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Tuesday, December 20, 2022

Breaking boundaries: VR solutions to real problems

Whether it’s treating phobias, rehabilitating patients or raising safety standards, virtual reality has become a terrific tool for overcoming the obstacles posed by the real world.


 
Vr makes it practical to enact scenarios that would be impossible or too expensive to do in real life, reducing hassle for users while also cutting costs and saving time. The pods blast air and physically move in multiple directions to make the Vr experience more immersive. — 123rf.com — Photos: angelin yeoh/the Star

IMAGINE you are flying on a plane when the sky grows dark, the weather becomes increasingly turbulent, the plane starts to shake, and your seat rattles violently.

While it would be distressing for anyone, it could be too much to handle for someone with a fear of flying.

However, putting them in such a situation under the supervision of a specialist may help them overcome their phobias.

Tanjina Ashraf Khan, CEO and founder of Mentcouch, a psychology centre in Kuala Lumpur, calls it exposure therapy and recommends it for those who want to overcome their extreme sense of fear over an object or situation.

She says that as they work with a therapist to learn how to deal with their anxiety, they will be gradually exposed to their phobias.

“What we want to see during the sessions is the person developing less anxiety toward their fears. We start with a scale of one to 10.

“At the beginning, they may rate their anxiety level as nine. When it gets to a six, that is progress,” she shares.

However, she says exposure therapies are difficult to conduct physically. For example, if a client has a fear of snakes or cockroaches, it’s not realistic to bring those elements into the room.

Enacting certain scenarios, such as getting on a plane, could also be costly.

“It could also be unsafe for the client if they suffer from severe panic attacks on the plane. We may have to request an emergency landing,” Mentcouch managing director Justin Kung adds.

This was the impetus for using virtual reality – just by putting on a VR headset, a person can be “transported” to a different place or situation safely.

“Most importantly, we can assure them that they are in control,” Tanjina says.

She explains that clients typically spend up to 30 minutes in VR while being monitored on a computer by a trained therapist.

Kung says: “We can communicate with them by giving visual commands. This way, they can stay immersed in the environment without too much outside interference.”

Mentcouch counsellor Syahirah Husna says: “We will typically take a break for 10 minutes and assess their anxiety level and talk about relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.

“When they are ready to continue, they can practise the techniques they’ve learned in their chosen environment.”

Apart from overcoming phobias, Mentcouch is using VR as part of its therapy for stress relief, in which an individual would be guided through techniques like muscle relaxation in a soothing virtual environment like a beach or forest.

“Some people have trouble concentrating during therapy, as they will be stressed thinking about work or what the traffic will be like when it’s time to go home,” she says, adding that such sessions will help them become more mindful and calm.

Kung agrees, saying, “They feel that with VR, less effort is required to help them relax.”

Raising the bar

Over at Taman Desa in KL, chartered physiotherapist Lian Yunperng is using VR as part of physiotherapy treatments, describing the virtual world as a “form of distraction from pain”.

“We recommend this specifically for people recovering from a stroke or those who may be living with chronic pain.

They may find it difficult to lift an object due to their condition, so we help them achieve upper-limb movement by practising using VR,” says Lian, who owns and operates Ace Physiotherapy.

Lian starts a session by securing the headset for the patient and adjusting the focus so they can see clearly. Patients are not required to walk and will largely be sitting down.

“I will be guiding them throughout the process as I can view what they are seeing on my smartphone.

“The sensors will track their hands and they will be able to perform movements such as picking up an object like a stone or throwing a ball in the virtual environment,” he says.

They may also be tasked with completing a block puzzle. It starts off with three blocks, with the number of blocks and complexity increasing as the patient progresses.

Each VR session typically lasts about 10 to 15 minutes and after undergoing training for three months, Lian will measure patients’ progress by checking their muscle power.

“For severely debilitated patients, we hope to see improvements, including being able to perform movements such as making a fist, moving their fingers or lifting their wrist,” he says.

Lian first integrated VR as part of his physiotherapy services back in 2019 – while exploring ways to improve his services, he stumbled upon a crowdfunding campaign for a VR headset.

“The product was geared for gaming, but I was inspired by the possibilities and started to look into how I could use VR for rehab,” he says.

