After removing some complicated features, the app in its simpler form allows patients to visit the Sydney Opera House, take a walk through the streets of Italy, experience sitting on a bullet train in Japan or see the Dubai skyline in 360 degrees.
said the VR devices were making a major difference to many of the hospital's palliative care and cancer patients.
This technology will allow them to have experiences they no longer can have otherwise.Dr Alan Oloffs
Virt-Real, developed by Mobiddiction for use at a conference in the United States, is being trialled at the hospital also thanks to Our Community Cares, an organisation dedicated to assisting the needy and aged by providing support to enhance their qualities of life.
“When travel was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were contacted by a US-based company to create something for their employees to enjoy new destinations,” Mobiddiction’s Director, Mike Vasavada, told SBS Gujarati.
Mr Vasavada spoke to SBS Gujarati at the broadcaster's Sydney studios.
“Once the app was successful, we joined hands with representatives from NSW Health, volunteers from Our Community Cares and a group of doctors at Nepean Hospital to customise it for the hospital’s patients in the cancer ward and PCU.”
Co-founder and Chair of Our Community Cares, Kris Gauci, said, “When we started thinking of VR technology to help palliative care patients, I rang Mike off his Mobiddiction website, and he was so forthcoming and so helpful that we decided it was a good partnership.”
Mobiddiction and Our Community Cares teams donated VR sets to palliative care patients at Nepean Hospital.
Mr Vasavada added, “There are different stages of palliative care. Some patients can’t walk, some can’t hold things while some can’t move at all. So, we started discussing with Kris Gauci at Our Community Cares about how we could make Virt-Real useful for people with limited physical capabilities.”
Our Community Cares donated five VR headsets to the Nepean Hospital and the team at Mobiddiction donated 12-15 months of their time to tailoring the app to the needs of palliative care patients.
Ms Gauci explained, “(The) Virt-Real app has been customised for patients so they can lie in their beds and use their fingers to select the (desired) activity on (either a) flat screen or a headset. They can then use the handset which is like hand brakes to navigate, and they can do it lying down, sitting, or standing up."
Some patients who were unable to use their arms or fingers could communicate with nurses who helped them select the activity from the menu on the screen, she said.
A screenshot of the virtual reality app Virt-Real's travel menu.
One of the (PCU’s) female patients had taken the Manly to Circular Quay ferry for 38 years on her way to work. Her simple wish was to take the ride one last time, which was made possible with the use of Virt-Real.Mike Vasavada
“I feel so blessed to be given this opportunity to fulfil their wishes," Mr Vasavada said.
“I am so thrilled that this app is now able to provide a few moments of joy to people at the ends of their lives by fulfilling their dreams and last wishes."
The devices also included simple gaming features such as throwing a ball and playing nine-pin bowling virtually to help preserve and enhance some of the patient’s motor skills, according to Mr Vasavada.
A screenshot of a bowling game offered to palliative care patients on Virt-Real.
"Based on the results of this trial, we hope to expand the use of VR to other hospitals not only in Australia but also in New Zealand and India.”
Mr Vasavada said due to the fact that VR only required the use of the retina to act as arms or fingers, his company was running tests in a bid to be able to make the technology accessible to people with severely limited physical abilities.
Ms Gauci added, "In addition to taking their minds away from pain and suffering for a little while, this gives palliative care patients experiences that they may not have had in their lifetimes even when they were able."
