[Virtual reality in the outpatient: reducing anxiety and fear in venous puncture]. / Realidad virtual en el paciente ambulatorio: reduciendo la ansiedad y el miedo en la punción de vías venosas.

Up to 80% of children admitted to a hospital experience pain, mainly associated with venipuncture. OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether the use of virtual reality (VR) headsets during venipuncture can modify the perception of pain, anxiety, and fear in pediatrics. PATIENTS AND METHOD: Open label, randomized clinical trial. The presence of intellectual, visual, or hearing impairment were considered exclusion criteria. Two anxiety and fear scales were administered before and after the procedure, and the Wong-Baker face pain scale at the end. The following were recorded: number of venipuncture attempts, duration of the procedure, and side effects. RESULTS: 78 patients were included, 38 males and a mean age of 9.63 years. In the intervention group, the mean pain value was 2.87, with a mean difference (MD) of -0.85 compared with the control one (95% confidence interval (CI) -2.02 to 0.33). There was a significant reduction in the level of anxiety and fear, with MDs of -2.59 (95%CI: -3.92 to -1.26) and -0.85 points (95%CI: -1.45 to -0.24), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: the use of VR headsets in venipuncture in hospital daytime care decreases the level of anxiety and fear in children and seems to reduce pain, without adverse effects. The venipuncture procedure has the same success rate and does not increase its duration.

The Impact of Hearing Aids on Listening Effort and Listening-Related Fatigue - Investigations in a Virtual Realistic Listening Environment.

Participation in complex listening situations such as group conversations in noisy environments sets high demands on the auditory system and on cognitive processing. Reports of hearing-impaired people indicate that strenuous listening situations occurring throughout the day lead to feelings of fatigue at the end of the day. The aim of the present study was to develop a suitable test sequence to evoke and measure listening effort (LE) and listening-related fatigue (LRF), and, to evaluate the influence of hearing aid use on both dimensions in mild to moderately hearing-impaired participants. The chosen approach aims to reconstruct a representative acoustic day (Time Compressed Acoustic Day [TCAD]) by means of an eight-part hearing-test sequence with a total duration of approximately 2½ h. For this purpose, the hearing test sequence combined four different listening tasks with five different acoustic scenarios and was presented to the 20 test subjects using virtual acoustics in an open field measurement in aided and unaided conditions. Besides subjective ratings of LE and LRF, behavioral measures (response accuracy, reaction times), and an attention test (d2-R) were performed prior to and after the TCAD. Furthermore, stress hormones were evaluated by taking salivary samples. Subjective ratings of LRF increased throughout the test sequence. This effect was observed to be higher when testing unaided. In three of the eight listening tests, the aided condition led to significantly faster reaction times/response accuracies than in the unaided condition. In the d2-R test, an interaction in processing speed between time (pre- vs. post-TCAD) and provision (unaided vs. aided) was found suggesting an influence of hearing aid provision on LRF. A comparison of the averaged subjective ratings at the beginning and end of the TCAD shows a significant increase in LRF for both conditions. At the end of the TCAD, subjective fatigue was significantly lower when wearing hearing aids. The analysis of stress hormones did not reveal significant effects.

Mixed reality technology for older adults: Evaluating the impact of a novel virtual humanoid coach in a community-based physical exercise program in the Philippines.

Physical inactivity among older adults remains a global burden, leading to a variety of health challenges and even mortality. This study evaluated the impact of a novel virtual humanoid coach-driven physical exercise program among older adults. A non-randomized (quasi) experimental research was conducted in two community senior centers. The recruited participants (n = 130) were primarily female older adults with a mean age of 66.40 and agreed to be purposively assigned either experimental or control groups. Trained healthcare providers performed health assessments in three time points using valid and reliable tools. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and RM-ANOVA were used to quantitatively analyze the data using SPSS version 22. There are significant mean differences between the groups across all functional capacity assessments and Time 2-3 assessment of sleep quality. RM-ANOVA revealed significant differences in physical assessment over time between the two groups. The analyses of time and group interaction revealed significant improvement in health assessments among the members of the mixed reality group compared to the traditional groups. The impact of virtual coaches in community-based enhancing physical activity programs is comparable to the traditional mode and introduces a novel approach to promoting physical activity among older adults.

Virtual reality versus low level simulation in newborn care teaching in Turkey.

