Went into the Virtual Reality world Thursday night, and made -- what else? -- a Shreveport connection.
Go ahead and laugh.
This is the result of being "drafted" as a volunteer from our seniors retirement community for a tiny role in a promotional video -- a potential fund-raiser -- for a local young doctor's study as part of a national "Mynd VR" program.
So I was asked to put on a Mynd VR headset, move my head to activate the videos, and then watch and listen for a few minutes.
(Wish you could have seen the looks on the people walking past as we recorded this little bit near the front lobby in early evening. Know I looked more alien than I usually do.)
These Virtual Reality videos, with sound, are right there in your vision, it is like having a front-row seat at a movie. The screen appears huge.
First picked the "animals" category, which brought up a video of two (cute) kittens exploring a living-room area, complete with three litter boxes (where one kitten only sniffed). Then saw a backyard scene with a dog -- a boxer-looking type -- and his master/trainer -- first chasing a treat, stopping to lift his leg (not in a litter box), and then returning to the man to sit and beg for another treat.
Next, I selected the "entertainment" section, and among the choices, I went for The Lion King. And so, up came the opening number from the on-stage (Broadway?) play: 5 minutes, 35 seconds.
A "wow" selection, right there jumping at me (and sometimes, a view from above the stage).
It was, as I said in the interview afterward, a fascinating experience. And a surprising one; I had no idea of what I was to do, other than to be told I would be wearing a headset for a video, but there would be no speaking part.
Not sure what they will use, but the doctor did sit to my left afterward and asked questions, and another young man recorded this session.
Hope it is, in fact, a tiny role.
But I can tell you this -- and I said this in the interview -- if the purpose is to spur a recollection or get a person's mind moving, especially for those seniors with memory loss, I can see how it would be beneficial.
---
Go ahead and laugh.
This is the result of being "drafted" as a volunteer from our seniors retirement community for a tiny role in a promotional video -- a potential fund-raiser -- for a local young doctor's study as part of a national "Mynd VR" program.
 |
| What the Mynd VR headset experience looks like (photo credit: Adobe Stock, from the web site nextavenue.org) |
(Wish you could have seen the looks on the people walking past as we recorded this little bit near the front lobby in early evening. Know I looked more alien than I usually do.)
These Virtual Reality videos, with sound, are right there in your vision, it is like having a front-row seat at a movie. The screen appears huge.
First picked the "animals" category, which brought up a video of two (cute) kittens exploring a living-room area, complete with three litter boxes (where one kitten only sniffed). Then saw a backyard scene with a dog -- a boxer-looking type -- and his master/trainer -- first chasing a treat, stopping to lift his leg (not in a litter box), and then returning to the man to sit and beg for another treat.
Next, I selected the "entertainment" section, and among the choices, I went for The Lion King. And so, up came the opening number from the on-stage (Broadway?) play: 5 minutes, 35 seconds.
A "wow" selection, right there jumping at me (and sometimes, a view from above the stage).
It was, as I said in the interview afterward, a fascinating experience. And a surprising one; I had no idea of what I was to do, other than to be told I would be wearing a headset for a video, but there would be no speaking part.
Not sure what they will use, but the doctor did sit to my left afterward and asked questions, and another young man recorded this session.
Hope it is, in fact, a tiny role.
But I can tell you this -- and I said this in the interview -- if the purpose is to spur a recollection or get a person's mind moving, especially for those seniors with memory loss, I can see how it would be beneficial.
---
Here from the myndvr.com web site is what the program is about:
MyndVR is a national health and wellness company providing Virtual Reality solutions to Assisted Living, CCRCs, Veterans homes, 55+ living communities and home-health care providers. The company is intelligently curating a vast library of VR content and creating original programming designed to create happy, calming and memorable experiences.
In addition, MyndVR is working with leading U.S. universities and researchers to study the potential cognitive health benefits for our dynamic and aging population using VR.
And the site's next headline reads: How VR can benefit the lives of seniors.
---
Now, about the two young men who came to visit and record the video ...
Dr. Tariq AlFarra has a name of Turkish descent, but he is all American, a TCU graduate who went to high school in Mansfield, Texas, then did medical studies at the UNT Health Science Center and is working on this project in affiliation with MyndVR.
In our visit, he was bright and enthusiastic, informative ... and we had fun talking about the TCU campus and all its changes (we lived in that area for 11 years, and saw the campus transformation).
Two asides: (1) At the UNT Health Science Center, he was part of the Seniors Assisting in Geriatics (SAGE) program which Bea and I have been involved with for several years (and so are many of our fellow residents here); (2) in high school -- Legacy -- he knew now-New York Mets pitching star Noah Syndergaard.
(Had to get some baseball in here. There is more coming.)
Dr. AlFarra is part of the national Mynd VR science team. The co-founder and CEO, Chris Brickler, is based in Dallas.
(You can judge Dr. AlFarra's judgement on this: He asked about my age and when I told him 71, he said, "You don't look that old." He also said -- laugh here -- that I looked fit. That is because he has not seen the numbers on the scale, with the 6 -- not 5 -- in the middle.)
Also on the team is the videographer, whose first name is Paul. He, too, is a TCU person, a potential 2020 graduate who is studying film, television and digital media.
He is from Allen, Texas, and Allen High School, which football fans around here know as one of the powerhouse programs in the area and state (along with Aledo and Highland Park).
While I asked about a viewing a sports video, and Paul was searching for it, Dr. AlFarra asked about my career, and the talk turned -- as it usually does with me -- to Shreveport.
