Another option for practicing medical skills is VR simulators. VR technologies are more “tailored” to patients. For example, VR solutions help in the rehabilitation of people who have had strokes and other brain damage. An example of such a solution is Mindmaze, a technology from Swiss manufacturers. It restores people’s coordination of movements.
Let’s say a patient’s left arm is paralyzed. In this case, an image of both hands is projected on the screen in front of the patient’s eyes, including the left hand, which is not working. But it is quite functional in virtual reality. The patient moves his right hand and along with it, so far in virtual reality, his left hand as well. The brain gradually “bites” into this deception, restoring the original body principle and making the muscles of the idle arm work.
There are VR solutions for phobias or phantom pain. This is relevant for people who have lost limbs. Virtual glasses use electrodes connected to the body to convince the brain that the missing body parts are in place. This eliminates the suffering of people who have already had a very difficult time.
But there is also VR for doctors: VR simulators for plastic surgeons, for example. They simulate the effect of surgery in advance, identify difficult places, and prepare the doctor for various scenarios during surgery.
The Australian VR system NurseSim, a virtual reality simulator for nurses, has been successfully used for several years. With the help of this 3D program, all the basic procedures performed by nurses are recreated on a monitor screen. The trainee will take a virtual patient’s blood pressure, give him a shot, and cover him with a towel, all with simulated tactile sensations. Up to the point where the program helps the nurse understand if she’s pressing the patient’s arm correctly enough to check for a pulse.