The aim of this study is a virtual reality versus low level simulation in newborn care teaching in Turkey. Data were collected in 2019-2020 academic year in midwifery students in Turkey. In the first stage, virtual reality simulation software was developed. In the second stage, newborn care was provided with a virtual reality simulator to the experimental group and a low-fidelity simulator to the control group. Students' practice, self-confidence and satisfaction levels were compared using two different simulators. There was a difference between the two groups in terms of their skills, satisfaction and self-confidence. The simulator, which was developed and evaluated in the research, increased the students' satisfaction, self-confidence and skills. It was also found to be more effective than the classical method.

Le but de cette étude est une réalité virtuelle versus simulation de bas niveau dans l'enseignement des soins aux nouveau-nés en Turquie. Les données ont été collectées au cours de l'année universitaire 2019-2020 auprès d'étudiantes sages-femmes en Turquie. Dans un premier temps, un logiciel de simulation de réalité virtuelle a été développé. Dans la deuxième étape, les soins aux nouveau-nés ont été fournis avec un simulateur de réalité virtuelle pour le groupe expérimental et un simulateur basse fidélité pour le groupe témoin. Les niveaux de pratique, de confiance en soi et de satisfaction des étudiants ont été comparés à l'aide de deux simulateurs différents. Il existe une différence entre les deux groupes en termes de compétences, de satisfaction et de confiance en soi. Le simulateur développé et évalué dans le cadre de la recherche a accru la satisfaction, la confiance en soi et les compétences des étudiants. Elle s'est également révélée plus efficace que la méthode classique.

Prolonged exposure to mixed reality alters task performance in the unmediated environment.

The popularity of mixed reality (MR) technologies, including virtual (VR) and augmented (AR) reality, have advanced many training and skill development applications. If successful, these technologies could be valuable for high-impact professional training, like medical operations or sports, where the physical resources could be limited or inaccessible. Despite MR's potential, it is still unclear whether repeatedly performing a task in MR would affect performance in the same or related tasks in the physical environment. To investigate this issue, participants executed a series of visually-guided manual pointing movements in the physical world before and after spending one hour in VR or AR performing similar movements. Results showed that, due to the MR headsets' intrinsic perceptual geometry, movements executed in VR were shorter and movements executed in AR were longer than the veridical Euclidean distance. Crucially, the sensorimotor bias in MR conditions also manifested in the subsequent post-test pointing task; participants transferring from VR initially undershoot whereas those from AR overshoot the target in the physical environment. These findings call for careful consideration of MR-based training because the exposure to MR may perturb the sensorimotor processes in the physical environment and negatively impact performance accuracy and transfer of training from MR to UR.

The Technology to Enhance Patient Motivation in Virtual Reality Rehabilitation: A Review.

Virtual reality (VR) technology has experienced a steady rise and has been widely applied in the field of rehabilitation. The integration of VR technology in rehabilitation has shown promising results in enhancing their motivation for treatment, thereby enabling patients to actively engage in rehab training. Despite the advancement, there is a dearth of comprehensive summary and analysis on the use of VR technology to enhance patient motivation in rehabilitation. Thus, this narrative review aims to evaluate the potential of VR technology in enhancing patient motivation during motor rehabilitation training. This review commences with an explanation of how enhancing motivation through the VR rehabilitation system could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation training. Then, the technology was analyzed to improve patient motivation in the present VR rehabilitation system in detail. Furthermore, these technologies are classified and summarized to provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art approaches for enhancing patient motivation in VR rehabilitation. Findings showed VR rehabilitation training utilizes game-like exercises to enhance the engagement and enjoyment of rehabilitation training. By immersing patients in a simulated environment with multisensory feedback, VR systems offer a unique approach to rehabilitation that can lead to improved patient motivation. Both ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes, which is not typically achievable with traditional rehabilitation methods. The review concludes that VR rehabilitation presents an opportunity to improve patient motivation and adherence to long-term rehabilitation training. However, to further enhance patient self-efficacy, VR rehabilitation should integrate psychology and incorporate methods. Moreover, it is necessary to build a game design theory for rehabilitation games, and the latest VR feedback technology should also be introduced.

