The role of visuomotor synchrony on virtual full-body illusions in children and adults.

The present study explored the effects of visuomotor synchrony in virtual reality during the embodiment of a full human avatar in children (aged 5-6 years) and adults. Participants viewed their virtual bodies from a first-person perspective while they moved the body during self-generated and structured movement. Embodiment was measured via questions and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance) to a virtual body-threat and during both movement conditions. Both children and adults had increased feelings of ownership and agency over a virtual body during synchronous visuomotor feedback (compared to asynchronous visuomotor feedback). Children had greater ownership compared to adults during synchronous movement but did not differ from adults on agency. There were no differences in SCRs (frequency or magnitude) between children and adults, between conditions (i.e., baseline or movement conditions) or visuomotor feedback. Collectively, the study highlights the importance of visuomotor synchrony for children's ratings of embodiment for a virtual avatar from at least 5 years old, and suggests adults and children are comparable in terms of psychophysiological arousal when moving (or receiving a threat to) a virtual body. This has important implications for our understanding of the development of embodied cognition and highlights the considerable promise of exploring visuomotor VR experiences in children.

3D Reconstruction and Virtual Reality Is an Acceptable and Feasible Method for Addressing Body Image in Bariatric Metabolic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients living with obesity continue to experience body image dissatisfaction following bariatric metabolic surgery. The underlying reasons are poorly understood but may be due to unmet expectations. Negative body image perception following metabolic surgery leads to poorer psychological and clinical outcomes. This study aims to establish the acceptability and feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction and virtual reality (VR) as a method of providing psychological support to bariatric patients to improve body image satisfaction and interventional outcomes. METHODS: Seven participants were recruited from the Imperial Weight Centre. 3D photographs were captured and processed to produce two 3D reconstructed images with 15% and 25% total weight loss. Participants were shown their images using VR and participated in peer group workshops. RESULTS: Six participants were retained until the end of the study. Five out of six participants agreed the images provided them with a more accurate representation of their body changes and overall appearance following bariatric metabolic surgery. All participants strongly agreed with the group setting and felt VR facilitated discussions on body image. Overall, all participants felt that the use of VR and 3D reconstruction is beneficial in supporting patients to adjust to changes in their body image after bariatric metabolic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to explore and demonstrate that 3D reconstruction and VR is an acceptable and feasible method providing patients with a realistic expectation of how their body will change following significant weight loss, potentially improving body image satisfaction after surgery, as well as psychological and interventional outcomes.

Virtual reality modelling in a child after multiple interventions for hypoplastic aortic arch and coarctation.

We present the benefits of advanced multimodality imaging and virtual reality modelling in the diagnosis and treatment planning of a child with aneurysms after numerous interventions for treatment of a hypoplastic aortic arch and coarctation.

Immersive VR for upper-extremity rehabilitation in patients with neurological disorders: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Neurological disorders, such as stroke and chronic pain syndromes, profoundly impact independence and quality of life, especially when affecting upper extremity (UE) function. While conventional physical therapy has shown effectiveness in providing some neural recovery in affected individuals, there remains a need for improved interventions. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising technology-based approach for neurorehabilitation to make the patient's experience more enjoyable. Among VR-based rehabilitation paradigms, those based on fully immersive systems with headsets have gained significant attention due to their potential to enhance patient's engagement. METHODS: This scoping review aims to investigate the current state of research on the use of immersive VR for UE rehabilitation in individuals with neurological diseases, highlighting benefits and limitations. We identified thirteen relevant studies through comprehensive searches in Scopus, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore databases. Eligible studies incorporated immersive VR for UE rehabilitation in patients with neurological disorders and evaluated participants' neurological and motor functions before and after the intervention using clinical assessments. RESULTS: Most of the included studies reported improvements in the participants rehabilitation outcomes, suggesting that immersive VR represents a valuable tool for UE rehabilitation in individuals with neurological disorders. In addition, immersive VR-based interventions hold the potential for personalized and intensive training within a telerehabilitation framework. However, further studies with better design are needed for true comparison with traditional therapy. Also, the potential side effects associated with VR head-mounted displays, such as dizziness and nausea, warrant careful consideration in the development and implementation of VR-based rehabilitation programs. CONCLUSION: This review provides valuable insights into the application of immersive VR in UE rehabilitation, offering the foundation for future research and clinical practice. By leveraging immersive VR's potential, researchers and rehabilitation specialists can design more tailored and patient-centric rehabilitation strategies, ultimately improving the functional outcome and enhancing the quality of life of individuals with neurological diseases.

