British Army Turns To Oculus Rift To Take the Sting Out of Battlefield Trauma

Dimetrodon (2714071) writes British consultancy Plextek has just announced the world's first immersive medical training system for the military using the Oculus Rift. The virtual reality technology will be used to simulate pre-hospital care on the battlefield, requiring trainees to "negotiate and prioritise" clinical needs while under virtual fire.

Comments

Re:boo hooo hoooooo

[Cryacin]

Battlefield trauma? They volunteered for it, they get the trauma they bargained for. Don't they enjoy cashing their pay for following orders?

Quite a cynical way to be viewing the guys patching up the boys who've been shot to pieces. If anyone in an army deserves sympathy, it would have to be the field medics. Hopefully for your sake Mr. AC, I just fed a troll.

Re:This looks like technology looking for a purpos

[AHuxley]

It gives that 3d depth and color lacking in the real world.
Young people like computer games and respond well to been further educated with computers.
Its part of a complex learning system that has worked/sold well in other countries...
Its part of a complex learning system that will sell well other countries...
Think of the exports, local hi tech jobs.
Stories like this reflect well on Armed Forces when any good news is needed to take away from reports about the UK role in Iraq.

Re:boo hooo hoooooo

[maroberts]

I think you misread the article - its about training medics how to deal with casualties whilst they are under fire and is probably as close as you can get short of having them on a real battlefield. The "battlefield trauma" relates to injuries on the battlefield, not whether medics are traumatized in dealing with the situation, although improving the ability of them to handle the situation they are in will reduce the likelihood of this happening.

Battlefield medics have to make hard decisions, including deciding not to treat casualties who are unlikely to survive if they are under severe pressure.

I never even considered that

[NotSoHeavyD3]

But since they're doing education with it, damn med students could use this to look at a virtual cadaver if they wanted to put in a little extra studying. (Since I bet seeing it in VR is a lot better than Grey's anatomy. Not as good as the real thing but they'll still be doing that.)