Immersive and Nonimmersive Virtual Reality-Assisted Active Training in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality (VR) in different immersive conditions has been increasingly used as a nonpharmacological method for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of VR-assisted active training versus conventional exercise or physiotherapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain and to analyze the effects of immersive versus nonimmersive VR on pain outcomes. METHODS: This systematic review of randomized control trials (RCTs) searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to June 9, 2024. RCTs comparing adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain receiving VR-assisted training were included. The primary outcome was pain intensity; secondary outcomes included functional disability and kinesiophobia. Available data were pooled in a meta-analysis. Studies were graded using the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool version 2. RESULTS: In total, 28 RCTs including 1114 participants with some concerns for a high risk of bias were identified, and 25 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. In low back pain, short-term outcomes measured post intervention showed that nonimmersive VR is effective in reducing pain (standardized mean difference [SMD] -1.79, 95% CI -2.72 to -0.87; P<.001), improving disability (SMD -0.44, 95% CI -0.72 to -0.16; P=.002), and kinesiophobia (SMD -2.94, 95% CI -5.20 to -0.68; P=.01). Intermediate-term outcomes measured at 6 months also showed that nonimmersive VR is effective in reducing pain (SMD -8.15, 95% CI -15.29 to -1.01; P=.03), and kinesiophobia (SMD -4.28, 95% CI -8.12 to -0.44; P=.03) compared to conventional active training. For neck pain, immersive VR reduced pain intensity (SMD -0.55, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.08; P=.02) but not disability and kinesiophobia in the short term. No statistical significances were detected for knee pain or other pain regions at all time points. In addition, 2 (8%) studies had a high risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Both nonimmersive and immersive VR-assisted active training is effective in reducing back and neck pain symptoms. Our study findings suggest that VR is effective in alleviating chronic musculoskeletal pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022302912; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=302912.

The Use of Smartphone-Based Highly Realistic MCI Training as an Adjunct to Traditional Training Methods.

INTRODUCTION: Training for mass casualty incident (MCI) response is critical to ensure that resource allocation and treatment priorities limit preventable mortality. Previous research has investigated the use of immersive virtual environments as an alternative to high fidelity MCI training, which is expensive and logistically challenging to implement. While these have demonstrated positive early results, they still require complex technology deployment, dedicated training facilities, and significant time from instructors and facilitators. This study explores the feasibility of a smartphone-based application for trauma care training and MCI triage to fill the gap between classroom learning and high-fidelity simulation. The goals of this investigation were to evaluate clinician perceptions of a virtual MCI training simulator's usability, acceptability, fidelity, functionality, and pacing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study used a smartphone-based training simulation called Extensible Field and Evacuation Care Training in a Virtual Environment (EFECTIVE), which presents virtual patient scenarios in a gamified, but visually high-fidelity environment. A total of 21 participants were recruited as a convenience sample of medical students, paramedics, nurses, and emergency medicine resident and attending physicians at University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, an urban tertiary care medical center. Participants completed a brief tutorial and then performed a series of virtual patient scenarios and 1 MCI scenario on the simulator, each of which was 5 minutes in duration. Then, each participant completed a survey assessing the perceived usability, acceptability, fidelity, functionality, and pacing of the virtual training simulator. The research protocol was approved by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: 48% of participants disagreed that a virtual simulator could completely replace live MCI training, though 71% agreed that app-based simulations could effectively supplement live MCI training and 67% felt that they could be used to learn how to order medical interventions in care under fire scenarios. 80% of participants agreed that the simulation could be used to practice MCI triage and to gain experience with coordinating movement of casualties to casualty collection points. 67% of participants believed that use of virtual simulators would increase their MCI preparedness. 76% agreed that the clinical cases depicted were medically realistic and that the clinical cases presented accurately represented the scenarios described. In addition, despite being presented on a smartphone as opposed to virtual reality, 62% of participants rated the experience immersive. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides encouraging evidence that easy to deploy smartphone-based simulations may be an effective way to supplement MCI and care under fire training. Although the study is limited by a small sample size, there was strong agreement among participants from a wide variety of emergency medicine roles that such a simulation could train core topics associated with MCI triage. Because app-based simulations are easily deployable and can be executed quickly and frequently, they could be used as a more flexible training model compared to large scale live or virtual reality-based simulations. The results of this investigation also indicate that a sufficient level of medical realism can be achieved without live simulation.

Using Full Dive Virtual Reality to Operationalize Warfighter Resilience: From Proof of Concept and Usability of Hardware and Software to Upcoming Integrated Psychological Skills Training.