System Architecture for VR Yoga Therapy Platform with 6-DoF Whole-Body Avatar Tracking.

Chronic pain is a leading cause of morbidity among children and adolescents affecting 35% of the global population. Pediatric chronic pain management requires integrative health methods spanning physical and psychological subsystems through various mind-body interventions. Yoga therapy is one such method, known for its ability to improve the quality of life both physically and psychologically in chronic pain conditions. However, maintaining the clinical outcomes of personalized yoga therapy sessions at-home is challenging due to fear of movement, lack of motivation, and boredom. Virtual Reality (VR) has the potential to bridge the gap between the clinic and home by motivating engagement and mitigating pain-related anxiety or fear of movement. We developed a multi-modal algorithmic architecture for fusing real-time 3D human body pose estimation models with custom developed inverse kinematics models of physical movement to render biomechanically informed 6-DoF whole-body avatars capable of embodying an individual's real-time yoga poses within the VR environment. Experiments conducted among control participants demonstrated superior movement tracking accuracy over existing commercial off-the-shelf avatar tracking solutions, leading to successful embodiment and engagement. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of rendering virtual avatar movements that embody complex physical poses such as those encountered in yoga therapy. The impact of this work moves the field one step closer to an interactive system to facilitate at-home individual or group yoga therapy for children with chronic pain conditions.

Virtual reality-based training may improve visual memory and some aspects of sustained attention among healthy older adults - preliminary results of a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Older age and cognitive inactivity have been associated with cognitive impairment, which in turn is linked to economic and societal burdens due to the high costs of care, especially for care homes and informal care. Emerging non-pharmacological interventions using new technologies, such as virtual reality (VR) delivered on a head-mounted display (HMD), might offer an alternative to maintain or improve cognition. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a VR-based Digital Therapeutics application for improving cognitive functions among healthy older adults. METHODS: Seventy-two healthy seniors (experimental group N = 35, control group N = 37), aged 65-85 years, were recruited by the Medical University of Lodz (Poland). Participants were randomly allocated to the experimental group (a VR-based cognitive training which consists of a warm-up module and three tasks, including one-back and dual-N-back) or to the control group (a regular VR headset app only showing nature videos). The exercises are performed in different 360-degree natural environments while listening to a preferred music genre and delivered on a head-mounted display (HMD). The 12-week intervention of 12 min was delivered at least three times per week (36 sessions). Compliance and performance were followed through a web-based application. Primary outcomes included attention and working memory (CNS-Vital Signs computerized cognitive battery). Secondary outcomes comprised other cognitive domains. Mixed linear models were constructed to elucidate the difference in pre- and post-intervention measures between the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: The users performed, on average, 39.8 sessions (range 1-100), and 60% performed more than 36 sessions. The experimental group achieved higher scores in the visual memory module (B = 7.767, p = 0.011) and in the one-back continuous performance test (in terms of correct responses: B = 2.057, p = 0.003 and omission errors: B = -1.950, p = 0.007) than the control group in the post-test assessment. The results were independent of participants' sex, age, and years of education. The differences in CNS Vital Signs' global score, working memory, executive function, reaction time, processing speed, simple and complex attention, verbal memory, cognitive flexibility, motor speed, and psychomotor speed were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: VR-based cognitive training may prove to be a valuable, efficacious, and well-received tool in terms of improving visual memory and some aspect of sustainability of attention among healthy older adults. This is a preliminary analysis based on part of the obtained results to that point. Final conclusions will be drawn after the analysis of the target sample size. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov ID NCT05369897.

