The role of virtual and augmented reality in digital storytelling for cultural heritage

Extended-Reality Technologies: An Overview of Emerging Applications in Medical Education and Clinical Care.

Primary school students often find it difficult to differentiate two dimensional and three-dimensional geometric shapes. Taking advantage of the ability of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to visualize 3D objects, we evaluate the potential of VR and AR technologies for teaching the lesson of geometric solids to primary school children. To the best of our knowledge there are no previous cases in the literature describing a comparative evaluation of VR and AR technologies in education, and more specifically in the field of mathematics for primary school children. An experimental evaluation was staged to test the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 1: VR and AR applications make the teaching of mathematics more interactive and interesting and they also contribute to a more efficient learning and understanding of mathematical concepts. Hypothesis 2: The use of VR applications is more effective when compared to AR applications for mathematics teaching activities. For the needs of the experimental evaluation, we designed a lesson plan comprised of three activities: Classification of shapes into solid or plane shapes, identification of solid shapes appearing in a typical city environment, and classification of solid shapes. The lesson plan was implemented based on the traditional method that utilizes printed material, three related VR and three AR applications. The developed VR and AR applications for the current research do not require specialized equipment. For the AR applications, the users only need to use their mobile device or tablet and for VR applications they only need to use a mobile phone and low-cost virtual reality glasses. As part of the study 30 fourth, fifth and sixth class primary school students were divided equally into the control group who used the traditional teaching method, and the AR and VR groups who used AR and VR applications respectively. Participants were provided with questionnaires before (pre-test) and after the test (post-test) to measure factors such as user attention, presence, enjoyment, science knowledge, auditory knowledge, and visual knowledge. According to the results, new technologies in education in the form of virtual and augmented reality improve interactivity and student interest in mathematics education, contributing to more efficient learning and understanding of mathematical concepts when compared to traditional teaching methods. No significant difference was observed between virtual and augmented reality technologies with regards to the efficiency of the methods that contribute to the learning of mathematics, suggesting that both virtual and augmented reality display similar potential for educational activities in Mathematics. Based on statistical evidence Hypothesis 1 was accepted and Hypothesis 2 was rejected. The current research is one of the first attempts ever to compare VR and AR technologies for Mathematics teaching activities in primary school. The findings of our research can provide valuable feedback to educators and developers who plan to use or develop VR or AR technologies for educational activities. Given that these days VR and AR applications, like the ones used in the experimental evaluation, do not require highly specialized equipment, the introduction of AR and VR based activities both for in-class and extra curriculum activities provide a promising way for more efficient Mathematics training activities.

This paper includes a research review in five bibliographic databases on using the application of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in physical and occupational therapy (POT). This literature review addresses five research questions and two sub‐research questions. A total of 36 relevant studies were selected in the review based on the defined keywords and inclusion‐exclusion criteria. The primary motivation for using the application of VR and AR in POT is that it is accurate, involves higher patient participation, and requires less therapy recovery time. The standard software tool used is the Unity 3D game engine, and the common device used is the Oculus Rift HMD. Various applications of VR and AR consist of different VR environments and AR contents used in POT. Post‐stroke rehabilitation, rehabilitation exercises, pain management, mental and behavioral disorders, and autism in children are the main aspects addressed through the VR and AR environments. Literature review indicates that questionnaires, interviews, and observation are the primary metrics for measuring therapy's effectiveness. The study's findings show positive results such as reduced treatment time, nervousness, pain, hospitalization period, making therapy enjoyable and encouraging, improved quality of life, and focus on using the application of VR and AR in POT. This review will be relevant to researchers, VR and AR application designers, doctors, and patients using the application of VR and AR in POT. Further research addressing multiple participants with clinical trials, adding new VR environments and AR content in VR and AR applications, including follow‐up sessions, and increasing training sessions while using the application of VR and AR in POT are recommended.

