Virtual Reality User Research Articles

Optimizing data transmission in 6G software defined networks using deep reinforcement learning for next generation of virtual environments

Data transmission of Virtual Reality (VR) plays an important role in delivering a powerful VR experience. This increasing demand on both high bandwidth and low latency. 6G emerging technologies like Software Defined Network (SDN) and resource slicing are acting as promising technologies for addressing the transmission requirements of VR users. Efficient resource management becomes dominant to ensure a satisfactory user experience. The integration of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) allows for dynamic network resource balancing, minimizing communication latency and maximizing data transmission rates wirelessly. Employing slicing techniques further aids in managing distributed resources across the network for different services as enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications (URLLC). The proposed VR-based SDN system model for 6G cellular networks facilitates centralized administration of resources, enhancing communication between VR users. This innovative solution seeks to contribute to the effective and streamlined resource management essential for VR video transmission in 6G cellular networks. The utilization of Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) approaches, is presented as an alternative solution, showcasing significant performance and feature distinctions through comparative results. Our results show that implementing strategies based on DRL leads to a considerable improvement in the resource management process as well as in the achievable data rate and a reduction in the necessary latency in dynamic and large scale networks.

32 A randomized controlled trial of virtual reality-based distraction for intravenous cannulation-related distress in children

Abstract Background Children commonly experience under-treated pain and distress related to medical procedures, such as intravenous insertions (IVI), leading to both short- and long-term negative consequences for patients and their caregivers. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool to ameliorate procedure-related distress in the paediatric healthcare setting; however, existing evidence has largely employed custom VR software, which can be expensive and inaccessible. As such, we aimed to characterize whether commercially available VR applications are effective in reducing children’s procedure-related distress. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of commercially available VR-based distraction when added to standard of care (SOC, which included topical anesthetic cream), in reducing distress for children undergoing IVI in the paediatric emergency department (PED). Design/Methods Children aged 6 to 17 years requiring IVI in a Canadian PED were recruited for a two-arm randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome was child distress, measured using the Observational Scale of Behavioural Distress – Revised (OSBD-R, score range 0-23.5). Secondary outcomes included child pain intensity (measured with the Faces Pain Scale-Revised, score range 0-10) and caregiver anxiety [measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State (STAI-S), score range 20-80] during the procedure. Trial registration number: NCT04291404C. Results 82 children and their caregivers were included. 41 children received VR distraction in addition to SOC (mean age 10.8 years, SD 3.0), while 41 children received SOC alone (mean age 11.3 years, SD 2.8). There was no significant difference between OSBD-R-measured distress in the VR arm (mean 1.05, SD 1.52) compared to the SOC arm (mean 0.71, SD 1.40) (p = 0.08). There was no significant reduction in procedural pain intensity in the VR group (mean 4.20,SD 3.10) compared to the SOC group (mean 4.10, SD 3.20) (p = 0.85). There was no difference in caregiver STAI-S score immediately following IVI in the VR arm (mean 32.3, SD 11.3) versus the SOC arm (mean 32.3, SD 11.9) (p = 0.86). Conclusion VR distraction therapy employing commercially available software was not associated with reduction in procedural distress or pain, above that provided with SOC in the PED, for children undergoing IVI. This result highlights the need for more accessible custom VR distraction software, created to meet the unique psychological needs of children undergoing medical procedures. Further study is needed to directly compare custom versus commercially available VR software for this application.

Influence of Avatar Identification on the Attraction of Virtual Reality Games: Survey Study.

