Effect Of Immersive Virtual Reality Research Articles

Effects of Community-Based Virtual Reality on Daily Activities and Quality of Life

Aims To examine the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) on self-identified daily activities and quality of life (QOL) of older adults with and without cognitive impairments and identify their preferred VR apps. Methods One group, pretest-posttest study of a total of eight 30-minute VR sessions over five weeks at a senior center. Measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the World Health Organization QOL-BREF, and a preference questionnaire. Results Improvements in activity performance (p = 0.047) and satisfaction (p = 0.016) for all participants (n = 16; mean age = 69.76, SD = 5.14; 14 females), no differences in QOL, with reported preferences of leisure-oriented apps. Upon subgroup analysis based on cognition, the group with cognitive impairments (n = 7) did not report increases in activity performance (p = 0.497) while the group without cognitive impairment (n = 9) reported performance increases (p = 0.018). Conclusions In a community-based setting, leisure-oriented immersive VR may improve daily activity perceptions for older adults, regardless of mild cognitive impairments. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02703181.2022.2033903 .

Immersive virtual reality to train preservice teachers in managing students' challenging behaviours: A pilot study

AbstractThis pilot study investigated the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) training on the classroom management ability of preservice teachers, the addition of real‐time audio feedback as reinforcement and whether preservice teachers could apply their training in an actual classroom setting. We employed the Breaking Bad Behaviours' immersive VR system to design a training situation. Managing students' challenging behaviours was the training target, and 10 preservice teachers were invited to participate (five men and five women; age range, 20–26 years). The results revealed that the immersive VR training experience improved the speed and effectiveness of the participants' management of challenging behaviours in students and enabled the participants to transfer their learning to an actual classroom setting. After the training, the teachers were more confident in halting challenging behaviours by approaching the students, taking appropriate actions and using oral commands. Real‐time audio feedback had a positive but weak influence and gave the participants a feeling of encouragement and affirmation regarding their actions; the influence of real‐time feedback is expected to be stronger if the target of the reinforcement is focused on specific classroom management strategies. Finally, more interactive student avatars should be added to the immersive VR system to enhance classroom management communication, thus making the system a more effective teacher training tool. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Virtual reality (VR) provides a high degree of realism that increases the effectiveness of teacher training simulations. Desktop VR technology has been applied in professional development for classroom management; few studies have used immersive VR for classroom management training. What this paper adds The immersive virtual training experience could improve preservice teachers' ability to handle students' challenging behaviours, and the classroom management ability learned through immersive VR can be transferred to a real classroom. Real‐time audio feedback can encourage preservice teachers and provide a feeling of achievement and affirm their actions. Implications for practice and/or policy Immersive VR simulations can be used as a training tool to provide preservice teachers with authentic classroom management practice experience. Through careful design, real‐time audio feedback can be incorporated into the immersive virtual simulation process to reinforce the target behaviours.

Use of immersive virtual reality for cognitive rehabilitation of patients with brain injury

Virtual reality (VR) is a therapeutic tool that is widely used in the cognitive rehabilitation of brain-damaged patients. Depending on the degree of immersiveness, a distinction can be made between non-immersive, semi-immersive and immersive VR. Studies assessing the utility of VR have focused on the non-immersive and semi-immersive modes. Little evidence is available on the effectiveness of immersive VR. To describe the characteristics, methodological quality and main results of studies that have applied immersive VR programmes in the cognitive rehabilitation of brain-damaged patients. Following the PRISMA guidelines, a bibliographic search was conducted for studies published in the PubMed and PsycINFO databases. The methodological quality of the articles that met the selection criteria was assessed using the PEDro scale. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, of the 369 articles of potential interest, five met the eligibility criteria. One of them was a randomised clinical trial (with acceptable/good methodological quality). Three were studies with pre- and post-treatment measures and one was a single case study, all four of them displaying poor methodological quality. According to the results obtained, there is no evidence of the effectiveness or utility of immersive VR in cognitive rehabilitation in brain-damaged patients. This finding is explained by the lack of studies with a methodological design that allows for the generation of quality evidence rather than because the results obtained in the articles analysed are negative or inconclusive.

Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality and Audio-Visual Training for Gait Disorder in Parkinson's Disease: Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality and Audio-Visual Training for Gait Disorder in Parkinson's Disease: Randomised Controlled Clinical Trial

Effectiveness of immersive virtual reality training to improve sitting balance control among individuals with acute and sub-acute paraplegia: A randomized clinical trial

Objectives: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a disabling condition with physical, psychological, and financial consequences. The study’s goal is to compare the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) training in balance among individuals with incomplete paraplegia to that of functional electrical stimulation (FES). Design: Two groups, randomized clinical trial. Setting: Neurological Physiotherapy Out Patient Department, Tertiary Care Hospital. Participants: Eighteen people aged 18–60 years with incomplete SCI. Interventions: VR training along with conventional physical therapy (CPT) and FES for Rectus Abdominis and Erector Spinae with CPT five times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome Measures: The outcome measures were Modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT) and Function in Sitting Test (FIST) to assess sitting balance and Spinal Cord Independence Measure III (SCIM III) for the level of independence. Assessments were taken before initiating treatment and at the end of the 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Within-group analyses for the mFRT values were performed using Repeated Measures ANOVA test, and between-group analyses were performed using the independent t-test test. Friedman and Mann–Whitney U-tests were used for analyzing FIST and SCIM III. Results: All variables (mFRT and FIST) improved significantly in both groups (P < 0.05), with the VR + CPT group showing a more significant result than the FES + CPT group (P value < 0.05), except for SCIM III. Conclusion: VR as an adjunct to CPT demonstrated proved to be an effective treatment to improve balance among individuals with incomplete paraplegia. Trial registration: Clinical Trials Registry India identifier: CTRI/2020/03/024080.

Effects of immersive virtual reality for preventing and managing anxiety, nausea and vomiting among paediatric cancer patients receiving their first chemotherapy: A study protocol for an exploratory trial.

BackgroundAnxiety, nausea and vomiting are common side effects suffered by paediatric patients receiving chemotherapy. Emerging evidence supports the efficacy of immersive virtual reality (IVR) on improving anxiety and distress symptoms including nausea and vomiting among this vulnerable group. This trial aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of IVR for preventing and managing anxiety, nausea and vomiting among paediatric cancer patients receiving their first chemotherapy.Method and analysisAn exploratory trial supplemented by qualitative methods will be conducted. We will recruit 20 paediatric patients who are aged between 6 and 12 years, chemotherapy naïve, scheduled to receive their first intravenous chemotherapy and able to understand Chinese. Participants will be randomly allocated to intervention or control groups. The intervention group will receive the IVR intervention for three sessions as follows: 4 hours before chemotherapy, 5 minutes before and during their first course chemotherapy and 5 minutes before and during their second course chemotherapy. The control group will receive standard care only. Main outcome measures included (1) key parameters for the design of a definitive trial (i.e. screening, eligibility, consent and withdrawal rates); (2) anxiety, anticipatory and acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting for collection of preliminary data; (3) feasibility and acceptability of the intervention. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with patients, parents and oncology nurses. Generalized estimating equations model will be used to compare each of the outcome measures across the time points between the two groups. Qualitative data will be analysed by conventional content analysis.Expected resultsThe results of this exploratory trial will inform the design and conduct of future definitive trial.Trial registration number ChiCTR1900021694; Pre-results.

Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality in Nursing Education: Systematic Review.

Digital education using immersive virtual reality (VR) technology is available in nursing. Evidence of its effectiveness is essential. This review analyzed the effectiveness of and barriers to using immersive VR in nursing education. A structured search was performed in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument was used to assess the quality of studies. The final review was composed of 9 studies of moderate to high quality published between 2018 and 2020. The review indicated that immersive VR increased learning, cognitive, and psychomotor performance. Most participants of the studies preferred using immersive VR in education and with a variety of experiential scenarios. Barriers were associated with technological hardware and software (eg, simulation sickness, lack of visual comfort). The review supports the viability of immersive VR technology in nursing education.

Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Pain and Anxiety at a Veterans Affairs Health Care Facility

Objectives: The primary objective of this evaluation is to determine the impact of virtual reality (VR) distraction on acute and chronic pain in Veterans within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VA). A secondary objective is to determine the impact of VR on the experience of stress and anxiety in Veterans utilizing VR for the indication of pain. A third objective is to develop an understanding of the Veteran experience of using VR in a healthcare setting.Methods: This prospective, pretest-posttest mixed methods assessment was performed at a VA medical center from August 30, 2019 to November 23, 2020. VR experiences lasted between 10 and 30 min utilizing an immersive head-mounted display with multiple, autonomously chosen virtual environments. Qualitative data was collected concurrently to provide context to quantitative measures which included pain scores and stress/anxiety levels. Data from 79 participants was included in this analysis. Data included pre- and post-VR session Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale and stress/anxiety levels.Results: Results for the cohort demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (p &amp;lt;0 .001) with an average 12% decrease in pain levels and an 92% reduction in anxiety for those in concurrent pain.Conclusion: VR as a non-pharmacological adjunct or alternative modality, appears to be a viable option for improving pain management and reducing anxiety in Veteran populations across various age ranges, and levels of acuity and chronicity. VR was found to be an effective distraction from pain, a pleasurable experience for the majority, and opened the door to other non-pharmacological modalities in a Veteran population.

Breaking the psychological distance: the effect of immersive virtual reality on perceived novelty and user satisfaction

The integration of digital and physical worlds, known as ‘phygital’, has led to the emergence of hybrid consumption experiences (e.g. virtual reality, augmented reality, digital concierge services)...

The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Reducing Public Stigma of Mental Illness in the University Population of Hong Kong: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundPublic stigma in mental health often brings various adverse effects on people with mental illness. Researchers have been developing different interventions in combating public stigma.ObjectiveThis study investigates the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) in reducing the public stigma of mental illness using a single-blinded randomized control trial.MethodsA pre-post experimental design with a 1-week follow-up was conducted. Participants (N=206) were recruited through the mass mail system of The Chinese University of Hong Kong and randomized into 3 conditions: immersive animation, text, and control. In the immersive animation condition (n=72), participants experienced the simulation of daily life and the stigma experienced as an animated story protagonist with mixed anxiety and depressive disorder with IVR. In the text condition (n=65), participants experienced an identical story to the immersive animation condition with first-person audio narration using the same virtual reality headset. In the control condition (n=69), participants watched a video about planets with IVR. All participants received interventions with a researcher-assisted Oculus Go virtual reality headset. Participants’ public stigma was measured through self-administered online questionnaires and compared across conditions and at different time points using repeated measures analysis of variance. Simple and sequential mediation analyses on the relationship of condition (immersive animation vs text) and follow-up public stigma with possible mediators, including sense of embodiment and story transportation, were conducted using PROCESS.ResultsPublic stigma did not differ significantly across conditions at pre-experiment (P>.99). In the immersive animation and text conditions, public stigma was significantly reduced at postexperiment and at the 1-week follow-up compared to pre-experiment (all with P<.001). Public stigma in the control condition at postexperiment and follow-up remained unchanged compared with pre-experiment (P=.69). Immersive animation had significantly lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.003) and follow-up (P=.02). Text also had lower public stigma than the control at postexperiment (P=.007) and follow-up (P=.03). However, immersive animation did not significantly differ from text in public stigma at postexperiment and follow-up (both P>.99). In simple mediation models, both sense of embodiment (95% CI –0.22 to 0.46) and story transportation (95% CI –0.18 to 0.00) were not significant mediators. In the sequential mediation model, both sense of embodiment and story transportation were significant sequential mediators. Sense of embodiment was positively associated with story transportation (P<.001), while story transportation was negatively associated with public stigma (P<.001). The indirect effect of the sequential mediation model was significant (95% CI –0.38 to –0.11).ConclusionsThis study provides novel findings and a rigorous comparison in understanding the effects of IVR on public stigma. The findings showed that IVR and text with audio narration performed similarly and significantly in stigma reduction. Sense of embodiment and story transportation were found to be sequentially associated with public stigma reduction.Trial RegistrationCentre for Clinical Research and Biostatistics Clinical Trial Registry CUHK_Ccrb00638; https://www2.ccrb.cuhk.edu.hk/registry/public/632

Effect of immersive virtual reality on pain in different dental procedures in children: A pilot study.