INTRODUCTION: Modern warfare operations are volatile, highly complex environments, placing immense physiological, psychological, and cognitive demands on the warfighter. To maximize cognitive performance and warfighter resilience and readiness, training must address psychological stress to enhance performance. Resilience in the face of adversity is fundamentally rooted in an individual's psychophysiological stress response and optimized through decreased susceptibility to the negative impact of trauma exposure. The current project aims to optimize warfighter expertise, resilience, adaptability, and performance by utilizing a validated Full Dive Virtual Reality (FDVR) training platform to provide high-fidelity, safe, and scalable, controlled stress exposure in highly realistic simulated training scenarios with the most advanced, immersive technology available. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following Institutional Review Board approval and consent, 2 operators were fitted with high-fidelity virtual reality headsets with hand and eye tracking, full-body haptic feedback suits, a 360° omnidirectional treadmill, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared biometric monitors. Following acclimation, operators were placed in an industrial fire scenario and instructed to respond as a firefighter and paramedic, to search for and resuscitate any casualties, extinguish the fire, and exfiltrate safely. Following initial acclimation and after each demonstration (n = 2), 3 semistructured interviews asked operators their perceptions and experiences related to FDVR, focusing on usability, feasibility, and safety. Biometric data were continuously recorded using the Caretaker Medical VitalStream. RESULTS: Proof-of-concept (POC) testing proved that the FDVR training platform is usable, safe, and feasible. It creates an immersive environment with physiological responses to mimic realistic Mass Casualty Events (MCEs). Using a case study approach, transcript data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged: Sensory deficits reduced realism, but sensory feedback improved fidelity, vestibular discord affected the virtual reality experience but only when the system did not respond naturally to operator movement after acclimation, and movement accommodations were made by operators to enhance usability, especially for fine motor movements. Biometric data analysis correlated timestamps from the VitalStream unit with operator responses to stress-inducing events (i.e., explosions, fires, and a deceased victim). Both operators exhibited significant physiological responses, including elevated heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure, particularly following explosions, encountering fire, and encountering the deceased victim within the training environment. CONCLUSIONS: The FDVR training platform overcomes the obstacles of in-person simulation training and provides the closest to real-life experience available. It will allow warfighters to train with their teams in immersive environments that replicate the conditions in which they are expected to perform their duties. The POC demonstrated that physiological responses can be mapped to scenario events to allow tracking of stress responses, cognitive load, as well as performance, and decision-making of the warfighter. The POC only involved 2 operators, but served to prove that the platform was safe and effective. Future testing plans to include 200 warfighters in operational teams of 10 to 12 to further validate the training effectiveness of the FDVR platform.

Stimulus Color Wavelength Influences Performance in a Virtual Reality Go/No-Go Task.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the influence of stimulus color wavelength on cognitive performance in a virtual reality (VR) Go/No-Go task by assessing participant's reaction time and accuracy. Previous research has indicated that color has a variety of cognitive, physiological, and behavioral effects on individuals, differentiating their performance. However, there is a gap in understanding the influence of color on performance on VR cognitive tasks. An understanding of how stimulus color wavelength influences human performance could enhance the control over the design and interpretation of assessment and training outcomes in VR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants (n = 99, 57 males, aged 18 to 33 years) were recruited from the University of Houston and surrounding areas. Participants completed a VR-based Go/No-Go task. In this task, participants were instructed to strike 3D shape stimuli only if they matched the color of one of 2 virtual sabers that participants hand in their hands in VR ("Go" trials). If neither virtual saber matched the presented shape color ("No-Go" trials), participants were instructed not to respond. Stimulus colors could be violet (407 nm), blue (478 nm), green (507 nm), yellow (612 nm), and red (679 nm). Participants' reaction times and accuracy were recorded. The study design and procedures were approved by the University of Houston's Institutional Review Board. RESULTS: Stimulus color wavelength had a significant influence on accuracy during the Go/No-Go saber color match condition task. In both Go and No-Go trials, longer wavelengths were associated with reduced accuracy. However, no significant findings on wavelength and reaction time were present. These findings emphasize the impact of stimulus color on task performance. CONCLUSIONS: Shorter color wavelengths were associated with higher accuracy in a VR Go/No-Go task. These findings support the importance of color selection in VR tasks and trainings, especially in scenarios that include decision-making and require accuracy. Realistic colors encountered in real-life military operations into VR training environments may better prepare individuals for real-world challenges. Future research in this area could explore color effects in additional tasks and incorporate realistic color-based cues in VR training scenarios.

