VR technology helps paraplegics regain leg function
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Following a 12-month study of eight paraplegic patients, Duke University has published results that suggest that virtual reality (VR) technology can help aid in restoring mobility in patients suffering from a chronic spinal cord injury, reports TechCrunch.
By simulating parts of the brain associated with leg movement through an avatar on the VR headset, patients were able to learn how to control their minds to produce leg movement. Patients were fitted with an Oculus Rift, an EEG cap to measure brainwave activity, and a vibrating tactile feedback device to give patients the most realistic experience.
They were tasked with moving their avatar, a soccer player, through a stadium by imaging their own bodies making the movements. Researchers found that by simulating these movements through VR technology, patients were able to recover some neurological functions related to lower limb movement that had been inactive since their injuries. All eight patients regained some control and four were upgraded from full paraplegics to partial paraplegics.
Although there is a long way to go before VR technology is fully integrated into healthcare and therapy related treatments, the progress made through this study provides an insight into the promise that VR technology holds for healthcare. By 2025, VR technology — including software and hardware — is projected to be an $80 billion market, estimates (PDF) Goldman Sachs. Within software, while gaming will hold the largest share with an estimated $11.6 billion, the next three dominating shares of this technology will be healthcare ($5.1 billion), engineering ($4.7 billion), and live events ($4.1 billion).
The tech industry has promoted the prospect of VR for the past few decades. But only now, with headsets backed by big names like Sony and Facebook, is VR finally becoming a concrete product with mass market potential. While VR technology is largely associated with the gaming industry, the platform offers a new set of content opportunities in entertainment, advertising, and more.
But where is it all going?
Margaret Boland, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on virtual reality content that examines how various VR headset categories will shape VR content development and looks at the trajectory for mobile gaming revenues to get a sense of how spending on VR content might develop. The report also lays out what types of content users and developers can expect on VR platforms, including gaming, video entertainment, and advertising.
Here are some key takeaways from the report:
- VR headset manufacturers are driving both the development and distribution of VR content by investing significant technical and monetary resources in developers, in an effort to build up an exclusive content library.
- High demand for VR headsets by mobile and console gamers will fuel demand for VR content. The VR content market will take an increasing portion of the mobile gaming software industry.
- Beyond gaming, VR video entertainment will remain short form until demand for VR headsets increases.
- Ads featured on VR headsets will likely have higher view-through rates than standard video ad spots.
- Other industries are also beginning to experiment with VR content. Travel companies, publishers, e-commerce merchants, and social platforms are beginning to see potential in this new category.
- VR content faces major hurdles that could keep developers from investing: The VR experience must be good enough for people to take up the devices. In addition, developers need to know that a sufficient user base exists to be worthy of the resource investment in VR content.
In full, the report:
- Provides a breakdown of each type of VR headset, what platforms they run on, and how content will differ for each.
- Includes estimates for global VR headset shipments by category.
- Includes a mobile gaming forecast to give a sense of the most important market that will drive spending on VR content in the next five years.
- Lays out what other industries are developing VR programs.
- Discusses some of the potential barriers that could dissuade developers from investing in VR content.
To get your copy of this invaluable guide to the VR universe, choose one of these options:
- Subscribe to an ALL-ACCESS Membership with BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report AND over 100 other expertly researched deep-dive reports, subscriptions to all of our daily newsletters, and much more. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
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The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you’ve given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the world of VR.