Articles tagged with Virtual Reality
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A team of scientists developed a free VR tool called singlecellVR, allowing users to explore single-cell datasets in VR. The program is built on previous advancements and enables users to visualize their own precomputed data directly from commonly used single-cell analysis tools.
Texas A&M researchers are advancing technology to give touch devices the ability to mimic physical objects, enriching virtual environments and reducing audiovisual overload. The goal is to create predictive models for designing devices with maximum haptic effect and minimum sensitivity to users and environmental variations.
Scientists studied rats in a virtual reality maze to gain a deeper understanding of the hippocampus' circuit-level functions. They discovered that hippocampal neurons encoded multiple aspects of an animal's location, including distance traveled and body direction.
Researchers discovered zebrafish neurons that monitor prediction errors to efficiently avoid danger, creating a 'hazard map' in the brain. This study sheds light on brain circuits shared across vertebrates, including humans.
A study of 80 children aged 6-10 found that young children struggle with torso control in virtual reality environments, whereas adults can easily navigate using simple body movements. The results contradict the current understanding of motor control development, suggesting that VR can disrupt traditional coordination strategies.
A research team led by NJIT's Tara Alvarez is enrolling 100 participants with persistent symptoms of convergence insufficiency (CI) post-concussion for clinical trials. The study aims to establish guidelines for diagnosing and treating CI, a disabling eye disorder causing blurred vision, headaches, and cognitive difficulties.
A recent study at Drexel University found that virtual reality art therapy can reduce prefrontal cortex activation, promoting relaxation and flow. The study also showed differences in brain function between creative self-expression and rote tracing tasks.
Researchers used fruit flies in a virtual reality setting to show that vision influences body movements by tuning postural adjustments as a preventative measure. Without vision, the limb control systems respond to balance and posture perturbations, but when vision is available, the behavioral goal of walking straight takes precedence.
A study at Children's Hospital Los Angeles shows that virtual reality can decrease pain and anxiety in children undergoing intravenous catheter placement. The technology works by shifting focus and preventing pain from being registered, leading to a more positive experience for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers.
The MIT-designed tactile glove can map subtle changes in pressure across the palm, helping to restore motor function after stroke. The glove's sensors can also track pulse and vital signs accurately, even during movement.
A new wearable brain-machine interface system allows users to imagine actions and wirelessly control wheelchairs, robotic arms, or other devices. The soft and comfortable wearable device offers improved signal acquisition and accuracy compared to existing BMI systems.
A new study by University of South Australia researchers found that virtual reality leads to better recall, spatial accuracy, and more consistent verdicts. Participants viewing a 3D scene were 9.5 times more likely to choose the same verdict than those relying on photographs.
University of Maryland researchers used EEG to quantify cybersickness in VR users, establishing a correlation between brain activity and self-reported symptoms. The study provides a new approach to interactively characterizing and mitigating cybersickness, improving the VR experience for all.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that virtual reality environments strengthen theta waves, a key brain rhythm for learning and memory, in rats. This finding could lead to new treatments for disorders like ADHD, Alzheimer's disease, and depression.
A study published in the Journal of Medical Research and Health Sciences found that scent-enhanced virtual reality technologies can improve therapeutic benefits for chronic pain, anxiety, and mood disorders. Participants reported significant reductions in anxiety levels after OVR sessions, with improvements lasting up to three hours.
The US Army is leveraging virtual reality to advance an interdisciplinary understanding of group dynamics, particularly in small special operations teams. The research aims to identify neurological signals of influencers in groups to support Army missions.
Researchers found that playing games in virtual reality creates a 'time compression' effect, where players perceive less time passing than they think. This was observed among participants who played the game first in virtual reality, and could have implications for both benefits and harms of VR technology.
The Locomotion Vault project provides a central, freely-available resource to analyze various virtual reality locomotion techniques. Researchers and developers can use the interactive database to inform decisions about the best approach for their application, while also identifying gaps where future investigation might be necessary.
Research shows virtual humans can effectively support leadership skill practice, with statistically significant improvements seen in mixed reality settings. The study suggests that VR and MR technologies offer a wide range of applications for training, including addressing drawbacks to traditional methods.