Implementing effective pain management is important to increase patient compliance during paediatric dental procedures. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) on pain perception in dental procedures in children. Fifty-four children aged between 5 and 12years were included. Patients scheduled to receive dental procedures not requiring local anesthesia (eg, fluoride therapy) were assigned to Group A, and patients scheduled to receive painful dental procedures requiring local anesthesia (eg, pulp therapy, teeth extraction) were assigned to Group B. Patients in each group were randomly assigned and were equally likely to either receive VR during their dental procedure, or treatment as usual (without VR). Visual analog scale (VAS), Wong-Baker FACES rating scale, and the 'Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability' scale (FLACC scale) were used to assess the pain levels during dental procedures. Patients receiving painful dental procedures requiring local anesthesia reported significant reductions in pain intensity/worst pain during the dental procedure on all subjective and behavioral pain measures of pain intensity with the use of VR distraction technique (P<.05 on each). Patients receiving non-painful dental procedures showed the predicted pattern but no significant reduction in worst pain during VR. The use of VR was found to be an effective distraction tool to ease pain and anxiety in the tested dental procedures, for children receiving painful dental procedures.

Corrigendum: A Virtual Tour of a Hardly Accessible Archaeological Site: The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality in User Experience, Learning and Attitude Change

Corrigendum: A Virtual Tour of a Hardly Accessible Archaeological Site: The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality in User Experience, Learning and Attitude Change

Gaming Beyond the Novelty Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality for Physical Rehabilitation

Immersive virtual reality (iVR) head-mounted display (HMD) systems paired with serious exercise games can positively augment physical rehabilitation process from both engagement and analytics perspectives. This article presents a serious game for iVR HMD-based long-term upper-extremity exercise. We demonstrate the capabilities of our game through a case study with five users recovering from upper-extremity injuries. We examine how our program maintains engagement and motivation over eight weeks, where users completed biweekly prescribed movements framed as protecting a virtual butterfly. We assess user experiences through a mixture of biomarkers from brainwave, heart rate, and galvanic skin response recorded at runtime, as well as motion capture and behavioral game data. Our results suggest that the iVR game was an effective medium in inducing high compliance, physical performance, and biometric changes even with increasing difficulty beyond the novelty effect period. We conclude with considerations of future work for iVR physical therapy games that adapt to biometric response.

Immersive virtual reality is effective in the rehabilitation of older adults with balance disorders: A randomized clinical trial.

What are the effects of immersive virtual reality (IVR) training compared to conventional physiotherapy on body balance and risk of falls in older adults with balance disorders? A randomized controlled trial with two intervention arms, concealed allocation, per-protocol analysis, and blinded assessment. Thirty-seven older adults with balance disorders and risk of falling. Participants were randomized into two groups: a control group, which received balance training with conventional physiotherapy using multimodal circuit exercises, and an experimental group, which received balance training using immersive virtual reality. Both groups received 16 individual sessions, twice a week. The primary outcome was functional balance. Secondary outcomes were static balance, gait speed, functional range, dizziness symptoms, and fear of falling. Safety was ensured by assessing any adverse events during the intervention. After 16 sessions, in the intragroup analysis, the functional balance score in the experimental group increased by 3.00 (95% CI 1.42 to 4.57) and in the control group by 3.88 (95% CI 2.16 to 5.59). Both groups improved in assessments of sensory interaction and anterior reach. Only the experimental group presented increased mobility and reduced dizziness. After two months, there was a maintenance of gains in functional balance and a reduction of the gains in functional reach for both groups. In the intergroup comparison, there was no significant difference. Immersive Virtual Reality training proved to be effective for balance-related outcomes, although it was not superior to conventional therapy. RBR-3tk7fw.

Head-Mounted Display-Based Therapies for Adults Post-Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Immersive virtual reality techniques have been applied to the rehabilitation of patients after stroke, but evidence of its clinical effectiveness is scarce. The present review aims to find studies that evaluate the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) therapies intended for motor function rehabilitation compared to conventional rehabilitation in people after stroke and make recommendations for future studies. Data from different databases were searched from inception until October 2020. Studies that investigated the effects of immersive VR interventions on post-stroke adult subjects via a head-mounted display (HMD) were included. These studies included a control group that received conventional therapy or another non-immersive VR intervention. The studies reported statistical data for the groups involved in at least the posttest as well as relevant outcomes measuring functional or motor recovery of either lower or upper limbs. Most of the studies found significant improvements in some outcomes after the intervention in favor of the virtual rehabilitation group. Although evidence is limited, immersive VR therapies constitute an interesting tool to improve motor learning when used in conjunction with traditional rehabilitation therapies, providing a non-pharmacological therapeutic pathway for people after stroke.

