Virtual reality based apps are the future of patient:Counseling

The use of virtual reality to educate preoperative patients has a positive impact on nurses as well as patients undergoing treatment.It can help improve patient satisfaction and improve favorable outcomes by reducing patient anxiety and proving adequate knowledge about the procedure and possible outcomes to the patient.It also reduces burden on nursing staff and counsellors.Larger and more diverse cohort studies will help us understand the wider application of this tool on the patient population.It may be difficult to apply this tool on elderly patients with failing eyesight,multiple physical comorbidities.Also,there may be reduced acceptance of this modality by older nursing staff and practitioners who may prefer the traditional verbal version for counselling.We will benefit from a combined approach of using virtual reality apps with tradition one-on-one counselling to help alleviate patient concerns and improve patient and healthcare professional satisfaction.

Transforming Education with Photogrammetry:Creating Realistic 3D Objects for Augmented Reality Applications

Augmented reality(AR)is an emerging dynamic technology that effectively supports education across different levels.The increased use of mobile devices has an even greater impact.As the demand for AR applications in education continues to increase,educators actively seek innovative and immersive methods to engage students in learning.However,exploring these possibilities also entails identifying and overcoming existing barriers to optimal educational integration.Concurrently,this surge in demand has prompted the identification of specific barriers,one of which is three-dimensional(3D)modeling.Creating 3D objects for augmented reality education applications can be challenging and time-consuming for the educators.To address this,we have developed a pipeline that creates realistic 3D objects from the two-dimensional(2D)photograph.Applications for augmented and virtual reality can then utilize these created 3D objects.We evaluated the proposed pipeline based on the usability of the 3D object and performance metrics.Quantitatively,with 117 respondents,the co-creation team was surveyed with openended questions to evaluate the precision of the 3D object created by the proposed photogrammetry pipeline.We analyzed the survey data using descriptive-analytical methods and found that the proposed pipeline produces 3D models that are positively accurate when compared to real-world objects,with an average mean score above 8.This study adds new knowledge in creating 3D objects for augmented reality applications by using the photogrammetry technique;finally,it discusses potential problems and future research directions for 3D objects in the education sector.

Application of virtual reality technology improves the functionality of brain networks in individuals experiencing pain

Medical procedures are inherently invasive and carry the risk of inducing pain to the mind and body.Recently,efforts have been made to alleviate the discomfort associated with invasive medical procedures through the use of virtual reality(VR)technology.VR has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for pain associated with medical procedures,as well as for chronic pain conditions for which no effective treatment has been established.The precise mechanism by which the diversion from reality facilitated by VR contributes to the diminution of pain and anxiety has yet to be elucidated.However,the provision of positive images through VR-based visual stimulation may enhance the functionality of brain networks.The salience network is diminished,while the default mode network is enhanced.Additionally,the medial prefrontal cortex may establish a stronger connection with the default mode network,which could result in a reduction of pain and anxiety.Further research into the potential of VR technology to alleviate pain could lead to a reduction in the number of individuals who overdose on painkillers and contribute to positive change in the medical field.

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

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

Digital twin-and extended reality-based telepresence for collaborative robot programming in the 6G perspective

In the context of Industry 4.0,a paradigm shift from traditional industrial manipulators to Collaborative Robots(CRs)is ongoing,with the latter serving ever more closely humans as auxiliary tools in many production processes.In this scenario,continuous technological advancements offer new opportunities for further innovating robotics and other areas of next-generation industry.For example,6G could play a prominent role due to its human-centric view of the industrial domains.In particular,its expected dependability features will pave the way for new applications exploiting highly effective Digital Twin(DT)-and eXtended Reality(XR)-based telepresence.In this work,a novel application for the above technologies allowing two distant users to collaborate in the programming of a CR is proposed.The approach encompasses demanding data flows(e.g.,point cloud-based streaming of collaborating users and robotic environment),with network latency and bandwidth constraints.Results obtained by analyzing this approach from the viewpoint of network requirements in a setup designed to emulate 6G connectivity indicate that the expected performance of forthcoming mobile networks will make it fully feasible in principle.