A study by PLOS ONE found that virtual reality training with augmented multisensory cues improves user experience during training and task performance in the real world. The findings suggest that this technology can be a valuable tool for teaching essential skills like car maintenance.
Researchers found that virtual reality can reduce types of pain typically seen in patients with nerve injuries, including prickling and touch-related pain. The study also showed that VR can boost the body's natural pain inhibiting process by enhancing conditioned pain modulation.
A review of 149 articles on VR in education found that basic science, social science, and health/medicine were the most popular disciplines. VR interventions had a medium effect on learning, with disciplinary design and level of immersion influencing this effect.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that immersive VR videos of art and natural scenes elicit similar levels of 'the sublime', but with distinct sub-dimensions. Nature-based videos evoked a greater sense of vastness, existential danger, fear, and positive affect compared to art-based videos.
The US Navy is developing a virtual reality personality assessment tool to improve recruitment and selection processes. The Manpower and Personnel Assessment Battery (MPAB) will use virtual reality technology, physiological markers, and real-time data analytics to assess applicants' skills and personalities.
A new virtual reality program has been shown to reduce the physical side effects of hemodialysis in patients, such as fatigue and nausea. The program, which involves a mindfulness/meditation exercise, was found to greatly improve symptoms in patients who used it during their treatment sessions.
A virtual reality app called Easyheights has been shown to improve ability to handle real height situations, with participants able to ascend further towards the top than before training. The app uses 360° images and gradually increases perceived distance without increasing fear levels.
A new virtual reality cognitive assessment has been developed by Center for BrainHealth researchers, effectively testing executive function in everyday tasks. The study found that participants' performance is not related to their working memory capacity, but rather on their strategies and approaches.
A new study found that one in seven players still reported VR sickness 40 minutes after playing popular VR exergames like Beat Saber. Researchers caution gamers to exercise caution and wait for symptoms before engaging in higher-risk activities.
A team of researchers at Harvard University has developed a two-millimeter achromatic metalens that can focus RGB colors without aberrations, opening a path to new virtual reality platforms. The lens uses nanostructures to focus light and is the largest RGB-achromatic metalens to date.
Researchers at Tohoku University developed a VR-based method to increase bodily awareness and improve motor control. The study found that artificial manipulation of agency enhances the effectiveness of rehabilitation and aid sports training techniques.
Dr. Helen Genova will lead a three-year randomized controlled trial using virtual reality job training to improve social competency skills for individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, aiming to increase employment outcomes. The study is the first to use this program in this population.
Researchers found that immersive virtual reality can reduce implicit racial bias when participants experience a neutral or positive social situation. However, a negative environment can lead to increased biases and decreased body ownership, suggesting caution in using VR as an empathy machine.
Researchers developed a wearable device called Biomechanics Sensor Node that captures user data and controls virtual environments. The system stimulates sensory systems, especially sight and hearing, to intensify central nervous system information input and output.
A UOC project has developed a 3D virtual environment to train surgeons' psychomotor skills, providing real-time feedback and metrics. The tool has been tested with over 148 users, showing its validity in improving surgeons' performance at different stages of their careers.
A study published in iScience explores the behavior of humans controlling a shared avatar in virtual reality. The research found that participants exhibited superior reaction times and more straight movements with the shared avatar compared to individual control.
Watching high-quality nature programs on TV can uplift moods and reduce negative emotions, while experiencing virtual reality nature can lead to increased positive feelings and a stronger connection to the natural world. The study found that interactive VR experiences had the most significant benefits.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge developed vLUME, a virtual reality software that allows for the visualization and analysis of complex biological data. This enables faster testing and analysis, leading to new discoveries and insights into fundamental problems in biology.
Researchers developed a new gaming platform to improve rehabilitation for stroke survivors with hemispatial neglect. The platform, 'c-SIGHT', uses videogame technology to engage patients and track progress.
The LEARNER project features a mixed-reality learning environment with physical, augmented, and virtual reality components to augment responders' capabilities. The platform aims to increase the speed of integration and adoption of human augmentation technologies in emergency response and other industrial sectors.
