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.

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.

Mental health in the virtual world:Challenges and opportunities in the metaverse era

Current rates of mental illness are worrisome.Mental illness mainly affects females and younger age groups.The use of the internet to deliver mental health care has been growing since 2020 and includes the implementation of novel mental health treatments using virtual reality,augmented reality,and artificial intelligence.A new three dimensional digital environment,known as the metaverse,has emerged as the next version of the Internet.Artificial intelligence,augmented reality,and virtual reality will create fully immersive,experiential,and interactive online environments in the metaverse.People will use a unique avatar to do anything they do in their“real”lives,including seeking and receiving mental health care.In this opinion review,we reflect on how the metaverse could reshape how we deliver mental health treatment,its opportunities,and its challenges.

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.

Permanent Magnet Temperature Estimation for PMSMs Using Virtual Position-offset Injection

This paper proposes a virtual position-offset injection based permanent magnet temperature estimation approach for permanent magnet synchronous machines(PMSMs). The concept of virtual position-offset injection is mathematically transforming the machine model to a virtual frame with a position-offset. The virtual frame temperature estimation model is derived to calculate the permanent magnet temperature(PMT) directly from the measurements with computation efficiency. The estimation model involves a combined inductance term, which can simplify the establishment of saturation compensation model with less measurements. Moreover, resistance and inverter distorted terms are cancelled in the estimation model, which can improve the robustness to the winding temperature rise and inverter distortion. The proposed approach can achieve simplified computation in temperature estimation and reduced memory usage in saturation compensation. While existing model-based approaches could be affected by either the need of resistance and inverter information or complex saturation compensation. Experiments are conducted on the test machine to verify the proposed approach under various operating conditions.

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.

Prediction of corrosion rate for friction stir processed WE43 alloy by combining PSO-based virtual sample generation and machine learning

The corrosion rate is a crucial factor that impacts the longevity of materials in different applications.After undergoing friction stir processing(FSP),the refined grain structure leads to a notable decrease in corrosion rate.However,a better understanding of the correlation between the FSP process parameters and the corrosion rate is still lacking.The current study used machine learning to establish the relationship between the corrosion rate and FSP process parameters(rotational speed,traverse speed,and shoulder diameter)for WE43 alloy.The Taguchi L27 design of experiments was used for the experimental analysis.In addition,synthetic data was generated using particle swarm optimization for virtual sample generation(VSG).The application of VSG has led to an increase in the prediction accuracy of machine learning models.A sensitivity analysis was performed using Shapley Additive Explanations to determine the key factors affecting the corrosion rate.The shoulder diameter had a significant impact in comparison to the traverse speed.A graphical user interface(GUI)has been created to predict the corrosion rate using the identified factors.This study focuses on the WE43 alloy,but its findings can also be used to predict the corrosion rate of other magnesium alloys.

Influence of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments on preoperative anxiety of preschool-aged children undergoing surgery

BACKGROUND Preschoolers become anxious when they are about to undergo anesthesia and surgery,warranting the development of more appropriate and effective interventions.AIM To explore the effect of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments on preoperative anxiety and anesthesia induction compliance in preschool-aged children undergoing surgery.METHODS One hundred and sixteen preschool-aged children were selected and assigned to the drug(n=37),intervention(n=40),and control(n=39)groups.All the children received routine preoperative checkups and nursing before being transferred to the preoperative preparation room on the day of the operation.The drug group received 0.5 mg/kg midazolam and the intervention group treatment consisting of static cartoons combined with dynamic virtual environments.The control group received no intervention.The modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale was used to evaluate the children’s anxiety level on the day before surgery(T0),before leaving the preoperative preparation room(T1),when entering the operating room(T2),and at anesthesia induction(T3).Compliance during anesthesia induction(T3)was evaluated using the Induction Compliance Checklist(ICC).Changes in mean arterial pressure(MAP),heart rate(HR),and respiratory rate(RR)were also recorded at each time point.RESULTS The anxiety scores of the three groups increased variously at T1 and T2.At T3,both the drug and intervention groups had similar anxiety scores,both of which were lower than those in the control group.At T1 and T2,MAP,HR,and RR of the three groups increased.The drug and control groups had significantly higher MAP and RR than the intervention group at T2.At T3,the MAP,HR,and RR of the drug group decreased and were significantly lower than those in the control group but were comparable to those in the intervention group.Both the drug and intervention groups had similar ICC scores and duration of anesthesia induction(T3),both of which were higher than those of the control group.CONCLUSION Combining static cartoons with dynamic virtual environments as effective as medication,specifically midazolam,in reducing preoperative anxiety and fear in preschool-aged children.This approach also improve their compliance during anesthesia induction and helped maintain their stable vital signs.