The use of virtual reality as a perspective-taking manipulation to improve self-awareness in Alzheimer's disease.

Lack of awareness of symptoms or having a condition referred to as anosognosia is a common feature of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Previous literature on AD reported difficulties in evaluating self-abilities, often showing underestimation of limitations. There is increasing evidence that the perspective through which information is presented may moderate the performance appraisal and that anosognosia in AD might be a consequence of a deficit in assuming a third-person perspective. In this context, some studies showed that subjects may better recognize self-and other-difficulties when exposed to a third-person perspective. Considering the variety of approaches aiming to investigate the lack of awareness, there is still a scarcity of methods that provide great ecological validity and consider more than one facet of awareness, thus failing to offer more accurate evaluations of daily experiences. The present paper primarily addresses the theme of the multidimensional character of awareness of abilities in AD and the effect of perspective-taking on its trajectories. The focus turns to virtual reality as a promising tool for a greater evaluation of perspective-taking and self-awareness. Particularly, these systems offer the possibility to involve users in cognitive and sensorimotor tasks that simulate daily life conditions within immersive and realistic environments, and a great sense of embodiment. We propose that virtual reality might allow a great level of complexity, veracity, and safety that is needed for individuals with AD to behave according to their actual abilities and enable to explore the liaison between the subject's viewpoint, performance, and self-evaluation. In addition, we suggest promising clinical implications of virtual reality-based methods for individualized assessments, investigating specific impacts on subjects' life and possible improvements in their awareness.

Towards virtual reality exposure therapy for cocaine use disorder: A feasibility study of inducing cocaine craving through virtual reality.

Background: Craving is a core symptom of cocaine use disorders (CUD). Inducing craving in exposure to substance cues is of relevant interest for numerous clinical applications. Virtual reality exposure (VRE) might be a promising candidate for improving cue-exposure paradigms but remains almost not studied for cocaine. This feasibility study's main aim is to assess whether VRE to cocaine cues is capable to induce cocaine craving compared with VRE to neutral cues. Methods: We conducted a within-subjects controlled trial in which cocaine users performed 3 consecutive 10 mins-tasks: VRE to neutral and cocaine cues, and a relaxation-based resting procedure. The primary outcome was the change in Cocaine Craving Questionnaire-Brief (CCQ-Brief) scores between VRE to neutral and cocaine cues. Secondary outcomes included between-tasks changes in scores of cocaine craving, pleasant/unpleasant emotions as well as self-efficacy to cope with craving. Results: We recruited 11 chronic cocaine users including mostly crack smokers (45 %), cocaine snorters (36 %) and injectors (18 %), with 73 % of participants meeting DSM-IV criteria for cocaine dependence and/or abuse. Non-parametrical sign tests indicated significant large increases of CCQ-Brief scores from neutral to cocaine cue-VRE (S(11) = 11, p < 0.01, Cliff's Δ = 0.65, 95 % CI: 0.17-0.88). Exploratory comparative analyses indicated significant changes after our post-cues VRE relaxation procedure, with cocaine craving and emotions restored to baseline. Conclusions: VRE to cocaine cues was feasible and capable to induce cocaine craving in cocaine users. This second VRE-based cue-reactivity study in cocaine paves the way for unexplored research on VRE clinical applications for CUD.

Immersive virtual reality for learning about ecosystems: effect of two signaling levels and feedback on action decisions.

