Holograms central to new program
A cutting-edge development in the USC School of Social Work will give graduate students an unprecedented chance to study war-related traumas through interaction with 3-D holograms.
Since August, USC has offered a sub-concentration in military social work and veteran services, a program that emphasizes the treatment of veterans suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder and other war-related afflictions.
Once the already-approved $3.2 million grant clears Congress early next year, however, the program will feature a more interactive approach, giving students the chance to analyze hypothetical war-related traumas using holograms.
The hologram technology, which uses spinning mirrors to project a 3-D floating head into a confined area, is completely ready for use, said Anthony Hassan, inaugural director of the USC Center for Research and Innovation on Veterans and Military Families.
“The use of virtual humans is something very new within the School of Social Work,” Jose Coll, director of Military Social Work and Veteran Services at USC, wrote in an email. “And for that matter, we are the only school of social work that will be using virtual humans for training.”
The virtual human technology, co-developed by the School of Social Work and the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, is the first of its kind nationwide, Coll said. It features holographic images programmed based on behavior typically exhibited by veterans.
So far, three holographic avatars have been developed. One suffers from PTSD, one has severe depression and one has been a victim of a military sexual trauma. Hassan said the school hopes the simulations will help students later interact with real troops who have these same issues.
“We want to be the nation’s consultant as it relates to treatment of veterans and their families,” Hassan said. “And USC has developed the competence to really lead the way in this effort.”
Research gathered by the US Department of Defense shows one in five service members deployed to war in the last five years returns with PTSD or similar war-related traumas. Those with PTSD face a significantly higher likelihood of substance abuse, marital problems and suicide, and only 53 percent of these veterans and service members have sought treatment.
The School of Social Work is also working to develop an online platform that would offer similar interactive courses on the Internet, and the school hopes to extend the program to those outside of the school. The platform is expected to launch by next summer.
“We’re working with ICT to develop an online platform so a student in Minnesota could have the experience of interacting with a military patient in as realistic a way as possible using the given technology,” Hassan said.
Hassan emphasized that this component of the program is not merely an online replication of the content offered in the school’s courses.
“[The online platform] is state of the art and interactive — almost at the point of virtual reality,” Hassan said. “There’s interactive media, there’s testimonial videos from veterans … We’re implementing the avatar online so students can interact with a virtual patient from their laptop.”
Carolann Peterson, a part-time lecturer in the School of Social Work whose expertise is PTSD, said she believes the program takes the right steps toward treating soldiers with PTSD and other similar problems.
“In our new tech age, we need to take advantage of anything and everything that will assist veterans who are returning with PTSD,” Peterson said.
Peterson also said the school’s programs, along with veteran administrative programs, offer a sense of community that will help soldiers who want to return to school and readjust to civilian life.
“We want them to know that we not only welcome them back, but also that we understand them and are here to help,” Peterson said.
Using virtual humans would not surprise me as today we’ve reached at the peak as far as technology is concerned and it has made our lives very easy and effortless. Despite, the fact that it has some disadvantages too, but using it for the benefit of mankind is favorable.
Thank you Dr. England for your comments. Yes, there is a very important need across the United States and abroad for mental health providers to be current on evidence-based practices and familiar with military culture to be most effective in treating the invisible wounds of war to both veterans and their families. Are sub-concentration in the Master’s Degree of Social Work includes a course specific to military families along with three other courses related to Trauma, Health and Culture. Finally, in regards to your comment about educating and training students and professionals through a CEU or certificate program, we are going to do just that. We will have a four-course sequence certificate and CEU courses online before Aug 2010. These courses will be highly interactive with modules incorporating the latest in Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence that can be packaged in an online course. It should be noted that we are the only research university educating and training social workers and mental health providers with evidence-based curriculum delivered using virtual reality and artificial intelligence both in the classroom and online. Thanks again.
It’s great to see that USC is developing this program because certainly, there is going to be a great need for psychotherapists who can deal effectively with war veterans and their families for years to come. However, have you also considered engaging in a nationwide continuing education program for existing therapists–perhaps some type of a certificate program that might be done online as well as with a brief residency at USC, for example? As a clinical social worker who has worked with the military and their families overseas, I recognize the importance of understanding the military culture and lifestyle. Furthermore, therapists must be kept abreast of the research—what’s most effective with individuals who present with more complex cases of PTSD, for example, than PTSD stemming from car accidents—historically the biggest source of PTSD cases. By the way, I would hope that your students find “The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Relationship: How to Support Your Partner and Keep Your Relationship Healthy” helpful. It has been endorsed by military leaders, described by the “Library Journal” as “essential for communities with returning war veterans,” and appears on the recommended reading list at Cornell Medical College’s Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies.
Thank you Dr. England for your comments. Yes, there is a very important need across the United States and abroad for mental health providers to be current on evidence-based practices and familiar with military culture to be most effective in treating the invisible wounds of war to both veterans and their families. Are sub-concentration in the Master’s Degree of Social Work includes a course specific to military families along with three other courses related to Trauma, Health and Culture. Finally, in regards to your comment about educating and training students and professionals through a CEU or certificate program, we are going to do just that. We will have a four-course sequence certificate and CEU courses online before Aug 2010. These courses will be highly interactive with modules incorporating the latest in Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence that can be packaged in an online course. It should be noted that we are the only research university educating and training social workers and mental health providers with evidence-based curriculum delivered using virtual reality and artificial intelligence both in the classroom and online. Thanks again.