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As more and more technologies support the upcoming Metaverse, virtual reality is one of them (Pearl, 2022). The latest news going around in the land of VR is the release of Anatomage VR, a VR application enabling users to explore real human bodies in the metaverse (Sprigg, 2022). This VR application enables medical students to actually see through a real human body – users can trace veins, arteries, blood flow, and much more aspects of human anatomy.

Not only does the application allow medical students to examine the human anatomy in VR, but it also enables medical students to analyze real-life pathology cases of 300+ CT & MRI scans of actual patients (Foster, 2022). VR can be used in other forms of anatomy education too, like dissection simulations, surgical simulations, and also patient care simulations (Karbasi & Kalhori, 2020). It also has many more benefits for medical students, like increased motivation and more engagement during lessons, as well as fewer distractions (Primal Pictures, 2020).

Now – I think it has become clear to you that VR and the Metaverse offer various benefits to medical students when it comes to human anatomy learnings. But can they fully replace teacher-led learning? One can argue that it will replace teacher-led learning for various reasons, the most prominent one being that the knowledge retention rate of teacher-led learning still surpasses the knowledge retention rate of VR learning (Primal Pictures, 2020). However, one very significant benefit is that VR and the Metaverse, but also similar technologies ensure a safe and risk-free learning space, improving outcomes and also making students feel more comfortable.

I would say these technologies are definitely at the future of medical education. Even though knowledge retention rate is still somewhat lower compared to teacher-led learning, the pros definitely outweigh the cons if you would ask me. Please let me know if you think otherwise 😉

Foster, J. (2022, October 4). Anatomy VR brings Interactive Anatomy Learning to The Metaverse. Retrieved from PR Newswire: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/anatomage-vr-brings-interactive-anatomy-learning-to-the-metaverse-301639704.html

Karbasi, Z., & Kalhori, S. R. (2020). Application and evaluation of virtual technologies for anatomy education to medical students: A review. Medical Journal of the Islamic Republic of Iran 34(163).

Pearl, A. (2022, June 7). Five Technologies that Power the Metaverse. Retrieved from Data Science Central: https://www.datasciencecentral.com/five-technologies-that-power-the-metaverse/

Primal Pictures. (2022, October 3). Could the Metaverse help drive the future of anatomy education? Retrieved from Primal Pictures: https://www.primalpictures.com/blogs/metaverse-future-anatomy-education/

Sprigg, S. (2022, October 5). Anatomage VR brings interactive anatomy learning to the metaverse. Retrieved from Auganix: https://www.datasciencecentral.com/five-technologies-that-power-the-metaverse/

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For the past few years, e-sports (competitive computer games) have become increasingly more popular, even though turnover generated from e-sports still take up only a small portion of the total turnover in the gaming industry. Back in the days, videogames targeted younger people, whereas nowadays adults are just as big of a target audience. Videogames have been played for many decades, but there has been a shift in how people think of competitively playing games. Some people actively lobby for e-sports to become an official sport. In the Netherlands, lobbyists have been trying to make sure e-sports is officially recognized as a real sport. If they succeed to do so, e-sports can enjoy benefits that top athletes also have (Heisen, 2022). Many countries have already recognized e-sports as an official sport (ESports, 2022)

However, there seems to be some controversy around this topic. It seems that there are two camps – the ones in favour of e-sports, and the ones against e-sports. The latter camp justifies their viewpoint by arguing that e-sports are not sports because direct physicality lacks, whole-body skills are not employed, and various other reasons that imply that computer games are not physically enough (Parry, 2019). On the contrary, the pro-esports camp argues that e-sport athletes must have a good stamina, a balance diet, and most of them even have a sports coach to track their physical performance (Heisen, 2022).

So, let’s go back to if e-sports athletes deserve to be recognized as top athletes. Cause if we do say these e-sports athletes are top athletes, will they be exempted from regular gym classes in high school (like top athletes are now in some high school), simply to play videogames? Are we making e-sports part of the Olympic sports too? In my opinion, I understand that top athletes in e-sports are on strict diets and must be fit to play video games for long, consecutive hours. If they are competing in big tournaments and making a professional career out of it, I would understand they enjoy similar benefits to top athletes. However, I am not of the opinion that e-sports should become part of the Olympic games – simply because I think it is more a mind sports, rather than a physical sports. But who knows, maybe I am being too old fashioned. The future should prove which camp is right – pro-esports, or the more conservative camp…

ESports. (2022). Is esports a sport? Countries where esports is considered a sport. Retrieved from Esports News: https://www.esports.net/wiki/guides/is-esports-a-sport/

Heisen, E. (2022, October 11). E-sports worden steeds populairder in Nederland, maar andere lopen voor. Retrieved from Nu: https://www.nu.nl/tech/6229039/e-sports-worden-steeds-populairder-in-nederland-maar-andere-landen-lopen-voor.html

Parry, J. (2019). E-sports are not sports. Ethics and Philosophy 13(1), 3-18.

The future of human anatomy? Anatomage VR & the Metaverse

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E-sports: a real sport, or just a game?

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