Virtual and augmented reality systems and three-dimensional printing of the renal model—novel trends to guide preoperative planning for renal cancer

ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore the applications of three-dimensional (3D) technology, including virtual reality, augmented reality (AR), and 3D printing system, in the field of medicine, particularly in renal interventions for cancer treatment.MethodsA specialized software transforms 2D medical images into precise 3D digital models, facilitating improved anatomical understanding and surgical planning. Patient-specific 3D printed anatomical models are utilized for preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, and surgical education. AR technology enables the overlay of digital perceptions onto real-world surgical environments.ResultsPatient-specific 3D printed anatomical models have multiple applications, such as preoperative planning, intraoperative guidance, trainee education, and patient counseling. Virtual reality involves substituting the real world with a computer-generated 3D environment, while AR overlays digitally created perceptions onto the existing reality. The advances in 3D modeling technology have sparked considerable interest in their application to partial nephrectomy in the realm of renal cancer. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, constructs 3D objects based on computer-aided design or digital 3D models. Utilizing 3D-printed preoperative renal models provides benefits for surgical planning, offering a more reliable assessment of the tumor's relationship with vital anatomical structures and enabling better preparation for procedures. AR technology allows surgeons to visualize patient-specific renal anatomical structures and their spatial relationships with surrounding organs by projecting CT/MRI images onto a live laparoscopic video. Incorporating patient-specific 3D digital models into healthcare enhances best practice, resulting in improved patient care, increased patient satisfaction, and cost saving for the healthcare system.

Ultracompact and high-efficiency liquid-crystalon-silicon light engines for augmented reality glasses

In lightweight augmented reality(AR)glasses,the light engines must be very compact while keeping a high optical efficiency to enable longtime comfortable wearing and high ambient contrast ratio.“Liquid-crystal-on-silicon(LCoS)or micro-LED,who wins?”is recently a heated debate question.Conventional LCoS system is facing tremendous challenges due to its bulky illumination systems;it often incorporates a bulky polarizing beam splitter(PBS)cube.To minimize the formfactor of an LCoS system,here we demonstrate an ultracompact illumination system consisting of an in-coupling prism,and a light guide plate with multiple parallelepiped extraction prisms.The overall module volume including the illumination optics and an LCoS panel(4.4-μm pixel pitch and 1024x1024 resolution elements),but excluding the projection optics,is merely 0.25 cc(cm3).Yet,our system exhibits an excellent illuminance uniformity and an impressive optical efficiency(36%–41%for a polarized input light).Such an ultracompact and high-efficiency LCoS illumination system is expected to revolutionize the next-generation AR glasses.

Diminishing restrictive practices in psychiatric wards via virtual reality training:Old wine in a new bottle?

This editorial examines the application of virtual reality(VR)training to mitigate restrictive practices(RPs)within psychiatric facilities.RPs include physical restraints,seclusion,and chemical restraints,used to ensure patient safety but with varying usage rates across regions.In recent years,there has been a growing focus on the adverse effects of RPs on both healthcare workers and patients,leading to calls for its reduction.Previous research has shown the efficiency of VR training in RP reduction.This editorial will analyze the limitations of VR training in prior research aimed at reducing RP,emphasizing that the essence of RPs is a medical safety issue,calling for careful differentiation of the causes of RPs,and avoiding the use of AR technology as a"new bottle"for"old wine"to improve the quality and reproducibility of future research in this field.

Leveraging Augmented Reality,Semantic-Segmentation,and VANETs for Enhanced Driver’s Safety Assistance

Overtaking is a crucial maneuver in road transportation that requires a clear view of the road ahead.However,limited visibility of ahead vehicles can often make it challenging for drivers to assess the safety of overtaking maneuvers,leading to accidents and fatalities.In this paper,we consider atrous convolution,a powerful tool for explicitly adjusting the field-of-view of a filter as well as controlling the resolution of feature responses generated by Deep Convolutional Neural Networks in the context of semantic image segmentation.This article explores the potential of seeing-through vehicles as a solution to enhance overtaking safety.See-through vehicles leverage advanced technologies such as cameras,sensors,and displays to provide drivers with a real-time view of the vehicle ahead,including the areas hidden from their direct line of sight.To address the problems of safe passing and occlusion by huge vehicles,we designed a see-through vehicle system in this study,we employed a windshield display in the back car together with cameras in both cars.The server within the back car was used to segment the car,and the segmented portion of the car displayed the video from the front car.Our see-through system improves the driver’s field of vision and helps him change lanes,cross a large car that is blocking their view,and safely overtake other vehicles.Our network was trained and tested on the Cityscape dataset using semantic segmentation.This transparent technique will instruct the driver on the concealed traffic situation that the front vehicle has obscured.For our findings,we have achieved 97.1% F1-score.The article also discusses the challenges and opportunities of implementing see-through vehicles in real-world scenarios,including technical,regulatory,and user acceptance factors.

