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Dahlgren Memorial Library

Virtual Reality and Medicine

A guide to virtual reality use in health care and medicine.

VR Headsets and PCs

 

Virtual Reality

Image provided by Pixabay under the CC0 license

The most immersive virtual reality experiences often use a PC , VR headset,  and software.   

The latest version of some headsets can be used without an accompanying PC but a
PC will be needed to update the headset software.   Handheld controllers can also be added
for additional control over the virtual environment.   These VR devices can track a user's movement,  called "positional tracking",  within a space - a feature not available when using VR apps and a smartphone.

The healthcare industry is developing applications and uses for these types of devices. 
Some areas of high development are PSTD treatment,  anxiety disorder  treatment, and pain management.

Recent clinical trials involving VR

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