ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — For college students bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world is the key to success.
At the University of Central Florida, students at the College of Health Professions can get much-needed hands-on experience thanks to a new immersive simulation suite.
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The Blended Learning Interactive Simulation Suite, or BLISS, is a mixed-reality room capable of displaying incredibly lifelike video and audio simulations.
The suite can demonstrate medical procedures, recreate an emergency incident, or any number of treatment scenarios.
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Bari Hoffman with UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Center said the technology allows students to be better prepared for the real world.
“We want students to be used to the sights, sounds, stressors, and energy associated with hospitals, clinics, and other locations where they will be providing treatment,” Hoffman said.
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With its touchscreen and 270-degree walls, BLISS can virtually place students in any environment in the world.
The technology can also be used as a therapy tool.
Clinicians with the Communication Disorders Clinic use the technology to assist patients with communication and hearing challenges.
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“The possibilities are endless. The only limitation is your imagination,” Hoffman said.
BLISS was funded by a philanthropic gift from the Paul B. Hunter and Constance D. Hunter Charitable Foundation.
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