Virtual reality opens world of possibilities for seniors
MIT graduate students Dennis Lally and Reed Hayes are pioneering the use of this technology with seniors, reports CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller.
“I feel for the people living inside these communities, that they don’t have enough stimulation,” Hayes said. “They need to have a sense of wonder about the world again, they need to be curious, they need to be exploring. And when you’re physically not able to do that by yourself, then virtual reality is a wonderful aid to provide that.”
“You touched off her emotions. She felt something,” Miller said.
“Absolutely. Other people in the room felt it,” Hayes said. “And those were extremely powerful moments that 2D picture won’t provide. It requires virtual reality, the immersive nature of it, to generate those emotions.”
Abdus Shakur, a chef, said he’s still got many traveling days ahead of him. But he was overjoyed to virtually visit a restaurant he opened in Berlin nearly two decades ago.
“That’s seriously addictive, come on!” Shakur said about the virtual reality experience. “I could stay there just, you know, go wherever I want, without going anywhere.”
Lally and Hayes plan to start offering their service to senior communities for an upfront fee plus a monthly subscription.
See the full story here: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/virtual-reality-rendever-mit-company-helps-seniors-physical-limitations-travel-world/
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