In gaming, the embodied interaction experience of avatars serves as a key to emotional sublimation in artistic creation. This presents the emotional expression of art in a more vivid form, which is a critical factor in the high attractiveness of virtual reality (VR) games to players. Intertwined with players' physiological and psychological responses, immersion is an essential element for enhancing gaming attractiveness. This study aims to explore how to help players establish a sense of identity with their embodied avatars in VR game environments and enhance the attractiveness of games to players through the mediating effect of immersion. We conducted a structured questionnaire survey refined through repeated validation. A total of 402 VR users were publicly recruited through the internet from March 22, 2024, to April 13, 2024. Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS and Amos tools, including correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation effect verification. We divided the self-differentiation theory into 4 dimensions to validate their impact on avatar identification. Subsequently, we correlated the effects of avatar identification, game immersion, and game attractiveness and proposed a hypothetical mediating model. Regression analysis of the predictor variables and the dependent variable indicated a significant positive predictive effect (P<.001); the variance inflation factor values for each independent variable were all <5. In the hypothesis testing of the mediating effect, the total mediating effect was significant (P<.001). Regarding the direct impact, both the effect of avatar identification on immersion and the effect of immersion on game attractiveness were significant (P<.001). However, the direct effect of avatar identification on game attractiveness was not significant (P=.28). Regarding the indirect impact, the effect of avatar identification on game attractiveness was significant (P<.001). The results indicate a significant positive correlation between different dimensions of the self-differentiation theory and identification with avatars. Moreover, immersion in the game fully mediated the relationship between identification with avatars and game attractiveness. This study underscores that the embodiment of avatar identification is influenced by dimensions of self-differentiation, and the impact of identification with avatars on game attractiveness is contingent upon full mediation by immersion. These findings deepen our understanding of the role of avatar identification in VR gaming.

A pilot study of a virtual reality-based simulation platform for Neonatal Resuscitation Program training.

This pilot implementation study introduces a novel, neonatal-specific virtual reality (VR) simulation platform for resuscitation training and assesses its initial feasibility and reception in a neonatal intensive care unit setting. We developed a custom VR model simulating a resuscitation scenario for a 30-week neonate. Neonatal providers completed individualized training sessions and post-training surveys. Thirty-eight neonatal providers participated in the study. The VR platform was well-received, with 97% willing to use it again and 95% recommending it. Most participants (70.3%) found VR more realistic than traditional methods, with an average usefulness rating of 4.5/5. However, 40.5% reported adverse effects like eye strain and motion sickness. Feedback led to three significant VR platform upgrades. This study demonstrates strong enthusiasm for VR among neonatal providers. While promising, further research with larger samples and comparisons to traditional methods is needed to fully evaluate VR's effectiveness in neonatal resuscitation training.

A Bibliometric Analysis Exploring the Acceptance of Virtual Reality among Older Adults: A Review

In recent years, there has been a widespread integration of virtual reality (VR) technology across various sectors including healthcare, education, and entertainment, marking a significant rise in its societal importance. However, with the ongoing trend of population ageing, understanding the elderly’s acceptance of such new technologies has become a focal point in both academic and industrial discourse. Despite the attention it garners, there exists a gap in understanding the attitudes of older adults towards VR adoption, along with evident needs and barriers within this demographic. Hence, gaining an in-depth comprehension of the factors influencing the acceptance of VR technology among older adults becomes imperative to enhance its utility and efficacy within this group. This study employs renowned databases such as WoS and Scopus to scrutinize and analyze the utilization of VR among the elderly population. Utilizing VOSviewer software (version 1.6.20), statistical analysis is conducted on the pertinent literature to delve into research lacunae, obstacles, and recommendations in this domain. The findings unveil a notable surge in literature studies concerning VR usage among older adults, particularly evident since 2019. This study documents significant journals, authors, citations, countries, and research domains contributing to this area. Furthermore, it highlights pertinent issues and challenges surrounding the adoption of VR by older users, aiming to identify prevailing constraints, research voids, and future technological trajectories. Simultaneously, this study furnishes guidelines and suggestions tailored towards enhancing VR acceptance among the elderly, thereby fostering a more inclusive technological milieu. Ultimately, this research aspires to establish an encompassing technological ecosystem empowering older adults to harness VR technology for enriched engagement, learning, and social interactions.

Virtual reality for preoperative patient education: Impact on satisfaction, usability, and burnout from the perspective of new nurses.

Traditional paper-based preoperative patient education is a struggle for new nurses and requires extensive training. In this situation, virtual reality technology can help the new nurses. Despite its potential benefits, there are studies on patient satisfaction but there is limited information on the usability of virtual reality (VR) technology for new nurses in giving preoperative education to patients. To investigate the impact on satisfaction, usability, and burnout of a system using VR technology in preoperative patient education. The study involved 20 nurses from the plastic surgery ward and 80 patients admitted between April and May 2019. Each nurse taught four patients: Two using traditional verbal education and two using virtual reality. The System Usability Scale, After-Scenario Questionnaire, and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were employed to evaluate the impact of these education methods. The VR education groups showed a statistically higher satisfaction than the traditional verbal education groups. Among the three subscales of the MBI, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment improved statistically significantly. VR was also better in terms of usability. This study suggests VR enhances usability and reduces burnout in nurses, but further research is needed to assess its impact on depersonalization and objective measures like stress and heart rate.

