VR/AR corporate training company Virti secured funding in April to scale health and social care simulations for healthcare workers. NHSX (the NHS unit tasked with the digital transformation of health and social care) is looking to use VR to help the UK's workforce to tackle COVID-19, including training volunteers, upskilling retired health professionals and reassigning existing clinical staff and medical students to specialties. VR allows training to be delivered at scale, and reduces the need for in-person interactions.
Ah, virtual experiences. Yet another phenomenon being accelerated by the pandemic! Social distancing has prompted a number of brands to digify in-person experiences, from clubbing to fashion shows to VR lap dances (yes, lap dances).
But VR can be used to tackle far more than entertainment. Virti is harnessing it to take on our current life-or-death scenario. This initiative shows VR experiences can become a tool to educate, to supercharge personal growth and — to that end — improve the world in vital ways. Prior to COVID, we saw early signals that organizations may adopt VR as a training tool more often; Walmart has already evaluated managers through VR, while other companies have even deployed it to prevent sexual harassment. This trend of virtual learning and leveling-up — as it bumps up against our current need to self-isolate — will likely become stronger.
Could your organization leverage VR (or other tech-fueled experiences) to deliver meaningful impacts across education, healthcare and society?
Stay healthy,
The TrendWatching content team