The U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory Virtual Reality Vection System.

INTRODUCTION: Vection is a stationary individual's illusory experience of self-motion. This illusory self-motion is operationally important for aviation, particularly military aviation, since vection is a dramatic example of spatial disorientation (SD), which is an individual's failure to correctly sense the aircraft's position, motion, and/or attitude with respect to the fixed coordinate system of the Earth's surface and its gravitational vertical. Notably, SD is a major cause of fatal aviation mishaps, and the visual system is particularly prone to provoking vection. This article describes the Virtual Reality Vection System (VRVS), which uses computer-controlled virtual reality technology to induce vection under controlled conditions for training, demonstration, testing, and research. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The VRVS enables the precise specification of the number and appearance of visual stimulus elements intended to generate vection, including photorealistic images. The VRVS can present visual stimuli on any OpenXR-capable virtual reality headset. The VRVS currently records 2 types of behavioral responses, button presses to indicate the presence and duration of vection and the voltage of a handheld linear potentiometer to indicate the presence, duration, and magnitude of vection. RESULTS: An approved test plan helped guide, organize, document, and validate the VRVS during its development. Under this plan, a pair of tests guided hardware and software development of the VRVS system. Although the first test verified the ability of the VRVS to generate and measure vection, it also demonstrated that the VRVS can quickly manipulate the visual stimuli from one trial to the next so that the VRVS can support complex experimental designs. The second test used these capabilities to verify that the VRVS can characterize vection in a more analytic fashion using a masking paradigm. Specifically, the test assessed whether random stimulus elements injected into the vection-inducing stimulus disrupted vection in a quantifiable fashion. This work opens the door to studies that characterize the necessary and sufficient visual elements for vection-based SD. DISCUSSION: The VRVS is currently used to research, develop, test, and evaluate mitigation strategies targeting vection-related SD in degraded visual environments. Similarly, the VRVS is supporting research to develop methods to predict individual differences in visually induced motion sickness susceptibilities. The VRVS is currently being integrated with a precision motor-controlled rotating Barany chair for multisensory studies. It should be noted that since the VRVS was developed to support United States Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory projects, it is an Army product representing government intellectual property and may be freely available to other government institutions.

The effects of combining visual-auditory stimuli with exercise on short-term affect improvement: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRAC T: Prior research has explored the effects of engaging with real or virtual natural landscapes and listening to music during aerobic exercise on short-term affect, however, the specific differences in the improvement of short-term affect by different combinations of Virtual Reality (VR) and music rhythm require further investigation. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of various combinations of VR and music on short-term mood, thereby providing a reference for future research on public fitness. This study recruited 132 valid participants (mean age 24.0 ± 0.9 years), with a gender distribution of 68 males and 64 females. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: Visual-Music (V-M), Music-Visual (M-V), Visual-only (V), and Music-only (M). The exercise mode was 15 min of aerobic power cycling with 2 min of low-intensity power cycling intervals in the middle. After the exercise, the participants were asked to sit and then performed either a VR intervention or a music intervention for 15 min. The collected indicators included blood pressure, positive/negative affect, and heart rate variability indicators (RMSSD, SDNN, LF/HF). Data analysis included descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, and multifactor ANOVA. The effect of different VR and Music combined with exercise interventions on the improvement of short-term affect was analyzed based on the effect size (ɳp2) and combined with the significance p-value. Intra-group results showed that DBP, positive and negative affect, SDNN, RMSSD indicators in V-M group were significant differences (p < 0.05), while SBP, positive affect, negative affect, SDNN, RMSSD, LF/HF indicators in M-V group were significant differences (p < 0.05). Only SDNN and RMSSD indicators in M group had significant differences (p < 0.05), and only SBP and RMSSD indicators in V group had significant differences (p < 0.05). The results between groups showed that only SDNN and LH/HF groups had a significant difference (p < 0.05), other indicators had a trend of improvement or positive promotion to a certain extent, but the statistical difference was not significant (p > 0.05). Aerobic exercise with consistent intensity and the combined visual-auditory interventions (M-V and V-M) significantly improved blood pressure, and the short-term affect of physiological responses (LF/HF, SDNN, RMSSD), along with subjective affect measures, compared to other groups. These findings suggest that incorporating VR and music with exercise can effectively enhance short-term affect, recommending an integrated approach to aerobic exercise and relaxation through music and visual exposure to natural environments.

