Virtual Reality Training System Research Articles

Development of virtual reality training system for combat musculoskeletal trauma care

Objective: A virtual reality (VR)-based training system for combat musculoskeletal trauma care (CMTC) was meticulously crafted to enhance trainees’ theoretical understanding, familiarity with care processes, and decision-making abilities in the realm of combat musculoskeletal trauma management. Method: Scenario scripts, descriptions of injuries, and foundational management plans for care under fire and tactical field care were constructed. Subsequently, the CMTC system was developed employing tools, such as Maya, Photoshop, Unity, SQLite, and Visual Studio. Finally, the system was tested by 30 civilian nurses. The trainees’ knowledge, satisfaction, and system usability were evaluated using the theoretical question bank module, questionnaire, and system usability scale (SUS). Results: This research resulted in the establishment of five types of processes for CMTC in the contexts of care under fire and tactical field care. The study indicated that the trainees’ scores after training (75.67 ± 6.91) was higher than before training (69.17 ± 10.91), p < 0.001, the t-statistic was −5.022. The resultant SUS score was 70.4 ± 9.40. An overwhelming 96.67% of the trainees expressed satisfaction with the teaching quality. Conclusion: The CMTC system, developed in alignment with Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) guidelines and infused with cutting-edge equipment and technologies, provides an interactive and modular simulation training experience. Its strengths include higher reality, enhanced safety, repeatability, cost-effectiveness, and the provision for performance analysis. Besides, it has good accessibility and reliability, and can cultivate students’ autonomous learning ability and deepen their understanding.

Virtual reality perceptual training can improve the temporal discrimination ability of swinging during softball batting.

Perception and action uncoupling in fastball sports anticipatory training is often criticized. Nevertheless, perception-only training offers distinct advantages, such as flexibility concerning time, place, and injury limitations. Therefore, the effectiveness of this training approach warrants evaluation. This study developed a virtual reality (VR) training system based on the idea that the two visual pathways in the brain are associated with visual information attributes, rather than perception or action. A key feature of this study's perception-only training was its presentation of not only the opponent's kinematics but also the ball's flight information (the attributes that guide hitting) to train the visual system necessary for real situations. Seventeen female softball batters were assigned to two groups: a training group (N = 9) and a control group (N = 8). Only the training group underwent the VR anticipatory skill training to discriminate the different ball speeds. Both groups completed a perception test and an action test on the VR during the pre- and post-training periods. The perception test assessed response accuracy (RA) in discriminating ball speed, and the action test assessed the temporal difference in swing onset (delta onset). Comparison of these two outcome variables between groups revealed that perception-only training improved both perceptual and action responses. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of perception-only training and emphasized the need for its thoughtful utilization and design.

VisionCoach: Design and Effectiveness Study on VR Vision Training for Basketball Passing.

Vision Training is important for basketball players to effectively search for teammates who has wide-open opportunities to shoot, observe the defenders around the wide-open teammates and quickly choose a proper way to pass the ball to the most suitable one. We develop an immersive virtual reality (VR) system called VisionCoach to simulate the player's viewing perspective and generate three designed systematic vision training tasks to benefit the cultivating procedure. By recording the player's eye gazing and dribbling video sequence, the proposed system can analyze the vision-related behavior to understand the training effectiveness. To demonstrate the proposed VR training system can facilitate the cultivation of vision ability, we recruited 14 experienced players to participate in a 6-week between-subject study, and conducted a study by comparing the most frequently used 2D vision training method called Vision Performance Enhancement (VPE) program with the proposed system. Qualitative experiences and quantitative training results are reported to show that the proposed immersive VR training system can effectively improve player's vision ability in terms of gaze behavior and dribbling stability. Furthermore, training in the VR-VisionCoach Condition can transfer the learned abilities to real scenario more easily than training in the 2D-VPE Condition.