Can time flow differently if you are a virtual reality newcomer?

Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have entered many aspects of daily life (e.g., workplace, education, gaming). VR users report that time flows faster when immersed in a virtual environment. Such an effect is supported by recent scientific evidence (Mullen &amp; Davidenko, 2021). Indeed, a familiarity effect could foster such a time compression effect. To investigate this possibility, a between-subject design was adopted: in one condition, participants explored a virtual environment through a head-mounted display (HMD), whereas in the control condition, participants explored the same environment through a standard monitor. Participants were all instructed to produce an interval of 4 minutes so that longer produced durations in an interval production task were evidence of underestimation. Adopting a prospective time estimation paradigm, the time intervals produced were compared between the two conditions. Results confirmed the time compression effect: participants in the VR condition reported longer produced intervals than participants in the control condition. Furthermore, the significant interaction with levels of prior experience with VR technologies suggests that time compression effects may be more pronounced for VR newcomers, thus favoring an interpretation in terms of familiarity. The present findings provide valuable insights into the perception of time in virtual environments, suggesting the importance of continued research in this emerging technology. Limits, implications, and the need for further research are finally discussed.

Alone Together, Together Alone: The Effects of Social Context on Nonverbal Behavior in Virtual Reality

Abstract Social virtual reality (VR), by definition, focuses on people using networked VR systems to bring avatars together. Previous studies have examined how different factors affect social interaction, in small groups such as dyads or triads. However, in a typical social VR scene there tends to be dozens of avatars, even those not directly interacting with a given user. Furthermore, beyond the virtual environment, VR users are also situated in various immediate physical social contexts. In two field experiments, we investigate how the presence of virtual and physical people contextualize and influence nonverbal behaviors. Study 1 examines virtual context and asks how interacting with others in a private or public virtual environment influences nonverbal outcomes during interactions in a social VR platform. Across two sessions, participants (n = 104) met either in a private virtual environment with their group members alone or in a public environment surrounded by four other groups. Results showed that participants moved their avatars slower and stood closer to group members in public versus private environments. Study 2 examines physical context and asks how interacting with virtual others while physically together or alone influences nonverbal behaviors. Participants (n = 61) met in virtual environments while they were in either a shared physical environment or separated physical environments. Results showed that, compared to remote participants, participants who were physically together moved their bodies more slowly, but their avatars faster. Moreover, there was more mutual gaze among remote participants. We discuss implications to theories of social influence in VR.

Transforming Sedentary Lifestyles: The impact of remote VR and flat-screen interventions on affective attitudes towards physical exertion, guided by avatar or human trainers

This study advances understanding of the impact of flat-screen and virtual reality (VR) remote exercise environments in a home setting on affective attitudes towards physical exertion, with either a human or an avatar trainer.Employing a two-by-two factorial design, we manipulated both the medium (flat screen vs. VR) and the type of trainer (human vs. avatar). A total of 108 participants engaged in the study using a custom VR application for the Oculus Quest 2 headset or training videos, both prepared specifically for this study. The participants underwent a 15-min high-intensity interval training (HIIT) regimen, completing six workouts in their homes within fourteen days. Data on their exercise experiences and their affective attitudes towards exercise were collected using the CAWI technique. These were next analysed using a model that presumes that exercise experiences can increase motivation to exercise. We also studied the roles of spatial presence and trainer relatedness.Our results show that VR physical training shifted affective attitudes towards exercise positively, in contrast to the flat-screen groups. Moreover, using a digital avatar as a trainer had no negative effect on this favourable change in attitude. The change in affective attitude was influenced primarily by baseline levels and the wellbeing experienced during training. The factors we added to the original model—relatedness to the trainer and spatial presence—also contributed significantly to wellbeing. Perception of competence was a critical determinant of wellbeing, while perceived exertion was largely irrelevant. The HIIT protocol in the study was suitable for VR exercise.

