Shaun Bierweiler, formerly senior vice president of public sector at Riverbed Technology, has elevated to the role of chief revenue officer of the San Francisco-based information technology company. Bierweiler disclosed his promotion in a LinkedIn job update posted Wednesday. In October 2020, he joined Riverbed from Cloudera, where he spent four yea...
Deakin University in Melbourne has entered a strategic relationship with hybrid cloud company Cloudera to deliver deeper data insights into 8.8 million data events, levelling up on teaching and learning outcomes for its 60,000 students.
The university has selected Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) to achieve the next phase of its digital transformation journey.
Through its strategic data investment, Deakin University plans to become more data-driven and Excellerate the teaching and learning experience for its 60,000 students.
Remaining future-proof in Australia’s highly competitive higher education market is mission critical, according to Deakin University.
In modernising its data architecture aims to strengthen its personalised learning pathways and also heighten operational efficiencies.
Using CDP, Cloudera says that Deakin’s IT teams can now ingest and process more than 8.8 million data events per day from disparate systems, including learning management, registrar, administration, and occupancy analytics.
The university has also upgraded its learning management system with analytics that provide insights into student learning patterns, providing real-time understanding of how to Excellerate teaching and student learning outcomes.
Teaching staff are also able to access various data sources via Deakin’s CDP learning analytics dashboard to provide more personalised and targeted support to students.
Faster access to usable data insights enables Deakin University to develop comprehensive profiles of student campus experiences and the many ways students interact with academic staff and learning materials.
Armed with this knowledge of student learning patterns, university leadership, faculty, and staff plan to deliver more engaging lessons aligned to learning preferences and future workplace needs.
Deakin University’s Chief Digital Officer, Craig Warren said that CDP is giving the University crucial insights to Excellerate its data collection and analysis strategy.
Craig Warren
“Deakin University partnered with Cloudera to capture and better understand key student data to realize the next phase of our digital transformation,” Warren said.
“Providing improved and enhanced teaching and learning experiences is integral to our digital strategy and Cloudera Data Platform helps us deliver this.
“The collaboration has not only generated significant value for current students but supports the university’s future plans to deliver data analytics capabilities to more departments.”
“Australia is one of the world’s most competitive higher education sectors,” said Keir Garrett, vice president, Cloudera Australia and New Zealand.
“Investing in a modern data infrastructure ensures Deakin has the ‘data intelligence’ to really understand the needs of today’s students while also anticipating how this might change in the future.
“Our team at Cloudera is delighted to be supporting Deakin on their data transformation journey as we are equally passionate about equipping students with the skills and knowledge they will need to thrive in the workplaces of tomorrow.”
, the hybrid data company, today announced Cloudera Partner Network, a redesigned partner program that recognizes and rewards partners for their contribution to Cloudera's go-to-market success. Cloudera Partner Network includes a competency-based, points-driven approach to leverage expanded program opportunities, more comprehensive tools, and support, and industry-leading incentives and promotions. The program was designed to help partners guide their customers to adopt modern data strategies based on the Cloudera hybrid data platform. Cloudera Partner Network replaces the Cloudera Connect partner program.
“Our extensive partner network helps us reach new markets and customers. Investing in the channel means that more businesses, across all verticals, will be able to go beyond data to accelerate their business,” said Rachel Tuller, Head of Global Partner Strategy and Alliances.“Partners drive growth for us while helping their customers make the most of their data and insights, in any cloud. We have listened to their feedback, evaluated their needs, and launched a new program to help them thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Cloudera Partner Network represents an increased investment in the channel to ensure each partner derives tangible value as we continue to grow together.”
“Cloudera has always focused on helping businesses make the most of their data. The new Cloudera Partner Network will help us build more strategic relationships, add more value to our customers and close larger, more profitable deals,” said Baz Khuti, President at Modak USA.“The new incentives, tools, and training resources will better support our customers on their data and digital transformation journeys.”