The Convergence Effect: Real and Virtual Encounters in Augmented Reality Art

The study examines the problem of using augmented and virtual reality in the process of blended learning in general secondary education. Analysis of recent research and publications has shown that the use of augmented and virtual reality in the educational process has been considered by scientists. However, the target group in these studies is students of higher education institutions. Most of the works of scientists are devoted to the problem of introducing augmented reality into the traditional educational process. At the same time, the use of augmented and virtual reality technologies in the process of blended learning remains virtually unexplored. The study analyzes the meaning of the concept of "blended learning". The conceptual principles of blended learning are considered. It has been found that scholars differ in their understanding of the concept of "blended learning". Sometimes researchers distinguish between the components of blended learning: full-time and online learning. The study presents the special advantages of blended learning and the taxonomy of blended learning. It was found that there are some difficulties in implementing blended learning. The article outlines the practical use of virtual and augmented reality. The definition of augmented and virtual reality is given. The mixed reality is considered as a separate kind of notion. Separate applications of virtual and augmented reality that can be used in the process of blended learning are considered (MEL Chemistry VR; Anatomyou VR; Google Expeditions; EON-XR). As a result of the study, the authors propose possible ways to use augmented reality in the educational process. The model of using augmented and virtual reality in blended learning in general secondary education institutions was designed. It consists of the following blocks: goal; teacher’s activity; forms of education; teaching methods; teaching aids; organizational forms of education; pupil activity and results. Based on the model, the methodology of using augmented and virtual reality in blended learning in general secondary education was developed. The methodology contains the following components: target component, content component, technological component and resultant component. The methodology is quite universal and can be used for any subject in general secondary education. The types of lessons in which it is expedient to use augmented (AR) and virtual reality(VR) are determined. Recommendations are given at which stage of the lesson it is better to use AR and VR tools (depending on the type of lesson).

Computational thinking (CT) skills are increasingly important in education to prepare students for the challenges of the digital age. Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have been introduced as immersive technologies that have the potential to enhance CT skills through more interactive learning experiences. However, there is still a gap in understanding the effectiveness of these technologies in supporting the development of CT, particularly in different levels of education and disciplines. Although several studies have highlighted the benefits of AR and VR in education, no systematic review integrates these findings to identify advantages, challenges, and opportunities for further implementation. Therefore, this study conducted a systematic review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines by analyzing 25 empirical studies (AR=17, VR=8) obtained from the Scopus database (2008-2024). The analysis addresses four key research questions: (1) the current state of AR/VR in CT development, (2) their advantages, (3) implementation challenges, and (4) future research directions. The results show that AR is more widespread than VR at various levels of education, with dominance in higher education followed by secondary and primary schools. Computer science is the main field of application of AR and VR, while AR is also widely applied in mathematics to increase interest and problem-solving. A total of 11 studies reported significant impacts of these technologies on CT, with AR being superior in increasing student motivation and engagement, as well as aiding in problem-solving and debugging. In contrast, VR provides a more immersive learning experience by strengthening concept understanding, especially in programming and recursion. However, several obstacles in the application of AR and VR, such as hardware limitations, costs, and user skills, affect the effectiveness of these technologies in the learning environment. This study also identified potential future research, including the exploration of VR in primary and kindergarten education, the application of VR in non-computer science fields, and the efficient use of these technologies in supporting the CT process. This study provides more precise insights into the optimal ways of utilizing AR and VR in developing CT skills. It is a reference for educators, policymakers, and researchers in supporting CT learning.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have emerged as innovative tools in healthcare, particularly using diagnostic and interventional imaging methods, offering new avenues for enhancing patient care and procedural outcomes. Their applications range from improving preoperative planning and pain management to providing advanced procedural support and training. Despite their growing integration into clinical practice, evidence of their cost-effectiveness and specific clinical benefits when using radiological tools remains limited. This review aims to map the current landscape of VR and AR applications using radiological modalities and highlight areas for future research. Objective: This scoping review explores the clinical applications of VR and AR in different radiological fields, aiming at assessing target areas, cost-effectiveness, and benefits of these technologies. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. A total of 15 primary studies were included, covering diverse populations and applications of VR and AR. Results: In total, 15 studies (N = 781 patients) were included, with sample sizes ranging from 6 to 120. These studies highlighted various clinical applications of VR and AR, including imaging-guided preoperative planning, pain management, and procedural support. Although several studies demonstrated improvements in patient experiences and diagnostic accuracy, cost-effectiveness data were lacking. Notably, 47% of the studies focused exclusively on pediatric populations (N = 363), and 33% were randomized controlled trials. Quality assessment using the STARD criteria revealed that 60% of studies were rated as good (score > 12), 27% as fair (score 10–12), and 13% as suboptimal (score < 10), with inter-reader reliability showing substantial agreement (ICC = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.64–0.91). Out of 15 included studies, only 6 (40%) reported statistically significant improvements in patient experiences, with the remaining studies reporting positive trends (e.g., feasibility, usability, improved planning). Individual studies demonstrated significant benefits of VR interventions; for instance, one study reported a reduction in distress scores by a mean of 3.0 (95% CI: 1.0–5.0) and a decreased need for parental presence (risk ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1–0.7; p < 0.001) compared to conventional methods. Conclusions: VR and AR technologies hold promise in enhancing patient care and procedural outcomes. Future research should focus on the cost-effectiveness of these technologies and identify specific target populations that would benefit the most. Additionally, adherence to the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) guidelines should be encouraged to ensure transparent and comprehensive reporting in VR and AR studies.