Pivot: Panoramic-image-based VR User Authentication against Side-Channel Attacks

With metaverse attracting increasing attention from both academic and industry, the application of virtual reality (VR) has extended beyond 3D immersive viewing/gaming to a broader range of areas, such as banking, shopping, tourism, education, etc., which involves a growing amount of sensitive and private user data into VR systems. However, with current password-based user authentication schemes in mainstream VR devices, studies demonstrate that side-channel attacks can pose a severe threat to VR user privacy. To mitigate the threat, we propose a novel Panoramic-image-based VR user authentication system, i.e., Pivot , to defend against such attacks, yet maintain high usability. Specifically, in Pivot , we design an image-random-pivoting-based user interaction mechanism to assist users in quickly and securely selecting memorable points of interest in a panoramic image. Then an image region segmentation algorithm is designed to automatically scatter the points to regions to form the customized graphic password for the user, which could ensure a sufficiently large password space and also reduce the near-region point misclicks. Afterward, the region indexes are used to generate the hashed password for authentication. Both theoretical security analysis and extensive user studies demonstrate that Pivot is secure and user-friendly in practice.

2030: Impact & usability of virtual reality on emotional wellbeing of sarcoma patients:VR-SARC study

2030: Impact & usability of virtual reality on emotional wellbeing of sarcoma patients:VR-SARC study

Virtual Reality and Gamification in Hospitality Education at Front Desk

Virtual reality (VR) is recognized as an intelligent and digital technology that has impacted numerous sectors and environments. VR in the classroom acts like a digital tool for the students and the teachers to achieve educational goals as it enhances understanding, critical thinking, visualization levels, and problem-solving skills. In addition, gamification as a motivational factor is integrated with VR. This study investigates the usage of VR and gamification in hospitality educational environment mainly at the front desk. This is to be beneficial to an individual's knowledge and abilities, which should be prioritized in the future, and that earlier experience should be given credit for future employability and education quality.

Comparison of Tutorial Methods in Virtual Reality Games for a Better User Experience

The commercialisation of virtual reality (VR) headsets has made them more affordable and popular in gaming and entertainment. The natural interaction between the VR environment and users can maximise immersion and is crucial to VR gaming. Despite their growing popularity, educational VR games prioritise learning over immersion and require users to learn to interact with and play games using tutorials. Herein, we developed a game named Numverse with an accompanying tutorial. After selecting the tutorial content, we programmed the user interface and proposed a delivery method for the tutorial. We evaluated the user experience based on the effects of the presence or absence of the tutorial and its mode of delivery. The tutorials were of three types: no tutorial, instruction-screen tutorial, and context-sensitive tutorial, with the latter being the most preferred. The evaluation results show that presence, ability to learn controls, intrinsic motivation, and learning effectiveness are higher for the instruction-screen and context-sensitive tutorials than for no tutorial. On average, users experienced more motion sickness in the no-tutorial case, with a significant difference in nausea items. This study asserts the importance of tutorials in VR games, and its findings could improve user experience in future VR games.

Awe Inducing Elements in Virtual Reality Applications: A Prospective Study of Hospitalized Children and Caregivers.

Background: Hospitalized pediatric patients and their caregivers often experience anxiety and fear, resulting in withdrawal and aggression. Despite virtual reality (VR) being a safe and effective anxiolytic, it is unknown what software design aspects contribute to its effectiveness. This prospective observational study evaluated which VR application elements increased awe, which is correlated with improved behavior and satisfaction. Methods: Patients aged 6 to 25 years and their caregivers at an academic pediatric hospital interacted with a custom VR application that compared design aspects, including environment, graphics fidelity, and presence of a motivational character. Outcomes investigated self-reported awe, vastness, accommodation, and engagement. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA tests and correlation analyses. Results: A total of 202 participants were enrolled, and 179 (88 pediatric patients, 91 adult caregivers) were included in the final analysis. A fictional environment was more effective at increasing awe in pediatric patients (P = 0.030) compared with a realistic environment. However, increased graphics fidelity was more effective at increasing awe in caregiver adults (P = 0.023) compared with low resolution graphics. Presence of a motivational character did not influence awe in either patients or caregivers (P = 0.432, P = 0.904, respectively). All measures of awe were positively correlated with application engagement (P < 0.005). Conclusion: In conclusion, when software developers design VR software for pediatric patients and their caregivers, fictional settings and increased graphic fidelity should be considered for pediatric patients and adults, respectively. Future studies will explore other VR elements in gameplay settings.