He eventually decided to go with Oculus after testing several products and finding apps that he felt would be suitable for his physiotherapy plan.

“The headset is light and portable. I don’t need cables (it uses a rechargeable battery) or to carry extra equipment such as monitors.

I can get it ready in 10 minutes by using my phone and not waste my patient’s time,” he says.

Lian is careful not to introduce VR to patients without first assessing their suitability.

“They must not have conditions like epilepsy or severe balance issues. If they feel dizzy while using VR, then the treatment will cease,” he says.

The feedback for incorporating VR as part of the physiotherapy treatment has been encouraging, saysLian, adding that most patients were open to it.

“They get to try something new and there’s a fun element to it,” he says.

Training tech

Fun is the last thing on the minds of workers at the Genting Tunnel East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) construction site in Bentong, Pahang, as they have to be on their toes to stay safe and minimise risks.

“Safety is a priority for everyone. It is compulsory to attend safety training due to the exposure to various types of hazards,” says Datuk Osman Haron, the health, safety and environment director for China Communications Construction ECRL, the main contractor for the ECRL project owned by Malaysia Rail Link (MRL).

To improve and enhance safety awareness levels at the site, the company said it set up a VR Safety Experience Hall to allow its workers to learn about safety in a more immersive environment.

It has two VR safety experiences, the first being a VR pod that simulates the experience of a fast-moving vehicle.

In a demo, the pod simulated a bumpy cart ride with tight turns and steep slopes in a snowy mountain that was made more real by its ability to blast air and physically move in multiple directions.

“There are trainings to simulate car crashes and falling from great heights. The experiences are meant to serve as reminders to workers to always perform safety checks when on site and to equip themselves with the required gear,” Osman adds.

The other VR service gives the worker freedom of movement within a designated area, allowing him or her to pick up tools and operate them in a virtual world. Depending on the chosen scenario – it’s claimed to offer up to 100 options, including one that was inspired by real construction tragedies in China – the dangers they face will be different. 

Workers may find themselves operating a crane, only for the hosting cable to snap and injure others, or drilling in a tunnel while standing on an unsteady platform that would break.

After each experience, a pop-up will show the actions that led to the mishap.

For example, in the first scenario, the cable could have snapped because no prior inspection was conducted to ensure all equipment was in order, and in the second, it could be due to workers not wearing safety harnesses and the scaffolding not being built according to safety standards. “

Typically, workers would have to sit through hour-long briefings on safety and they may not retain all the information due to the static setting.

“By experiencing what could happen if they are not aware of precautionary measures with VR, it will be a more beneficial learning experience,” Osman says.

Untapped uses

Osman admits, however, that VR can’t replace all aspects of safety training, as practical experience is still an important aspect.

For example, workers have to learn how to operate machinery in real life so that they can feel the “weight” and how objects move in certain weather conditions.

“For some aspects of safety training, we try to find ways to combine it with VR, as it has the advantage of helping workers fully visualise situations,” he says.

He adds that VR also helps to remove constraints such as the need to be in various locations and facilities for training.

“We’ve had issues where training could not be conducted because the trainer was not there.

“But with VR, there is no such issue. We can also upgrade the software with new experiences to keep our workers updated with new safety guidelines when they move to a new site,” he says.

Meanwhile, Tanjina says that with VR “moving fast”, she sees the potential of it being used for online sessions with both the therapist and patient appearing as 3D avatars.

What’s crucial now, she says, is to create more awareness about the benefits of VR and other forms of technology in mental health treatment.

“People were not open to technology being used as part of mental health treatment until the pandemic opened opportunities for people to try online therapy.

“The biggest hurdle is helping more people become aware of the benefits of technology in certain aspects,” she says.

Lian agrees, saying that people have to be more open to trying new forms of tech for physiotherapy treatment.

He claims that robotics, such as an exoskeleton, can be incorporated into rehabilitation therapies, and that an Ai-powered device is being developed to assist stroke patients in performing movements.

“I encourage people to think outside the box and not be limited to what they have learned in university.

“Go to expos and conferences to learn about tech advancements in health. I would also advise them to look into the science and research behind it,” he says.