Members will enjoy the following benefits through the Cloudera Partner Network:
● Improved and enhanced tools to better enable and support go-to-market, such as an intuitive Marketing Automation Platform and Asset Library
● Increased financial commitment through new rebate and market development fund programs
● Enhanced training and enablement, with a dedicated Partner Success Team
● Program benefits that support the delivery of the new CDP One SaaS solution
- Shortened time-to-market capabilities with FastTrack Onboarding Program
Cloudera Partner Network is tier-based. As partners collect points and earn competencies, they advance through the levels – Member, Select, Premier, and Strategic. At each tier, they receive access to exclusive discounts and other membership benefits, including access to the new analyst-recommended CDP One SaaS solution.
About Cloudera
At Cloudera, we believe data can make what is impossible today, possible tomorrow. Cloudera taught the world the value of big data, creating an industry and ecosystem powered by the relentless innovation of the open-source community. We empower our customers, leaders in their industries, to transform complex data into clear and actionable insights. Through our hybrid data platform, organizations are able to build their data-driven future by getting data - no matter where it resides - into the hands of those who need it. Learn more at Cloudera.com.
Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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Craig Warren (Deakin University)
Enterprise data management software vendor Cloudera has supplied management and analytics technology to Deakin University through a collaboration deal in order for it to better facilitate its 60,000 students.
The university has taken up Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) which the vendor claims will see it reach the next stage of its digital transformation journey.
Cloudera claimed the new system can help Deakin University process over 8.8 million data events per day from disparate systems, including learning management, registrar, administration and occupancy analytics.
It also upgraded its learning management systems with analytics, providing insights into student learning patterns, while teaching staff can access data sources via the university’s CDP learning analytics dashboard to offer personalised and targeted student support.
“Providing improved and enhanced teaching and learning experiences is integral to our digital strategy and Cloudera Data Platform helps us deliver this,” said Deakin University chief digital officer Craig Warren.
“The collaboration has not only generated significant value for current students but supports the university’s future plans to deliver data analytics capabilities to more departments.”
Cloudera’s agreement with Deakin University comes months after the vendor was announced to be supplying private cloud-native data engineering capabilities to the Department of Defence in August for a $329.7 million defence e-health system replacement contract under a consortium led by Leidos Australia.
ATLANTA -- Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.
U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta gave Todd Chrisley 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley got seven years behind bars, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Atlanta. Each is to serve three years supervised release afterward, and Ross also ordered them to pay restitution in an amount to be determined later.
The Chrisleys gained fame with their show “Chrisley Knows Best,” which follows their tight-knit, boisterous family. Federal prosecutors said the couple engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyle.
“The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work,” prosecutors wrote in a pre-sentencing court filing. “The jury's unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner.”
Attorneys for Todd Chrisley, 54, had argued in a court filing that he should not face more than nine years in prison. Lawyers for Julie Chrisley, 49, said a reasonable sentence for her would be probation with special conditions and no prison time.
The Chrisleys were convicted in June on charges of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.
Peter Tarantino, 60, an accountant hired by the couple, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS and willfully filing false tax returns. He was sentenced Monday to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors have said the Chrisleys submitted fake documents to banks and managed to secure more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Once that scheme fell apart, they walked away from their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, they started their reality show and “flaunted their wealth and lifestyle to the American public,” prosecutors wrote, and then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.
The Chrisleys also submitted a false document to a grand jury that was investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. Neither has shown any remorse and they have, instead, blamed others for their criminal conduct, prosecutors wrote.
“The Chrisleys are unique given the varied and wide-ranging scope of their fraudulent conduct and the extent to which they engaged in fraud and obstructive behavior for a prolonged period of time,” prosecutors said.
Todd Chrisley's lawyers said in a filing that the government never produced any evidence that he meant to defraud the banks, and that the loss amount calculated was incorrect. They also noted that the offenses were committed a long time ago and said he has no serious criminal history and has medical conditions that “would make imprisonment disproportionately harsh.”
