The teaching and training potential of virtual reality (VR) is massive, nowhere more so than in healthcare. The latest example of this comes from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, partnering with HTC Vive, T-Mobile and VictoryXR on an interactive VR human cadaver lab for students.
In the virtual lab, students in pre-med or studying biology-related majors will be able to explore the complete skeletal structure, muscle structure and eleven organs, dramatically reducing the high cost and maintenance associated with cadavers. “With this cadaver lab, our pre-med students will no longer need to rely on other universities for advanced anatomy and biology classes,” said Dr. Shirley Brown, Dean of Fisk University in a statement. “Virtual reality technology takes our university to a level equal to the most advanced schools in the country.”
Students will be using the latest HTC Vive Focus 3 all-in-one (AIO) headsets to step inside the virtual cadaver lab developed by VictoryXR. They’ll be able to engage with other students and professors, removing organs that can then be passed around the class. Students can also enlarge any of the organs to a size where they can look inside and see how it works.
In the future, the virtual cadaver lab will be upgraded with new specialities like surgical procedures, comparative learning between humans and animals as well as microbiology at the cellular level.
“We’re combining the best aspects of virtual and in-person learning, and this is the future of education,” said Dr. Vann Newkirk, President, Fisk University. “Fisk University is emerging as a tech leader among colleges, and our effort to bring a virtual reality cadaver lab to campus exemplifies our commitment to provide students with a state-of-the-art education.”
It’s not just virtual cadavers Fisk University will be deploying in VR. The institution is set to offer in-person VR history courses allowing students to visit important historical areas like civil rights locations such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.
Virtual training has grown in prominence in the healthcare industry because of the huge cost reductions and the versatility in remote learning. Companies like Osso VR and PrecisionOS are just two VR surgical training specialists utilising the technology to help train the latest surgeons. As the growth of virtual learning continues, VRFocus will keep you updated.