Introduction: The goal of the present study was to test the effect of signaling associated with feed-back in learning forest ecosystems in the context of realistic living forest simulator, in IVR conditions for students in agriculture. Two signaling modalities, corresponding to two signaling levels, were investigated: visual flashing of forest elements (tree species, plants, flowers, fungi, wet-areas etc.) and marker-stones, both with text in pop-up windows, in a 2x2 experimental plan. Methods: Ninety-three pupils of an agricultural technological high school had to explore (including physically), interrogate (search for) and select (using the joysticks) relevant elements of the forest in three living forest areas (visually delimited inside of a broader forest area) in order to choose (and justify) the best area, among the three, in which an equipped public-tourist reception site (picnic, resting, reception site) could be built. The chosen site must have the least possible negative impact on the ecosystem of the forest and its development over time. After their decision (and justification) they were provided a feed-back with a series of VR desktop multimedia slides showing the effect of this choice on the ecosystem of the chosen area. After the feed-back they had to decide and justify again whether they would change or maintain their first decision. Finally, subjective scales were also used in order to investigate presence, cognitive complexity, sickness and overall enjoyment. Results and discussion: Results showed significant positive effects of both signaling levels, and of the feed-back on the correct decision answers. Further, the combination, and interaction, between signaling and feedback seemed to enhance, the activation and retrieval from memory, of the task-relevant concepts. In addition, the results indicated a significant positive effect (medium size) of presence on decision performances, a finding which is consistent with the immersion principle.

Impact of 3D imaging techniques and virtual patients on the accuracy of planning and surgical placement of dental implants: A systematic review.

Aim: The integration of advanced technologies, including three-dimensional (3D) imaging modalities and virtual simulations, has significantly influenced contemporary approaches to preoperative planning in implant dentistry. Through a meticulous analysis of relevant studies, this review synthesizes findings related to accuracy outcomes in implant placement facilitated by 3D imaging in virtual patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across relevant databases to identify relevant studies published to date. The inclusion criteria were studies utilizing 3D imaging techniques, virtual patients, and those focusing on the accuracy of dental implant planning and surgical placement. The selected studies were critically appraised for their methodological quality. Results: After a rigorous analysis, 21 relevant articles were included out of 3021 articles. This study demonstrates the versatility and applicability of these technologies in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Integrating Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM), cone bean computed tomography (CBCT), and advanced 3D reconstruction methodologies showcases a trend toward enhanced precision in implant planning and placement. Notably, the evaluation parameters varied, encompassing distances, discrepancies, and deviations in the implant placement. The ongoing integration of systems such as dynamic navigation systems, augmented reality, and sophisticated software platforms shows a promising trajectory for the continued refinement of virtual reality applications in dental implantology, providing valuable insights for future research and clinical implementation. Moreover, using stereolithographic surgical guides, virtual planning with CBCT data, and 3D-printed templates consistently demonstrates enhanced precision in dental implant placement compared to traditional methods. Conclusion: The synthesis of the available evidence underscores the substantial positive impact of 3D imaging techniques and virtual patients on dental implant planning and surgical placement accuracy. Utilizing these technologies contributes to a more personalized and precise approach that enhances overall treatment outcomes. Future research directions and potential refinements to the application of these technologies in clinical practice should be discussed.

EEG classification model for virtual reality motion sickness based on multi-scale CNN feature correlation.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality motion sickness (VRMS) is a key issue hindering the development of virtual reality technology, and accurate detection of its occurrence is the first prerequisite for solving the issue. OBJECTIVE: In this paper, a convolutional neural network (CNN) EEG detection model based on multi-scale feature correlation is proposed for detecting VRMS. METHODS: The model uses multi-scale 1D convolutional layers to extract multi-scale temporal features from the multi-lead EEG data, and then calculates the feature correlations of the extracted multi-scale features among all the leads to form the feature adjacent matrixes, which converts the time-domain features to correlation-based brain network features, thus strengthen the feature representation. Finally, the correlation features of each layer are fused. The fused features are then fed into the channel attention module to filter the channels and classify them using a fully connected network. Finally, we recruit subjects to experience 6 different modes of virtual roller coaster scenes, and collect resting EEG data before and after the task to verify the model. RESULTS: The results show that the accuracy, precision, recall and F1-score of this model for the recognition of VRMS are 98.66 %, 98.65 %, 98.68 %, and 98.66 %, respectively. The proposed model outperforms the current classic and advanced EEG recognition models. SIGNIFICANCE: It shows that this model can be used for the recognition of VRMS based on the resting state EEG.

