Virtual Reality Methods Research Articles

Test-Retest Reliability of Dynamic Subjective Visual Vertical and Visual Dependency in Older Adults Using Virtual Reality Methods.

The perception of verticality is formed through the integration of multisensory gravitational information, including somatosensory, visual, and vestibular inputs. Older adults exhibit visual dependency (VD) as they rely more on visual information to compensate for reduced somatosensory and vertical perception. Increased VD is associated with falls, and the dynamic subjective visual vertical (SVV) is used to assess VD. However, the measurement reliability of dynamic SVV and VD using virtual reality (VR), which has garnered considerable attention in recent years, remains unclear. Therefore, our purpose in this study was to assess the test-retest reliability of dynamic SVVs and VDs using a VR method. We evaluated static and dynamic SVV of 40 older adults using a smartphone-based VR system (SVR-SVV). Dynamic SVV consisted of numerous spheres on the background rotating clockwise (CW-SVV) or counterclockwise (CCW-SVV). Each SVV measurement consisted of one set of 10 trials. VD was calculated as the mean value of dynamic SVV minus the mean values of static SVV. A re-test was conducted after one week. Reliability was analyzed using Bland-Altman plots and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC 2, k) for each SVV measure. We observed no systematic bias in any of the SVV values, which were 0.1° (SD = 2.8°), 13.3° (SD = 8.3°), -12.8° (SD = 6.9°), and 15.7° (SD = 8.1°) for static SVV, CW-SVV, CCW-SVV, and VD, respectively. Test-retest reliability was good for static SVV (ICC = .817, p < .001), CW-SVV (ICC = .896, p < .001) and excellent for CCW-SVV (ICC = .914, p < .001), VD (ICC = .937, p < .001). The dynamic SVV and VD measurements using SVR-SVV demonstrated good test-retest reliability. Moreover, the SVR-SVV is more portable than conventional methods, making it highly useful in clinical practice.

Virtual Reality (VR) Method to Improve Sense of Place for Interior Design Studio Students

Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged in response to recent developments in the 3-dimensional (3D) world. VR enables people to engage in various metaverse world experiences in a more immersive way. Immersive learning is a learning method that uses 3D digital technology to facilitate the learning process by visualization in the classroom. This research used a case study of the Interior Design II studio course taken by level-2 students of the Department of Interior Design, School of Creative Industries, Telkom University, Indonesia. The Interior Design II course requires students to design the interior of a residence with a minimum area of 100 m2. The method of paired sample test analysis was used to assess student’s preferences for pre-test and post-test statements from the VR intervention method in assessing student’s sense of place in the final design of the course. The results showed significant differences in student preferences during the pre-test (481.3% and 790.6%), which increased during the post-test (641.7% and 801%). The paired sample t-test analysis results also showed a Sig (2-tailed) number of 0.000 &lt; 0.05, so there is a significant relationship between the pre-test and post-test intervention.

Current applications and future perspective of virtual reality in dental education and practice in Saudi Arabia: A scoping review

ObjectiveThis scoping review aimed to evaluate the current state of virtual reality (VR) implementation in dental education and practice in Saudi Arabia, highlighting its advantages and challenges. MethodsA scoping review examined VR’s role in regrading dental education and practice in Saudi Arabia by searching electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, from inception to July 2024. Studies including VR applications for education, skills development, or anxiety/pain management involving Saudi dental students and practitioners were included. ResultsEleven relevant studies were identified: 5 focused on education and 6 on clinical practice. Educational studies showed mixed effectiveness of VR versus traditional methods but positive student perceptions. Clinical application studies also had mixed results on VR’s impact on anxiety and pain, though some benefits were noted. VR systems included distraction-based, simulator-based, and hybrid VR/augmented reality with artificial intelligence. ConclusionWhile the current implementation of VR in dental practice in Saudi Arabia shows promise, particularly in enhancing students’ engagement and reducing patients’ anxiety, more comprehensive and robust research is needed to validate its effectiveness fully. Strategic efforts should focus on expanding research, tailoring applications, and integrating VR with traditional methods to align with the healthcare objectivesofVision2030.