The rapid development of virtual and augmented reality technologies is currently taking place in almost all spheres of activity. Elements of virtual and augmented reality are used in such areas as education, medicine, transport, gaming, tourism and others. The active spread of these technologies causes the emergence of special competencies in the IT labor market and, as a result, the formation of new professions.Many Russian universities are training students in IT training areas. Specialization in the development of computer games and virtual reality applications has begun recently. The provision of practical classes is accompanied by specific tasks, which gives students the opportunity to improve the use of software and technical devices.The relevance of the research is determined by the current demand for the use of the latest technologies by IT developers in the field of creating computer games. Today, technologies that provide a player’s immersion in virtual reality are becoming more and more popular. One of these technologies is a suit with wearable sensors that track a person’s position in space in real time. However, there are quite a few real described projects in the literature and on the Internet. This study examines the process of developing a task for creating a game application using virtual reality technology: a suit with wearable sensors for teaching students.Materials and methods of research. Timely identification of the needs of the IT market in personnel training allows educational organizations to form new training programs of different levels of training. This approach makes it possible to target the educational and methodological materials being developed to use the latest achievements in the development of the field under study.Using a systematic approach, the study characterizes virtual reality suits and sensors for monitoring the position in the user’s space. Thus, the goal of the task was to ensure the immersiveness and convenience of interaction between the player and the game environment.Based on materials on software, position sensors in space, the approach of pedagogical design was applied and the procedure was formed for a practical task, reflecting the relevant competencies.Results. The study was conducted on the basis in the framework of laboratory and practical work of students, as well as at a real enterprise. Training in the new profile of the direction of training “Applied informatics” is fully equipped with all the latest technologies in this field. As a result of the work, the content of the practical task was developed.Real development of virtual and augmented reality applications is conducted jointly with students. Almost all projects used a suit with body sensors.Conclusion. Our study examines in detail the process of developing an application using a suit with wearable sensors for further training of students. Based on the results, work can be carried out on real projects for any field. Based on the research materials, it is planned to issue a textbook for students with the profile of developing computer games and virtual / augmented reality applications.

