Advancing Health Care through Virtual Reality Research

AdventHealth University (AHU) and Full Sail University recently opened the Full Sail University Healthcare Technology Lab.

The universities, both based in central Florida, United States, will use the lab to develop joint health-care research projects, conduct progress reviews, and expand learning opportunities for students. The facility will be housed within Full Sail University’s Emerging Technologies wing on its Winter Park, Florida, campus.

The Full Sail University Healthcare Technology Lab will primarily engage Full Sail University students across the emerging technologies degree programs, including computer science, cybersecurity, game development, information technology, and other programs. Students from a variety of AHU degree programs, including occupational therapy assistant and nursing, will use the lab to find innovative technology solutions to enhance patient safety.

In addition, the Full Sail University and AHU teams will use the lab to help find innovative solutions for enhanced training of nurses and other health-care team members, an important area of focus in addressing nursing retention and support.

“AdventHealth University is thrilled to collaborate with Full Sail University on this state-of-the-art classroom and lab,” Edwin I. Hernandez, president and CEO of AdventHealth University, said. “This partnership is a wonderful example of leading-edge technology providing solutions to how we train and support health-care workers, particularly as they enter the workforce. We are excited to see where this takes us, as the possibilities stretch as far as our imaginations.”

This facility — fully equipped with industry-standard technology, including a large-format 3D printer — is the latest extension of the partnership between Full Sail University and AHU. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two universities developed the Rapid Deployable Video Simulation and the Automated Medicine Dispensing System, which are training technologies created in a multi-player immersive virtual reality trainer for AHU nursing students as the school found new ways to engage with remote learners within the nursing program.

Additionally, in 2020, Full Sail University and AHU partnered to win the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference’s annual Iron Dev competition. The winning prototype virtual reality solution serves as a proof of concept for a virtual command center to help health-care facilities and systems like AdventHealth visualize hospital resources and COVID-19 data points.

“At Full Sail University, we encourage our students to not only make emerging technologies solutions for fun or class credit, but also to serve a purpose and make an impact within the community,” Shawn Stafford, director of research and course director at Full Sail University, said. “The medical expertise provided by AdventHealth University allows our students to create research-backed solutions to real-world problems, much like they will when they enter their professional careers. We look forward to seeing the great projects that will come to life in this new lab facility, and that continue to come from this partnership.”

The partnership will continue to provide Full Sail University emerging technologies students and AHU students with access to health-care industry experts as new practices, procedures, and technologies are developed to support the health-care industry. Students gain hands-on experience on how to bring emerging technologies and innovative mindsets into the industry.

The original version of this story was posted by Southern Tidings.