Tom Fronczak over at The Last Boss have been talking about a neat 'virtual reality' college project related to games, and which uses a wraparound screen and a shopping cart (!) to help out patients.

It's explained: "Last week my Virtual Reality college class headed out to a local hospital where an eye and ear virtual reality studio is set up for motion balance research to help patients that suffer from vertigo (constant dizzy attacks, just like in a bad RPG). The research they do extends to several other medical conditions, such as height phobias."

How did they do this? "Using their $5,000 medical grant they bought $3,000 Alienware dual processor PCs late last year and paid someone to use Unreal Tournament to make them a simple grocery store environment that patients could literally walk around in for therapy."

And what are they trying now? "Using the Unreal Engine we'll be making a level for their patients who have a height phobia - basically making a huge ass map that scares the crap out of them. Using the facility's habitual therapy sessions and facing their fears in a safer virtual environment several times a week, hopefully their brain can let them overcome their fear." This is... interesting!