A Virtual Reality Training System for Automotive Engines Assembly and Disassembly

A Virtual Reality Training System for Automotive Engines Assembly and Disassembly

Effects of Virtual Reality Physical and Cognitive Training Intervention On Cognitive Abilities of Elders with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has become increasingly used for assessment and intervention in the neuroscience field. We aimed to investigate the effects of a VR Training System, named VRADA (VR Exercise App for Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients), on the cognitive functioning of older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this intervention study, 122 older adults with MCI were randomly assigned to five groups (the VRADA group (n = 28), a bike group (n = 11), a physical exercise group (n = 24), a mixed group (physical and cognitive exercise) (n = 31), and a non-contact control group (n = 28). The VRADA group underwent 32 physical and cognitive training sessions, performed 2 or 3 times weekly for 12 weeks in the VR environment. All participants had detailed neuropsychological assessments before and after intervention. A series of linear regression models revealed that the VRADA group showed improvement or no deterioration in cognitive decline in global cognitive function (MMSE), verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and WAIS forward test), and executive functions, mental flexibility (Trail Making Test B). This interventionstudy indicates that the VRADA system improves the cognitive function of elders with MCI.

Own goal or home run? Exploring the implementation of virtual reality training in football and baseball organisations

PurposeDespite the perceived benefits of implementing virtual reality (VR) training in elite sport, arguably the most important element – the perceptions of practitioners – has been largely understudied. Therefore, the present study aims to explore practitioners' perceptions of VR training in elite football and baseball, with a focus on the important factors, obstacles, perceived knowledge and practical use of the technology.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach measuring practitioner perceptions via an online questionnaire was adopted. Football respondents (n = 25) represented practitioners from major football leagues across the world, and baseball respondents (n = 15) represented practitioners from Major League Baseball.FindingsBoth football and baseball respondents reported that the most important factor for implementation of VR training was improvement in on-field performance (technical and tactical); whilst cost was viewed as the biggest obstacle. Both football and baseball respondents also noted that the most likely group to receive VR training would be injured and rehabilitating athletes. Mann–Whitney U tests revealed that football respondents perceived coach (p = 0.02) and executive approval (p < 0.001) as significantly greater obstacles than baseball respondents.Originality/valueThis research provides novel and invaluable information for stakeholders within VR regarding what the elite organisations of different sports perceive as the most important factors for implementation, as well as greatest obstacles preventing use. This information should guide future development and marketing of VR training systems in sport.

Research on the application of gaze visualization interface on virtual reality training systems

Research on the application of gaze visualization interface on virtual reality training systems

Design of immersive virtual reality training for endoscopic surgery

Endoscopic surgery training is limited by a lack of specialized instructors and access to technological equipment. Virtual reality training offers a solution to this issue, as it allows for accessible and efficient practice. This study conducts a literature review to investigate the current state of virtual reality training systems in endoscopic surgery and subsequently designs and tests an immersive virtual reality system through a proof of concept with endoscopic surgery specialists.

Design and evaluation of an adaptive virtual reality training system

Design and evaluation of an adaptive virtual reality training system

CURER: A Lightweight Cable-Driven Compliant Upper Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Robot

Upper limb exoskeletons show promise for improving functionalities required for stroke patients. Despite recent progress, most of current upper limb rehabilitation devices are still bulky, heavy, and less compliant to be applied. This article presents a cable-driven compliant upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robot (CURER) with a lightweight frame and comfortable human–robot interaction. A modular series elastic actuator (SEA) was designed to provide controlled torque for each active robotic joint, and Bowden cables were applied to transfer controlled torque to distal joints. A six-bar double parallelogram mechanism was designed to implement 3 active degrees of freedom (DOFs) of a shoulder. An actuated elbow with 1 DOF and a wrist with a passive DOF were also developed for CURER. The anthropomorphic shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints can minimize misalignment between human upper limbs and the robot. The length of anthropomorphic arm was adjustable for a wide range of users. It can apply up to a 33 N·m torque in shoulder flexion/extension, abduction/adduction, intra/extra rotation, and elbow flexion/extension, with a range of 7.6–8.0 Hz position bandwidth in each actuation. CURER has a large range of motion and can provide accurate torque control for stroke patients’ requirements. Besides, a comprehensive rehabilitation strategy including robot-in-charge mode and human-in-charge mode was developed for different recovery stages. Experiments carried out on CURER actuation units demonstrated good position and impedance control performance. Finally, a virtual reality training system was developed to assist the subjects to accomplish upper limb rehabilitation efficiently.

