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Application class: Transporting people out of their environment
Relevant metaverse properties

For people in an unpleasant or emotionally distressing situation, the sense of presence afforded by metaverse technology may be used to help people escape from their reality into an alternative reality that is more befitting to their needs.

Existing alternatives

Obvious alternatives that should form a baseline of comparison for this application class, especially as a form of escape or easement of emotional distress, are

  • watching TV and movies
  • reading books
  • browsing the internet
  • video conferencing and phone calls with friends and family

Potential benefits

  • Virtual escapism: The immersiveness of VR means users can escape into another location without needing to leave their real environment, which could be infeasible given their personal circumstances. VR can provide an unlimited number of alternative environments to escape to, which could also be cheaper than physically travelling to a location.

Potential harms

  • De-incentivises improvement to the real world: By creating convincing, effective forms of escapism in a virtual world, it de-incentivizes improvement of the person's real environment. For example, it creates the notion that improvement of a derelict prison or nursing home environment can be forgone with a good VR setup. Unsupervised adoption of these systems could foster neglect and violate human rights.
  • Increased social anxiety: Excessive use of virtual reality as a form of escapism could lead to increased social anxieties and feelings of isolation [11], [12]

Example applications

Application: VR as an optional alternative to pain management in hospitals

Description: Meditative VR environments could be used to ease emotional distress in hospital patients

Role of government: Application provider

Rationale: By putting on a VR headset, people can leave their current reality and escape into an alternative one. This can be particularly impactful during periods of emotional distress, anxiety or pain, if the alternative reality presented to them has a meditative or calming effect. There is potential for this type of VR to be used in hospitals, to help alleviate the distress of young children, or to assist mothers during birth.

Assumptions: The virtual reality gear is comfortable to use, and the patient is not prone to motion sickness, which could increase emotional distress.

Specific considerations: Different people require different forms of anxiety reduction (meditation, high energy distractions, a social component, etc.) so there needs to be a variety of virtual environments on offer.

Existing implementations: Multiple studies have been conducted on use of virtual reality for pain and anxiety relief when undergoing hospital treatments. Some studies found that VR helped to decrease pain and anxiety [157] - [161] whereas others found no significant decrease in patient pain and anxiety levels with VR treatment. [162], [163] If this application is to be considered, further research should be conducted by the NSW Government to determine whether this approach will be effective.

 

 

Application: VR experiences for residents of nursing homes

Residents of nursing homes
VR could be beneficial for residents of nursing homes, especially if they are unable to travel physically. [167]

Description: Providing VR to residents of nursing homes so they can explore virtual worlds when they are unable to travel physically.

Role of government: Application provider

Rationale: Travelling may be difficult for some residents of nursing homes. VR can provide a convincing alternative to physical travel, with limitless possibilities for the location of travel due to the artistic freedoms the platform provides. Providing these opportunities for nursing homes may assist in reducing residents' feelings of loneliness or isolation.

Assumptions: The VR experiences are operated by the elderly, which means the software and technology needs to be intuitive and comfortable for them to use.

Specific considerations: VR technologies should always be used as a supplement to improved living conditions, not as a primary solution. Additionally, care needs to be taken to ensure alternative VR environments are mental health positive and regulated.

Existing implementations:

  • Australia-based NomadVR is a service that provides VR for aged care facilities [164]
  • Researchers from QUT, Griffith University, University of Melbourne and La Trobe have integrated VR technologies into six Australian aged care facilities [165]
  • Blue Cross and Build VR developed a VR application for aged care residents and those with dementia [166]

 

 

[11] Aboujaoude, E. Virtually You: The Dangerous Powers of the E-Personality. (W W Norton & Company, 2012).

[12] Kim, M. The Good and the Bad of Escaping to Virtual Reality. The Atlantic (2015).

[157] Bani Mohammad, E. & Ahmad, M. Virtual reality as a distraction technique for pain and anxiety among patients with breast cancer: A randomized control trial. Palliat Support Care 17, 29–34 (2019).

[158] McSherry, T. et al. Randomized, Crossover Study of Immersive Virtual Reality to Decrease Opioid Use During Painful Wound Care Procedures in Adults. J Burn Care Res 39, 278–285 (2018).

[159] Gold, J. I. & Mahrer, N. E. Is Virtual Reality Ready for Prime Time in the Medical Space? A Randomized Control Trial of Pediatric Virtual Reality for Acute Procedural Pain Management. J Pediatr Psychol 43, 266–275 (2018).

[160] Le May, S. et al. Immersive virtual reality vs. non-immersive distraction for pain management of children during bone pins and sutures removal: A randomized clinical trial protocol. J Adv Nurs 77, 439–447 (2021).

[161] Gold, J. I., SooHoo, M., Laikin, A. M., Lane, A. S. & Klein, M. J. Effect of an Immersive Virtual Reality Intervention on Pain and Anxiety Associated With Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Placement in the Pediatric Setting: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 4, e2122569 (2021).

[162] Glennon, C. et al. Use of Virtual Reality to Distract From Pain and Anxiety. Oncol Nurs Forum 45, 545–552 (2018).

[163] Walker, M. R. et al. Treatment efficacy of virtual reality distraction in the reduction of pain and anxiety during cystoscopy. Mil Med 179, 891–896 (2014).

[164] NomadVR | VR For Aged Care. (2018).

[165] QUT Design Lab. Transforming Aged Care with Virtual Reality (VR). QUT Design Lab.

[166] Aged care residents use virtual reality for the first time. (2016).

[167] P, P. Old man tries VR googles. This image has been originally created as the illustration for jego ojcem dziadek entry in szarada.net crosswords dictionary. It has been released under CC-BY-3.0 license. (2015).