Effects of virtual reality training on clinical skill performance in nursing students: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression.

This review examined the impact of virtual reality (VR) training on nursing students' clinical skill performance and identified essential features of VR training. VR provides immersive content, simulating real-life scenarios and preventing errors in clinical settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were obtained from Ovid-EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL and PubMed. Studies related to VR training published from 1 January 2000 to 8 May 2024 were included. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 4.0 software was used for meta-analysis and random effects meta-regression. The overall effect was assessed with Hedges' g and Z-statistics (p < 0.05). Heterogeneity was measured using I-squared (I2) statistics. Among the 31 476 studies, 11 randomized controlled trial studies were included. Meta-analysis demonstrated a significant improvement in clinical skill performance, with a medium to large effect (g = 0.61) in the VR group (Z = 3.80, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses highlighted higher nursing skills in the VR training topic. Meta-regression revealed that the VR training topic (β = 1.23, p < 0.001) and method of VR training (β = -0.53, p = 0.05) were significant covariates influencing clinical skill performance. VR training improves nursing students' clinical skill performance, addressing shortcomings in the clinical practicum.

Analysis of MR–VR tele-operation methods for legged-manipulator robots

The development of immersive technologies in recent years has facilitated the control and execution of tasks at a high level of complexity in robotic systems. On the other hand, exploration and manipulation tasks in unknown environments have been one of the main challenges in search and rescue (SAR) robotics. Due to the complexity and uncertainty involved in autonomous manipulation tasks in unstructured environments, these are usually tele-operated initially. This article addresses a comparative study between Mixed Reality (MR—Hololens) and Virtual Reality (VR—HTC-Vive) methods for teleoperating legged-manipulator robots in the context of search and rescue. For this purpose, a teleoperation robotics method was established to address the comparison, developing VR–MR interfaces with the same contextualization and operational functionality for mission management and robot control of a robotic set composed of a quadrupedal robot equipped with a 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) manipulator, by a user using hand gestures. A set of metrics is proposed for the comparative evaluation of the interfaces considering parameters that allow analyzing operability in the context of the mission (latencies, physical parameters of the equipment, etc.), as well as from the aspect of operator performance (required training, confidence levels, etc.). The experimental phase was conducted using both on-site and remote operations to evaluate and categorize the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Improving Engineering Education through Utilization of Virtual Reality

Traditional methods (TM) for delivering engineering education are not aligned with rapid technological development. Engineering basic workshops as a fundamental course for engineering students are commonly provided through traditional education methods and depend mainly on understanding both the theoretical concepts and practical tasks. Simulation as advanced technology is trending where applications of virtual reality (VR) can be used as an effective teaching tool in education and boost the students’ engagement in the courses. This study focuses on improving the traditional learning method used in mechanical engineering basic workshops by utilizing VR. A time study was conducted for both traditional and VR methods to identify the time required to complete all tasks. A facility layout redesign for the current workshop lab was proposed along with a direct cost study. It was found that the use of VR allowed students to understand the course experiments, achieved significant improvement in students’ performance, and enhanced the learning experience for engineering students.

Contrast ratio enhancement method of a pancake virtual reality head‐mounted display

AbstractFolded optical path designs have been widely applied in Virtual Reality (Pancake VR) displays in recent years. Compared with the traditional straight‐through and Fresnel optical path design, the Pancake design has obvious advantages in smaller size and clearer virtual image. However, the Pancake optical path uses polarization devices to fold the optical path and, light undergoes multiple refractions and reflections between lens groups, thus inevitably introducing stray light. This stray light greatly reduces the contrast ratio even if taking high‐contrasting Mini‐LED backlight LCD as panel, and seriously affects the user experience. In this paper, we first analyze the causes of stray light in the Pancake design and then propose an effective optical design method. In addition, an effective process scheme for improving image contrast is proposed by analyzing the impact of lens and tube reflectivity. Further, a prototype of the Pancake VR optical module is successfully implemented with low stray light and high contrast ratio.

