Web 3D for Public, Environmental and Occupational Health: Early Examples from Second Life®

Maged N. Kamel Boulos, Rameshsharma Ramloll, Ray Jones and Susan Toth-Cohen
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Maged N. Kamel Boulos: Faculty of Health and Social Work, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
Rameshsharma Ramloll: Idaho State University, Pocatello, USA
Ray Jones: Faculty of Health and Social Work, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
Susan Toth-Cohen: Department of Occupational Therapy, Jefferson College of Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, USA

IJERPH, 2008, vol. 5, issue 4, 1-28

Abstract: Over the past three years (2006-2008), the medical/health and public health communities have shown a growing interest in using online 3D virtual worlds like Second Life® (http://secondlife.com/) for health education, community outreach, training and simulations purposes. 3D virtual worlds are seen as the precursors of ‘Web 3D’, the next major iteration of the Internet that will follow in the coming years. This paper provides a tour of several flagship Web 3D experiences in Second Life®, including Play2Train Islands (emergency preparedness training), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—CDC Island (public health), Karuna Island (AIDS support and information), Tox Town at Virtual NLM Island (US National Library of Medicine - environmental health), and Jefferson’s Occupational Therapy Center. We also discuss the potential and future of Web 3D. These are still early days of 3D virtual worlds, and there are still many more untapped potentials and affordances of 3D virtual worlds that are yet to be explored, as the technology matures further and improves over the coming months and years.

Keywords: Public health; emergency preparedness; environmental health; occupational therapy; 3D virtual worlds; internet (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008
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