Here’s something nice. Virtual reality is helping medics in the UK train to save lives

The Oculus Rift is foremost thought of a fun, future-y head-mounted videogame device, but it has many applications outside of that, like training medics to save soldiers in the line of fire. The training program is being used by he United Kingdom’s army to teach rookies how to prioritize life-and-death decisions on the battlefield.

The setup looks similar to something you’d find in a first-person shooter—a taupe, war-ravished desert with dilapidated buildings and downed allies—except instead of bullets trainees have a healing hand. This type of “moulage” training outside of the virtual reality mask consists of bandaging up live-actors with painted battle wounds, but the simulation can increase the duress by recreating an actual wartime scenario.

It’s nice to see VR and FPS technology doing some good out in the world.