His lawyers had also submitted letters from friends and business associates that show “a history of good deeds and striving to help others.” People who rely on Chrisley — including his mother and the many people employed by his television shows — will be harmed while he's in prison, they argued.
They urged the judge to deliver him a prison sentence below the guideline range followed by supervised release and restitution.
Julie Chrisley's lawyers contended that she played a minimal role in the conspiracy and was not involved when the loans discussed in sentencing documents were obtained. She has no prior convictions, is an asset to her community and has “extraordinary family obligations,” her lawyers wrote, as they asked for a sentence of probation, restitution and community service.
The Chrisleys have three children together, including one who is 16, and also full custody of the 10-year-old daughter of Todd Chrisley's son from a prior marriage. Julie Chrisley is the primary caregiver to her ailing mother-in-law, according to the filing.
Her lawyers also submitted letters from character witnesses describing her as “hard-working, unfailingly selfless, devoted to her family and friend, highly respected by all who know her, and strong of character.”
Rendering of AR glasses using the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform
QualcommDespite the technical challenges and lack of economical platforms for augmented reality (AR), the concept still holds huge potential for both commercial and consumer applications. Some, including Tirias Research, even believe that AR devices could be one of the alternative platforms to the rectangular bricks we call smartphones that everyone carries today. Like so many other electronic platforms, making AR a reality requires new technology, new usage models, and new business models that will evolve over a few generations before the entire ecosystem matures enough and price points finally reach a point where AR makes sense for the masses. Tirias Research estimates that this may be five to ten years, but Qualcomm just took a significant step to making this future a reality with the introduction of the company’s first chipset platform designed specifically for the performance, power, and size constraints of AR glasses.
Overview of the 3-chip/module Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform
QualcommOn the second day of the Snapdragon Tech Summit, Qualcomm announced the new Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform. The AR2 is significant because it is based on realistic requirements for AR glasses, which includes high levels of compute power and high-speed connectivity, and it recognizes the need for light weight and practical, if not fashionable, design. The Snapdragon AR2 platform partitions the various silicon blocks into three modules that are spaced around the glasses, which allows for sleeker and more comfortable designs. The three modules include an AR processor, an AR coprocessor, and a Wi-Fi connectivity module. The AR processor and co-processor work with a host processor in a smartphone, PC, or even a network to provide a distributed computing architecture complete with the heterogeneous, sensor, and AI processing capabilities native to the Snapdragon platform. The connectivity module leverages Wi-Fi 7 and uses simultaneous, high-band multi-link RF channels to provide up to 5.8Gbps high-speed/high-bandwidth connectivity between the glasses and the processing host (like a smartphone).
Interconnectivity and operation of the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform with a host processor/platform
QualcommToday, current AR/VR/MR (augmented reality, virtual reality, mixed reality – also referred to as XR) solutions typically use a single SoC for processing and connectivity. While this single-chip solution is optimal for many platforms like smartphones, it is challenging to integrate large SoCs into petite form factors like glasses. Not only does breaking up the platform into multiple components provide for better weight distribution and balance for AR glasses, the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform also reduces the wiring requirements to the distributed battery and distributed sensors by 45%, printed circuit board (PCB) area by 40%, the processor power consumption by 50%, and the Wi-Fi power consumption by 40% compared to the single-SoC Snapdragon XR2 platform
Summary of the features and benefits of the Qualcomm Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform
QualcommBuilt on the advanced TSMC 4nm process and optimized for AR processing requirements, the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform provides a 2.5x increase in Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing compared to the XR2 platform while operating at less than 1W. The AR2 platform also achieves less than a 2ms latency over Wi-Fi and 9ms motion-to-photon latency (the lag between the user making a motion and it being displayed on the display).
