Can virtual reality help seniors? Study hopes to find out

Andrea Hipskind and John Dalsimer (l-r) watch a virtual reality puppy show broadcast to their MYNDVR headsets at John Knox Village in Pompano Beach, Florida. John Knox Village was selected as the first site in the country for Stanford University’s virtual human interaction lab to study the impact of virtual reality on older adults. The research on older adults’ will study their use of virtual reality and its effects on their psychological well-being and attitudes toward new technologies. — AFP

POMPANO BEACH, Florida: Terry Colli and three other residents of the John Knox Village senior community got a trip via computer to the International Space Station on Tuesday, a kickoff to a Stanford University study on whether virtual reality can improve the emotional well-being of older people.

Donning one-pound (470g) headsets with video and sound, the four could imagine floating weightless with astronauts and get a 360° tour of the station. In other programs, residents can take virtual visits to Paris, Venice, Egypt or elsewhere around the globe; attend a car rally, skydive or go on a hike.