Have you seen the videos on YouTube of people experiencing living in a haunted house through virtual reality? Yes, they absolutely funny and mind-blowing. Despite the fact that people know the stuff isn’t real – their imagination eludes their sense of reasoning completely. Now, what if the virtual reality instruments did some real good? What about improving awareness about not getting a flu vaccine?
This is what researchers at University of Georgia promise with their new research. They studied people’s awareness about flu vaccination in different study groups. The research exposed the participants for different periods of time ranging from 5 minute videos to a weeklong workshop. The results are promising. The study demonstrated an increased awareness and concern about the health of others. It also increased the confidence of participants to make them believe that their immunization would protect others. The study resulted in heightened resolve to get flu vaccination.
Now, yes the way to awareness should not stem from scaring people into submission. However, there is also other side to this issue. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 26.9% adults immunized themselves to protect themselves and others from common colds, flu during 2017-2018 in the US. The vaccine is recommended for all adults between 18 to 49 year olds.
A New Beginning for Commercialisation
The new findings despite the alarming power of virtual reality over our consciousness promises good things for field of medicine among others. The findings suggest that one-way virtual reality would be far more effective in applications like raising awareness as compared to conventional methods. The advanced instruments make feel far more engaged as their perception changes completely with an immersive experience.
The study conducted by researchers from University of Georgia, and University of Oak Ridge Associated Universities promises new breakthrough for virtual reality. Despite the tremendous hype over technology, the technology has not broken solid grounds in terms of commercialisation. While it remains on the radar of many tech giants, it hasn’t gone beyond applications like gaming for consumers. Perhaps, the new research will provide it with the much needed push towards serving industries other than entertainment.
Virtual reality is an artificial environment created with the help of software and virtual reality devices. User experiences it as a real environment due to graphics and interactive features offered by virtual reality gaming devices. The simplest form of virtual reality is a 3D image that is explored interactively on a personal computer. Virtual reality in gaming refers to the use of sound and graphics technology in games where the users wear head mounted displays (HMDs), gloves or glasses as part of their experience. It offers simulation of real time environment for education and training purpose through a story or a game.
