London start-up teaching surgeons new skills via virtual reality wins Healthcare of the Year Award
A West London virtual reality firm FundamentalVR developed a VR simulation to improve the way surgeons are trained, meaning they could practice their skills during COVID-19 from anywhere. Set up in 2012, the start-ups’ advanced technology has now been deployed by hospitals around the world – enabling surgeons to experience the same sights, sounds and feeling they would in a real procedure.
FundamentalVR were also lauded for an online training tool they developed with Imperial College earlier this year. It taught redeployed nurses and doctors (in just 30 mins) how to operate ventilators under the direction of an intensive care consultant to combat issues they were seeing with training during the early days of the pandemic.
Impressed judges with their innovation, the firm won the Healthcare of the Year category for the second year running – at The Prestigious International VR Awards – held online in the world’s-first virtual reality awards ceremony on the 12th November.
Daniel Colaianni, CEO at the Academy of International Extended Reality who hosted the awards said: “This award is testament to the originality, skill and vision of its creators. Despite the constraints that COVID-19 has presented this year, it is evident that innovation and progress in delivering virtual reality to all has not been hindered and in fact has been exemplary.
The FundamentalVR @HomeVR simulation has had a massive impact on how surgeons have trained during the pandemic. Get ready to see a permanent change in traditional teaching methods as a result with VR front and centre.”