Acoustic scene complexity affects motion behavior during speech perception in audio-visual multi-talker virtual environments.

In real-world listening situations, individuals typically utilize head and eye movements to receive and enhance sensory information while exploring acoustic scenes. However, the specific patterns of such movements have not yet been fully characterized. Here, we studied how movement behavior is influenced by scene complexity, varied in terms of reverberation and the number of concurrent talkers. Thirteen normal-hearing participants engaged in a speech comprehension and localization task, requiring them to indicate the spatial location of a spoken story in the presence of other stories in virtual audio-visual scenes. We observed delayed initial head movements when more simultaneous talkers were present in the scene. Both reverberation and a higher number of talkers extended the search period, increased the number of fixated source locations, and resulted in more gaze jumps. The period preceding the participants' responses was prolonged when more concurrent talkers were present, and listeners continued to move their eyes in the proximity of the target talker. In scenes with more reverberation, the final head position when making the decision was farther away from the target. These findings demonstrate that the complexity of the acoustic scene influences listener behavior during speech comprehension and localization in audio-visual scenes.

Virtual reality: a game-changer in the diagnosis and surgical planning of astrocytoma grade III: a case report.

BACKGROUND: In the dynamic realm of modern medicine, the advent of virtual reality technology heralds a transformative era, reshaping the contours of diagnosis and surgical planning with its immersive prowess. This study delves into the groundbreaking application of virtual reality in the intricate dance of neurosurgery, particularly spotlighting its role in the management of astrocytoma grade III-a cerebral challenge of significant complexity. CASE PRESENTATION: A 30-year-old Middle Eastern man from Syria grappled with the invisible tendrils of pain, manifesting as persistent headaches and a numbing sensation that crept into his neck and extremities. For two relentless months, the morning sun brought not hope but an intensification of his agony, rendering him unable to partake in the daily dance of life. The usual sentinels of relief, analgesic drugs, stood defeated, offering no respite. The neurological examination was normal, there were no pathological findings on sensory and motor examination, and he exhibited normal reflexes and neither meningeal nor cerebellar signs. He showed a family history of breast cancer. The initial foray into the enigmatic depths of his brain via computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging imaging unveiled a finding in the right temporal lobe, a lesion that suggested something more sinister. Previous medical interventions included analgesic medications prescribed for persistent headaches, but they offered no relief. No other therapeutic interventions were administered prior to the current diagnosis. It was here that virtual reality technology emerged not as a mere tool but as a beacon of precision, casting a three-dimensional light on the shadowy intruder. This technological marvel allowed for meticulous measurement 21.8 × 14.5 mm and localization within the temporal theater, setting the stage for what was to come. With the path laid clear, the patient embarked on a surgical odyssey, a quest to excise the unwelcome guest. The operation was a triumph, a testament to human ingenuity and the symbiotic relationship between flesh and machine. The postoperative verdict was delivered through the lens of histopathology, confirming the presence of an astrocytoma grade III, a cerebral interloper known for its rapid proliferation. The battle, however, was far from over. Complementary radiotherapy and chemotherapy were enlisted as allies in this ongoing war, their potent forces working in concert to stave off the cellular insurgence. The patient's journey through the healing arts was charted by periodic clinical and neurological examinations, with laboratory tests and the vigilant gaze of brain magnetic resonance imaging ensuring a watchful eye was kept on any potential resurgence. CONCLUSIONS: In this narrative of resilience and technological prowess, we witness the harmonious fusion of human touch and digital precision, a partnership that redefines the boundaries of medicine and the art of healing, by use of virtual reality technology in the diagnosis of astrocytoma and enhancing the accuracy, effectiveness, and safety of neurosurgical procedures, which can ultimately benefit patients with brain tumors.