The new platform will also leverage Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces XR developer environment, which is built on the OpenXR standards and has been quickly adopted by a broad ecosystem, including AR and VR system OEMs Honor, Motorola, Nubia, OnePlus, Oppo, RedMagic, Sharp, Vivo, Xiaomi, and ZTE. At the Snapdragon Tech Summit, Qualcomm also announced partnerships with Adobe for Universal Scene Description (USD) support, Microsoft for its Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) support, and Niantic for its Lightship toolset support. Both Qualcomm and Niantic also announced AR glasses based on the Qualcomm AR2 Gen 1 platform that serve as developer platforms.
Overview of the Snapdragon Spaces XR developer environment
QualcommOne of the key points about the Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform is that it will be paired with a host processing solution. Eventually, that will just be a cloud connection, but in the short-term, the host will likely be a nearby smartphone, PC, or a small, pocket-sized processing solution, often referred to as a puck. While neither Qualcomm nor any of its partners currently offer a small pocket-sized puck device for AR, other than a smartphone, Qualcomm did introduce the Snapdragon Developer Kit, which could serve as a reference design for such a solution.
Sample design and medical AR applications
QualcommTirias Research believes that technology advances, combined with new usage and business models, will shift mobile personal computing away from smartphones to other form factors, including AR, over the next decade. While there is still much to be done, the efforts by Qualcomm to develop an AR-specific platform and an open developer environment are critical steps toward enabling the industry.
The volume, velocity and variety of data that organizations are dealing with has increased dramatically in recent years. While all this data poses new challenges to leaders — especially in the U.S. government — it can also unlock troves of important organizational insights if collected, analyzed and harnessed with the right tools.
Rob Carey, president of Cloudera Government Solutions, believes “the future is the commoditization of data,” and he’s working to deliver his customers a one-stop shop for leveraging data to drive better, quicker and more informed decision making.
Carey’s career encompasses senior executive-level positions across government and industry and notably includes posts such as Principal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense and CIO of the Department of the Navy. During Carey’s tenure at the DOD, he oversaw the development of the department’s first ever cloud strategy, and led the modernization of standards for national security systems across government, giving him a wealth of knowledge and an intimate familiarity with the challenges and opportunities of using the network to drive mission success in government.
GovCon Wire sat down with Carey to learn more about the data challenges public sector organizations are facing, how emerging technologies are changing the data landscape, where Cloudera’s strategic vision is taking the company and more.
Read below for Rob Carey’s full Executive Spotlight interview.
GovCon Wire: What can you tell us about Cloudera’s recent growth initiatives? What do you hope to accomplish in the coming year, and are there any new markets that you’re keeping an eye on in the federal sector?
Carey: “Cloudera is developing an industry-leading hybrid, multi-cloud data management capability. What that means is that it doesn’t matter where an organization’s data is or where it wants it to go. We’ll be able to ‘command and control’ the data from a single pane of glass and help locate, move and analyze it, then run state-of-the-art analytics to help organizations make better informed decisions and provide essential insights.
We build software for complex problems. The first mile of the data journey (locating and moving) is not a terribly complex problem, but it can be, depending on the number and volume of data sources. Cybersecurity is a complex, data-centric problem, but moving log data from edge devices to a central location for analysis, or to analyze in support of the customer, is but the first critical step.
Once necessary data is identified, the agency is in a good place to do curation, reporting, servicing and of course analytics (AI/ML). For example, understanding performance data from a fleet of aircraft or vehicles, when properly instrumented, can lead to better operational performance as well as savings associated with the cost of maintenance. Those types of projects help us solve the government’s real-life mission problems.
One of our big initiatives is to not sell a platform, but sell a solution. Platform-based solutions require work to hone in on being a solution. Once we understand a specific problem, we deliver a solution that solves that problem — that’s what government agencies are looking for. In order to do all this, we’re building and delivering solution demonstrations of our code in real time. Almost everyone who’s seen our code operate in real time has said, ‘Wow, I need that, I want that right now.’ It’s been very eye-opening. As we do live demonstrations in front of government agencies, they can see we’re not selling a platform.”
GCW: How are partnerships helping Cloudera expand its position in the federal marketplace, drive innovation and new capabilities and ultimately help complete your company’s mission?