The cat is out of the bag: the effect of virtual characters and scale cues on physics coherence

According to previous research, humans are exceptionally skilled at distinguishing earth-congruent object trajectories from earth-discrepant ones. Inconsistent scale cues in Virtual Reality (VR), however, are shown to easily confuse VR users’ scale, size, and distance estimations. This paper describes the results of two studies, with 40 participants each, which tested the effects of self-scaling, and size cues from active virtual characters, on perceived physics coherence (i.e., subjective realism). In the first study (Study A), a humanoid robot the size of a doll manipulated household objects to demonstrate their rigid body dynamics. The demonstration sequence was performed twice, once using a correct approximation of physics, and once using an incorrect one in which gravity was simulated similarly to as if the doll-sized robot was human-sized and the surrounding room was enlarged. The participants observed both demonstrations, once while standing at the normal scale and once at a reduced scale, similar to that of the humanoid robot. The second study (Study B) was similar, except that the virtual character demonstrating the physics was a regular-sized cat. Our preregistered hypotheses predicted that participants would consider the correct approximation of physics as better matching their expectations at normal scale, and the incorrect one as better matching their expectations at the reduced scale. However, only the second of these hypotheses was supported. According to our exploratory analyses, the participant’s own scale was a poor predictor of physics preference, and instead there was a significant effect regarding the virtual character’s identity. Participants observing the virtual cat were about eight times more likely to select the realistic physics model compared to those observing the humanoid robot. The results indicate that familiar cues tied to virtual character identity overrode any potential effects related to changes in the participants’ own scale.

Quality of Experience That Matters in Gaming Graphics: How to Blend Image Processing and Virtual Reality

This paper investigates virtual reality (VR) technology which can increase the quality of experience (QoE) on the graphics quality within the gaming environment. The graphics quality affects the VR environment and user experience. To gather relevant data, we conduct a live user experience and compare games with high- and low-quality graphics. The qualitative feedback obtained through questionnaires prove the importance ofcontextualizing users’ experiences playing both games. Furthermore, our findings prove the crucial role of graphics quality in adopting user engagement and enjoyment during gaming sessions. Users consistently reported their feeling more connected when interacting with games and receiving high-quality graphics. If the graphics quality received is low, the user rating for a particular game is low. Further examination of VR technology reveals its potential to revolutionize graphics quality within game play.

Development of a virtual reality simulator for training canine endotracheal intubation technique and evaluation of the educational impacts

Virtual reality (VR)-based training has shown some benefits in medical education, supporting skill acquisition, and helping reduce anxiety in real-world settings. However, the use of VR simulators in veterinary education remains limited. This study aimed to introduce a VR simulator to support veterinarian training in canine anaesthesia induction and endotracheal intubation. This study involved a group that learned solely with instructional videos (video group), and one that learned concurrently with the video and VR simulator (VR group). Third- and fourth-year veterinary students were included and underwent a descriptive test on canine endotracheal intubation. Canine endotracheal intubation success rates were compared between the video (n = 364) and VR (n = 60) groups of fifth-year students. A survey on the VR usability was conducted (n=91). The median descriptive test scores improved in the VR (63.3/100) vs the video group (51.5/100). The canine intubation success rates were comparable in the VR and video groups at 84.3 % and 77.4 %, respectively. A total of 90.1 % of the surveyed students rated the ease of use of the simulator highly. Overall, VR simulators were well-received, suggesting benefits in new skill retention. Further studies are required to evaluate the extent of skill improvement through VR-based training, compared to conventional methods, and to assess its impact on student motivation. Evaluating the long-term effects of VR-based training on skill development and retention will also provide a deeper understanding of its educational benefits.

Extended Reality for Mental Health Evaluation: Scoping Review.