Collision avoidance behaviours while young adults avoid a virtual pedestrian approaching on a 45° angle under attentionally demanding conditions.

Individuals rely on visual information to determine when to adapt their behaviours (i.e., by changing path and/or speed) to avoid an approaching object or person. After initiating an avoidance behaviour, individuals may control the space (i.e., minimum clearance distance) between themselves and another person or object. The current study aimed to determine the action strategies of young adults while avoiding a virtual pedestrian approaching along a 45° angle in an attentionally demanding task. Twenty-one young adults (22.9 ± 1.9 yrs., 11 males) were immersed in a virtual environment and were instructed to walk along a 7.5 m path towards a goal located along the midline. Two virtual pedestrians (VP) positioned 2.83 m to the left and right of the midline approached participants on a 45° angle. To manipulate the point at which the participants and the VP would intersect during different trials, the VP approached at one of three speeds: 0.8×, 1.0×, or 1.2× each participants' average walking speed. Participants were instructed to walk to a goal without colliding with the VP while performing the attention task; reporting whether a shape changed above the VPs' heads. Results revealed that young adults did not modulate their timing of avoidance to the approach characteristics of the VP, as they consistently avoided the collision 1.67 s after the VP began moving. However, young adults seem to control how they avoid an oncoming collision by maintaining a consistent safety margin after an avoidance behaviour was initiated.

Effectiveness of virtual reality in preventing falls in non-disabled older adults: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality interventions in preventing falls among non-disabled older adults. METHODS: We conducted a librarian-designed database search. Two researchers independently screened eligible studies. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. RESULTS: Virtual reality interventions can effectively improve gait and dynamic and static balance function, enhance lower limb muscle strength, and reduce the risk of falls in the non-disabled elderly. However, the effect of virtual reality on reducing the fear of falling remains controversial. CONCLUSION: Virtual reality interventions can effectively prevent falls in nondisabled elderly individuals. Higher quality, larger sample size, and long-term follow-up studies are needed to further verify the long-term effectiveness of virtual reality training in preventing falls in non-disabled elderly individuals.

Taxonomic discordance of immersive realities in dentistry: A systematic scoping review.: Taxonomic discordance of immersive realities.

OBJECTIVES: This review aimed to map taxonomy frameworks, descriptions, and applications of immersive technologies in the dental literature. DATA: The Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines was followed, and the protocol was registered at open science framework platform (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/H6N8M). SOURCES: Systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases, and complemented by manual search. STUDY SELECTION: A total of 84 articles were included, with 81% between 2019 and 2023. Most studies were experimental (62%), including education (25%), protocol feasibility (20%), in vitro (11%), and cadaver (6%). Other study types included clinical report/technique article (24%), clinical study (9%), technical note/tip to reader (4%), and randomized controlled trial (1%). Three-quarters of the included studies were published in oral and maxillofacial surgery (38%), dental education (26%), and implant (12%) disciplines. Methods of display included head mounted display device (HMD) (55%), see through screen (32%), 2D screen display (11%), and projector display (2%). Descriptions of immersive realities were fragmented and inconsistent with lack of clear taxonomy framework for the umbrella and the subset terms including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), augmented virtuality (AV), extended reality, and X reality. CONCLUSIONS: Immersive reality applications in dentistry are gaining popularity with a notable surge in the number of publications in the last 5 years. Ambiguities are apparent in the descriptions of immersive realities. A taxonomy framework based on method of display (full or partial) and reality class (VR, AR, or MR) is proposed. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Understanding different reality classes can be perplexing due to their blurred boundaries and conceptual overlapping. Immersive technologies offer novel educational and clinical applications. This domain is fast developing. With the current fragmented and inconsistent terminologies, a comprehensive taxonomy framework is necessary.

