The maternity unit of the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff began offering virtual reality experiences for pain management this month. The 360-degree simulations are intended to give expectant mothers pain relief by helping take their mind off cramps or contractions. They can also help the women with breathing and relaxation during early labor. The VR experiences include swimming underwater, walking among penguins, and watching the northern lights. The unit says VR also has the potential to be used with women who have had traumatic birth experiences.  

We’ve just covered the use of VR as entertainment at 30,000 feet; now it’s emerging as a pain management tool, too. Two takeaways: 

💡New World, Same Humans. VR is most readily associated with video games. But we’ve seen it used in contexts way beyond that. Walmart has been using VR to identify potential managers. The NFL have trialled VR experiences as a way to diminish prejudiced attitudes and cultivate empathy for others among staffers. VR has even been proposed as a way to help people overcome their deepest fears (here’s a cool demo from America’s Got Talent!). The underlying lesson here? It’s easy to get hung up on shiny, exciting new tech (think VR, AR, AI and others). But as an innovator, the real power is in seeing new technologies through the lens of core, unchanging human needs: wellness, empathy, self-improvement and more.

💡Fempowerment. For women across the globe, rights, opportunities and freedom of expression differ enormously. As a result of women speaking out against inequality, brands and governments are starting to take women’s health seriously. From Scotland and South Korea providing free sanitary products to the Taj Mahal opening a breastfeeding room, to the creation of a breast attachment for CPR training mannequins, change is happening and expectations that every organization takes womens’ needs seriously are accelerating. The challenge to take back to your team: in this world of rising fempowerment, are you lagging behind?