US Veterans Helped in Virtual World
Military Amputees Assisted in Second Life
by Maverick Grunfeld
| As we remember the sacrifices of veterans today, the virtual world of Second Life is making strides to assist military amputees. One of the groups spearheading the effort is Virtual Ability Inc; a group in Second Life that helps enable people with a wide range of disabilities by providing a supporting environment for them to enter and thrive in online virtual worlds. The organization is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation based in Colorado, USA. Virtual Ability’s President Alice Krueger (known in Second Life as Gentle Heron) was able to take some time out of her schedule to discuss the program with me in her virtual office. |  |
| The project is named the Amputee Virtual Environment Support Space (AVESS). It has the overarching goal to provide peer support and enhance the overall quality of life for military amputees. Through online peer support activities, the hope is for individuals to improve their physical and mental wellness and increase recovery timeframes. The effort is being funded by the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) of the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC).
“For individuals with disabilities, virtual worlds are a powerful way to connect with others, to access peer support, and to participate in activities that might not otherwise be possible,” said Alice. “This project will establish the best way to adopt this technology for the unique needs of the military amputee community.” |
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| Peer support is one of basic practices for recent amputees to go through rehabilitation and gain confidence. US military statistics have shown approximately one thousand amputation injuries from 2001 to 2008. Amputations are often accompanied by additional wounds, depression, fear, phantom limb pain, and post traumatic stress disorder.
“Our mandate is to explore new technology and how it can support service personnel. This is an exciting project for TATRC because it will let us define what we see as a potentially effective way to provide another form of support to military amputees,” said Ashley Fisher, Program Manager at TATRC. |
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| AVESS ins Second Life will work on a three month trail phase for amputees and their families. The program will use the new “Second Life Enterprise” server; which will allow additional security for users as well as functionality behind government/military firewalls.
While Second Life may seem to be a different approach to providing rehabilitation support, Alice shared a problem with traditional programs and why the virtual world is a solution that allows for individuals to continue the process. “Virtual worlds are important in providing peer support for people who leave their initial source of that support. When these folks are in rehab, like in Walter Reed, they begin peer support as part of their recovery. But, then eventually they are released, and many go home, to reintegrate into civilian society. They may be very far from any of their buddies, their peers with whom they went through treatment.” |
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| “Sure they could email, but there is an immediacy of presence in a virtual world. You can go fishing with your buddies and chat about your lives. It’s more “real” and we believe that realness will help with continuing to provide peer support” added Alice. The program will not serve as prescribed therapy; rather it is an option after individuals leave military rehabilitation facilities. “What they discover is that you don’t just find a community, you find a place where you can express yourself and feel like you have a shared space. It’s powerful.”
Moving into the virtual world is not without challenges though. “Frankly, this environment will be different than the games they are used to. That’s true for all of us. We work every day with newcomers who are surprised by two major differences between SL and other online MMPOGs; 1) all this content generated by users, not by the game designer and 2) there’s no set purpose here, you have to decide for yourself what to get out of your SL experience” said Alice. “That’s what makes SL unique.”
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| The plan is to continue to work to move AVESS from the first demonstration phase to a full and complete build. Alice sees the long-term benefit of the project having a profound impact on future medical research as well as gains for other groups.
“Why not other user groups? Surely it could be adapted for veterans with PTSD, TBI, or older veterans with diabetes. Also, you can use a virtual world to explore the design of future military medical facilities or to practice procedures; such as evacuation of medical facilities in an emergency.”
On Veterans Day, Alice paused to think of the new program and how programs from the Army such as AVESS can provide them support they deserve because of their service. “Veterans with service-related disabilities are special. They were in much better physical shape before they received their injury than most of us civilians. So they can return to a much higher level of functioning. What we all hope is for their maximum recovery and return to pre-injury status.” |
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The Daily Planet SL: http://kryptonradio.com
About Virtual Ability, Inc.
Virtual Ability, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in Denver, Colorado, dedicated to enabling people with a wide range of disabilities by providing a supporting environment for them to enter and thrive in on-line virtual worlds like Second Life. For more information on Virtual Ability, Inc., including the benefits of virtual reality for people with disabilities, please see www.VirtualAbility.org.
About the Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center
The Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC) is the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command’s (USAMRMC) corporate or central laboratory for advanced technology research. Its diverse assortment of unique collaborative relationships with government, academia and industry comprise a workforce that focuses on world-class integrated research and development for the Department of Defense. TATRC’s research programs consist of seven portfolios and a new initiatives and basic science program for addressing the ever-changing world of medical requirements both on the battlefield and in hospitals of the future.