Evaluating Pharmacy Students' Teamwork Attitudes in Virtual COVID-19 Emergency Department Simulations: A Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the impact of virtual simulation training on the transformation of teamwork attitudes among pharmacy students in a simulated severe COVID-19 pneumonia scenario in the emergency department. METHODS: From July 2022 to January 2023, 16 pharmacy students, along with other healthcare students, participated in interprofessional simulation rounds. Each pharmacy student was assigned specific days for participation, utilizing either a 3D computer or a virtual reality headset to manage a patient with severe COVID-19 pneumonia in the virtual emergency department. The TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) was employed for pre- and post-training assessments. RESULTS: The mean baseline T-TAQ score was 119.44±10.63, showing a significant post-training improvement to a mean score of 130.88±8.98 (Hedges' g=1.52). Stratification by academic years and device types revealed no significant impact on the learning experience. Remarkable enhancements in teamwork attitudes were observed post-training, specifically in team structure, situation monitoring, mutual support, and communication domains. CONCLUSION: These findings advocate that virtual simulation training in scenarios like severe COVID-19 effectively augments teamwork attitudes among pharmacy students, preparing them for collaborative practice in high-stakes emergency medicine settings.

Orthopaedic Sport Medicine Surgeons and Fellows Value Immersive Virtual Reality for Improving Surgical Training, Procedural Planning, and Distance Learning.

BACKGROUND: Overall, the potential utility of iVR technology in orthopaedic surgery is promising. The attitudes of medical students and surgical trainees on VR simulated surgical training have been overwhelmingly positive. However, further research and understanding of the attitudes of practicing orthopaedic surgeons and Fellows are needed to appreciate its benefits for clinical practice. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of Canadian orthopaedic surgeons and Fellows on the value of iVR for surgical training, clinical practice, and distance learning. METHODS: Forty-three orthopedic surgeons and Fellows attended a VRthrscopy™ Knee Module (Conmed Corporation, Largo, USA) demonstration. The view and audio from the lead headset were cast to a large screen so the audience could follow the procedure in real-time. Immediately after the presentation, the audience members were given a paper questionnaire assessing their perceptions and attitudes toward iVR or use in orthopaedic learning, clinical practice and distance education and mentoring. RESULTS: iVR was perceived to be valuable for the field of orthopaedic surgery. All 13 questions were rated with mean Likert scores of five or greater indicating observed value for all 13 questions. The respondents indicated that iVR had value (score of 5 or greater) in each questionnaire domain, with agreement ranging from 78-98% for teaching and learning, 66-97% for clinical practice, and 88-100% for distance education and mentoring questions. CONCLUSION: This study has demonstrated that a group of Canadian sport medicine orthopedic surgeons and Fellows had favourable attitudes towards, and perceived that iVR has value in, orthopaedic surgical training, clinical practice, and distance learning and mentorship. The potential for utilizing iVR technology for distance learning, mentorship and global education appears promising.

The addition of a spatial auditory cue improves spatial updating in a virtual reality navigation task.

Auditory cues are integrated with vision and body-based self-motion cues for motion perception, balance, and gait, though limited research has evaluated their effectiveness for navigation. Here, we tested whether an auditory cue co-localized with a visual target could improve spatial updating in a virtual reality homing task. Participants navigated a triangular homing task with and without an easily localizable spatial audio signal co-located with the home location. The main outcome was unsigned angular error, defined as the absolute value of the difference between the participant's turning response and the correct response towards the home location. Angular error was significantly reduced in the presence of spatial sound compared to a head-fixed identical auditory signal. Participants' angular error was 22.79° in the presence of spatial audio and 30.09° in its absence. Those with the worst performance in the absence of spatial sound demonstrated the greatest improvement with the added sound cue. These results suggest that auditory cues may benefit navigation, particularly for those who demonstrated the highest level of spatial updating error in the absence of spatial sound.