A recent study found that immersive virtual reality and slow breathing techniques can help promote bedtime relaxation and improve overall sleep quality in adolescents. The study revealed an average reduction of 6 minutes in sleep latency and a 3% increase in sleep efficiency among participants.
A new VR experience, Beyond the Ice, brings Hallett Cove's fossilized landscape to life with immersive 3D detail. Users can identify fossils, measure glacial grooves and draw rock folds using virtual tools.
Researchers developed a low-cost, customizable VR system to study animal behavior using freely moving small animals. The system, called PiVR, enables the delivery of virtual realities in real-time, allowing scientists to examine causal relationships between neural activity and specific behaviors.
A virtual reality simulator will be developed to improve hiatal hernia surgery training, reducing surgical errors and improving outcomes. The study aims to utilize the simulator to hone skills in a standardized environment.
GingerVR, an open-source Unity tool kit, tackles cybersickness in VR and AR environments. Researchers found that the software implements eight reduction techniques to address individual differences in user symptoms.
A team at the University of Bath has developed Touche, a data-driven computer model that generates responsive animations against attacks and eliminates non-reactive behavior from characters. This framework simplifies the necessary technical work to achieve a convincing simulation, resulting in more realistic results for game developers.
Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology are developing a virtual reality-based rehabilitation strategy for stroke patients with cortically induced blindness. The approach utilizes eye-tracking technology and multisensory exercises to help patients regain lost portions of their visual field.
Researchers found that people are often unaware of color removal from their visual periphery in virtual reality, suggesting limitations to human color awareness. The studies used 178 participants and revealed that peripheral color detection is less accurate than previously believed.
Flying insects integrate visual, olfactory, and aerodynamic cues to locate objects in 3D space. Research using virtual reality revealed that Dipteran species use depth cues, wind tunnel-like airflow fields, and odor information to navigate.
Biomedical engineers at Duke University developed a massive fluid dynamics simulator to model blood flow through the full human arterial system, providing guidance for treatment plans. A new graphical user interface called Harvis allows clinicians to easily explore options without expertise in computer science.
UCF professor Maria Harrington receives a grant from Epic Games to develop cutting-edge augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology. The project aims to create photorealistic models of botanical gardens and university arboretums, providing users with detailed information about plants and ecosystems.
Anesthesiologists in Israel used 3D printing and virtual reality to create a personalized airway plan for a 7-year-old girl undergoing lung surgery. The plan reduced trial and error during the operation, allowing for a successful outcome.
A new device developed at Carnegie Mellon University uses multiple strings attached to the hand and fingers to simulate the feel of obstacles and heavy objects in virtual reality. The device provides more realistic haptic feedback than other techniques, enabling users to feel the contours of virtual objects and sense resistance.
Researchers warn of the risks of virtual and augmented reality becoming increasingly realistic, leading to difficulties in distinguishing between reality and virtual experiences. This can result in problems such as remembering virtual events as real and failing to distinguish between actual and simulated events. The study also highligh...
New research uses virtual reality to increase identification with others by activating brain networks, aiding in treatment of violent offenders. The technology also helps improve understanding and relationships by simulating multi-sensory feedback.
A new Cornell University study found that students with more video game experience learned better using VR than those with little experience, with males showing greater advantage. The study suggests that either prior video game experience or gender may impact the success of VR-based learning.
Researchers found that people's prior beliefs about themselves may prevent accurate judgment of real appearance. By viewing their body from a third-person perspective, individuals rated it more attractively, pointing to potential applications for treating body perception disorders.
Researchers are exploring enzymes' essential features to convert abundant raw materials into usable fuel. PNNL scientists designed an artificial enzyme that converts carbon dioxide to formate, a potential kind of fuel.
A study found that emotionally evocative storylines can reduce virtual reality cybersickness, especially in non-gamers, by enhancing presence and decreasing sensory conflicts. The findings suggest that game design can be used to create more inclusive VR experiences.
A new study in Frontiers in Neuroscience used virtual reality to determine how people plan their movements by
Researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology discovered that active virtual reality (VR) experiences hinder visual memory more than passive ones. This finding challenges the potential use of VR as an educational tool, highlighting the need for teaching materials that account for its characteristics.