Community Impact 2021-2022

zSpace technology launches interest in healthcare careers

“It’s cool to get exposure to this before I start my medical career. I am very interested in emergency medicine. You could play all day with this.”

Beckett Allen Class of 2022, North Platte High School

With the click of a button and a pair of 3-D glasses, an entire world of possibilities is open to explore. Beckett Allen, class of 2022 at North Platte High School (NPHS), sits at a computer monitor and waves a stylus through the air as he begins to dissect a human arm, carefully analyzing muscles, bones and nerves.

“I’ve never done anything like this,” Allen says. “It’s cool to get exposure to this before I start my medical career. I am very interested in emergency medicine. You could play all day with this.” Allen is talking about zSpace technology, which allows students a unique view of these medical concepts using augmented and virtual reality.

Students have a seemingly endless array of topics to explore: microbiology, viruses and germs, human anatomy, engineering and more. The students have an intuitive way of learning the software quickly. “They showed me things I didn’t even know existed in the program,” Nicole Tomlinson, BSN, RN, clinical nurse educator at Great Plains Health, says. “It’s really neat. We’ve only scratched the surface of what we can do with this technology.”

Great Plains Health and the North Platte Public Schools Foundation received a grant last summer for the zSpace equipment. The collaborative effort to bring zSpace to North Platte aims to expand awareness and understanding of science and healthcare topics as students start thinking about a career path. The state grant provided $134,000 for the technology as part of the Developing Youth Talent Initiative. Adams Middle

Allen and his classmates in the NPHS pre-med club are using the technology, which is immersive, engaging and far different than what they may study in a book or watch in a video. “I can dissect everything and can see the entirety of it all,” another student says. “I was dissecting the heart and looking at the different features and it’s exciting to see all of it.”

School is home to 12 zSpace systems. The zSpacte lab at Great Plains Health holds four systems, as well sparked passions and limitless learning.

Any community group is welcome to inquire about using zSpace by calling 308.568.5180.

Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online