My Lovely Granny’s Farm: An immersive virtual reality training system for children with autism spectrum disorder

One of the biggest difficulties faced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during their learning process and general life, is communication and social interaction. In recent years, researchers and practitioners have invested in different approaches to improving aspects of their communication and learning. However, there is still no consolidated approach and the community is still looking for new approaches that can meet this need. Addressing this challenge, in this article we propose a novelty approach (i.e., an Adaptive Immersive Virtual Reality Training System), aiming to enrich social interaction and communication skills for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In this adaptive system (called My Lovely Granny’s Farm), the behavior of the virtual trainer changes depending on the mood and actions of the users (i.e., patients/learners). Additionally, we conducted an initial observational study by monitoring the behavior of children with autism in a virtual environment. In the initial study, the system was offered to users with a high degree of interactivity so that they might practice various social situations in a safe and controlled environment. The results demonstrate that the use of the system can allow patients who needed treatment to receive therapy without leaving home. Our approach is the first experience of treating children with autism in Kazakhstan and can contribute to improving the communication and social interaction of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. We contribute to the community of educational technologies and mental health by providing a system that can improve communication among children with autism and providing insights on how to design this kind of system.

Validity of an immersive virtual reality training system for orthognathic surgical education.

Virtual reality (VR) has been proven an important supplement for surgical education in medical students. However, studies on immersive VR (iVR) simulation in orthognathic surgical education are limited. This study aimed to assess the validity of the iVR surgical training system for orthognathic surgery. Participants completed questionnaires at the end of the course to assess the validity of the training system. The questionnaires included questions on the experience of using the iVR system and surgical authenticity. Seven experienced surgeons and seven inexperienced students were recruited in this study to use our self-developed iVR training system for orthognathic surgery. The participants showed strong agreement to the fidelity of our training system (4.35 out of 5), including the virtual environment, instruments, anatomy structures, and surgical procedures. The participants also strongly agreed that the iVR technique was essential in imparting surgical education. However, most of the participants experienced some degree of dizziness or fatigue after 1 h of using the system. The iVR training system is a new method for imparting education about orthognathic surgery. The iVR training system can act as a supplement and potential substitute of the traditional surgical training method.

Immersive virtual reality training for excavation safety and hazard identification

PurposeIn the construction sector, site excavation is one of the most dangerous and challenging activities. Proper training can be an effective way to mitigate excavation hazards. Virtual reality (VR) has been used as an effective training tool to enhance safety performance in various industries. However, little attention has been paid to the potential of this technology for construction excavation safety training.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes an immersive VR training system for excavation safety and hazard identification. The proposed VR training system was compared with a health and safety manual via a controlled experiment.FindingsResults based on scores obtained immediately after training indicate that VR training significantly enhanced practical performance, knowledge acquisition and self-efficacy. Results also show that knowledge was retained four weeks after training. In addition, VR training outperformed health and safety manuals regarding knowledge retention.Originality/valueThis study measures the practical performance to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed VR training system. Also, this study compares the VR training system with a traditional training method by measuring knowledge acquisition and retention. The results demonstrate the potential of VR as a training tool for excavation safety and hazards.

Understanding Pitfalls and Opportunities of Applying Heuristic Evaluation Methods to VR Training Systems: An Empirical Study

The usability of virtual reality (VR) training applications is crucial for their success, but examining the usability in the early development stages remains challenging. A realistic and plausible solution would be revisiting and reconciling Heuristics Evaluation (HE) methods among the most widely used usability inspection methods in the human-computer interaction (HCI) domain. While research on studying and using HE methods is growing within the VR domain, few studies have considered the novel VR environment challenges new requirements for fitting HE methods to the context and applying them effectively. To this end, we conducted a user study with 14 evaluators using the standard HE methods to complete two HE sessions for a VR training application. We identified five critical challenges that evaluators encountered in the HE process by observing and interviewing them. Based on our findings, we discuss the importance of considering an easy-to-use heuristic set, how we can facilitate the HE procedures in the VR context, and the opportunities for developing HE-supporting tools.