Osman adds that, in addition to VR, the company is relying on technology such as drones to monitor remote areas that are difficult to access by humans.

“We are closely following the development of technology in various fields to see how it can be implemented.

“Technology is very much an important aspect of what we do,” he says. 

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Saturday, December 17, 2022

US is like 'a mafia boss in his later years': expert at GT annual conference

 Photo: Global TimesPhoto: Global Times

 

 China-US ties in uncertainty for next 10 years, hit by Russia-Ukraine conflict: observers

  As the Russia-Ukraine conflict aggravated bloc confrontation and has impacted China-US relations, bilateral ties will likely remain in "a turbulent state of uncertainty" for the next five to 10 years until the power comparison of the two countries becomes more balanced, Chinese foreign policy scholars said at the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference. 

Russia-Ukraine conflict is not only the biggest international political event this year, but the biggest since the end of the Cold War. It has crippled the very foundation of the American system, Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, said when addressing the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference. 

Answering the question at the conference as to what impact the Russia-Ukraine conflict has had on China-US relations, Jin said "it will certainly have an impact on China-US relations, but to what extent it will have an impact is hard to judge as the conflict remains ongoing and will probably last two or three more years."

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has shocked the very foundation of the American system, a system that we have to admit we have lived under since the end of the Cold War. But the US is not what it used to be, Jin told the audience.

"The US is not in its prime of life, no longer the protagonist of movies like 007 who are handsome, elegant, quick in its action and reaction. Today's US is like a mafia boss in his later years, can barely walk but still holds particularly large power. Today, US' position is largely determined by its system," Jin said.

Jin noted that the US system creates a world market system, full of opportunities, which lures people in and then controls them by all means. On the surface, financial hegemony, high-tech monopoly, pricing power, international rules, procedures, media appear to be under US control, but in fact, violence is its basic method used in controlling the world.

PLA Navy rear admiral Yang Yi said at the annual conference that as time goes by, maybe 10 years later when the China-US power comparison becomes more balanced, bilateral relations may shift toward a relatively stable status.  

Yang said the dirty tricks used by the US to contain China are useless. "They cannot stop China's development, nor can they stop the narrowing of gap between China's comprehensive national strength and that of the US." 

Some other experts shared their opinions on the China-US relations. They agreed that the China-US relation is still a bilateral question but it must be seen as part of a larger global confrontation, under the influence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 

He Weiwen, a former senior trade official and an executive council member of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, said that under the strong push of the US, the world has been divided into two camps: Western and non-Western groups. 

"Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, the US has maliciously tied China and Russia up. Washington used sandbox maneuvers and planned to impose crippling sanctions on China, as it has on Russia. The reason why it has not been implemented is that the US has no grip on China," He noted.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis has brought back and highlighted bloc politics confrontation with the US and NATO on the same line and those disapproving them in the other side, said Fang Ning, a research fellow at the Institute of Political Science from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Geopolitical factors have been placed in an unprecedented important position in bilateral relations which may lead to major confrontation. "Despite that the bottom line for the two sides is to avoid moving toward major confrontation, I have doubts over how much risk will be mitigated," said Huang Renwei, executive vice dean of Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance.

The Ukraine crisis has become a trap for both the US and China on the Taiwan question. The US is worried about the recurrence of what happened in Ukraine and has accelerated military aid to the island while China is alert to a series of US' provocations on the Taiwan question, Huang said. 

Fang pointed out the biggest effect of the crisis on China is that it added uncertainty to the national reunification. "Countries and regions around the Taiwan Straits including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam are assessing the question, choosing sides and even taking action as we can see Japan has made the quickest reaction."  

Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times annual conference that the saying "today's Ukraine is tomorrow's Taiwan" has become very popular in the West but the fact is that Ukraine and Taiwan are two completely separate and fundamentally different issues. 

Yang said the National Defense Authorization Act that passed on December 15 by US Senate proposes to learn from the model of Ukraine, improve the so-called resilience of the Taiwan military by means of military aid, military training and intelligence support, and strengthen the island's so-called self-defense capability against the People's Liberation Army.