Tree: Reducing the use of restrictive practices on psychiatric wards through virtual reality immersive technology training

BACKGROUND Restrictive practices(RPs)are defined by measures linked to physical and chemical restraints to reduce the movement or control behaviours during any emergency.Seclusion is an equal part of RPs intended to isolate and reduce the sensory stimulation to safeguard the patient and those within the vicinity.Using interventions by way of virtual reality(VR)could assist with reducing the need for RPs as it could help reduce anxiety or agitation by way of placing users into realistic and immersive environments.This could also aid staff to and change current RPs.AIM To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of using a VR platform to provide reduction in RP training.METHODS A randomised controlled feasibility study,accompanied by evaluations at 1 month and 6 months,was conducted within inpatient psychiatric wards at Southern Health National Health Service Foundation Trust,United Kingdom.Virti VR scenarios were used on VR headsets to provide training on reducing RPs in 3 inpatient psychiatric wards.Outcome measures included general self-efficacy scale,generalised anxiety disorder assessment 7(GAD-7),Burnout Assessment Tool 12,the Everyday Discrimination Scale,and the Compassionate Engagement and Action Scale.RESULTS Findings revealed statistically significant differences between the VR and treatment as usual groups,in the Everyday Discrimination Scale items Q8 and Q9:P=0.023 and P=0.040 respectively,indicating higher levels of perceived discrimination in the VR group.There were no significant differences between groups in terms of general self-efficacy,generalised anxiety disorder assessment 9,and Burnout Assessment Tool 12 scores.A significant difference was observed within the VR group for compassionate engagement from others(P=0.005)over time.Most respondents recorded System Usability Scale scores above 70,with an average score of 71.79.There was a significant reduction in rates of RPs in the VR group vs treatment as usual group with a fluctuating variability observed in the VR group likely due to external factors not captured in the study.CONCLUSION Ongoing advancement of VR technology enables the possibility of creating scenarios and simulations tailored to healthcare environments that empower staff by providing more comprehensive and effective training for handling situations.

Virtual reality tools for training in gastrointestinal endoscopy:A systematic review

BACKGROUND Virtual reality(VR)has emerged as an innovative technology in endoscopy training,providing a simulated environment that closely resembles real-life scenarios and offering trainees a valuable platform to acquire and enhance their endoscopic skills.This systematic review will critically evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of VR-based training compared to traditional methods.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of VR-based training compared to traditional methods.By examining the current state of the field,this review seeks to identify gaps,challenges,and opportunities for further research and implementation of VR in endoscopic training.METHODS The study is a systematic review,following the guidelines for reporting systematic reviews set out by the PRISMA statement.A comprehensive search command was designed and implemented and run in September 2023 to identify relevant studies available,from electronic databases such as PubMed,Scopus,Cochrane,and Google Scholar.The results were systematically reviewed.RESULTS Sixteen articles were included in the final analysis.The total number of participants was 523.Five studies focused on both upper endoscopy and colonoscopy training,two on upper endoscopy training only,eight on colonoscopy training only,and one on sigmoidoscopy training only.Gastrointestinal Mentor virtual endoscopy simulator was commonly used.Fifteen reported positive results,indicating that VR-based training was feasible and acceptable for endoscopy learners.VR technology helped the trainees enhance their skills in manipulating the endoscope,reducing the procedure time or increasing the technical accuracy,in VR scenarios and real patients.Some studies show that the patient discomfort level decreased significantly.However,some studies show there were no significant differences in patient discomfort and pain scores between VR group and other groups.CONCLUSION VR training is effective for endoscopy training.There are several well-designed randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes,proving the potential of this innovative tool.Thus,VR should be more widely adopted in endoscopy training.Furthermore,combining VR training with conventional methods could be a promising approach that should be implemented in training.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Embedded Water Consumption from the Perspective of Virtual Water Surplus and Deficit in the Yellow River Basin,China

Virtual water trade(VWT)provides a new perspective for alleviating water crisis and has thus attracted widespread attention.However,the heterogeneity of virtual water trade inside and outside the river basin and its influencing factors remains further study.In this study,for better investigating the pattern and heterogeneity of virtual water trade inside and outside provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin in 2015 using the input-output model(MRIO),we proposed two new concepts,i.e.,virtual water surplus and virtual water deficit,and then used the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index(LMDI)model to identify the inherent mechanism of the imbalance of virtual water trade between provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin and the other four regions in China.The results show that:1)in provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin,the less developed the economy was,the larger the contribution of the agricultural sector in virtual water trade,while the smaller the contribution of the industrial sector.2)Due to the large output of agricultural products,the upstream and midstream provincial regions of the Yellow River Basin had a virtual water surplus,with a net outflow of virtual water of 2.7×10^(8) m^(3) and 0.9×10^(8) m^(3),respectively.3)provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin were in a virtual water deficit with the rest of China,and the decisive factor was the active degree of trade with the outside.This study would be beneficial to illuminate the trade-related water use issues in provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin,which has farreaching practical signific-ance for alleviating water scarcity.