Application of virtual reality for supportive care in cancer patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely used to support cancer patients with physical, emotional, and functional needs. This systematic review aimed to investigate the application of VR in the supportive care of cancer patients. METHOD: This systematic review was conducted in 2024. In this study, various databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest were searched, and quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies which were in English and published up to 20th May 2024 were included. The keywords consisted of "virtual reality," "supportive care," and "cancer". Studies were assessed in terms of quality and risk of bias using standard tools, and results were analyzed and reported narratively. RESULTS: A total of 33 articles were reviewed. VR interventions, primarily using fully immersive head-mounted displays, were associated with significant reductions in anxiety, pain, and fatigue. VR also improved mood, relaxation, and overall quality of life, and some studies noted enhanced vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure. This technology could be used along with other medical interventions. Both patients and healthcare providers reported high level of satisfaction with VR, and appreciated its ease of use and therapeutic benefits. However, some technical barriers, like inadequate visual performance and realism, were reported. CONCLUSION: VR demonstrates substantial potential benefits as a supportive care tool for cancer patients, effectively addressing their psychological, physiological, psychosocial needs. Despite technical challenges, high level of user satisfaction and benefits underscore the need for further research to optimize VR interventions in cancer care.

Optimizing young tennis players' development: Exploring the impact of emerging technologies on training effectiveness and technical skills acquisition.

The research analyzed the effect of weekly training plans, physical training frequency, AI-powered coaching systems, virtual reality (VR) training environments, wearable sensors on developing technical tennis skills, with and personalized learning as a mediator. It adopted a quantitative survey method, using primary data from 374 young tennis players. The model fitness was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), while the hypotheses were evaluated using structural equation modeling (SEM). The model fitness was confirmed through CFA, demonstrating high fit indices: CFI = 0.924, TLI = 0.913, IFI = 0.924, RMSEA = 0.057, and SRMR = 0.041, indicating a robust model fit. Hypotheses testing revealed that physical training frequency (ß = 0.198, p = 0.000), AI-powered coaching systems (ß = 0.349, p = 0.000), virtual reality training environments (ß = 0.476, p = 0.000), and wearable sensors (ß = 0.171, p = 0.000) significantly influenced technical skills acquisition. In contrast, the weekly training plan (ß = 0.024, p = 0.834) and personalized learning (ß = -0.045, p = 0.81) did not have a significant effect. Mediation analysis revealed that personalized learning was not a significant mediator between training methods/technologies and acquiring technical abilities. The results revealed that physical training frequency, AI-powered coaching systems, virtual reality training environments, and wearable sensors significantly influenced technical skills acquisition. However, personalized learning did not have a significant mediation effect. The study recommended that young tennis players' organizations and stakeholders consider investing in emerging technologies and training methods. Effective training should be given to coaches on effectively integrating emerging technologies into coaching regimens and practices.

Exploring user acceptance of online virtual reality exhibition technologies: A case study of Liangzhu Museum.

Museums increasingly rely on cutting-edge digital technologies to attract visitors. Understanding the intricate factors influencing user acceptance of these technologies is, however, crucial for their effective use. This study therefore proposes a model, grounded in the technology acceptance model, to investigate user acceptance of online virtual reality (VR) museum exhibitions. Leveraging the online VR exhibition at Liangzhu Museum as a case study, data were collected from 313 participants and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart PLS. Semi-structured interviews with 15 individuals were conducted to complement the quantitative findings. The results reveal that factors such as interactivity, immersion, and presence positively influenced users' intrinsic technological beliefs (perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived usefulness), ultimately affecting their willingness to use and intention to visit on-site. Notably, immersion had a direct positive effect on perceived usefulness. There is a pressing need to leverage digital and web technologies to cater to the increasingly complex and diverse needs of online visitors, and emphasizing navigational performance in online VR exhibitions is also paramount for enhancing the overall user experience.

An integration of expectation confirmation model and information systems success model to explore the factors affecting the continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms.

