VR (virtual reality) is a computer-based technology that simulates three-dimensional (3D) environments, allowing users to explore virtual worlds and interact with them on different devices. Virtual reality can be viewed via mobile device screens, head-mounted displays, or VR goggles. VR allows the user to interact with 3D models of their bodies and surroundings in a first-person mode. These models are known as avatars.
In 1968, Ivan Sutherland created a suitable head-mounted display that was used at Harvard University (figure 1-17). The system consisted of miniature cathode-ray tubes that offered stereoscopic images for each eye, as well as mechanical and ultrasonic trackers to allow user movement in a digital environment. The advancement of the VR technology platform is fueled by the advancements in computer processing and the creation of new computer graphics technology. Oxford Medical Systems (the predecessor to Vicon Motion Systems) develops the first commercial Motion Capture (MoCap), system in 1984. Silicon Graphics, Inc. creates the VLSI Graphics Engine that provides a high-speed workstation used by many VR facilities for decades.
VR has been found to increase knowledge and abilities in health professions education, compared with less interactive digital learning programs, but it is not certain if these effects translate into outcomes for patients. VR has been shown to decrease both the health care provider and the patient stress. Nijland et al found that ICU nurses using VR relaxation during their break time experienced lower stress levels than nurses who didn’t use VR. However it is important to be aware that the duration of the VR application can cause overstimulation and even cybersickness in certain patients.