Enhancing Learning Opportunities in Laboratory Science Using Virtual Reality Lessons: A Use Case

Animal dissections are a common approach to teaching anatomy and physiology, but they are costly, pose safety risks, and raise ethical concerns. Alternatives like computer simulations and synthetic specimens have been explored, but they lack the realism of live dissections. Virtual reality (VR) technology provides a promising solution by immersing learners in a virtual environment that closely mimics real-life dissections and allows for skill development and feedback. VR also removes ethical and emotional concerns associated with dissections and enhances learning opportunities. To explore the effectiveness of VR in anatomy and physiology education, we conducted a detailed survey of 48 students in an undergraduate physiology laboratory course. The survey, administered before and after students performed both a VR frog dissection and an in-person frog dissection, was designed to gauge their perceptions, preferences, and learning experiences with both methods. Results indicate that while no participants considered VR a perfect substitute, a majority (80%) still viewed animal dissections as an essential part of science laboratory courses. Interestingly, 43% of participants expressed a stronger preference for live dissections post-experiment, citing greater excitement and perceived informativeness. In contrast, 25% favored VR or alternative methods, highlighting increased comfort and reduced discomfort. A recurring theme was VR's role as a preparatory or alternative tool for those hesitant towards live dissection. This study underscores VR's potential in addressing traditional dissection methods' limitations and emphasizes the need for further research into VR's effectiveness in anatomy and physiology education. We aim to foster dialogue on the use of alternative technologies in enhancing learning opportunities within laboratory and clinical sciences. This project was funded by the Department of Physiology at Michigan State University. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Generating trajectory data without behavior modeling: An online virtual reality method in wayfinding performance evaluation for buildings

Wayfinding performance is one of the key issues in pre- or post-occupancy evaluation for large-scale public buildings and such evaluation typically revolves around participants’ wayfinding trajectories. Traditional evaluation methods, including laboratory virtual reality (VR) experiments and computer simulations, have their respective advantages in accuracy or cost-efficiency. However, they either suffer from high costs and low efficiency or sacrifice the diversity of behavioral data for higher efficiency and lower costs. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel method named “sampling as simulation” (SaS) via an online VR wayfinding experiment. This method allows for the rapid collection of behavioral data at a lower cost to generate highly accurate wayfinding trajectory data for evaluation purposes. It utilizes a model-image integrated approach to create realistic online virtual environments and employs a spatiotemporal replay algorithm to generate a crowd of true-trajectory-driven avatars, significantly enhancing the immersion and realism of the online virtual scenes. This method was demonstrated and validated with a wayfinding performance post-occupancy evaluation (POE) project at the International Departure of Satellite Terminal One (S1) in Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG). In this example, a total of 13,712 original trajectories were collected within a 72-h time window, serving as the original dataset for evaluation. Based on this dataset, the study effectively simulated wayfinding behavior in three different scenarios and evaluated wayfinding performance. Compared to existing methods, the SaS method not only improves data collection efficiency and reduces costs but also maintains the diversity of behavior by generating transformed trajectories directly from human data without behavior modeling.

Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction and Virtual Reality for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Cardiac Surgery Patients: A Short Review

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) has been observed as a complication after cardiac surgery consistently. The ineffectiveness of current treatments for POCD is causing a search for non-invasive alternatives. The present review aims to consolidate the current understanding of how VR methods effectively facilitate the recovery of cognitive functioning in cardiac surgery patients. To obtain information about the effects of VR technology on cognitive functions, we investigated the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Our research has shown that VR systems effectively provide feedback, adapt to individual needs, and provide high-intensity and meaningful exercise to promote cognitive and motor learning. Previous studies have demonstrated that multisensory and multidomain stimulation of cognitive functions is possible through VR technology. Thus, the cognitive rehabilitation of cardiac surgery patients can be significantly enhanced using virtual reality (VR) technologies.