An Automated Virtual Reality Training System for Teacher-Student Interaction: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Shortages in qualified supervision and other resources prevent education personnel from rehearsing effective practices. Interactive simulations, although increasingly used in education, frequently require instructor management. Automated simulations rarely engage trainees in skills related to practice (eg, speech). We evaluated the capability of delivering behavioral skills training through an automated virtual reality (VR) simulation using artificial intelligence to improve the implementation of a nondirective mathematical questioning strategy. We recruited and randomly assigned 30 college-aged participants to equivalent treatment (ie, lecture, modeling, and VR; 15/30, 50%) and control groups (ie, lecture and modeling only; 15/30, 50%). The participants were blind to treatment conditions. Sessions and assessments were conducted face to face and involved the use of VR for assessment regardless of the condition. Lessons concerned the use of a nondirective mathematical questioning strategy in instances where a simulated student provided correct or incorrect answers to word problems. The measures included observed and automated assessments of participant performance and subjective assessments of participant confidence. The participants completed the pretest, posttest, and maintenance probes each week over the course of 3 weeks. A mixed ANOVA revealed significant main effects of time (F2,27=124.154; P<.001; ηp2=0.816) and treatment (F1,28=19.281; P<.001; ηp2=0.408) as well as an interaction effect (F2,28=8.429; P<.001; ηp2=0.231) for the average percentage of steps in the questioning procedure. Posttest scores for the intervention group (mean 88%, SD 22.62%) exceeded those of the control group (mean 63.33%, SD 22.64%), with t28=3.653, P<.001, and Cohen d=1.334. Maintenance scores indicated a positive effect of the intervention (mean 83.33%, SD 24.40%) relative to the control (mean 54.67%, SD 15.98%), t28=3.807, P<.001, Cohen d=1.39. A Mann-Whitney U test indicated that the treatment groups' self-ratings of confidence (mean 2.41, SD 0.51) were higher than those of the control group (mean 2.04, SD 0.52), U=64, P=.04, r=0.137. The results demonstrate the potential of artificial intelligence-augmented VR to deliver effective, evidence-based training with limited instructor management. Additional work is needed to demonstrate the cascading effect of training on authentic practice and to encompass a wider range of skills.

Prototyping an immersive virtual reality training system for urban-scale evacuation using 360-degree panoramas

Urban-scale evacuation may take place because of disasters or emergencies. Efforts have been made to enhance the preparedness of communities for urban-scale evacuation. For instance, wayfinding systems are installed and implemented in tsunami-prone regions, indicating the evacuation routes to high ground or inland. However, communities tend not to familiarise themselves with wayfinding systems and the best evacuation routes because tsunami evacuation drills are not normally carried out given the challenges to plan and run them. This study proposes a rapid development approach for immersive virtual reality (IVR) training systems suited to urban-scale evacuation. This approach utilises 360-degree panoramas to represent an urban environment in IVR, getting rid of the process of 3D modelling or reality capture to reconstruct a virtual urban environment. The 360-degree panoramas used in this study were directly acquired via a 360-degree camera. Immediate feedback is applied as a pedagogical approach to inform users. The training objective is to make users capable of identifying evacuation signs and the best evacuation route. This paper outlines a development framework to demonstrate the prototyping workflow of a 360-degree panoramic IVR training system suited to urban-scale evacuation. 360-degree panoramic IVR requires low levels of development efforts and computational resources. Therefore, urban-scale evacuation drills become possible to be rolled out easily and quickly to a wider population using 360-degree panoramic IVR.

Immersive Virtual Reality for procedural training: Comparing traditional and learning by teaching approaches

Virtual Reality (VR) has been widely adopted for the creation of training experiences, since it appears to allow overcoming, especially for practical training, some of the limitations of real exercises. Many previous works focused on investigating the effectiveness of VR Training Systems (VRTS) in a variety of fields, but the efficacy of these systems is very task-dependent, and the best way to integrate them into existing learning paths has yet to be thoroughly investigated. The goal of the present paper is to explore the latter aspects considering a case study in the context of energy management in industry, and focusing on a measuring procedure that is part, e.g., of energy audit inspections. To this aim, a VRTS was developed and used to conduct two user studies: a first study designed to investigate the effectiveness of the devised system when used as an alternative or in combination with lecture and laboratory-based teaching experiences, and a second study aimed to compare two different approaches (traditional learning, TL, and learning by teaching, LBT) for exploiting the provided VR-based functionalities in a learning path. Experimental results showed that the use of the VRTS alone improved the participants’ performance compared to traditional experiences, and that LBT proved to be more effective that TL for practical learning purposes.

Developing an Immersive Virtual Reality Training System for Novel Pediatric Power Wheelchair Users: Protocol for a Feasibility Study.

