VR medical simulators have been around for a while, but this is the first one I’ve heard of using Second Life to simulate an entire hospital. Imperial College London has created a “virtual hospital” inside Second Life containing an O.R., patients, and more.
For sims like these, students wear a heads-up display, similar to those used by pilots, which shows data like the patient’s blood pressure, heart rhythm, and medical history. Then they click on objects such as a medication dispenser or the controls of an IV pump. When an object is clicked on, it triggers another heads-up display, allowing students to select, for instance, a certain medication, the dosage, and how to administer it (by mouth, injection, etc.). Importantly, the patient avatar will react realistically—if the student gives him too much nitroglycerine, for example, the avatar’s blood pressure will sink and he’ll go into shock.
via Can Training in Second Life Teach Doctors to Save Real Lives? | Health Policy | DISCOVER Magazine.