With that, Paul brightened up. "My whole family is from Shreveport," he said.
"What's your last name?" I asked. When he replied, "DeHondt," my memory bank was triggered.
"You any relation to Rene?" I asked.
Paul: "That's my granddad."
Rene DeHondt, who died four years ago, was the "little" quarterback for Fair Park High School in 1953, but more well-known as a standout right-handed pitcher who was signed by the Shreveport Sports in '55 and pitched for them briefly in 1957, part of his four-year pro career.
He was a lifelong resident of the city and, as Paul reminded, Rene's son Danny, Paul's dad, was a wide receiver for Southwood High and Louisiana Tech University in the early to mid 1980s. Took a moment, but I did recall Danny, and in fact, covered some games in which he played. And he was a very good receiver.
He and his family live in Allen.
For you Woodlawn people, Danny's head coach at Southwood was Ken Ivy, his head coach at Louisiana Tech was A.L. Williams -- so two state championship, legendary coaches at our high school in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Further connection: Rene DeHondt was a junior on the only Fair Park football team to win a state championship in school history (1952, when senior halfback A.L. Williams scored all five of the team's playoff touchdowns).
It is all connected. Virtual Reality tied in to my small-world connection Thursday night.
Virtual Reality has many benefits, and it is a fun experience. If you get the chance, take a look.
MyndVR is a national health and wellness company providing Virtual Reality solutions to Assisted Living, CCRCs, Veterans homes, 55+ living communities and home-health care providers. The company is intelligently curating a vast library of VR content and creating original programming designed to create happy, calming and memorable experiences.
In addition, MyndVR is working with leading U.S. universities and researchers to study the potential cognitive health benefits for our dynamic and aging population using VR.
And the site's next headline reads: How VR can benefit the lives of seniors.
---
Now, about the two young men who came to visit and record the video ...
 |
| Dr. Tariq AlFarra |
In our visit, he was bright and enthusiastic, informative ... and we had fun talking about the TCU campus and all its changes (we lived in that area for 11 years, and saw the campus transformation).
Two asides: (1) At the UNT Health Science Center, he was part of the Seniors Assisting in Geriatics (SAGE) program which Bea and I have been involved with for several years (and so are many of our fellow residents here); (2) in high school -- Legacy -- he knew now-New York Mets pitching star Noah Syndergaard.
(Had to get some baseball in here. There is more coming.)
Dr. AlFarra is part of the national Mynd VR science team. The co-founder and CEO, Chris Brickler, is based in Dallas.
(You can judge Dr. AlFarra's judgement on this: He asked about my age and when I told him 71, he said, "You don't look that old." He also said -- laugh here -- that I looked fit. That is because he has not seen the numbers on the scale, with the 6 -- not 5 -- in the middle.)
 |
| Paul DeHondt |
He is from Allen, Texas, and Allen High School, which football fans around here know as one of the powerhouse programs in the area and state (along with Aledo and Highland Park).
While I asked about a viewing a sports video, and Paul was searching for it, Dr. AlFarra asked about my career, and the talk turned -- as it usually does with me -- to Shreveport.
With that, Paul brightened up. "My whole family is from Shreveport," he said.
"What's your last name?" I asked. When he replied, "DeHondt," my memory bank was triggered.
"You any relation to Rene?" I asked.
Paul: "That's my granddad."
Rene DeHondt, who died four years ago, was the "little" quarterback for Fair Park High School in 1953, but more well-known as a standout right-handed pitcher who was signed by the Shreveport Sports in '55 and pitched for them briefly in 1957, part of his four-year pro career.
He was a lifelong resident of the city and, as Paul reminded, Rene's son Danny, Paul's dad, was a wide receiver for Southwood High and Louisiana Tech University in the early to mid 1980s. Took a moment, but I did recall Danny, and in fact, covered some games in which he played. And he was a very good receiver.
He and his family live in Allen.
For you Woodlawn people, Danny's head coach at Southwood was Ken Ivy, his head coach at Louisiana Tech was A.L. Williams -- so two state championship, legendary coaches at our high school in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Further connection: Rene DeHondt was a junior on the only Fair Park football team to win a state championship in school history (1952, when senior halfback A.L. Williams scored all five of the team's playoff touchdowns).
It is all connected. Virtual Reality tied in to my small-world connection Thursday night.
Virtual Reality has many benefits, and it is a fun experience. If you get the chance, take a look.
 |
| Paul DeHondt and his friend Grace Payne show off their Mynd VR devices. They also look good without them. |
U have wonderful serendipitous situations occur! ❤️❤️
ReplyDeleteFrom Ross Montelbano: When I saw the name DeHondt, I wondered if this was Rene's grandson. I knew Rene from Brookwood Athletic Club and helped the legendary James Mason coach a team that Danny played on. I did not know that Rene passed. I thought he was the ultimate gentleman. In fact, he was the Mr. Rogers for adults. Sad to learn of his passing, but happy to know that his grandson is in a field to do so much good. And you have once again proven your place in our lives. Good work.
ReplyDeleteFrom Kitty van der Woude: Fascinating! Hope they have a smaller model by the time I need to recover my menory...
ReplyDeleteThe other day I read an article about an old people's home where a great number of the patients suffer from dementia. They hired a good band, known to be famous already a long time ago. Great success: Not only did most of the patients sing along with the old songs but they seemed to be more knowing and active afterward as well. Combined with the VR technique this should be very helpful, but who am I.