Virtual reality could be useful in the workplace, could be critical for reimagining crime scenes, and has even saved strip clubs in the midst of a pandemic. Its possibilities and applications are vast, and they are still being discovered and experimented with. New research suggests that virtual reality (VR) may be an effective treatment for anxiety.
Science now has the technology to measure the activity of every gene within a single cell, and a single experiment can generate data from thousands of cells. Researchers have now used 3D video gaming technology to revolutionize the way this data is analyzed.
Science now has the technology to measure the activity of every gene within a single cell, and a single experiment can generate data from thousands of cells. Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University have now revolutionized the way this data is analyzed by employing 3D video gaming technology. The findings were published in the journal iScience.
When you want to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells, for example, you need to examine thousands of cells to get a proper understanding, which translates into enormous amounts of numerical data.
Shamit Soneji
Advanced techniques in DNA and RNA sequencing have made it possible to study individual cells in tissue in greater depth than was previously possible. The main issue with these sequencing techniques is that they generate a large amount of data.
“When you want to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells, for example, you need to examine thousands of cells to get a proper understanding, which translates into enormous amounts of numerical data,” says Shamit Soneji, researcher in computational biology at Lund University.
To make this data more understandable, each cell is mathematically positioned in three-dimensional space to form a “roadmap” of the cells and how they interact with one another. These maps, however, can be difficult to navigate on a standard desktop computer.
“It takes on new meaning when you can walk around your own data and manipulate it intuitively and efficiently. I’d even go so far as to say that one thinks differently in VR because of the technique’s ability to involve your body in the analysis process “explains Mattias Wallergrd, a Lund University researcher in interaction design and virtual reality.
The Lund University team created CellexalVR, a virtual reality environment that allows researchers to use intuitive tools to explore all of their data in one place. 3D maps of cells calculated from gene activity and other information captured from individual cells can be displayed, and the researcher can clearly see which genes are active when certain cell types form.
Using a VR headset, the user has a complete universe of cell populations in front of them and can more accurately determine how cells relate to one another. Using two hand controllers, they can select cells of interest for further analysis using simple hand gestures as if they were physical objects.
Because space is not an issue, it is possible to have several cellular maps in the same “room” and compare them side by side, which is difficult on a traditional computer screen. Researchers from all over the world can gather in this virtual world to analyze data together.
The use of immersive, computer-generated technology in medicine, known as therapeutic virtual reality (VR), is rapidly gaining traction. In some hospitals and clinics, your doctor can already prescribe a visit to a virtual reality world to alleviate pain or anxiety or to explain a complex medical procedure or condition.
“Even if you are unfamiliar with computer programming, you can perform this type of analysis. A virtual world is a rapidly evolving field of study with enormous potential for scientists who need to access and process big data in a more interactive and collaborative manner “Shamit Soneji concludes.
