Patients with chronic pain do not have access to specialized rehabilitation on equal terms. Education, age, sex, and region of birth appear to play a role, particularly in combination, according to a Sweden-based study from the University of Gothenburg. 

The University of North Florida Institute of Environmental Research and Education (IERE) is collaborating with the Northeast Florida Regional Council and other partners on a study that will assess aquatic connectivity in Northeast Florida.  

In group decision-making, discussing from an overarching perspective is often difficult. Imagining oneself from a third-person perspective during group discussions may significantly change how people communicate and make decisions together. In this context, researchers investigated the effect of third-person perspective and first-person perspective in a virtual environment on group decision-making. They found that participants using a third-person perspective in virtual reality showed better consensus, improved understanding of others’ opinions, and reduced conflict.

Researchers in Japan explored whether a wearable, neck-mounted camera could offer a new way to document and review performance during Objective Structured Clinical Examination. Focusing on a procedure that requires careful observation of hand movements and technique, the pilot study examined the feasibility of capturing assessments from the examiner’s perspective and its potential role in future clinical skills evaluation. The findings provide new insights into how wearable technologies could support assessment practices in medical education.

Dutch kids in schools which implement healthy lunches and more physical activity perform significantly better in math tests, per analysis of the Healthy Primary School of the Future program

The Brain Health for Economic Resilience Commission, convened in collaboration with Nature Medicine, was announced at the Texas Brain Economy Summit.

The National Science Foundation-funded Virtual Experience Research Accelerator (VERA), a platform created through a $5 million NSF award to UCF Pegasus Professor Gregory Welch, has reached two major milestones: launching its first large-scale remote study and awarding its first use grant. Led by UCF Research Associate Professor Gerd Bruder, the study will investigate cybersickness using remote participants in virtual reality environments, while researchers from San José State University will use the first VERA grant to explore how people engage with immersive technologies to improve learning experiences across education, cultural institutions and public engagement. The milestones mark a significant step toward expanding the scale, accessibility and impact of virtual and augmented reality research nationwide.