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Can technology turn exercise pain into pleasure?

Researchers at the University of Bath have developed sensors that track physical changes experienced by exercisers while using VR headsets, allowing game designers to create immersive programs that adapt to a person's abilities and mood. This technology aims to increase user engagement and adherence to exercise.

SourceUniversity of Bath·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 3, 2024

Defining the line between virtual and reality

Researchers found that 49% of respondents experienced a moderate to extreme impact on their mental or emotional wellbeing after encountering negative experiences in virtual environments. The study highlights the need for metaverse companies to instill clear regulatory frameworks for safe virtual spaces.

SourceGriffith University·JournalAsian Journal of Criminology·DateAug 15, 2024

Food aroma study may help explain why meals taste bad in space

Researchers discovered that a particular sweet chemical in vanilla and almond aromas could explain the change in perceptions, along with individual sensitivity. The study also found that spatial perception played a significant role in how people smell aromas in isolated settings.

SourceRMIT University·JournalInternational Journal of Food Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 16, 2024

Breakthrough in tremor treatment: Robotic therapy developed by GIST researchers improves daily activities

Researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) have developed an innovative robotic rehabilitation system called SPINDLE to enhance the strength and dexterity of individuals with tremors. The study revealed significant benefits, including improved motor control, coordination, and neuroplasticity.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalIEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 27, 2024

Unrivalled research infrastructure: Graz University of Technology opens human-centered computing labs

The new Human-Centered Computing Labs at TU Graz offer a unique research infrastructure for interdisciplinary collaboration. The labs are equipped with cutting-edge technology, including virtual reality and motion capturing capabilities, to facilitate research on human-computer interaction, visual computing, and autonomous driving.

SourceGraz University of Technology·TypeNews article·DateMay 15, 2024

Virtual reality sessions lessen cancer pain in clinical trial

A 10-minute virtual reality session significantly lessened pain in hospitalized patients with cancer, with sustained benefits even a day later. The study found that VR sessions had a greater impact than guided imagery, improving not only pain severity but also related issues like general distress.

SourceWiley·JournalCancer·DateApr 8, 2024

Researchers use smartphone screen to create 3D layered holographic images

A new approach uses a smartphone screen to create full-color 3D holographic images by leveraging computer-generated holography (CGH) and an optical component called a spatial light modulator. The method has the potential to enhance near-eye displays in virtual reality headsets, creating more realistic and interactive user experiences.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Letters·DateApr 2, 2024

An innovative mixed light field technique for immersive projection mapping

A novel mixed light field technique was developed to achieve immersive augmented reality experiences in bright environments, preserving natural shadows and contrast. The approach utilizes ray-controlled lighting and a binary search algorithm to remove ambient lighting from PM targets.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalIEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 18, 2024

Opening new doors in the VR world, literally

Researchers developed RedirectedDoors+ to overcome VR door-opening challenges, providing users with realistic haptic feedback and guiding them around real walls. The system has been successfully tested in various environments, reducing physical space size by up to 50%.

SourceTohoku University·JournalIEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·DateMar 13, 2024

Virtual reality exposure plus electric brain stimulation offers a promising treatment for PTSD

A new study combines virtual reality exposure with transcranial direct current stimulation to treat post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. The innovative approach shows significant reductions in PTSD symptom severity and accelerates psychological adjustment, offering hope for an effective treatment.

SourceBrown University·JournalJAMA Psychiatry·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMar 6, 2024

World’s first real-time wearable human emotion recognition technology developed!

A groundbreaking technology recognizes human emotions in real time, combining verbal and non-verbal expression data for accurate emotional information extraction. The system features a personalized skin-integrated facial interface that enables self-powered, flexible, and transparent emotion recognition.

Researchers take new ‘mixed reality’ headsets for a spin

A diverse team of researchers spent at least 140 minutes wearing Meta Quest 3 passthrough video headsets, engaging in daily activities like conversations, walking, and gaming. They found that users enjoyed the experience but also encountered significant imperfections, including lost peripheral vision, distortion, and lag, which impacte...

