The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
New virtual reality business started
Flipside VR uses virtual reality to improve health, wellness
Erin Assink, Gretchen Kless and Krista Kanuch started a mobile virtual reality company designed to improve people’s overall health and wellness.
The family business owners recently launched Flipside VR.
“We always wanted to do something where we felt like we were helping people and making a difference,” Assink said.
While Flipside VR is based in Painesville Township, the goal is to bring virtual reality experiences to people who are less likely to get the actual opportunity.
The interactive wellness specialists visit many different facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers and residences.
Anyone 13 years of age and older can use the immersive virtual reality equipment.
In the book “Intelligent Paradigms for Assistive and Preventive Healthcare,” author Cecília SikLányi said VR can be defined as an application that makes it possible for the user to navigate and to interact in real time with an environment in three dimensions generated by a computer.
Virtual reality is being applied to a wide range of medical areas. For patients it is used for rehabilitation and training, SikLányi said.
The Flipside VR owners believe that providing fulfilling, immersive experiences can improve a person’s overall health.
Thus, bringing happiness to patients will awaken their senses and promote a positive outlook.
The idea to start a virtual reality company was developed last year after Kless said she saw her 86-year-old aunt go on a roller coaster ride using virtual reality technology.
“It just snowballed from there,” she said.
The trio researched the best equipment and experiences. They said Lakestart provided a lot of insight and assistance.
Assink said they use topof the-line virtual reality equipment, that has impressive visuals and does not glitch.
In fact, they recently invested in new wireless headsets called Oculus Go.
Flipside VR also offers about 60 different virtual experiences.
“With VR, you can be transported to any world you can imagine,” according to the company’s brochure. “You can fly, go into space or even come faceto-face with a dinosaur. If you can imagine it, it is available in virtual reality. Some patients enjoy thrilling experiences, while others might like to travel or simply go for a walk on the beach and hear the waves crash.”
VR is also used for educational uses, exposure therapy, autism awareness and diversity training, Assink said,
The possibilities are endless, she added.
Lakeland Community College Program Assistant Caitlin Luskin got a chance to experience Flipside VR and was impressed.
“It was so clear and realistic,” Luskin said. “It was so cool.”
Assink, Kless and Kanuch hope the business continues to grow.
In addition to focusing on mobile services for clients with limited movability, they would also like to open a facility where people can visit to experience virtual reality.
They are also open to doing corporate events.