The Real Life Applications of Gaming Technology

You’ve probably heard of Fitbit and the technology that goes along with it to monitor your fitness and health throughout the day, but have you heard of the use of gaming technology in the healthcare industry and beyond?

Gaming technology has been used for over 35 years in the military. For instance, the army has virtual gun ranges set up with M16s that have been converted into what are essentially laser guns, which register on a screen displaying a virtual world of “bad guys” and “good guys” that trainees must learn to distinguish between. If you were to walk in on this type of training, you could easily see the association with gaming technology.

But what about applications of gaming technology in other educational settings? Gaming technology has been used to augment teaching finger placement and fast typing to grade school children. For instance, it might be Mario that runs along the computer screen as you successfully type the phrase or letters that appear below him. Too slow and Mario won’t make it over the lava river to rescue Princess Peach! This use of gaming technology might seem a bit obvious, but is similar to most of the learning tablets for kids that are loaded with fun games centered around reading, grammar, math, science, and even more advanced subjects like robotics.

The most impressive advancements in the use of gaming technology with real world applications has appeared in the healthcare industry, most specifically with surgery. After the Oculus Rift VR (Virtual Reality) headset was sold to Facebook earlier this year, speculation began to crop up about the possibilities and/or limitations of this fully-immersive gaming technology. Facebook claims it could revolutionize the way people communicate. By simply putting on these large goggles, you can be virtually face to face with anyone anywhere in the world. You could even meet with a healthcare specialist located on the other side of the country. Perhaps in the future, even surgeries could be performed by surgeons in training through the use of Oculus.

This speculation quickly evolved into experimentation, as many good ideas do. In August of 2014, videographers and surgeons collaborated on the first ever Oculus Rift Surgery. Two GoPro cameras were mounted onto a doctor’s head as he performed a surgery, recording everything from the first person perspective to be replayed and relived through the Oculus. Any novice surgeon could sit down and be taught advanced surgical techniques in this immersive way, with the added capability of being able to fast forward or rewind just like a regular video. The next step is taking part in a fully simulated surgical procedure via the newest iteration of this gaming technology.

Is the world ready for gaming technology to take over industries like healthcare? There are already surgery simulator apps for the iPhone. Just how far are we from training healthcare professionals with an intensive month-long course conducted via a gaming console?

We may not have the answers to the future of gaming technology, but we can make sure that the future of your technology is certain. If you have a problem with your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or even gaming console, call CPR. Cell Phone Repair stores have qualified technicians standing by to quickly fix your electronics and send you on your way with renewed peace of mind. Contact us today!