Starting this fall, students at the University of Charleston, West Virginia (UCWV) will study human anatomy in 3D, with the launch of a dedicated virtual reality (VR) lab, through a partnership with Perspectus, Inc., a Colorado-based virtual and mixed reality technology firm.

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“We are excited to offer virtual reality technology to enhance student learning,” shared University of Charleston President Marty Roth. “As soon as we experienced the Perspectus demo, we knew this would be a gamechanger for core courses like Anatomy and Physiology, and in specialized healthcare programs like Nursing, Radiology, and Physician Assistant. The three-dimensional, highly customizable imaging dramatically enhances students’ depth of understanding. And we can work with our hospital and other healthcare partner organizations to integrate content students will see in their clinical rotations, externships, and other applied learning settings, thereby providing better career preparation.”

Completed in August 2022, the UCWV lab is one of the most advanced VR Education Labs in the country, featuring 30 high-powered computers with high resolution headsets to access the Perspectus VR technology. The lab will have a soft launch this fall and eventually be used in multiple programs by Spring 2023, including Biology, Radiologic Science, Nursing and Physician Assistant programs.

Perspectus VR allows users to enter a virtual world where they can manipulate anatomical structures and view them from every angle and enlarged to any size. Layers of muscle, blood vessels, and bones can be added, removed, marked on, or shaded in different colors to show their interrelated parts. Users can also render patient radiology images, such as an MRI or CT scans, to view them in true 3D.

“No matter how accurate a textbook or digital image is, there will always be a breakdown in communication and understanding when students are shown two-dimensional versions of three-dimensional structures. Perspectus VR solves this problem by showing images as they appear in nature - eliminating the need to translate the data,” says Erick Miranda, Chief Operating Officer of Perspectus. During early testing at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Perspectus VR increased understanding of spatial relationships and anatomical systems for 87% of students.

“We are continually exploring the latest technological innovations that can enhance student learning and move our students to the forefront of their area of study,” added University of Charleston CIO Scott Terry. “With this new VR lab, we’re not only helping our students build the critical reasoning necessary to provide quality care, we’re preparing them for a future where technology will improve the access to and quality of healthcare and medicine.”

University of Charleston is the largest & fastest-growing private, non-profit institution of higher education in the state of West Virginia. Based in Denver, Colorado, Perspectus, Inc. is the industry leader in VR, using its patented software platform to provide VR solutions to higher education, healthcare and commercial users.

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