Carey: “We go to market through partners, not directly. Carahsoft is our main distributor for our software, providing us flexibility to better serve the government while utilizing experts to manage the interface with government agencies directly.
We also have partnerships with system integrators and Value Added Resellers. We’ve created an ecosystem of partners that helps identify a problem we can help solve and get a response back to the market as soon as possible to solve that particular agency’s problem.
These partners act as another set of eyes and ears that help us understand potential problems we can solve. They know our code and what we’re capable of doing. We can provide professional services and the software to help deliver a solution on behalf of the customer. Partners broaden our ability to serve the government. We have to rely on partners letting us know what can and can’t be done, who needs what and where. If we have six or seven solutions in these demos, we know which one to take to which partners. So that’s helping keep our business growing.”
GCW: On that note, how can industry and the federal government collaborate better in order to accelerate innovation and meet emerging mission needs?
Carey: “This is a great question. When I was in government, I believed the relationship with industry needs to be very transparent. If industry knew what we needed done — in enough detail, they could help me get there. And no matter what the problem was, they could tell me how they might be able to solve it. Trust relationships between industry and government are essential.
Collaboration and transparency between government and industry is really crucial for the government to be successful. Agencies don’t always have the employees, skills or tools needed to solve operational problems that materialize. They must have support contractors, FSIs, OEMs and software vendors to collaborate and deliver an outcome on behalf of the government.
What sometimes gets in the way is the fear of making a mistake in an acquisition. There’s a fear of letting somebody know information they shouldn’t know. One of the challenges with the acquisition process is that at times, the ‘system’ does not reward risk taking, it rewards protecting the government from liability, sometimes at the expense of timeliness and mission requirements.
Collaboration between government and industry can manifest itself in several different ways. For example, many agencies host industry days where they can provide what is needed and approximately when. This information helps industry help the government.”
GCW: With the influence of emerging technologies impacting every aspect of business, how is Cloudera driving digital transformation efforts and staying ahead of innovation in the federal landscape for yourself and your customers?
Carey: “The technology train is an Acela. In the government five years ago, chief data officers didn’t exist. Chief data and artificial intelligence officers didn’t exist. This is now a position codified in law. These people are responsible for transforming their respective departments and agencies into data-centric organizations and to use data to drive mission success, and that’s awesome!
The emerging technologies you’ve heard of, like AI and ML, which are very complex — those technologies require somebody really skilled at data management or data engineering to evaluate, ‘Where does that play for me?’ And does the government have enough of those? Does industry have enough of those very smart people? The answer is ‘no.’
Digital transformation is going to be enabled by visibility into data and querying the data for insights that heretofore have not been seen. Until we have the ability to do that, and have the people that can also do that, we’re watching the game from outside the fence, and you really want to be on the field.
With emerging technologies in data, there are several things in the open source community that are becoming powerful enablers, like the Iceberg technologies, Ranger, Impala and Hive — they perform these nuanced functions that really are powerful in enabling customers to diagnose, modify and manipulate the data in a way that they need to get to this insight that will enable leaders to make decisions.
Transformation is really about becoming more efficient and effective as an organization. Can the agency perform functions using less resources to get a better answer? When you understand data is the key to all of that, you want to start focusing on, ‘How do I harness that data? What technologies will enable me to do that? Am I willing to use proprietary data? Should I use cloud computing to do that?’
Cloud computing is a powerful tool that’s applicable for certain things, but it’s not applicable for every workload. So it’s necessary to understand a little bit about the environment you’re engaging in, what decisions you want to make and the level of resources you have to start your digital transformation journey. The operational outcome you’re trying to get to is, ‘Am I serving more constituents with less money?’ And certainly data can be the center of that.
Once you understand data and have your workforce trained (or you have somebody doing it for you) you have the ability to run fast and really start providing insights to senior leaders that they didn’t have before.
