- By Shivangi Sharma
- Mon, 19 May 2025 08:15 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Embodied Labs, a tech company based in California, is revolutionising how people understand death. The company has developed a virtual reality (VR) program that simulates the experience of dying, placing users in the perspective of a terminally ill patient. The program is part of a broader series of immersive simulations designed to foster empathy in healthcare and caregiving.
Embodied Labs is known for developing VR experiences that help users understand conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, hearing and vision loss, and social isolation. Their latest addition, which simulates the dying process, aims to educate users on the emotional and physical aspects of death.
Step Into Clay’s Final Days: A VR Journey Through Terminal Illness
The death simulation follows the story of Clay Crowder, a 66-year-old man with stage-four terminal lung cancer. Users experience their journey from diagnosis to hospice care, including conversations with doctors, emotional exchanges with family, and the final moments of life. One particularly emotional scene features Clay’s family being asked by a hospice nurse if they’ve told him “it’s all right to go.”
As the simulation progresses, Clay's vision fades while a daughter reads a poem aloud. A blue heron appears, flying into a white light. Users then see Clay’s body from an out-of-body viewpoint, watching loved ones say goodbye and caregivers prepare his body. “Our intent was to give some emotional space,” said CEO Carrie Shaw.
Training Tool For Medical And Mortuary Science Students
The VR program has already been adopted by institutions like the University of Minnesota, where medical students use it to better understand patients’ experiences. Experts suggest that mortuary science students could also benefit, as they frequently collaborate with end-of-life care providers and grieving families. By stepping into the shoes of the dying, users gain a deeper appreciation for the realities of end-of-life care, something that textbooks and lectures alone cannot fully convey.