An ergonomic evaluation using a deep learning approach for assessing postural risks in a virtual reality-based smart manufacturing context.

This study proposes an integrated ergonomic evaluation designed to identify unsafe postures, whereby postural risks during industrial work are assessed in the context of virtual reality-based smart manufacturing. Unsafe postures were recognised by identifying the displacements of the centre of mass (COM) of body keypoints using a computer vision-based deep learning (DL) convolutional neural network approach. The risk levels for the identified unsafe postures were calculated using ergonomic risk assessment tools rapid upper limb assessment and rapid whole-body assessment. An analysis of variance was conducted to determine significant differences between the vertical and horizontal directions of postural movements associated with the most unsafe postures. The findings assess the ergonomic risk levels and identify the most unsafe postures during industrial work in smart manufacturing using DL method. The identified postural risks can help industry managers and researchers acquire a better understanding of unsafe postures.

This study aims to identify unsafe postures and calculate risk levels in a VR-based smart manufacturing context. Deep learning is applied to identify unsafe postures by detecting COM displacements and risk levels are calculated using ergonomic risk assessment tools. Results revealed the most unsafe body postures, crucial for workers' safety.

Coupling intention and actions of vehicle-pedestrian interaction: A virtual reality experiment study.

The interactions between vehicles and pedestrians are complex due to their interdependence and coupling. Understanding these interactions is crucial for the development of autonomous vehicles, as it enables accurate prediction of pedestrian crossing intentions, more reasonable decision-making, and human-like motion planning at unsignalized intersections. Previous studies have devoted considerable effort to analyzing vehicle and pedestrian behavior and developing models to forecast pedestrian crossing intentions. However, these studies have two limitations. First, they mainly focus on investigating variables that explain pedestrian crossing behavior rather than predicting pedestrian crossing intentions. Moreover, some factors such as age, sensation seeking and social value orientation, used to establish decision-making models in these studies are not easily accessible in real-world scenarios. In this paper, we explored the critical factors influencing the decision-making processes of human drivers and pedestrians respectively by using virtual reality technology. To do this, we considered available kinematic variables and analyzed the internal relationship between motion parameters and pedestrian behavior. The analysis results indicate that longitudinal distance and vehicle acceleration are the most influential factors in pedestrian decision-making, while pedestrian speed and longitudinal distance also play a crucial role in determining whether the vehicle yields or not. Furthermore, a mathematical relationship between a pedestrian's intention and kinematic variables is established for the first time, which can help dynamically assess when pedestrians desire to cross. Finally, the results obtained in driver-yielding behavior analysis provide valuable insights for autonomous vehicle decision-making and motion planning.

How virtual reality is impacting balance: An examination of postural stability.

BACKGROUND: The interest in virtual reality (VR) applications has been on the rise in recent years. However, the impact of VR on postural stability remains unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION: The study has two primary objectives: first, to compare postural stability in a 3D-immersed virtual reality environment (VE) and a real environment (RE), and second, to investigate the effect of positive and negative visual feedback, which are subconditions of VE on postural stability. METHODS: The observational study recruited 20 healthy adults (10 male, 10 female, 22.8 ± 1.8 years) who underwent postural stability assessments in both RE and VE. In VE, participants received visual stimuli in three different ways: without visual feedback, with positive and negative visual feedback that they would consider themselves to be directed towards postural stability outcomes. The RE included two conditions: eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Postural stability was evaluated with sway velocity, sway area, and perimeter variables obtained from a force platform. RESULTS: All postural stability variables were significantly lower in the RE than in the VE (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the VE and EC in terms of sway velocity and sway area (p > 0.05). The visual feedback in the VE did not affect participants' postural stability (p > 0.05). VE may cause an increase in postural sway variables compared to RE and postural requirements may be higher in VE compared to RE. SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first and only study examining the effect of different visual feedback on postural stability in VE.