PARIS (Reuters) - The very thought of visiting a hospital emergency department is stressful enough for many people, even without the discomfort or pain of an examination or treatment. Enter an immersive virtual-reality program created by three graduates being used in France to relax patients and even increase their tolerance of pain - without resorting to drugs. “What we offer is a contemplative world where the patient goes on a guided tour, in interactive mode, to play music, do a bit of painting or work out a riddle,” said Reda Khouadra, one of the 24-year-olds behind the project. As patients are transported by chunky VR goggles into a three-dimensional world of Japanese zen gardens or snowy hillsides, they become more tolerant of minor but painful procedures such as having a cut stitched, a burn treated, a urinary catheter inserted or a dislocated shoulder pushed back into place. “The virtual reality project ... enables us to offer patients a technique to distract their attention and curb their pain and anxiety when being treated in the emergency room,” said Olivier Ganansia, head of the emergency department at the Saint-Joseph Hospital in Paris. “I think in 10 years, virtual reality won’t even be a question any more, and will be used in hospitals routinely.” The Healthy Mind startup is not a world first but has landed a $20,000 prize from a university in Adelaide, Australia - which will now pay for the three founders to present their project at Microsoft’s headquarters in the U.S. city of Seattle. Writing by Brian Love; Editing by Kevin Liffey
A virtual reality start-up called Healthy Mind is being developed to help relax patients during hospital examinations or treatments, and is being tested in France. The three graduates who founded it have won a $20,000 prize from an Australian university, and are to present their program to Microsoft. “VR has the potential to be used for many different things,” said Dr. David L. Hawkins, director of Microsoft