MSoft showcases blood tracking on Second Life

One of the many landscapes residents can travel in and seek medical assistance

Msoft, the electronic blood tracking specialist, has begun showcasing its technology on Second Life, the virtual online society shaped entirely by users, where they can live a parallel life.

The company partnered with IBM and Linden Research to showcase its electronic blood tracking as part of a virtual hospital ward for residents of Second Life.

As part of initiative the partners have piloted a fully functional blood transfusion system complete with virtual patients, blood bags and barcodes.

Msoft uses IBM technology to run their blood tracking solution in NHS trusts and agreed to take part in a pilot of the Second Life virtual hospital land to enable Second Lifers to seek medical assistance should anything happen to them.

MSoft’s sales manger, Martin Blake, told E-Health Insider: “Second Life is a burgeoning new online society used by people from hundreds of different professions and shaped entirely by its residents. IBM are working with Linden Research to extend the 3D living landscapes that the residents can take advantage of, and obviously health is a life essential.

“We wanted to take advantage of this and ensure that the supply of blood used in this virtual hospital would be supplied from us, and so we piloted a fully functional blood transfusion system complete with virtual patients, blood bags and barcodes. Plans are now underway to develop this fully into the Second Life community.”

In the offline world, MSoft’s system works by using barcodes to label each blood sample, the details of which are linked to IBM kiosks fitted next to the fridge. The purpose of the system is to be able to track the blood as it goes in and out and to link the data with the pathology system

In Second Life, virtual reality will replicate this exact procedure for residents, providing them with a full medical checkup.

Chris Howard, IBM Innovation Centre manager, said: “Clinical scenarios are notoriously difficult to demonstrate which makes them ideal to showcase what we can deliver with 3D Internet and create a safe, controlled environment where people can actually use the technology in practice. It's also a good example of how our kiosks can help develop real time supply chain solutions in clinical environments.”

MSoft hope their presence in the online community will help boost their profile with clinical users, as their product is showcased throughout a resident’s treatment course.

Matt McAlister, managing director of MSoft, said: “This kind of immersive visualisation environment can help address issues such as training and the promoting the development of a global user community on issues such as best practice across a range of clinical areas.

“Apart from the kudos and increased exposure our participation in the innovation centre has brought us, there's also some very tangible benefits from being involved from working with a company with such a strong presence as a global healthcare solutions provider.” 

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