Virtual classrooms have recently gained significant consideration in educational institutes and universities due to their potential to encourage and support students' learning activities. Although recent research has focused extensively on online learning, virtual classrooms and the factors affecting their continuous use have garnered little attention, especially in Arab Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia. Thus, this study integrates the expectation confirmation model and the information systems success model to assess the factors affecting students' continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms in higher education. We examined the effects of information quality, service quality, system quality, confirmation, perceived usefulness, and satisfaction on the continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms. Data were collected from 441 students and analysed using structural equation modelling "SEM". SEM is a powerful multivariate approach used increasingly in empirical investigation for evaluating and testing casual relationships. The results revealed that the proposed model demonstrated high explanatory power in explaining students' continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms (R2 = 0. 86). Additionally, information quality had a significant effect on confirmation and an insignificant effect on perceived usefulness. System quality affected perceived usefulness and confirmation. Contrary to our expectations, service quality had a significant negative effect on perceived usefulness and confirmation. Additionally, perceived usefulness and confirmation affected students' satisfaction with using virtual classrooms, and satisfaction affected students' continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms. This study contributes to the literature by offering a holistic integrated model that increases the understanding of the factors influencing students' continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms, hence aiding in increasing their utilisation. Furthermore, it provides practical implications for enhancing students' continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms. Virtual classroom developers must focus on improving the system quality of virtual classrooms. According to our results, higher system quality led the students to perceive virtual classrooms as useful and confirmed their favourable experiences with virtual classrooms. Additionally, providing students with high information quality in virtual classrooms would enhance their confirmation experiences, leading to the continuous intention to utilise virtual classrooms.

Role of Comprehensive Vestibular Rehabilitation Based on Virtual Reality Technology in Residual Symptoms After Canalith Repositioning Procedure.

BACKGROUND:  We aimed to explore the role of comprehensive vestibular rehabilitation based on virtual reality (VR) technology in residual symptoms after canalith repositioning procedure. METHODS:  A total of 124 patients, who were diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo from September 2020 to July 2023 and had residual symptoms 24 hours after the canalith repositioning procedure, were selected as the subjects. They were randomly divided into a normal control (NC) group, a Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise group (n=41), a Brandt-Daroff exercise group (n=41), and a VR group (n=42). The NC group received no intervention, the Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise group underwent Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise, the Brandt-Daroff exercise group was subjected to Brandt-Daroff exercise, and the VR group was given comprehensive vestibular rehabilitation based on VR technology. RESULTS:  After treatment, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and vestibular symptom index (VSI) scores of the virtual reality (VR), Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise, and Brandt-Daroff exercise groups were significantly lower than those of the NC group (P <.05). The scores of the VR group were lower than those of the Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise and Brandt-Daroff exercise groups (P < .05). The abnormality rates of ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) in VR, Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise, and Brandt-Daroff exercise groups were lower than those of the NC group (P <05). The rates of the VR group were lower than those of the Cawthorne-Cooksey exercise and Brandt-Daroff exercise groups (P <05). CONCLUSION:  Comprehensive vestibular rehabilitation based on VR technology can cure the residual symptoms after the canalith repositioning procedure, reduce the abnormality rates of oVEMP and cVEMP, and reconstruct the balance ability.

Evaluation of a novel virtual reality Immersive Clinical Experience to enhance medical education curriculum.

Medical students often find the transition to clerkship challenging and stressful. The use of virtual reality (VR) technologies such as screen-based learning, 360-video and immersive VR using head-mount-devices is becoming more utilized in medical education. Immersive technologies in particular have been shown to lead to greater enthusiasm and provide higher knowledge gain for students compared to screen-based VR. The University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine has developed a novel immersive patient experience using VR to enhance the clinical skills program and evaluate student perception regarding its formal integration into curricula. Students reported positive feedback on the experience, and interest in more immersive learning opportunities in future sessions. VR technology has the potential to enhance medical education and provide a safe immersive learning environment to build clinical acumen.

Les étudiants en médecine trouvent souvent la transition vers l'externat difficile et stressante. L'utilisation des technologies de réalité virtuelle (RV), telles que l'apprentissage sur écran, la vidéo à 360° et la RV immersive à l'aide de dispositifs de tête, est de plus en plus répandue dans le secteur de la formation médicale. On a démontré que les technologies immersives, en particulier, suscitent un plus grand enthousiasme et permettent aux étudiants d'acquérir davantage de connaissances que la RV sur écran. La Faculté de médecine de l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique a mis au point une nouvelle expérience immersive du patient en utilisant la RV pour améliorer le programme de compétences cliniques et évaluer la perception des étudiants concernant son intégration formelle dans les programmes d'études. Les étudiants ont fait part de leurs réactions positives à l'égard de l'expérience et de leur intérêt pour des possibilités d'apprentissage plus immersives dans les sessions futures. La technologie de la RV a le potentiel d'améliorer la formation médicale et de fournir un environnement d'apprentissage immersif sûr pour développer le sens clinique.