A virtual thermometer for ultrahigh-temperature-pressure experiments in a large-volume press

Ultrahigh-temperature-pressure experiments are crucial for understanding the physical and chemical properties of matter.The recent development of boron-doped diamond(BDD)heaters has made such melting experiments possible in large-volume presses.However,estimates of temperatures above 2600 K and of the temperature distributions inside BDD heaters are not well constrained,owing to the lack of a suitable thermometer.Here,we establish a three-dimensional finite element model as a virtual thermometer to estimate the temperature and temperature field above 2600 K.The advantage of this virtual thermometer over those proposed in previous studies is that it considers both alternating and direct current heating modes,the actual sizes of cell assemblies after compression,the effects of the electrode,thermocouple and anvil,and the heat dissipation by the pressure-transmitting medium.The virtual thermometer reproduces the power-temperature relationships of ultrahigh-temperature-pressure experiments below 2600 K at press loads of 2.8-7.9 MN(~19 to 28 GPa)within experimental uncertainties.The temperatures above 2600 K predicted by our virtual thermometer are within the uncertainty of those extrapolated from power-temperature relationships below 2600 K.Furthermore,our model shows that the temperature distribution inside a BDD heater(19-26 K/mm along the radial direction and<83 K/mm along the longitudinal direction)is more homogeneous than those inside conventional heaters such as graphite or LaCrO_(3) heaters(100-200 K/mm).Our study thus provides a reliable virtual thermometer for ultrahigh-temperature experiments using BDD heaters in Earth and material sciences.

Effects of virtual agents on interaction efficiency and environmental immersion in MR environments

Background Physical entity interactions in mixed reality(MR)environments aim to harness human capabilities in manipulating physical objects,thereby enhancing virtual environment(VEs)functionality.In MR,a common strategy is to use virtual agents as substitutes for physical entities,balancing interaction efficiency with environmental immersion.However,the impact of virtual agent size and form on interaction performance remains unclear.Methods Two experiments were conducted to explore how virtual agent size and form affect interaction performance,immersion,and preference in MR environments.The first experiment assessed five virtual agent sizes(25%,50%,75%,100%,and 125%of physical size).The second experiment tested four types of frames(no frame,consistent frame,half frame,and surrounding frame)across all agent sizes.Participants,utilizing a head mounted display,performed tasks involving moving cups,typing words,and using a mouse.They completed questionnaires assessing aspects such as the virtual environment effects,interaction effects,collision concerns,and preferences.Results Results from the first experiment revealed that agents matching physical object size produced the best overall performance.The second experiment demonstrated that consistent framing notably enhances interaction accuracy and speed but reduces immersion.To balance efficiency and immersion,frameless agents matching physical object sizes were deemed optimal.Conclusions Virtual agents matching physical entity sizes enhance user experience and interaction performance.Conversely,familiar frames from 2D interfaces detrimentally affect interaction and immersion in virtual spaces.This study provides valuable insights for the future development of MR systems.

Wear dependent virtual flow rate sensor for progressing cavity pumps with deformable stator

This contribution presents a novel wear dependent virtual flow rate sensor for single stage single lobe progressing cavity pumps. We study the wear-induced material loss of the pump components and the impact of this material loss on the volumetric efficiency. The results are combined with an established backflow model to implement a backflow calculation procedure that is adaptive to wear. We use a laboratory test setup with a highly abrasive fluid and operate a pump from new to worn condition to validate our approach. The obtained measurement data show that the presented virtual sensor is capable of calculating the flow rate of a pump being subject to wear during its regular operation.

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.

