The metaverse in medicine

The application of metaverse in occupational health

Background

The metaverse, as a new digital interactive platform, is garnering significant attention and exploration across industries due to technological advancements and societal digital transformation. In occupational health, there is immense potential for leveraging the metaverse to enhance work environments and occupational health management. It offers companies more efficient and intelligent solutions for occupational health management while providing employees with safer and more comfortable work environments.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar databases to identify relevant studies published between January 2015 and March 2024. The search terms included "metaverse," "virtual reality," "occupational health," "workplace safety," "job training," and "telemedicine." The selected articles were analyzed, and key findings were summarized narratively.

Results

The review summarizes the broad application prospects of metaverse technology in immersive training, occupational risk identification and assessment, and occupational disease monitoring and diagnosis. However, applying the metaverse in occupational health also faces challenges such as inadequate technical standards, data privacy issues, human health hazards, high costs, personnel training, and lagging regulations.

Conclusion

Metaverse offers new possibilities for addressing the numerous challenges faced in occupational health and has broad application prospects. In the future, collaborative efforts from multiple stakeholders will be necessary to promote the sustainable development of metaverse technology in occupational health and better protect workers' occupational health.

Metaverse and Telementoring: From Surgery to Workshop

BACKGROUND

The Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has favored the growth of telemedicine systems and in this context the idea of Metaverse was born and developed. A 3D reality in which people can interact with each other through digital reproductions of themselves. Metaverse has already been tested in numerous medical fields due to its ability to combine visual and auditory information with tactile sensations. The purpose of this study is to highlight its potential also in its ability to be used as a telementoring place where the skills and knowledge of surgeons from all over the world can be combined.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The first HPB Surgery Workshop was held at the "Metaverse Surgical Hospital, USA". During the workshop, surgeons located in various parts of the world reported on hepatic, pancreatic and biliary tract surgery and remotely supported the execution of a robotic liver resection.

RESULTS

The Metaverse gave the opportunity for surgeons to meet and discuss HPB pathologies and its surgical strategies and for surgeons in training to interface with experts by participating in a moment of advanced training.

CONCLUSION

In the Metaverse, telementoring can be used at very low cost to improve clinical and surgical practice.