Yang also believes the Russia-Ukraine crisis will have a profound influence on China-US relations in the future. He explained that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine comes at a time when the original European security order has failed, and the new order has not yet emerged. Different outcomes of the conflict will lead to different security orders and security rules in Europe, which will inevitably spill over into the international community.

Shen Dingli, a professor from Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, said although China hopes that the bilateral relationship will move toward common cooperation, the fact is that relations between China and the US are highly strained and heading toward unprecedented, multi-dimensional and large-scale competition.

"Over the next five to 10 years, the relationship between China and the US will remain in a turbulent state of uncertainty," Shen said. 

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Friday, December 16, 2022

Malaysian judicial appointments need reforms

All for equal justice: Tuanku Muhriz (right) holding a copy of the ‘Upholding The Federal Constitution: The Judicial Thoughts of Datuk Seri Hishamudin Yunus’ with the author Hishamudin at the book launch. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star 

 

KUALA LUMPUR: A more diverse and independent mechanism can be introduced when it comes to the selection of the five eminent members of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), says the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan.

Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir said the persons selected must not only be independent from any form of political influence, but also be inclusive, reflecting the diversity of our multi-racial society and the composition of the Federation, namely the Peninsular Malaysia states, Sabah, and Sarawak.

“The inclusion of members from diverse and independent backgrounds will allow more stakeholders to be represented, thus broadening the expertise in the judicial appointment process whilst maintaining the commission’s independence,” he said in his royal address at the official launch of Upholding The Federal Constitution: The Judicial Thoughts Of Datuk Seri Hishamudin Yunus here yesterday.

Also present at the event was Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat

The Negri Sembilan Ruler also reminded the audience of his recent address as the Chairman of the 260th Ruler’s Conference, where he emphasised the need to reform the existing judicial appointment process.

Tuanku Muhriz said while the main intention of the commission is to uphold the independence of the judiciary, it appears that its governing provisions may not be in accordance with such intent.

“As it stands, the prime minister appoints five of the nine members of the JAC.

“Under the Constitution, he also has the final say in the appointment of judges to the superior courts.

“We need to be guided by the principle of separation of powers of the Executive, the legislature and the judiciary.

“To achieve this, some reforms need to be considered to strengthen the independence of the commission, and ultimately, the judiciary.

“We could introduce diverse and independent mechanisms when it comes to the selection of the five eminent persons on the commission,” he said, adding that he had also been advised that it is equally important for the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 to be made part of the Constitution, and not remain as an Act of Parliament.

“I urge civil society and other stakeholders to take the lead for meaningful discussions to be taken to achieve this aspiration of judicial independence as a means to uphold the Constitution, the supreme law of the land.

“Lest we forget, the rakyat go to court to seek and obtain justice.

“Be it a criminal appeal, an appeal against the decision of the government or one of its agencies, or a private matter, the public sees the courts as their avenue to seek justice,” said His Royal Highness.

“It is no surprise that the recent political developments in Malaysia have led to many discourses on the Constitution.

“Matters pertaining to governance of the nation require us to consult and be guided by the Constitution,” he said.

“Our courts have observed that the Constitution is not a mere collection of pious platitudes.

“It is the supreme law of the land embodying three basic concepts, one of them is that the individual has certain fundamental rights upon which not even the power of the state may encroach.

“In this regard, the judiciary has a constitutional role to perform as they are the guardians of the Constitution,” he said.

On the book launch, he applauded Hishamudin, a former Court of Appeal judge, whom he described as someone who has “given his life to many provisions in the Constitution, especially those 10 relating to fundamental rights”.

“His years on the Bench are remembered for his integrity and independence, which paved his unwavering commitment to uphold the supremacy and sanctity of the Constitution,” said Tuanku Muhriz.

He added that Hishamudin’s decisions, including his many significant dissenting judgments are based on his appreciation of the law, where he had elegantly embraced the ever-evolving common law principles and applied them judiciously with the sole aim of delivering justice without fear or favour.

Currently an arbitrator at the KL Regional Centre for Arbitration, Hishamudin, 73, is a law graduate from the University of London who previously served as the Malaysian Court of Appeal Judge, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Senior Federal Counsel, and the President of the Sessions Court.

With 45 years of legal experience, he has written more than 750 judgments in his illustrious career. 

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