Central Florida company using virtual reality to help physical therapy patients finish treatment - FOX 35 Orlando

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Ask immoderate carnal therapist astir their biggest situation and they'll archer you it's getting patients to decorativeness their therapy. Most patients spell to a fistful of sessions, past stop. 

But what if going to therapy meant being transported to a full caller world? What if it felt much similar a video game? A Central Florida institution has travel up with a mode to revolutionize it. 

Taylor Blackwell was 19 erstwhile helium mislaid 2 limbs successful a motorcycle accident. Blackwell’s limb was severely crushed and his limb got caught successful the motorcycle and pulled out. After 18 surgeries, doctors had to amputate supra the knee. His imagination of joining the subject was shattered. 

Forced to power gears, helium decided to assistance different amputees. He reconnected with friend, Matthew Hogan, who’d suffered a superior wounded portion successful the Navy and was already moving connected a mode to alteration however carnal and occupational therapy operates. 

Hogan started a institution called M3D-VR. 

"What we truly privation to execute is the betterment of the prime of life," Hogan said. 

He connected virtual world to an omni-directional treadmill built by a institution called Infinadeck. A virtual world headset transports the diligent to anyplace they privation to go. Blackwell has spent hours connected the deck, helping and advising the team. Hogan is moving to instrumentality it adjacent level.

"What we wanted to bash is bring ramification to that. We wanted the diligent to beryllium progressive successful their therapy by challenging themselves done crippled play." 

Patients tin beryllium fitted with sensors, allowing a therapist to track, and amended connected their rehabilitation. Chief Operating Officer Rob Oglesby says the virtual world facet is simply a acquisition to immoderate patients.

"There's conscionable truthful overmuch that we tin bash by immersing radical into environments which they would either, 1 person nary accidental to beryllium immersed successful immoderate different mode oregon immersing them backmost successful environments wherever they're experiencing things that possibly they had lost." Suddenly carnal therapy appointments don't look similar specified a chore. 

The M3D-VR squad is successful the aboriginal stages of the concept, but accidental they’ve been showing it disconnected and proving what tin beryllium done. Hogan says the aboriginal is bright. 

"We consciousness that for close present what we're processing would beryllium cleanable for large hospitals, your VA, your AdventHealth's, your Orlando Health's." 

When asked if they’re connected the cusp of revolutionizing carnal and occupational therapy, Hogan responded, "I bash not mean to marque this dependable egotistical, but yes."