Special Vehicle Target Detection and Tracking Based on Virtual Simulation Environment and YOLOv5-Block+DeepSort Algorithm

In the process of dense vehicles traveling fast,there will be mutual occlusion between vehicles,which will lead to the problem of deterioration of the tracking effect of different vehicles,so this paper proposes a research method of virtual simulation video vehicle target tracking based on you only look once(YOLO)v5s and deep simple online and realtime tracking(DeepSort).Given that the DeepSort algorithm is currently the most effective tracking method,this paper merges the YOLOv5 algorithm with the DeepSort algorithm.Then it adds the efficient channel attention networks(ECA-Net)focusing mechanism at the back for the cross-stage partial bottleneck with 3 convolutions(C3)modules about the YOLOv5 backbone network and before the up-sampling of the Neck feature pyramid.The YOLOv5 algorithm adopts expected intersection over union(EIOU)instead of complete intersection over union(CIOU)as the loss function of the target frame regression.The improved YOLOv5 algorithm is named YOLOv5-Block.The experimental results show that in the special vehicle target detection(TD)and tracking in the virtual simulation environment,The YOLOv5-Block algorithm has an average accuracy(AP)of 99.5%,which significantly improves the target recognition correctness for typical occlusion cases,and is 1.48 times better than the baseline algorithm.After the virtual simulation video sequence test,multiple objects tracking accuracy(MOTA)and various objects tracking precision(MOTP)improved by 10.7 and 1.75 percentage points,respectively,and the number of vehicle target identity document(ID)switches decreased.Compared with recent mainstream vehicle detection and tracking models,the YOLOv5-Block+Deepsort algorithm can accurately and continuously complete the detection and tracking tasks of special vehicle targets in different scenes.

Virtual screening and directional preparation of xanthine oxidase inhibitory peptides derived from hemp seed protein

The traditional nutritional and medical hemp(Cannabis sativa L.)seed protein were explored for the discovery and directional preparation of new xanthine oxidase inhibitory(XOI)peptides by structure-based virtual screening,compound synthesis,in vitro bioassay and proteolysis.Six subtypes of hemp seed edestin and albumin were in silico hydrolyzed by 29 proteases,and 192 encrypted bioactive peptides were screened out.Six peptides showed to be XOI peptides,of which four(about 67%)were released by elastase hydrolysis.The peptide DDNPRRFY displayed the highest XOI activity(IC50=(2.10±0.06)mg/mL),acting as a mixed inhibitor.The pancreatic elastase directionally prepared XOI hemp seed protein hydrolysates,from which 6 high-abundance XOI peptides encrypted 3 virtually-screened ones including the DDNPRRFY.The novel outstanding hemp seed protein-derived XOI peptides and their virtual screening and directed preparation methods provide a promising and applicable approach to conveniently and efficiently explore food-derived bioactive peptides.

Proposal for a realtime Einstein-synchronization-defined satellite virtual clock

Realization of high performance satellite onboard clock is vital for various positioning, navigation, and timing applications. For further improvement of the synchronization-based satellite time and frequency references, we propose a geosynchronous(GEO) satellite virtual clock concept based on ground–satellite synchronization and present a beacon transponder structure for its implementation(scheduled for launch in 2025), which does not require atomic clocks to be mounted on the satellite. Its high performance relies only on minor modifications to the existing transponder structure of GEO satellites. We carefully model the carrier phase link and analyze the factors causing link asymmetry within the special relativity. Considering that performance of such synchronization-based satellite clocks is primarily limited by the link's random phase noise, which cannot be adequately modeled, we design a closed-loop experiment based on commercial GEO satellites for pre-evaluation. This experiment aims at extracting the zero-means random part of the ground-satellite Ku-band carrier phase via a feedback loop. Ultimately, we obtain a 1σ value of 0.633 ps(two-way link), following the Gaussian distribution. From this result, we conclude that the proposed real-time Einstein-synchronization-defined satellite virtual clock can achieve picosecond-level replication of onboard time and frequency.

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.

An impact sensitivity assessment method of spacecraft based on virtual exterior wall

The impact sensitivity assessment of spacecraft is to obtain the probability of spacecraft encountering the OD/M(orbital debris or meteoroid),which is a prerequisite for survivability assessment of on-orbit spacecraft.An impact sensitivity assessment method of spacecraft based on virtual exterior wall was proposed to improve the computational efficiency.This method eliminates determination of the outermost surface elements of the spacecraft before generating the debris rays,which are assumed to originate from a non-concave virtual wall that completely wraps the spacecraft.The Dist Mesh method was adopted for the generating of the virtual wall to ensure its mesh quality.The influences of the sizes,mesh densities,shapes of the virtual wall on the efficiency and accuracy were considered to obtain the best combination of the size and mesh density of the wall and spacecraft.The results of this method were compared with those of S3DE(Survivability of Spacecraft in Space Debris Environment),BUMPER,MDPANTO,ESABASE2/Debris to verify the feasibility of the method.The PCHIP(Piecewise Cubic Hermite Interpolating Polynomial)was used to fit the size vs.flux relationship of the space debris to acquire the impact probability of OD/M with arbitrary size on the spacecraft.