Enhancing preoperative patient education through virtual reality:A leap forward in nursing practice

Integration of virtual reality(VR)technology into preoperative patient education has shown potential to improve nursing practice.The study by Kim et al examines the impact of VR on nurse satisfaction,usability,and burnout.A prospective study involving 20 nurses and 80 patients was conducted,comparing traditional paper-based education with VR-based education in the plastic surgery ward at Chungnam National University Hospital.Findings demonstrated that VR significantly enhanced satisfaction and usability among nurses,while also reducing emotional exhaustion,a critical factor in nurse burnout.Consistency in education quality was also improved,ensuring uniform patient care.These results underscore the importance of VR in reducing the stress of repetitive tasks,improving job satisfaction,and potentially enhancing nurse retention.Future research should explore the broader applications of VR in healthcare and address the logistical challenges of integrating this technology into routine clinical practice.The study by Kim et al highlights VR’s transformative potential in preoperative education for both patients and healthcare providers.

Investigation of Inside-Out Tracking Methods for Six Degrees of Freedom Pose Estimation of a Smartphone in Augmented Reality

Six degrees of freedom(6DoF)input interfaces are essential formanipulating virtual objects through translation or rotation in three-dimensional(3D)space.A traditional outside-in tracking controller requires the installation of expensive hardware in advance.While inside-out tracking controllers have been proposed,they often suffer from limitations such as interaction limited to the tracking range of the sensor(e.g.,a sensor on the head-mounted display(HMD))or the need for pose value modification to function as an input interface(e.g.,a sensor on the controller).This study investigates 6DoF pose estimation methods without restricting the tracking range,using a smartphone as a controller in augmented reality(AR)environments.Our approach involves proposing methods for estimating the initial pose of the controller and correcting the pose using an inside-out tracking approach.In addition,seven pose estimation algorithms were presented as candidates depending on the tracking range of the device sensor,the tracking method(e.g.,marker recognition,visual-inertial odometry(VIO)),and whether modification of the initial pose is necessary.Through two experiments(discrete and continuous data),the performance of the algorithms was evaluated.The results demonstrate enhanced final pose accuracy achieved by correcting the initial pose.Furthermore,the importance of selecting the tracking algorithm based on the tracking range of the devices and the actual input value of the 3D interaction was emphasized.

Breaking the optical efficiency limit of virtual reality with a nonreciprocal polarization rotator

A catadioptric lens structure,also known as pancake lens,has been widely used in virtual reality(VR)displays to reduce the formfactor.However,the utilization of a half mirror(HM)to fold the optical path thrice leads to a significant optical loss.The theoretical maximum optical efficiency is merely 25%.To transcend this optical efficiency constraint while retaining the foldable characteristic inherent to traditional pancake optics,in this paper,we propose a theoretically lossless folded optical system to replace the HM with a nonreciprocal polarization rotator.In our feasibility demonstration experiment,we used a commercial Faraday rotator(FR)and reflective polarizers to replace the lossy HM.The theoretically predicted 100%efficiency can be achieved approximately by using two high-extinction-ratio reflective polarizers.In addition,we evaluated the ghost images using a micro-OLED panel in our imaging system.Indeed,the ghost images can be suppressed to undetectable level if the optics are with antireflection coating.Our novel pancake optical system holds great potential for revolutionizing next-generation VR displays with lightweight,compact formfactor,and low power consumption.

Virtual reality:The bridge between medical education and clinical practice

After perusing the paper by Kim et al,I discovered that this is an interesting manuscript and a successful study.Virtual reality(VR)is an emerging and promising technology employed in the domain of medical practice and medical education over the past decade.In the era of big data,VR is constantly progressing in the fields of medical education and clinical diagnosis and treatment.As a novel scientific and technological tool,VR not only overcomes multiple limitations of the traditional medical teaching mode but also reduces the reliance on personnel and equipment.VR can simulate the real clinical situation,stimulate the enthusiasm of young doctors and nurses for clinical study,and simultaneously safeguard and promote medical safety and doctor-patient harmony.Favorable outcomes have been attained in clinical teaching and diagnosis and treatment activities.While enhancing the training conditions of medical cosmetics and elevating the level of clinical practice and teaching,the risks resulting from improper clinical diagnosis and treatment have been circumvented.All of this is evident and comprehensible.