BackgroundPower wheelchairs can empower children with physical limitations to gain independence in their everyday lives; however, traditional methods of power wheelchair training are often limited by poor accessibility and safety concerns. Immersive virtual reality technology (IVRT) uses advanced display technology to place users in a fully immersive web-based environment that can support real-time skills training, often requiring less resources and fewer safety concerns than real-world methods. IVRT interventions have shown to be a feasible training option among adult power wheelchair users; however, there is still a need to understand the technical and clinical feasibility of developing an IVRT power wheelchair training tool for the pediatric population.ObjectiveThis proposed study aims to use expert feedback and an iterative design process to develop an IVRT training intervention for pediatric power wheelchair skill development.MethodsThis 3-phase feasibility study will be conducted within the assistive technology unit of a public pediatric hospital. Separate participant groups will be recruited for each phase, consisting of approximately 10 to 15 clinicians (phase 1), 10 pediatric power wheelchair users (phase 2), and 15 to 20 additional pediatric power wheelchair users (phase 3). Phase 1 will be conducted to gather feedback on the baseline IVRT training intervention. Clinicians will test the intervention and assess its usability and acceptability using qualitative and quantitative methods. Phase 1 participants will also be invited back for a subsequent session to reassess a revised version of the training intervention that has been updated based on their previous feedback. Phase 2 and phase 3 will also use mixed methods to gather feedback on the usability, acceptability, and user experience of the IVRT training intervention from current pediatric power wheelchair users. In addition, phase 3 participants will perform a skills transfer assessment to compare power mobility skill performance between the virtual reality and real-life environments. Data gathered in phase 2 will be used to further refine the IVRT intervention, whereas phase 3 data will be used to statistically evaluate the final version.ResultsThis study was approved by the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre research ethics board in August 2021. Phase 1 testing began in February 2022. The entire study is expected to be completed by 2023.ConclusionsThe results of this study will be used to create an IVRT training intervention for pediatric power wheelchair skill development through an iterative and collaborative design process. Results may also assist in directing future studies in this area.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/39140

Altered effective connectivity in the emotional network induced by immersive virtual reality rehabilitation for post-stroke depression.

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is a serious complication of stroke that significantly restricts rehabilitation. The use of immersive virtual reality for stroke survivors is promising. Herein, we investigated the effects of a novel immersive virtual reality training system on PSD and explored induced effective connectivity alterations in emotional networks using multivariate Granger causality analysis (GCA). Forty-four patients with PSD were equally allocated into an immersive-virtual reality group and a control group. In addition to their usual rehabilitation treatments, the participants in the immersive-virtual reality group participated in an immersive-virtual reality rehabilitation program, while the patients in the control group received 2D virtual reality rehabilitation training. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, modified Barthel Index (MBI), and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) data were collected before and after a 4-week intervention. rsfMRI data were analyzed using multivariate GCA. We found that the immersive virtual reality training was more effective in improving depression in patients with PSD but had no statistically significant improvement in MBI scores compared to the control group. The GCA showed that the following causal connectivities were strengthened after immersive virtual reality training: from the amygdala, insula, middle temporal gyrus, and caudate nucleus to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; from the insula to the medial prefrontal cortex; and from the thalamus to the posterior superior temporal sulcus. These causal connectivities were weakened after treatment in the control group. Our results indicated the neurotherapeutic use of immersive virtual reality rehabilitation as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for PSD; the alteration of causal connectivity in emotional networks might constitute the neural mechanisms underlying immersive-virtual reality rehabilitation in PSD.

An In-Office Hysteroscopy VR/Haptic Simulation Platform for Training in Spatial Navigation and Passage of the Cervical Canal

Hysteroscopy is a type of gynecological procedure that enables diagnosis and treatment of intrauterine pathologies using a minimally-invasive approach. Recent advancements, especially in optics, made it possible to perform this procedure in an ambulatory, outpatient setting without anaesthesia. Yet, such approach introduces additional challenges to gynecologists, as the surgical instruments have to pass through the cervix, a narrow curved canal. This process can be traumatic and even cause tissue damage or rupture. Current training curricula mainly focus on general minimally-invasive surgical skills or on inpatient hysteroscopy. This paper describes the first virtual reality training system designed purposely for in-office hysteroscopy training featuring both passive and active haptic feedback. Design requirements were defined through a literature review and a survey of clinical experts. A dedicated platform was developed and tested with clinicians and medical students. The results of the conducted experiments verified the skill acquisition capabilities of the platform showing a.o. shorter execution time and path length, lower integral forces in most of non-expert participants. The results also demonstrated the capability of the system to differentiate between experts and non-expert groups. Reported findings suggest that the platform has the potential to evolve into an effective solution for in-office hysteroscopy training.