Utilizing virtual reality before, versus during, the COVID-19 pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic abruptly pushed interior design (ID) instruction online, instructors were challenged to adapt, and students adapted a new method of virtual reality (VR). The VR method before COVID-19 was a Homido V2 VR headset with iPhone viewing 360-degree panorama jpeg, and during COVID-19 a liquid crystal display (LCD) computer monitor viewing 360-degree panorama jpeg. The purpose of this study was, if a statistically significant difference (SSD) in spatial presence was found between the two types of VR, then an argument could be supported to evaluate spatial presence, before VR is implemented into ID curriculum. This study was at one Midwestern United States university with a sample (N = 52) of ID undergraduate students. The results revealed an SSD in the spatial presence in the aforementioned VR types. This SSD was found in two of the three dependent variables: Spatial Presence: Possible Action (SPPA; U = 772, p < 0.001), example survey question feeling you could jump into the action, and Spatial Presence: Self Location (SPSL; U = 789, p < 0.001), example feeling you are in the middle of the action. The third dependent variable, Spatial Situation Model (SSM; U = 1320, p = 0.834) did not reveal an SSD, example imagining the arrangement of the spaces. To support results, the Virtual Reality Spatial Presence Index (VRSPI) applied scored neutral (neither strong, nor weak) for spatial presence in both. This study filled research gaps on VR spatial presence measurement, with implications supporting a measurable advantage in ID students using VR headsets and ID curriculum developers evaluating VR before implementation.

Enhancing Disaster Preparedness for Junior High School Students at SMPN 24 Padang City Using Virtual Reality Method

Indonesia frequently experiences earthquakes, resulting in significant financial losses and casualties, especially in Padang. A major factor contributing to the high number of victims is the general public's lack of knowledge and preparedness for such disasters. Teenagers, including middle school students, are particularly vulnerable. Consequently, at SMPN 24 in Padang, virtual reality (VR) technology has been introduced to educate students about disaster preparedness. This simulation provided a realistic learning experience, allowing students to practice for emergencies without endangering themselves. At SMPN 24 in Padang, 32 students underwent an earthquake simulation using the VR approach. The results indicated an enhanced understanding of disaster preparedness among the students, with the median comprehension score rising from 59.00 to 60.50. Evaluations suggest that VR technology effectively increases students' disaster awareness and readiness. In summary, thanks to the virtual reality (VR) training, students at SMPN 24 in Padang feel better equipped to face potential earthquake disasters.

Context reinstatement requires a schema relevant virtual environment to benefit object recall.

How does our environment impact what we will later remember? Early work in real-world environments suggested that having matching encoding/retrieval contexts improves memory. However, some laboratory-based studies have not replicated this advantageous context-dependent memory effect. Using virtual reality methods, we find support for context-dependent memory effects and examine an influence of memory schema and dynamic environments. Participants (N = 240) remembered more objects when in the same virtual environment (context) as during encoding. This traded-off with falsely "recognizing" more similar lures. Experimentally manipulating the virtual objects and environments revealed that a congruent object/environment schema aids recall (but not recognition), though a dynamic background does not. These findings further our understanding of when and how context affects our memory through a naturalistic approach to studying such effects.

