Virtual Reality

This project involves developing the CVRriculum elibrary which houses the films and scenarios aligned with the experiences that expose our need for empathy and help deepen emotional intelligence. The films and scenarios can be accessed remotely on the web, or for full immersiveness using VR head-mounted-displays; can be stand-alone or incorporated into existing courses and adapted to suit the context of various programs from Nursing to Architecture.

Moreover, the eLibrary houses a toolkit outlining how to introduce the CVRriculum program into courses and various teaching contexts to be accessed via a publicly available website.

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Funded By:

Academic Innovation Fund, Category 1 – York University, 2020

This project focuses on building essential human skills, such as empathy, by raising awareness about important diversity issues, like accessibility. This human-powered, technology-enabled program equips students and educators with the tools they need to recognize universal design issues across campus and capture these environments in 360 virtual reality. Part of the process will be recruiting faculty members and students to create videos for use in virtual reality headsets. The videos will offer viewers experiences that teach them to be more empathetic.

Funded By:

Academic Innovation Fund Category I – York University, 2019  

Continue reading “CVRriculum Program: Embedding Virtual Reality as an Experiential Education Medium to Teach Empathy” →

The VRCHIVE project is a participatory workshop where primary caregivers create personalized, meaningful Virtual Reality (VR) experiences with their loved one (person with dementia (PWD). This exercise in capturing life memories is informed by reminiscence therapy that uses photographs, recordings and other objects to trigger personal memories and are one of the most popular therapeutic approach to working with people with dementia.

Funded by:

SPARK Grant – Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), 2019

Continue reading “VRCHIVE Workshop to Co-create Meaningful Memories by People with Dementia and their Caregivers using Virtual Reality Technology – Collaboration with Toronto Public Library” →

The purpose of this study is to explore novel ways to use Virtual Reality (VR) to reduce resident responsive behaviours and maintain a healthy workforce, which has become a priority for The Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre (Perley Rideau) as well as for the province of Ontario.

FUNDED BY:

SPARK Grant – Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), 2018

Continue reading “VR2 – Virtual Reality for Veteran Relaxation at Perley Rideau Veterans Health Centre, Ottawa” →

This will be an open randomized-controlled trial conducted over a 15-month period at MGH with a target total recruitment of 200 participants (the treatment arm plus the control arm). During their hospital stay, recruited patients will participate in one or more sessions of immersive VR-experience (VR-therapy sessions) for up to 20 minutes, every 24-72h of their stay. The mixed-methods design includes collection of quantitative physiological markers (blood pressure, HR, BG), qualitative observations, QoL questionnaire scores, and pre/post VR-session semi-structured interviews. Demographics, diagnoses, use of sedative medication, and factors related to participants’ hospital care experience will be collected by the research team from the hospital’s electronic patient medical records. Episodes of vertigo, dizziness, nausea, agitation, hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, neck pain, headaches, occurring during the hospital stay will be collected and recorded by the research team.

​If successful, VRx could become standard of care for individuals with cognitive and physical impairment, representing a less costly, safer, and more ethically acceptable therapy that can reduce the need for sedatives and antidepressants, and improve patient and caregiver quality of life.

FUNDED BY:

SPARK Grant – Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), 2018

Continue reading “VRCT – Virtual Reality Randomized Controlled Trial at Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto” →

Older adults living in long term care, rehabilitation hospitals, and seniors’ residences often experience reduced mobility, sometimes resulting in confinement indoors and isolation, which can introduce or aggravate symptoms of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and apathy. As Virtual Reality (VR) technologies become increasingly accessible and affordable, there is a unique opportunity to enable older adults to escape their restricted physical realities and be transported to both stimulating and calming places which may improve their general well-being. To date no robust evaluations of the use of immersive VR therapy [experienced through a head-mounted-display (HMD)] for older adults within these settings have been reported. VR-therapy may prove to be a safe, inexpensive, non-pharmacological means of managing depressive symptoms and providing engagement and enjoyment to this rapidly growing demographic.

This study will establish whether it is feasible to use immersive VR technology as therapy for older adults who have reduced sensory, mobility and/or impaired cognition. This includes evaluation of tolerability, comfort, and ease of use of the HMD, and of the potential for immersive VR to provide enjoyment/relaxation and reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms.

FUNDED BY:

SPARK Grant – Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), 2017

Continue reading “VR Therapy Feasibility Study – Multi-site Toronto” →