Mental health disorders are the leading cause of health-related problems worldwide. It is projected that mental health disorders will be the leading cause of morbidity among adults as the incidence rates of anxiety and depression grow worldwide. Recently, "extended reality" (XR), a general term covering virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), is paving the way for the delivery of mental health care. We aimed to investigate the adoption and implementation of XR technology used in interventions for mental disorders and to provide statistical analyses of the design, usage, and effectiveness of XR technology for mental health interventions with a worldwide demographic focus. In this paper, we conducted a scoping review of the development and application of XR in the area of mental disorders. We performed a database search to identify relevant studies indexed in Google Scholar, PubMed, and the ACM Digital Library. A search period between August 2016 and December 2023 was defined to select papers related to the usage of VR, AR, and MR in a mental health context. The database search was performed with predefined queries, and a total of 831 papers were identified. Ten papers were identified through professional recommendation. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were designed and applied to ensure that only relevant studies were included in the literature review. We identified a total of 85 studies from 27 countries worldwide that used different types of VR, AR, and MR techniques for managing 14 types of mental disorders. By performing data analysis, we found that most of the studies focused on high-income countries, such as the United States (n=14, 16.47%) and Germany (n=12, 14.12%). None of the studies were for African countries. The majority of papers reported that XR techniques lead to a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety or depression. The majority of studies were published in 2021 (n=26, 30.59%). This could indicate that mental disorder intervention received higher attention when COVID-19 emerged. Most studies (n=65, 76.47%) focused on a population in the age range of 18-65 years, while few studies (n=2, 3.35%) focused on teenagers (ie, subjects in the age range of 10-19 years). In addition, more studies were conducted experimentally (n=67, 78.82%) rather than by using analytical and modeling approaches (n=8, 9.41%). This shows that there is a rapid development of XR technology for mental health care. Furthermore, these studies showed that XR technology can effectively be used for evaluating mental disorders in a similar or better way that conventional approaches. In this scoping review, we studied the adoption and implementation of XR technology for mental disorder care. Our review shows that XR treatment yields high patient satisfaction, and follow-up assessments show significant improvement with large effect sizes. Moreover, the studies adopted unique designs that were set up to record and analyze the symptoms reported by their participants. This review may aid future research and development of various XR mechanisms for differentiated mental disorder procedures.

Reviewing the current state of virtual reality integration in medical education - a scoping review

BackgroundIn medical education, new technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) are increasingly integrated to enhance digital learning. Originally used to train surgical procedures, now use cases also cover emergency scenarios and non-technical skills like clinical decision-making. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of VR in medical education, including requirements, advantages, disadvantages, as well as evaluation methods and respective study results to establish a foundation for future VR integration into medical curricula.MethodsThis review follows the updated JBI methodology for scoping reviews and adheres to the respective PRISMA extension. We included reviews in English or German language from 2012 to March 2022 that examine the use of VR in education for medical and nursing students, registered nurses, and qualified physicians. Data extraction focused on medical specialties, subjects, curricula, technical/didactic requirements, evaluation methods and study outcomes as well as advantages and disadvantages of VR.ResultsA total of 763 records were identified. After eligibility assessment, 69 studies were included. Nearly half of them were published between 2021 and 2022, predominantly from high-income countries. Most reviews focused on surgical training in laparoscopic and minimally invasive procedures (43.5%) and included studies with qualified physicians as participants (43.5%). Technical, didactic and organisational requirements were highlighted and evaluations covering performance time and quality, skills acquisition and validity, often showed positive outcomes. Accessibility, repeatability, cost-effectiveness, and improved skill development were reported as advantages, while financial challenges, technical limitations, lack of scientific evidence, and potential user discomfort were cited as disadvantages.DiscussionDespite a high potential of VR in medical education, there are mandatory requirements for its integration into medical curricula addressing challenges related to finances, technical limitations, and didactic aspects. The reported lack of standardised and validated guidelines for evaluating VR training must be overcome to enable high-quality evidence for VR usage in medical education. Interdisciplinary teams of software developers, AI experts, designers, medical didactics experts and end users are required to design useful VR courses. Technical issues and compromised realism can be mitigated by further technological advancements.

Analysis of the effectiveness and user experience of employing virtual reality to enhance the efficacy of occupational safety and health learning for electrical workers and graduate students

IntroductionThe integration of engineering approaches in education and training is pivotal for reducing workplace incidents. Effective safety education increases workers' awareness of potential risks and fosters a robust Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) culture. Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive experiences that enhance the efficacy of safety training. MethodThis study evaluated VR's effectiveness through two experiments that demonstrated improved learning capacities. The first study employed quantitative methods and quasi-experiments with electrical sector technical support professionals. The second study used a qualitative approach with scenario case studies involving graduate students. ResultsThe quantitative study revealed significant improvements in OSH understanding among electrical workers, highlighting VR-based training's superiority over traditional methods. The qualitative study found positive outcomes in VR usability and user experience among graduate students, affirming VR's effectiveness in OSH education. ConclusionVR has proven to be an effective and efficient training tool for both graduate students and experienced workers. It significantly advances skills, knowledge, and proficiency in electrical engineering by providing realistic, immersive, and tailored learning experiences. As VR technology continues to evolve, its role in shaping the future of electrical technical education and training appears increasingly promising.