There are many different uses of virtual reality for medical benefits.
Telemedicine: Telemedicine is a system of electronically communicating data from one site to a distant site for the purpose of medical diagnosis,
patient care and as a medium for delivering medical services over long distances. An example would be transferring a patient record from a doctor
in London to a surgeon in Lancaster to provide expert patient care. Virtual telemedicine can enhance telemedicine by superimposing data that is patient
specific directly on to that patient. This is called data fusion. Telemedicine is improving lives by spreading medical information to remote areas around
the world.
More Information
Teleprescence Surgery: This is the performance of surgical procedures where the patient and the surgeon are in different locations.
Using audio and/or visual the surgeon is able to use his expertise and guide the procedure.
An example of this emerging technology is the Green Teleprescence Surgery System, which consists of two components,
the surgical work station and the remote work site. At the remote site are a 3-D camera system and responsive manipulators with sensory input.
At the work station are a 3-D monitor and dexterous handles with force feedback. (((At the present time this is an experimental tool not currently used
in practice.)))
More Information