Future Perspectives

Augmented reality (AR) is the enrichment of the perception of reality with digital information, not naturally detectable by the five senses. In practice, it is the physical reality we live in, filtered with special effects. Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that leads people into a reality different from the one they live in, existing solely in digital form. It works through the use of devices equipped with sensors, such as gloves and headsets, capable of “transporting” the user into a three-dimensional universe entirely created by a computer, in which they can interact using their body, thus allowing them to recreate and experience any desired experience in the most realistic way possible. Immersive virtual environments (IVEs), including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), have gained immense popularity in medical education healthcare. Using lessons learned from other healthcare specialties and the non-healthcare industry, this chapter describes how IVEs, specifically VR and AR, but also artificial intelligence and metaverse, can enhance medical training and subsequent delivery of patient care within the field of epidural anesthesia.