Treat children with a virtual world

Canadian doctors are designing a virtual world that they expect to help treat children who suffer from trauma due to illness or accident.

In the virtual world called Satosphere , an 18-meter-wide dome used to screen movies was designed by a group of doctors into a hospital room to test new treatment ideas. Dr. Patrick Dube, lead researcher at Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, said that through many projectors, they created virtual spaces that unified walls and furniture in the room. This sensory stimulation can help a burn victim feel like an iceberg.

Using 3D images to simulate a child's bedroom at home can also help children forget they are hospitalized. Another method that has been tested is the use of medical equipment in the form of beautiful and close toys. In theory, children can get used to 'scary' medical devices, such as needles, to lessen the fear of undergoing tests and treatments. In addition, they use avatars (avatars) and ask children to mimic avatar movements as a form of physical therapy (photos).

The team thinks that these techniques can help children overcome their fears while healing and return to normal life soon.