RCA Senior Tutor Leads Mixed-Reality Research to Help Children Undergo MRI Scans

RCA Senior Tutor  Dr Dylan Yamada-Rice – an artist and researcher specialising in play, narrative and storytelling – is leading two funded research projects exploring applications of mixed and virtual realities for children. The first applies virtual reality technologies to reduce health risks and save costs associated with MRI scans for children; the second connects international academics with industry partners to further develop opportunities for Virtual Reality (VR) innovation.

VR ‘Play Kit’ to Prepare Children for MRI Scans

VR and Mixed-Realities Play Kit to Prepare Under 10s for an MRI is a £298,000 Innovate UK-funded project led by digital studio Dubit, incorporating a team from the Royal College of Art, University of Sheffield, Glasgow School of Art and the Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Trust. 

Currently, 58 per cent of MRIs on five-to-ten year olds are performed under general anaesthetic. This is because the scanners are very noisy and require patients to remain very still for up to an hour or more, making them a challenging procedure for young children. This research will explore how virtual and augmented reality gaming technologies can be applied in effective and economic ways to help prepare children for what is often an unsettling experience.

‘Preparing children for an MRI dramatically reduces the need for medication’, explained Yamada-Rice. ‘Currently this preparation is done with hospital play specialists, mock scanners or other aids, all of which are expensive and in sparse supply. Through the innovative application of gaming technology, this research will develop a high-quality, low-cost alternative to using general anaesthetics: a digital play kit. This approach foregrounds design expertise and links to research that shows play is the best way for children to make sense of the world and their experiences.’

Building New Networks for VR Research

Location-based Virtual Reality (VR) Experiences for Children: Japan-UK Knowledge Exchange Network is a £50,000 ESRC/AHRC funded project, also being led by Yamada-Rice. The network will bring together academics from the RCA, Glasgow School of Art and those connected to the RCA-IIS Tokyo Design Lab at the University of Tokyo, with professionals from the commercial VR sector in both countries who are working in the area of location-based VR experiences for children.

Yamada-Rice is Senior Tutor in MA Information Experience Design. She works in a range of traditional media including drawing, film, photography and painting, as well as new technologies including virtual and augmented reality. Her research sits at the intersection of experimental design and social sciences, focusing on the design of digital storytelling, games and play on a range of platforms.