Towards engineering a portable platform for laparoscopic pre-training in virtual reality with haptic feedback

Background Laparoscopic surgery is a surgical technique in which special instruments are inserted through small incision holes inside the body.For some time,efforts have been made to improve surgical pre training through practical exercises on abstracted and reduced models.Methods The authors strive for a portable,easy to use and cost-effective Virtual Reality-based(VR)laparoscopic pre-training platform and therefore address the question of how such a system has to be designed to achieve the quality of today's gold standard using real tissue specimens.Current VR controllers are limited regarding haptic feedback.Since haptic feedback is necessary or at least beneficial for laparoscopic surgery training,the platform to be developed consists of a newly designed prototype laparoscopic VR controller with haptic feedback,a commercially available head-mounted display,a VR environment for simulating a laparoscopic surgery,and a training concept.Results To take full advantage of benefits such as repeatability and cost-effectiveness of VR-based training,the system shall not require a tissue sample for haptic feedback.It is currently calculated and visually displayed to the user in the VR environment.On the prototype controller,a first axis was provided with perceptible feedback for test purposes.Two of the prototype VR controllers can be combined to simulate a typical both-handed use case,e.g.,laparoscopic suturing.A Unity based VR prototype allows the execution of simple standard pre-trainings.Conclusions The first prototype enables full operation of a virtual laparoscopic instrument in VR.In addition,the simulation can compute simple interaction forces.Major challenges lie in a realistic real-time tissue simulation and calculation of forces for the haptic feedback.Mechanical weaknesses were identified in the first hardware prototype,which will be improved in subsequent versions.All degrees of freedom of the controller are to be provided with haptic feedback.To make forces tangible in the simulation,characteristic values need to be determined using real tissue samples.The system has yet to be validated by cross-comparing real and VR haptics with surgeons.

Personalized assessment and training of neurosurgical skills in virtual reality:An interpretable machine learning approach

Background Virtual reality technology has been widely used in surgical simulators,providing new opportunities for assessing and training surgical skills.Machine learning algorithms are commonly used to analyze and evaluate the performance of participants.However,their interpretability limits the personalization of the training for individual participants.Methods Seventy-nine participants were recruited and divided into three groups based on their skill level in intracranial tumor resection.Data on the use of surgical tools were collected using a surgical simulator.Feature selection was performed using the Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance and SVM-RFE algorithms to obtain the final metrics for training the machine learning model.Five machine learning algorithms were trained to predict the skill level,and the support vector machine performed the best,with an accuracy of 92.41%and Area Under Curve value of 0.98253.The machine learning model was interpreted using Shapley values to identify the important factors contributing to the skill level of each participant.Results This study demonstrates the effectiveness of machine learning in differentiating the evaluation and training of virtual reality neurosurgical performances.The use of Shapley values enables targeted training by identifying deficiencies in individual skills.Conclusions This study provides insights into the use of machine learning for personalized training in virtual reality neurosurgery.The interpretability of the machine learning models enables the development of individualized training programs.In addition,this study highlighted the potential of explanatory models in training external skills.

Single-center experience with Knee+^(TM) augmented reality navigation system in primary total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Computer-assisted systems obtained an increased interest in orthopaedic surgery over the last years,as they enhance precision compared to conventional hardware.The expansion of computer assistance is evolving with the employment of augmented reality.Yet,the accuracy of augmented reality navigation systems has not been determined.AIM To examine the accuracy of component alignment and restoration of the affected limb’s mechanical axis in primary total knee arthroplasty(TKA),utilizing an augmented reality navigation system and to assess whether such systems are conspicuously fruitful for an accomplished knee surgeon.METHODS From May 2021 to December 2021,30 patients,25 women and five men,under-went a primary unilateral TKA.Revision cases were excluded.A preoperative radiographic procedure was performed to evaluate the limb’s axial alignment.All patients were operated on by the same team,without a tourniquet,utilizing three distinct prostheses with the assistance of the Knee+™augmented reality navigation system in every operation.Postoperatively,the same radiographic exam protocol was executed to evaluate the implants’position,orientation and coronal plane alignment.We recorded measurements in 3 stages regarding femoral varus and flexion,tibial varus and posterior slope.Firstly,the expected values from the Augmented Reality system were documented.Then we calculated the same values after each cut and finally,the same measurements were recorded radiolo-gically after the operations.Concerning statistical analysis,Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient was estimated,while Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was performed when needed.RESULTS A statistically significant difference was observed regarding mean expected values and radiographic mea-surements for femoral flexion measurements only(Z score=2.67,P value=0.01).Nonetheless,this difference was statistically significantly lower than 1 degree(Z score=-4.21,P value<0.01).In terms of discrepancies in the calculations of expected values and controlled measurements,a statistically significant difference between tibial varus values was detected(Z score=-2.33,P value=0.02),which was also statistically significantly lower than 1 degree(Z score=-4.99,P value<0.01).CONCLUSION The results indicate satisfactory postoperative coronal alignment without outliers across all three different implants utilized.Augmented reality navigation systems can bolster orthopaedic surgeons’accuracy in achieving precise axial alignment.However,further research is required to further evaluate their efficacy and potential.