SourceStanford University·JournalTechnology Mind and Behavior·DateFeb 1, 2024

Virtual reality treatment for palliative care shown to help patients ‘flourish’ during relaxation therapy

Researchers have developed a novel virtual reality-based relaxation therapy that helps cancer patients in palliative care manage symptoms and stress better. The therapy, known as FLOW-VRT-Relaxation, combines standard-of-care relaxation techniques with immersive VR experiences to promote psychological states of flourishing.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Virtual Reality·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 31, 2024

Researchers caution diabetes patients’ use of fitness video games

A new study by Staffordshire University warns people with type-1 diabetes to use fitness video games with caution, as they may change perceptions of fatigue levels. The researchers recommend updating measurement tools for virtual game platforms to ensure safe and accurate exercise tracking.

SourceStaffordshire University·JournalJournal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateDec 1, 2023

New study: Immersive engagement in mixed reality can be measured with reaction time

Researchers at University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a system to measure presence in mixed reality using reaction time. The findings suggest that slow reaction times indicate low presence and high reaction times indicate high presence with 80% predictive accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst·JournalIEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateNov 27, 2023

When we feel things that are not there

Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum used virtual reality to study the phantom touch illusion, where subjects experience tingling sensations without physical contact. The study found that this phenomenon is described by most subjects as a tingling or prickling sensation.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 14, 2023

Machine learning gives users ‘superhuman’ ability to open and control tools in virtual reality

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a virtual reality application that allows users to build figures and shapes without interacting with menus. The 'HotGestures' system uses machine learning to recognize hand gestures, providing fast and effective shortcuts for tool selection and usage.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalIEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·DateNov 7, 2023

Rats have an imagination, new research finds

Researchers at HHMI's Janelia Research Campus have discovered that rats can think about places and objects not in front of them, generating specific neural activity patterns in the hippocampus. This ability is fundamental to remembering past events and imagining future scenarios, indicating that animals possess a form of imagination.

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalScience·DateNov 2, 2023

Simulating cold sensation without actual cooling

Researchers developed a non-contact technology that simulates a cold sensation by leveraging human sensitivity to rapid temperature changes. The system uses air flow and light to rapidly switch between cold and warm stimuli, inducing a cold sensation while maintaining skin temperature fluctuations near zero.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalIEEE Transactions on Haptics·DateOct 23, 2023

Let it flow: recreating water flow for virtual reality

A Tohoku University research team developed a technique to recreate water flow in real-time using only a small amount of data from real water. This technology enables the creation of immersive VR games with lifelike water motion, potentially enhancing online communication and remote interactions.

SourceTohoku University·JournalACM Transactions on Graphics·DateSep 20, 2023

Using augmented reality to make Parkinson's disease physical therapy more accessible

A recent Cleveland Clinic trial found that augmented reality therapy, such as the Dual-task augmented Reality Treatment (DART), can improve posture and stability in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The digital platform uses a headset to guide exercises and track progress, allowing for more widespread use of physical therapy.

SourceCleveland Clinic·JournalNeurorehabilitation and Neural Repair·DateSep 18, 2023

A new LED design for next-level realism in immersive displays

Researchers from Meijo University and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have developed high-performance micro-LEDs capable of meeting the brightness and definition demands of modern immersive reality technologies. The LEDs use gallium indium nitride semiconductors and can produce full-color imaging at high resolution.

SourceMeijo University·JournalApplied Physics Express·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 7, 2023

Smart fabrics’ informed touch can tell you where to go

Researchers at Rice University developed wearable textile-based devices that utilize fluidic control to provide sophisticated haptic cues. The system enables users to navigate through real-world environments using tactile feedback, potentially enhancing visual and auditory inputs for those with impairments.

SourceRice University·JournalDevice·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 29, 2023