projektseiten

https://www.hs-gesundheit.de/forschung/laufende-projekte/epitect/health-reality

http://healthrealitylabs.isst.fraunhofer.de/

Quelle:

https://www.lokalkompass.de/bochum/c-ratgeber/kreative-anwendungen-im-gesundheitswesen-einsetzen_a1384905

Foto: http://healthrealitylabs.isst.fraunhofer.de/

15. Juni 2020 0 comment