Computer-Assisted Virtual Reality Imaging in Education and Therapeutic Intervention

Abstract

Creation of virtual environments and simulations has helped to expand student learning experiences across the medical sciences and, in health care, enhanced patient understanding of their own pathologies or even modify behavioral patterns through integrated biofeedback control methodologies. Collaborative work is underway to bring imaging science technologies from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) together with scientific data generated through the Department of Psychiatry/Forensic Drug Diversion Clinic to create new, interactive computer-assisted simulations for educational and therapeutic applications. Over the past seven years, RIT faculty of the Human Visualization Project (HVP) have worked within a multidisciplinary team of graphic artists/medical illustrators, software engineers, game designers, biochemists, and anatomists to generate scientific images and animations of select organ systems from the gross to molecular level of detail. Work is underway to create virtual models of the brain and neuronal pathways known to be affected by chronic abuse of illicit drugs with particular attention paid to structural and physiological adaptations that become manifest as altered patterns of (criminal) behavior in the addict. Progress is being made to generate a library of virtual 3D models that would serve to educate health care personnel and patients about the dangerous effects of chronic drug abuse. Additionally, computer-assisted images/environments will also be created as a complement to biofeedback equipment designed to assist the drug abuser with behavior modification. This cultural shift in pedagogy will prove beneficial to students, faculty, and patients with the desire and ability to take advantage of the growing power of visualization technology.