Applications of virtual and augmented reality in infectious disease epidemics with a focus on the COVID-19 outbreak

The articles in this special section focus on virtual and augmented reality applications in science and engineering. There has been an explosive growth in visually augmenting the spaces around us by creating environments where visual, aural, and kinesthetic immersive experiences afforded by virtual and augmented reality (AR) powerfully engage us in a way no other medium can. Virtual reality (VR) recreates the sensory world around us entirely through computer-generated signals of sight, sound, touch (and in some cases smell and taste). AR overlays the computer-generated sensory signals on the real world allowing the user to experience a rich juxtaposition of the virtual and the real worlds simultaneously. Together, these technologies are transforming the way people from all walks of life—scientists, engineers, educators, industrial workers, health care professionals, artists, and everyday people— see and use the information that matters most to them, in an intuitive embodied way. Just as mobile technology has revolutionized how we communicate with each other and with our digital worlds, ubiquitous VR and AR will fundamentally alter how our society creates, inspires, engages, and learns fromthe information-rich and enriched cyberspaces around us. While affordable consumer- quality VR and AR hardware is becoming available, significant work is needed to adopt VR and AR for important and difficult scientific and societal applications.

BackgroundVirtual reality is the science of creating a virtual environment for the assessment of various anatomical regions of the body for the diagnosis, planning and surgical training. Augmented reality is the superimposition of a 3D real environment specific to individual patient onto the surgical filed using semi-transparent glasses to augment the virtual scene.. The aim of this study is to provide an over view of the literature on the application of virtual and augmented reality in oral & maxillofacial surgery.MethodsWe reviewed the literature and the existing database using Ovid MEDLINE search, Cochran Library and PubMed. All the studies in the English literature in the last 10 years, from 2009 to 2019 were included.ResultsWe identified 101 articles related the broad application of virtual reality in oral & maxillofacial surgery. These included the following: Eight systematic reviews, 4 expert reviews, 9 case reports, 5 retrospective surveys, 2 historical perspectives, 13 manuscripts on virtual education and training, 5 on haptic technology, 4 on augmented reality, 10 on image fusion, 41 articles on the prediction planning for orthognathic surgery and maxillofacial reconstruction. Dental implantology and orthognathic surgery are the most frequent applications of virtual reality and augmented reality. Virtual planning improved the accuracy of inserting dental implants using either a statistic guidance or dynamic navigation. In orthognathic surgery, prediction planning and intraoperative navigation are the main applications of virtual reality. Virtual reality has been utilised to improve the delivery of education and the quality of training in oral & maxillofacial surgery by creating a virtual environment of the surgical procedure. Haptic feedback provided an additional immersive reality to improve manual dexterity and improve clinical training.ConclusionVirtual and augmented reality have contributed to the planning of maxillofacial procedures and surgery training. Few articles highlighted the importance of this technology in improving the quality of patients’ care. There are limited prospective randomized studies comparing the impact of virtual reality with the standard methods in delivering oral surgery education.

Dünya’da artırılmış gerçeklik (AR) ve sanal gerçeklik (VR) teknolojisinin askeri, sağlık, eğitim gibi birçok alandaki uygulamaların her geçen gün çeşitlenerek daha fazla kullanılmaya başlandığı görülmektedir. Turizm alanında da bu teknolojinin kullanılması ile yaşanan değişimin takip edilmesi ve uygulanması rekabet avantajı açısından önemli olmaktadır. Rekabetin ise sadece işletmeler arasında yaşanmadığı marka şehir olma yolunda illerin rekabetine ve dünya turizm pazarından daha fazla pay alabilmek için ise ülkelerin rekabetine tanık olunmaktadır. Bu kapsamda, Türkiye’nin birçok ilinde AR ve VR uygulamalarının hayata geçirilmeye başlandığı görülmektedir. Isparta’da ise henüz bir kültürel miras alanında AR ve VR uygulamalarına rastlanılmamış olması bu çalışmanın gerçekleştirilme nedenlerinden biri olmaktadır. Bu kapsamda çalışmanın amacı, kültürel miras alanlarında gerçekleştirilen AR ve VR uygulamalarını ortaya koymak ve turizme sağladığı katkıları tespit etmektir. Aynı zamanda Isparta’da AR ve VR teknolojisinin uygulanabileceği kültürel miras alanlarını tespit etmek amaçlanmış olup kültürel miras alanları olarak antik kentler (ören yerleri), müzeler, kiliseler, camiler ve kaleler ele alınmıştır. Çalışmada, literatür taraması tekniği kullanılarak kültürel miras alanlarındaki AR ve VR teknolojisi ile ilgili ulusal ve uluslararası ikincil verilerden faydalanılmıştır. AR ve VR teknolojisinin kültürel miras alanlarında kültürel değerleri korumak, yaymak ve turist deneyimini zenginleştirmek amacıyla gerçekleştirildiği belirlenirken, alanda ziyaretçi sayılarını arttırması, tanıtım çalışmalarına katkısı olması gibi olumlu değerler sağladığı da görülmektedir.

