What's it like to die? This VR tech shows you
What's the story
In a groundbreaking effort to promote understanding of aging, illness, and end-of-life care, California-based company Embodied Labs has created a virtual reality (VR) program.
The one-of-a-kind simulation gives users an immersive experience of the last moments in the life of a terminally ill patient.
Star Tribune writer Richard Chin recently tried one such intense simulation, stepping into the shoes of Clay Crowder—a 66-year-old man diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.
Immersive experience
A journey through Clay's final days
The VR simulation starts with a doctor's appointment, where Clay and his family learn about the futility of further treatment.
The doctor gently steers them toward accepting palliative care as the best option.
The journey then unfolds through Clay's final days, letting Chin see the world through Clay's eyes.
He witnesses his struggles with breathlessness, bluish fingertips, and a temporary see-through skin condition—all while being surrounded by loved ones.
Authenticity
Realistic elements enhance the simulation
The VR experience features realistic elements like conversations about catheters and feeding tubes, and a hospice nurse advising them to let the "natural process" unfold.
At one point, the nurse even asks Clay's family if they have told him that it's all right for him to go.
As the experience comes to an end, a poem is read aloud as Clay's vision fades out.
Application
VR experiences used in medical training
Embodied Labs also provides VR experiences simulating conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, hearing and vision loss, social isolation, and aging as an LGBTQ person.
At the University of Minnesota, these VR experiences are used by medical and mortuary science students to gain insight into the challenges of older people.
Janet McGee from the mortuary science program said students often feel frustrated when treated like children—a sentiment echoed in one simulation involving a 74-year-old man named Alfred with hearing and vision difficulties.
Company evolution
Embodied Labs: A journey from vision loss to VR
Carrie Shaw, the CEO and Founder of Embodied Labs, was inspired to start the company after caring for her mother with early-onset of Alzheimer's.
She started by using tape on safety goggles to simulate vision loss for other caregivers—an idea that eventually evolved into full-scale VR experiences via real video and actors.
"We're really trying to capture the narrative of real lived experiences," Shaw said, highlighting the company's mission.