The future, as I see it, is commoditization of data and enabling many more people to access tools which harness big data to drive informed decisions.”
Enhanced access and management of hybrid data will accelerate PTT Oil and Retail Business's creation of Thailand's first ever integrated retail and fueling customer experience.
SINGAPORE, Nov. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cloudera, the hybrid data company, today announced that Thai oil and retail corporation PTT Oil and Retail Business Public and Company Limited (OR) has chosen Cloudera to create the country's first ever integrated retail and fueling customer experience through the enhancement of their data analytical capabilities. OR is taking steps to implement the Cloudera Data Platform (CDP) to power its new data and analytics platform that delivers insights, providing OR with a clearer view of their customers while enhancing customer engagement by offering a unified and personalized experience across OR's 1,900 gas stations and 3,000 retail branches. This optimized use of data analytics will also drive the overall transformation of OR's digital infrastructure, enabling the company to leverage new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and geo-analytics to accelerate operational processes.
The consolidation of Petroleum Authority of Thailand Public Company Limited's oil and retail businesses to form OR has brought the management of linked businesses, such as cafes located at gas stations, closer together. Customers' interactions with OR's business subsidiaries across multiple touch points generated vast amounts of data to map the customer journey and develop integrated and personalized omni-channel experiences for its digitally savvy customers. These customer insights would also inform future marketing and promotional strategies to expand OR's local business presence. To leverage this data in achieving higher business growth, OR needed a flexible, efficient and secure solution to manage their enterprise data in a new analytics platform that serves as a single source of truth and to democratize data access to their employees spanning different business units for analysis.
OR is working with Cloudera to design and migrate their existing data platform onto Cloudera's hybrid data solution. OR has selected CDP as the best fit solution to speedily access and manage their data stored across their various cloud and on-premises environments, with the goal for full implementation by 2024. Key challenges that OR seeks to address include seamless and secure access to and delivery of structured and unstructured data stored across multiple environments, organization and scale of data across the data lifecycle, and integrated security and governance that will enable the application of new technologies such as geo-analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance operational processes. With the ability to tap on real-time insights, OR will be able to deliver personalized services by integrating offerings from its multiple business units and subsidiaries. This will also help reduce time spent on other business processes such as franchising, as the technologies could automate location leasing requests from franchise owners of OR's food and beverage businesses across Thailand.
"At OR, we see data as 'the new gold' and are glad to have chosen to work with Cloudera to implement the technology crucial for realizing our business strategy. We are interested in CDP's ability to harness both on-premises and cloud-based data, which makes it an ideal solution for our hybrid data architecture. With CDP, we are looking to build a platform to democratize our enterprise data and enhance our analysis, which will help us better understand our customers to create impactful and personalized experiences. This will also provide us with the right structured data to support new technological applications. We are looking forward to harnessing the full potential of hybrid data with Cloudera," said K.Wison Suntharachan, Senior Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Sustainability, OR
"Customers today are seeking more personalized, omni-channel experiences. Data is an important resource in creating these experiences, by providing the pieces needed to form a robust understanding of customers' needs and wants. OR's vast amounts of data, available through their businesses, provides the perfect opportunity. Cloudera is delighted to provide the platform needed for OR to turn this data into meaningful experiences for customers," said Remus Lim, Vice President, Asia Pacific and Japan, Cloudera.
About Cloudera
At Cloudera, we believe data can make what is impossible today, possible tomorrow. Cloudera taught the world the value of data, creating an industry and ecosystem powered by the relentless innovation of the open source community. We empower our customers, leaders in their industries, to transform complex data into clear and actionable insights. Through our hybrid data platform, organizations are able to build their data-driven future by getting data, no matter where it resides, into the hands of those that need it. Learn more at Cloudera.com.
Cloudera and associated marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cloudera, Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE Cloudera, Inc.
I don’t think anyone can really be prepared for their first time using a virtual reality headset. Technology has become such a familiarized part of our lives that I think its brilliance can sometimes be lost on us, but virtual reality has given people a taste of something they’ve never experienced before. Virtual reality isn’t a technology that simply complements our lives, it’s a technology that brings our lives into an entirely new reality.
