McLean Care joined with Deakin University to introduce those aged 65 and over to the unique world of virtual reality (VR) technology.

“That is just amazing. I’ve never seen that before,” Eileen Porritt said after stretching her creative muscles in a virtual airbrushing studio.

“When he took the glasses off and I was back in this room, it was just amazing. I felt like I was in that workshop!”

“Everybody that’s been through so far is quite amazed with the technology and the experience,” McLean Care CEO Sue Thompson said. 

She was pleased to see many sign up to take part in McLean Care’s upcoming research project with Deakin University, which aims to help the elderly practice their driving in a virtual world.

The university’s Cadet Virtual Reality Lab is busy turning a cut-down Holden Captiva into an immersive driving simulator, complete with virtual versions of Inverell’s streets. 

“We’re in the process of connecting the actual steering wheel and pedals in that car to a virtual car in the virtual world,” research engineer Dr Michael Mortimer explained.

“Once we connect the real car with the virtual car, that means that we can then simulate driving in say the town of Inverell or other places, and what that will help do is allow people to practice.”

In NSW, drivers aged 85 and older must pass a practical driving assessment every second year in order to maintain their licence. 

Ms Thompson said that driving is a “fundamental part of our independence structure”, and that the loss of a licence can be devastating for elderly people. 

She said a lot of people lose their confidence in driving as they age, and McLean Care hopes the simulator will allow them to build their confidence through regular, safe practice; and maintain their licence for longer. 

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Researchers will collect data on participants’ performance indicators including reaction times, if they’re going too fast, stopping in time and using their indicators. They will receive a report at each visit, allowing them to see if their reaction times are improving or degrading. This information, Dr Mortimer says, will help locals decide whether they should stay on the road. 

Associate professor Ben Horan, director of the Cadet Virtual Reality Lab, said Deakin likes to find “real world problems” with a gap that can be filled with VR. 

The university has created a snake bite first aid trainer with Melbourne Water and VeRITy (Virtual Reality Intrapartum Touch Trainer), a collaboration with the School of Nursing and Midwifery which uses VR to give nursing students hands-on experience caring for a patient in labour.

“That’s a situation that’s hard to find in the real world. It does exist, but imagine trying to get a classroom of 60 students through to get that,” Mr Horan said. 

He said the McLean driving simulator was their largest and “most exciting project”, and provides a similar advantage.

“People can drive around, press the accelerator to go faster, they can steer. There’s artificially intelligent traffic around the environment as well. Traffic lights, road rules, all that kind of stuff,” he said.

“One of the comments i most often hear is ‘I know it’s not real, but it feels like it is’. We certainly think that will be the case with the McLean simulator.”

McLean Care and Deakin University are currently looking for locals aged 65 and over to take part in the project, with the prototype to be completed by September. 

“What we would like to do then with the prototype is to develop it into an actual tool that we can actually really use for the community,” Ms Thompson said.

“The application of the simulator is far broader than just for older people. It’s obviously something that motor transport can use training younger drivers, so it’s not even age specific technology, but for now that’s our target.”