A virtual reality method for assessing human responses to soundscapes

Virtual realities and simulations are becoming increasingly popular due to constant technological advancement offering more and more realistic scenarios. However, cases of VR being used to assess soundscape-related aspects of perception still appear to be rare. Here, a method for conducting auditory perception experiments in a virtual urban environment is presented and discussed. Participants are exposed to virtual scenarios simulating an urban green area with nearby traffic noise sources, whose visualization draws on physically-based visual renderings. The acoustic scenario is auralized in real-time using geometrical acoustic approaches including simulated and recorded sounds. The virtual environment is presented via head-mounted display and headphones. In this setting, evaluation and behavioural experiments are conducted, with the environment’s acoustic and visual characteristics being experimentally manipulable or controllable. The presented method allows for perception experiments with a high degree of ecological validity while maintaining a controlled laboratory setting. As a practical application, the method is used to determine the impact of road traffic configurations on the restoration quality in an urban green area. Proceeding from the applied method, general opportunities and limitations of experiments performed in virtual urban environments to study noise effects in urban soundscapes are discussed.

Exploring the Educational Value of an Immersive Virtual Reality Method Within a Continuing Education Module in Nursing: A Mixed Methods Study.

Few studies have explored the potential educational value of immersive 360° video in continuing education. This study explored the potential value of immersive 360° video as an acceptable educational method in a continuing education module in nursing. A convergent parallel mixed methods design was adopted. The setting was a nursing and midwifery school at a university. The 11 participants were RNs. Data were collected at three time points with surveys and focus groups. Participants found educational value in the triggering of a deep reflective process, supported by a subsequent classroom discussion. Further, there were nuances and complexities to be considered, with a need to tailor material toward high-acuity, low-frequency, or challenging clinical events when considering content. Immersive 360° videos are a potentially useful method for providing continuing education; however, the content must be tailored to students' learning needs. A reflective model may provide a valuable structure for discussions after the use of immersive 360° video. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(5):261-268.].

Induced oscillatory brain responses under virtual reality conditions in the context of repetition priming.

In the human electroencephalogram (EEG), induced oscillatory responses in various frequency bands are regarded as valuable indices to examine the neural mechanisms underlying human memory. While the advent of virtual reality (VR) drives the investigation of mnemonic processing under more lifelike settings, the joint application of VR and EEG methods is still in its infancy (e.g., due to technical limitations impeding the signal acquisition). The objective of the present EEG study was twofold. First, we examined whether the investigation of induced oscillations under VR conditions yields equivalent results compared to standard paradigms. Second, we aimed at obtaining further insights into basic memory-related brain mechanisms in VR. To these ends, we relied on a standard implicit memory design, namely repetition priming, for which the to-be-expected effects are well-documented for conventional studies. Congruently, we replicated a suppression of the evoked potential after stimulus onset. Regarding the induced responses, we observed a modulation of induced alphaband in response to a repeated stimulus. Importantly, our results revealed a repetition-related suppression of the high-frequencyinduced gammaband response (>30Hz), indicating the sharpening of a cortical object representation fostering behavioral priming effects. Noteworthy, the analysis of the induced gammaband responses required a number of measures to minimize the influence of external and internal sources of artefacts (i.e., the electrical shielding of the technical equipment and the control for miniature eye movements). In conclusion, joint VR-EEG studies with a particular focus on induced oscillatory responses offer a promising advanced understanding of mnemonic processing under lifelike conditions.

Students’ Perception of Virtual Reality Applications to Analyse Daylighting and Spatial Functions in Architecture and Environment

The use of various pedagogies is essential to aid the complex learning of architectural students, especially due to tools for visualising design becoming advanced. Accordingly, experiential learning by simulation or physical presence and case study-based learning in teaching and learning architecture are essential. Using virtual reality (VR), students are able to experience the simulation of daylighting virtually in their modelled case study from various places in the world. Thus, this study investigated the students’ perception of using VR in learning daylighting in architecture. The study’s objectives were to (1) understand the learning process using VR, (2) assess students’ acceptance level of the use of VR, (3) compare VR and traditional methods of architectural learning and (4) suggest improvements needed for using VR for teaching and learning in architectural undergraduate programmes. A mixed methodology consisting of a questionnaire and observation was used for this study. A questionnaire was distributed to 15 students who had gone through a workshop on visualising a case study that was modelled in three dimensions to simulate daylight. Students found that using VR was very useful in understanding daylight and daylight use in space. The study found almost all students (93.4%) agreed that using VR enhanced their learning skills and 80% of the students responded that visualising daylight in VR enabled them to establish their tasks more quickly. This workshop helped students construct their knowledge, enhance the learning experience and motivate learning of daylight using VR. This study concludes that VR is a great tool for teaching and learning.