Background: Metaverse, the disruptive digital technology, has demonstrated significant effectiveness in the fields of preventive and cognitive therapy, diagnostics, surgical interventions and rehabilitation. Virtual Reality (VR), a part of Metaverse, integrates imaging data and input from users and deliver a 3D graphical output which can be visualised through a wearable headset. Augmented reality (AR) on the other hand, can control the presence of the user in the real world. Methodology: A review was undertaken of peer-reviewed literature on the emerging evidence on the applications of AR and VR in healthcare. Research studies carried out to identify effectiveness of AR and VR technologies were included. Result: AR &amp; VR have been effective in rehabilitation of patients of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Mild Cognitive Impairment by improving motor skills, social skills and various cognitive indices like task learning and attention. In the surgical field, AR head mounted device (HMD) can provide three-dimensional, patient specific anatomic information during surgery. It minimises surgical complications and improves patient satisfaction. AR is of particular interest in complicated spinal surgeries and orthopaedic manoeuvres which require high level of surgical skill. AR has also been used successfully in different types of robotic surgeries as well. In several countries AR technology have been used in basic medical and advanced surgical training. Major challenges in implementing AR and VR in the field of health care persist in the domains of cyber security, ethical issues and cost effectiveness. Conclusion: VR and AR technology can maximise patient outcomes and rapidly develop satisfactory patient management in fields of cognitive research and surgical interventions. More clinical trials with immersive digital technologies are required. Ethical and cyber security challenges are present but there are ways to overcome them. It is our duty as physicians to participate in the development of these innovations to ensure virtual health reality benefits for our patients in real-world setting.

Cognitive approaches to teaching generate learning through the interaction between the subject and object of study. One of the strategies to create this interaction is related to the application of virtual and augmented reality in the teaching-learning processes. Through a systematic literature review, this work aims to describe the approaches used to measure the impacts on student learning who used virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in the teaching-learning processes of engineering courses, the impacts on learning, and student satisfaction. The surveys showed that 70% of research analyzed, students who used virtual reality or augmented reality learned more, and 90% of the research described that students who used virtual or augmented reality were more satisfied with the new approach than the traditional teaching approach. The conclusion is that there are positive impacts, in the vast majority of cases, on learning and the satisfaction of students who use virtual or augmented reality in the teaching-learning processes applied in engineering courses.

Training and education have become increasingly crucial in obtaining new skills in a variety of fields, especially in assembly and disassembly operations. The main issue in mechanical engineering, particularly in the assembly department, was that automobile engine components assembly was found to be complicated and challenging to assemble using an existing method, where they only rely on a video-based method. The purpose of this paper is to create interactive Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications that allow users to efficiently assist and complete the assembly tasks. In this work, the authors designed and developed a fully immersive VR application using an HTC Vive headset and two AR applications (marker-less AR application and marker-based AR application) using EPSON MOVERIO BT-300 (AR Smart Glasses). Fourteen engineering students from Universiti Putra Malaysia were selected for the experiment. They were divided into four groups: video-based group, VR-based group, marker-less AR group, and marker-based AR group. They are required to complete all four experiments (video-based experiment, VR-based experiment, marker-less AR experiment, and marker-based AR experiment). The results showed that the marker-less AR application is the best impressive method (37% better), the VR application is the second impressive method (23% better) followed by the marker-based AR application is the third impressive method (3% better) compared to the existing video-based guideline. Therefore, the students favored AR and VR applications rather than the existing method to be used in automobile engine assembly tasks.