It’s no wonder that virtual reality’s impact has been far-reaching. You can be transported to any corner of the world and feel like you’re really there. You can purchase movie tickets and watch a film in a VR cinema with your friends. And of course, you can play a huge variety of video games that make you feel like you’re part of the action.
So, what does this have to do with healthcare? While virtual reality applications don’t seem like they’d have much use in the healthcare industry, VR has proven to be a valuable tool in treatment and care. Medical teams have used virtual reality to plan out and practice complex surgeries, like a neurosurgical procedure, ahead of time. It’s been used as a pain management tactic to distract patients from scary or painful procedures, especially in instances where sedation and anesthesia can’t be given. It’s also helped professionals working in addiction recovery be more creative in the strategies and techniques they use to help their patients overcome their addictions. But another remarkable way virtual reality is applied in the healthcare industry is as a training tool.
Thanks to VR, facilities are able to create simulations for a number of different scenarios that employees can experience from a first-person perspective. Here’s how this is revolutionizing healthcare training.
A deeply immersive and interactive education
Medical professionals know that healthcare is a high-stakes industry, so they’re thankful for all the stages of training they go through to adequately prepare themselves for their future roles. Extensive classroom training, training in the field, and being mentored by seasoned medical professionals is all significant, but being on your own for the first time can be intimidating.
Virtual reality gives new doctors, nurses, and medical staff the ability to immerse themselves in real-life scenarios as if they were in charge. They can see the immediate consequences of their actions and can learn from their correct or incorrect behaviors. They can be exposed to dangerous or life-threatening situations and practice resolving each scenario without putting themselves or their patients in any real danger.
Facilities are always researching and developing new ways to enhance their training processes, and what better way to do that than to have new staff members immerse themselves in situations they could experience while on the job? This is how facilities can enforce self-awareness in their employees while creating more confident, capable teams. Studies have shown that experiential learning also drives higher compassion for patients as well. This is much harder to accomplish with more traditional training methods where employees can’t get regular, hands-on practice.
Virtual reality-based training has been proven to improve performance across the healthcare industry while reducing the possibility of fatal errors. Nothing prepares someone for the real thing more effectively than a program built to replicate real-world experiences.
New or updated equipment training
In order to continue providing the best care to patients, medical equipment must constantly be updated or replaced with new devices. With any new feature, there’s always a learning curve — except in healthcare, these learning curves can have dire consequences.
Training new employees on new or updated equipment can be extremely time-consuming, and facilitating times to introduce staff members to the equipment can be a headache. Virtual reality not only makes equipment training faster and more accessible, it also gives everyone an opportunity to practice using the equipment, tools, and technology as much as they need to in order to feel more comfortable before using it for the first time.
Higher staff retention
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the healthcare industry has seen an increase in staff turnover across hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other medical offices. As executives find ways to entice their employees to stay, it seems like some of the common incentives, like higher pay and bonuses, are no longer good enough to combat record levels of burnout and fatigue.
In addition to their wellbeing, doctors, nurses, and other medical staff are also choosing to leave their jobs due to a lack of personal growth and poor self-confidence — both of which put patients at a greater risk of danger. Facilities must invest in the ongoing education and training of their teams, which will help staff members develop greater confidence and competence. Virtual reality exceeds the traditional training methods facilities often use, and this new immersive, experiential way to train staff members is critical for their proficiency and satisfaction. VR simulators have been shown to boost procedural confidence and develop technical on-the-job skills. Investing in your employees means investing in advanced technology that will allow them to perform better in their roles.
Virtual reality helps to build confident, collaborative teams that then create a positive workplace environment for other staff members and patients alike. Using tools like virtual reality to train the current and next generations of healthcare workers is another way executives can commit to enhancing the industry as a whole.
Photo: Moyo Studio, Getty Images
