LOS ANGELES and TORONTO – SONIFI Health is this week announced a new partnership with Toronto film and TV producer Shaftesbury, through its VR division, to bring specialized therapeutic virtual reality and augmented reality products to the healthcare industry.
Working with university and hospital research partners, Shaftesbury VR is developing its content through extensive testing in specialized medical context to meet clinical goals, said the company release.
The proprietary Positive Distraction Entertainment System (PDES) “is a suite of experiences and games that promote better patient outcomes by reducing stress and pain without medication. This unique game engine dynamically adapts the experience to the individual user with the goal of creating a sense of flow, calm, and focused engagement. The intuitive clinician interface allows a high degree of control based on patient response data, and can be adapted for special requirements such as sound or light sensitivity,” reads the release.
SONIFI Health (which makes interactive patient engagement systems) integrates this advanced therapy solution, including VR head mounted displays, into its interactive patient engagement system and with hospital EMRs; in a fully integrated system, it will be simple for physicians to order distraction therapy as part of stress and pain management.
“We see a range of opportunities to connect with new audiences, in new ways, through the power of storytelling,” said Jay Bennett, SVP creative and innovation, Shaftesbury. “We are thrilled to be working with SONIFI Health to explore the promising future of VR and the life-changing difference we can make at the intersection of entertainment and healthcare.”
Shaftesbury VR currently offers 12 titles and future product offerings underway involve a virtual reality experience for children with autism spectrum disorder, created in conjunction with researchers at Toronto’s Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital’s autism research centre. Additionally, Shaftesbury VR is working on augmented reality experiences for mobile phones and tablets as well as enhanced data analytics.