Evaluating the effect of immersive virtual reality technology on gait rehabilitation in stroke patients: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe high incidence of cerebral apoplexy makes it one of the most important causes of adult disability. Gait disorder is one of the hallmark symptoms in the sequelae of cerebral apoplexy. The recovery of walking ability is critical for improving patients’ quality of life. Innovative virtual reality technology has been widely used in post-stroke rehabilitation, whose effectiveness and safety have been widely verified. To date, however, there are few studies evaluating the effect of immersive virtual reality on stroke-related gait rehabilitation. This study outlines the application of immersive VR-assisted rehabilitation for gait rehabilitation of stroke patients for comparative evaluation with traditional rehabilitation.MethodsThe study describes a prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Thirty-six stroke patients will be screened and enrolled as subjects within 1 month of initial stroke and randomized into two groups. The VRT group (n = 18) will receive VR-assisted training (30 min) 5 days/week for 3 weeks. The non-VRT group (n = 18) will receive functional gait rehabilitation training (30 min) 5 days/week for 3 weeks. The primary outcomes and secondary outcomes will be conducted before intervention, 3 weeks after intervention, and 6 months after intervention. The primary outcomes will include time “up & go” test (TUGT). The secondary outcomes will include MMT muscle strength grading standard (MMT), Fugal-Meyer scale (FMA), motor function assessment scale (MAS), improved Barthel index scale (ADL), step with maximum knee angle, total support time, step frequency, step length, pace, and stride length.DiscussionVirtual reality is an innovative technology with broad applications, current and prospective. Immersive VR-assisted rehabilitation in patients with vivid treatment scenarios in the form of virtual games will stimulate patients’ interest through active participation. The feedback of VR games can also provide patients with performance awareness and effect feedback, which could be incentivizing. This study may reveal an improved method of stroke rehabilitation which can be helpful for clinical decision-making and future practice.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1900025375. Registered on 25 August 2019

Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality on Orthopedic Surgical Skills and Knowledge Acquisition Among Senior Surgical Residents

Video learning prior to surgery is common practice for trainees and surgeons, and immersive virtual reality (IVR) simulators are of increasing interest for surgical training. The training effectiveness of IVR compared with video training in complex skill acquisition should be studied. To evaluate whether IVR improves learning effectiveness for surgical trainees and to validate a VR rating scale through correlation to real-world performance. This block randomized, intervention-controlled clinical trial included senior (ie, postgraduate year 4 and 5) orthopedic surgery residents from multiple institutions in Canada during a single training course. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Data were collected from January 30 to February 1, 2020. An IVR training platform providing a case-based module for reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) for advanced rotator cuff tear arthropathy. Participants were permitted to repeat the module indefinitely. The primary outcome measure was a validated performance metric for both the intervention and control groups (Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills [OSATS]). Secondary measures included transfer of training (ToT), transfer effectiveness ratio (TER), and cost-effectiveness (CER) ratios of IVR training compared with control. Additional secondary measures included IVR performance metrics measured on a novel rating scale compared with real-world performance. A total of 18 senior surgical residents participated; 9 (50%) were randomized to the IVR group and 9 (50%) to the control group. Participant demographic characteristics were not different for age (mean [SD] age: IVR group, 31.1 [2.8] years; control group, 31.0 [2.7] years), gender (IVR group, 8 [89%] men; control group, 6 [67%] men), surgical experience (mean [SD] experience with RSA: IVR group, 3.3 [0.9]; control group, 3.2 [0.4]), or prior simulator use (had experience: IVR group 6 [67%]; control group, 4 [44%]). The IVR group completed training 387% faster considering a single repetition (mean [SD] time for IVR group: 4.1 [2.5] minutes; mean [SD] time for control group: 16.1 [2.6] minutes; difference, 12.0 minutes; 95% CI, 8.8-14.0 minutes; P < .001). The IVR group had significantly better mean (SD) OSATS scores than the control group (15.9 [2.5] vs 9.4 [3.2]; difference, 6.9; 95% CI, 3.3-9.7; P < .001). The IVR group also demonstrated higher mean (SD) verbal questioning scores (4.1 [1.0] vs 2.2 [1.7]; difference, 1.9; 95% CI, 0.1-3.3; P = .03). The IVR score (ie, Precision Score) had a strong correlation to real-world OSATS scores (r = 0.74) and final implant position (r = 0.73). The ToT was 59.4%, based on the OSATS score. The TER was 0.79, and the system was 34 times more cost-effective than control, based on CER. In this study, surgical training with IVR demonstrated superior learning efficiency, knowledge, and skill transfer. The TER of 0.79 substituted for 47.4 minutes of operating room time when IVR was used for 60 minutes. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04404010.

