From news@pith.uoregon.edu Fri Feb 24 10:33:10 1995 Return-Path: Received: from mx4.u.washington.edu by stein2.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW94.10/UW-NDC Revision: 2.32 ) id AA12311; Fri, 24 Feb 95 10:33:10 -0800 Received: from hitl-new.hitl.washington.edu by mx4.u.washington.edu (5.65+UW94.10/UW-NDC Revision: 2.31 ) id AA24792; Fri, 24 Feb 95 10:33:09 -0800 Received: by hitl.hitl.washington.edu; id AA12043; Fri, 24 Feb 1995 10:29:02 -0800 Received: from pith.uoregon.edu by relay1.UU.NET with SMTP id QQyems19629; Fri, 24 Feb 1995 13:32:42 -0500 Received: (from news@localhost) by pith.uoregon.edu (8.6.10/8.6.10) id KAA01160; Fri, 24 Feb 1995 10:32:33 -0800 To: sci-virtual-worlds@uunet.uu.net Path: ori.org!kenl From: kenl@ori.org (Ken Loge) Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds Subject: APPS: VR for Disabled Children Date: Fri, 24 Feb 1995 18:31:40 GMT Organization: Oregon Research Institute Lines: 27 Message-Id: Nntp-Posting-Host: frog.ori.org X-Newsreader: Trumpet for Windows [Version 1.0 Rev A] Status: OR Our work at the Oregon Research Institute utilizes VR to teach orthopedically-impaired children to safely operate power wheelchairs. We're applying this technology to build skills, not play games or improve targeting systems. We want to determine how well skills obtained in a virtual environment transfer to the real world. Orthopedically-impaired children in a virtual environment become highly motivated and driven to augment their abilities. Some children we work with have never wanted to do anything themselves prior to experiencing VR. The motivational attributes of VR are only the beginning; the real work lies ahead -- developing effective methods for employing all the sensory bandwidth and fidelity that VR affords to teach people things that could not otherwise be taught practically or safely. In this sense it is like a new tool, rather than an amalgamation of existing tools. Military and entertainment applications currently drive a large portion of the VR market, but other educational uses are emerging. Albeit, all of us are in the Pre-Cambrian stage of development and realization with VR, but the applications that improve human communication, expression, and awareness will be those most likely embraced by the future. -Ken ------------------------------------------------------------ Ken Loge Implementation Coordinator/Designer Virtual Reality Training Program Oregon Research Institute