Chemical simulation teaching system based on virtual reality and gesture interaction

Background Most existing chemical experiment teaching systems lack solid immersive experiences,making it difficult to engage students.To address these challenges,we propose a chemical simulation teaching system based on virtual reality and gesture interaction.Methods The parameters of the models were obtained through actual investigation,whereby Blender and 3DS MAX were used to model and import these parameters into a physics engine.By establishing an interface for the physics engine,gesture interaction hardware,and virtual reality(VR)helmet,a highly realistic chemical experiment environment was created.Using code script logic,particle systems,as well as other systems,chemical phenomena were simulated.Furthermore,we created an online teaching platform using streaming media and databases to address the problems of distance teaching.Results The proposed system was evaluated against two mainstream products in the market.In the experiments,the proposed system outperformed the other products in terms of fidelity and practicality.Conclusions The proposed system which offers realistic simulations and practicability,can help improve the high school chemistry experimental education.

Virtual Reality-Based Mirror Therapy for Upper Extremity Function among Stroke Patients:A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review

[Objectives]To investigate the evidence-based effect of virtual reality-based mirror therapy system(VR-MT)on upper extremity function among stroke patients.[Methods]A systematic electronic searching of the Medline,PubMed,Web of Science and CNKI was initially performed up to June 10,2024.The risk of bias of the included studies was evaluated using RevMan 5.4 software based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews.The random-effects model or fixed-effects models was employed to estimate the standardized mean difference(SMD).The subgroup analyses were conducted exploring theVR-MT type(immersive or non-immersive)and comparing with MT or control group.[Results]In total 8 studies with a total of 273 stroke patients were included in this review.The pooled analysis of these trials showed a statistically significant enhancement inFMA-UE scores(6 studies,SMD=0.72,[95%CI 0.37 to 1.06];P<0.0001,I^(2)=31%)and Box and Block Test(BBT)(3 studies,SMD=0.49,[95%C/0.05 to 0.93];P=0.03,I^(2)=0%),rather than Manual Function Test(MFT)scores(3 studies,SMD=0.38,[95%CI-0.09 to 0.84];P=0.11,I^(2)=0%)following the application of reality-based mirror therapy.Additionally,the subgroup analysis results indicated that immersive VR-MT can significantly improve FMA-UE(5studies,SMD=0.73,[95%CI 0.24 to 1.23];P=0.004,I^(2)=43%).In contrast,the overall effect of non-immersive VR-MT was non-significant(2 studies,SMD=0.33,[95%CI-0.69 to 1.34];P=0.53,I^(2)=72%).[Conclusions]In this systematic review and meta-analysis,our findings indicate that immersiveVR-MT has the potential to improve upper extremity function among stroke patients.

Quantum Realities and Observer-Dependent Universes: An Advanced Observer Model

This paper presents a novel observer model that integrates quantum mechanics, relativity, idealism, and the simulation hypothesis to explain the quantum nature of the universe. The model posits a central server transmitting multi-media frames to create observer-dependent realities. Key aspects include deriving frame rates, defining quantum reality, and establishing hierarchical observer structures. The model’s impact on quantum information theory and philosophical interpretations of reality are examined, with detailed discussions on information loss and recursive frame transmission in the appendices.

Large-scale spatial data visualization method based on augmented reality

Background A task assigned to space exploration satellites involves detecting the physical environment within a certain space.However,space detection data are complex and abstract.These data are not conducive for researchers'visual perceptions of the evolution and interaction of events in the space environment.Methods A time-series dynamic data sampling method for large-scale space was proposed for sample detection data in space and time,and the corresponding relationships between data location features and other attribute features were established.A tone-mapping method based on statistical histogram equalization was proposed and applied to the final attribute feature data.The visualization process is optimized for rendering by merging materials,reducing the number of patches,and performing other operations.Results The results of sampling,feature extraction,and uniform visualization of the detection data of complex types,long duration spans,and uneven spatial distributions were obtained.The real-time visualization of large-scale spatial structures using augmented reality devices,particularly low-performance devices,was also investigated.Conclusions The proposed visualization system can reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of a large-scale space,express the structure and changes in the spatial environment using augmented reality,and assist in intuitively discovering spatial environmental events and evolutionary rules.