Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University Collaborates with MyndVR to Study Impact of Virtual Reality on Older Adults, with Support from AT&T 5G Technology

STANFORD, Calif., March 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL) at Stanford University, the pioneering lab focused on the psychological and behavioral effects of virtual reality, announced today a new study in collaboration with MyndVR, the leading provider of VR solutions for older adults.  The Study will examine how older adults' use of VR affects their psychological well-being and their attitudes toward new technologies. 

Researchers at Stanford's VHIL have been building immersive VR content and testing its effects on people for nearly two decades. Members of the Lab have published hundreds of scientific articles detailing the psychological and behavioral impacts of VR experiences. The Lab's founding director, Jeremy Bailenson, is considered one of the world's leading experts on the topic.  

"Virtual Reality adoption has been growing significantly, and we're interested in both the immediate and lasting benefits it can provide," said Bailenson. "Working with MyndVR gives us access to a crucial population of older adults that were hit particularly hard by the isolation of the past year."

"Our goal since day one has always been to improve the quality of life for older adults," said Chris Brickler, CEO of MyndVR. "We are excited to be part of this study with such a prestigious team at Stanford and to provide this opportunity to the senior living communities within our network."

MyndVR has brought together a powerful consortium of industry collaborators to support this research, including AT&T and some of the world's most innovative senior living communities. By combining the MyndVR platform with AT&T 5G technology, the patient experience is further enhanced.

"We're entering a new age of digital therapeutics that harnesses the power of 5G and virtual reality," said Anne Chow, CEO, AT&T Business. "5G-enabled solutions benefit from faster speeds, reduction of latency, greater security and mass connectivity, and can represent a significant step forward in fueling more innovation across every business. We're proud to work with Stanford and MyndVR to contribute to the technology behind the future of healthcare."

Although the study is not limited to the US, the first communities to sign on to this groundbreaking study are John Knox Village in South Florida, Benedictine Living across the Midwest, St. Barnabas in Western Pennsylvania, the Long Island State Veterans Home in New York, Maple Knoll Village in Ohio, and Technology for Ageing & Disability WA (TADWA) in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania. MyndVR is also working with Therapy Management Corp (TMC), a leading provider of therapy services to hundreds of healthcare providers to bring this opportunity to their customers, further expanding the population of participants.

By participating in this research, communities and other healthcare providers will help conduct one of the largest-scale studies to-date of how VR affects this vitally important population and the role that technology could play in their overall health and wellness.

If interested in participating in the study, please contact MyndVR at https://www.myndvr.com.  

About Stanford's Virtual Human Interaction Lab 

Since its founding in 2003, researchers at VHIL have sought to better understand the psychological and behavioral effects of Virtual Reality (VR) and, more recently, Augmented Reality (AR). Almost two decades later, we are in the Dawn of the Virtual Revolution. VR is finally widely available for consumers, and every day we are seeing new innovations. It is critical, now more than ever, that we seek answers to these important questions: What psychological processes operate when people use VR and AR? How does this medium fundamentally transform people and society? And how can we actively seek to create and consume VR that enhances instead of detracts from the real world around us?

About MyndVR 

MyndVR is the leading provider of Virtual Reality solutions for senior living communities, veteran homes, home health agencies, individual adults aging in their own homes, and other healthcare settings. The company has curated a vast library of VR content and created MyndVR Studios to produce exclusive therapeutic experiences that positively impact the lives of people across the continuum of care.  MyndVR is committed to conducting extensive research in order to measure the therapeutic effect of VR. These studies will continue to measure healthcare outcomes, including cognitive, visual, emotional and physical effects on older adults. For more, visit http://www.myndvr.com.   

About AT&T 

We help family, friends and neighbors connect in meaningful ways every day. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to mobile video streaming, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. AT&T Communications is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T). For more information, please visit us at att.com.

Media Contact: Michael Vaughan, [email protected]

SOURCE MyndVR