Effectiveness of immersive virtual reality using head‐mounted displays on learning performance: A meta‐analysis

AbstractWith the availability of low‐cost high‐quality head‐mounted displays (HMDs) since 2013, there is a growing body of literature investigating the impact of immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology on education. This meta‐analysis aims to synthesize the findings on the overall effects of IVR using HMDs compared to less immersive desktop virtual reality (DVR) and other traditional means of instruction. A systematic search was carried out on the literature published between 2013 and 2019. Thirty‐five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi‐experimental studies were identified. We conducted an analysis using the random effects model (REM) to calculate the pooled effect size. The studies were also coded to examine the moderating effects of their characteristics, such as learner stage, learning domain, learning application type, testing format, control group treatment and learning duration, on the outcome measure. The results showed that IVR using HMDs is more effective than non‐immersive learning approaches with a small effect size (ES = 0.24). The key findings of the moderator analysis were that HMDs have a greater impact (a) on K‐12 learners; (b) in the fields of science education and specific abilities development; (c) when offering simulation or virtual world representations; and (d) when compared with lectures or real‐world practices. The meta‐analysis also suggested that HMDs can improve both knowledge and skill development, and maintain the learning effect over time. Practitioner NotesWhat is already known about this topic Head‐mounted displays (HMDs) have been widely applied in various disciplines across both K‐12 and post‐secondary education. HMDs have a positive impact on learning attitudes and perceptions. HMDs have produced mixed results on learning performance. What this paper adds Immersive virtual reality (IVR) using HMDs is more effective than non‐immersive learning approaches with a small effect size. The critical factors of learning implementation and research design moderate the impact of HMDs on learning performance. HMDs can improve both knowledge and skill development and maintain the learning effect over time. Implications for practice and/or policy HMD‐based immersive learning appears to be a better complement to non‐immersive learning approaches. Theory‐driven learning design should be incorporated to guide HMD‐based teaching and learning practice.

“I Dreamed of My Hands and Arms Moving Again”: A Case Series Investigating the Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Phantom Limb Pain Alleviation

Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a type of chronic pain that follows limb amputation, brachial plexus avulsion injury, or spinal cord injury. Treating PLP is a well-known challenge. Currently, virtual reality (VR) interventions are attracting increasing attention because they show promising analgesic effects. However, most previous studies of VR interventions were conducted with a limited number of patients in a single trial. Few studies explored questions such as how multiple VR sessions might affect pain over time, or if a patient's ability to move their phantom limb may affect their PLP. Here we recruited five PLP patients to practice two motor tasks for multiple VR sessions over 6 weeks. In VR, patients “inhabit” a virtual body or avatar, and the movements of their intact limbs are mirrored in the avatar, providing them with the illusion that their limbs respond as if they were both intact and functional. We found that repetitive exposure to our VR intervention led to reduced pain and improvements in anxiety, depression, and a sense of embodiment of the virtual body. Importantly, we also found that their ability to move their phantom limbs improved as quantified by shortened motor imagery time with the impaired limb. Although the limited sample size prevents us from performing a correlational analysis, our findings suggest that providing PLP patients with sensorimotor experience for the impaired limb in VR appears to offer long-term benefits for patients and that these benefits may be related to changes in their control of the phantom limbs' movement.

A Virtual Tour of a Hardly Accessible Archaeological Site: The Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on User Experience, Learning and Attitude Change

Some archaeological sites are not easily accessible by visitors due to mobility or geographical restrictions. Digital technology can make such sites virtually accessible and provide educational information at the same time. Toward this goal, we created a digital reconstruction of the archaeological site of Choirokoitia. Given that a 3D digital reconstruction can be used along with different technologies, we designed and developed an interactive application, where users can navigate and get information about the site, for two different systems: Virtual Reality (VR) systems and desktop computers. A feasibility study was conducted where we compared aspects of the two systems so as to allow the suggestion of the proper technology to utilize according to a user's aims. The results showed higher levels of presence and more positive experience by the participants who used the VR system compared to those who used the desktop version. On the other hand, greater learning gains were demonstrated in participants who used the desktop version compared to those who used the VR version. No differences were shown between the two groups regarding the participants' change of attitudes toward the archaeology of Cyprus.