Virtual worlds: Medical research and kids playgrounds

May 26, 2009 by Dirk Singer

With a story that’s headed ‘more to Second Life than just sex‘, Science Daily relays on a piece of research by Canadian academics that shows how the virtual world is becoming a platform for medical professionals:

According to academics at the University of Toronto and the University Health Network’s Centre for Innovation in Complex Care (CICC), rather than being wall to wall smut, it is being used to:

“Educate people about illness, train physicians, nurses and medical students with virtual simulations, enable disease-specific support and discussion groups, fundraise real-life dollars for medical research, and to conduct research.”

Apparently the draws for the medical profession include the scope for patient anonymity, and the potential for patients to inform themselves about procedures and hospitals prior to treatment via virtual tours. Recently Imperial College in London also started using as a place as a training ground.

I’ve always thought that a lot more was made about virtual sex than was true in reality and when you think about it, the Internet itself was proportionally dominated a lot more by the porn merchants in its early days than it is now.

However, the fact is the “Sadville” perception certainly exists, and when I showed clients around during its 2007 heyday, there were a few occasions when a virtual hooker would walk by in the background! And I guess it’s not good for business if your virtual corporate HQ is surrounded by a red light district.

Which is why Second Life‘s owner Linden Labs is soon sectioning off adult activity in its own continent, presumably making the rest free for Universities who want to use it for courses, corporates who hold virtual meetings there and so on.

An idea for the next web generation?

However, even if virtual worlds haven’t taken off for the current web generation, there is evidence that with the success of places like WebKinz and (former Cow client) Club Penguin, it will for the next.

As reported in AdWeek, according to emarketer: “6 million kids age 3-11 who visit virtual worlds at least once a month, representing 37 percent of that Web demographic (I assume these are US stats). By 2012, there will be 8.7 million kids 3-11 using virtual worlds — or 50 percent of the entire kids’ online universe.”

200+ kids worlds in existence or development

There are currently 112 virtual worlds that appeal to the under 18s in existence, with another 81 in development. While that shows the health of the sector, particularly with the economic climate emarketer says there will inevitably be rationlisation:

“The rate of development in virtual worlds targeted to the youth audience will slow as economic pressures mean less money for venture capital and for advertising to support new worlds,” says emarketer analyst Debra Aho Williamson.

“But there is no denying that creating avatars and exploring virtual worlds are growing activities for many children and teens.”

Image – Club Penguin. From Flickr.