Design and Optimization of Urban Spatial Environment Based on Digital Intelligent VR Technology

With the advent of the information age, new generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain have had a profound impact on urban development. It not only improves the operational efficiency of various industries, changes the operational processes of various industries, but also has an important impact on the spatial environment composition of cities by influencing the production and living patterns of residents. "Smart city" is a form of urban organization based on information technology, characterized by digitization, intelligence, and networking. This article focuses on using virtual reality (VR) technology to deeply explore the design and optimization of urban spatial environment, and analyzes in detail the application of digital intelligence technology in urban planning. Through case studies, how these technologies optimize urban spatial layout is demonstrated. Furthermore, this article points out the optimization and improvement directions of existing urban spatial environment design technologies, and evaluates the effectiveness. The specific application of intelligent VR technology in urban spatial optimization is pointed out. In terms of design cost, the traditional method requires 5 million yuan, and the VR method requires 6 million yuan; in terms of change costs, the traditional method requires 800 thousand yuan, and the VR method requires 500 thousand yuan. This article is of significant value and provides new perspectives and practical tools for future urban spatial planning and design work.

Empowering the next Generation: An innovative “Kids Save Lives” blended learning programme for schoolchildren training

IntroductionGuidelines recommend teaching resuscitation from school age; however, little is known about the best methods to provide it.We devised a blended learning program for primary and secondary students (Kids Save Lives – KSL) consisting of brief lectures, practical training with mannequins, and virtual reality. We aimed to evaluate its impact on students’ attitudes towards intervening during cardiac arrest and their knowledge about basic life support. MethodsThis observational, prospective, before-and-after study assessed attitudes and basic life support knowledge in primary and secondary school children exposed to the KSL program. 20 events were conducted in the metropolitan area of Bologna, Italy. A multiple-choice test (before and after the course) explored attitude, knowledge and perceptions of realism, engagement, and agreement with the virtual reality method. ResultsA total of 1,179 students (response rate 81.4%) were included in the final analysis, with 12.89% from primary schools, 5.94% from middle schools, and 81.17% from high schools. Students’ willingness to intervene during a cardiac arrest rose from 56.9% to 93.1% (p < 0.001) post-course. The course’s realism, engagement, and future prospects received positive feedback, with median scores notably higher in primary schools compared to secondary schools. ConclusionThe blended learning method improved students’ understanding of basic life support techniques and their attitude to act during cardiac arrest situations. The positive reception of the virtual reality component underscores technology’s potential to bolster engagement and should be further explored for basic life support teaching in schoolchildren.

Analysis of the effectiveness of virtual reality technology integration in landscape design

Abstract In this paper, we first studied the 3D visual immersion technology of virtual reality, explored the stereoscopic display and multi-channel stereoscopic display method of virtual reality, and corrected the nonlinear distortion by grating alignment and deformation correction. After that, the model’s lighting technology is examined, and the model’s lighting coefficient is analyzed and calculated. Then, the advantages of landscape design based on virtual reality technology in terms of subjective evaluation, human perception, and promotion of work efficiency were analyzed by comparing traditional landscape design with virtual reality landscape design. The results show that the Sig value of the environmental adaptability of the two spatial designs is 0.037, which is less than 0.05, and there is a significant difference between the two in terms of subjective ratings. People’s attention was enhanced by 7%-10% in the virtual design scene, and the induced brain frequency was 8%-10% higher than that of the traditional landscape design, indicating that the virtual landscape design was more effective.