scholarly journals Usefulness of virtual reality-based training to diagnose strabismus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Sik Moon ◽  
Hyeon Jeong Yoon ◽  
Sang Woo Park ◽  
Chae Yeon Kim ◽  
Mu Seok Jeong ◽  
...  

AbstractTo study the usefulness of virtual reality (VR)-based training for diagnosing strabismus. Fourteen residents in ophthalmology performed at least 30 VR training sessions to diagnose esotropia and exotropia. Examinations of real patients with esotropia or exotropia before and after the VR training were video-recorded and presented to a strabismus expert to assess accuracy and performance scores for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus with anonymization. A feedback survey regarding the usefulness and ease of use of the VR application was conducted for participants. The mean age of the 14 ophthalmology residents (10 men and 4 women), was 29.7 years. Before VR training, participants showed a mean accuracy score of 14.50 ± 5.45 and a performance score of 9.64 ± 4.67 for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus in real patients with strabismus. After VR training, they showed a significantly improved accuracy score of 22.14 ± 4.37 (p = 0.012) and a performance score of 15.50 ± 1.99 (p = 0.011). According to the survey, most participants agreed on the usefulness of VR applications. This study suggests that VR-based training improved ophthalmology residents’ clinical diagnostic skills for strabismus in a short period.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun Sik Moon ◽  
Hyeon Jeong Yoon ◽  
Sang Woo Park ◽  
Chae Yeon Kim ◽  
Mu Seok Jeong ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose: To study the usefulness of virtual reality (VR) based training for diagnosing strabismusMethods: Fourteen ophthalmology residents performed at least 30 VR training sessions to diagnose esotropia and exotropia. Examinations of real patients with esotropia or exotropia before and after the VR training were video-recorded and presented to a strabismus expert to assess accuracy and performance scores for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus with anonymization. A feedback survey regarding the usefulness and ease of use of the VR application was conducted for participants.Results: The mean age of 14 ophthalmology residents, including 10 men and 4 women, was 29.7 years. Before VR training, participants showed a mean accuracy score of 14.50 ± 5.45 and performance score of 9.64 ± 4.67 for measuring the deviation angle and diagnosing strabismus in real patients with strabismus. After VR training, they showed a significantly improved accuracy score of 22.14 ± 4.37 (p = 0.012) and performance score of 15.50 ± 1.99 (p = 0.011). According to the survey, most participants agreed on the usefulness of VR application.Conclusions: This study suggests that VR based training improves ophthalmology residents’ clinical diagnostic skills for strabismus in a short period.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1103
Author(s):  
Waleed Riaz ◽  
Zain Yar Khan ◽  
Ali Jawaid ◽  
Suleman Shahid

Background: Despite an alarming rise in the global prevalence of dementia, the available modalities for improving cognition and mental wellbeing of dementia patients remain limited. Environmental enrichment is an experimental paradigm that has shown promising anti-depressive and memory-enhancing effects in pre-clinical studies. However, its clinical utility has remained limited due to the lack of effective implementation strategies. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the usability (tolerability and interactivity) of a long-term virtual reality (VR)- based environmental enrichment training program in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild dementia. A secondary objective was to assess the effect of VR-based environmental enrichment on stabilization of cognitive functioning and improvement of mental wellbeing in older adults with MCI and mild dementia. Methods: A total of seven participants (four patients with MCI and three with mild dementia) received biweekly VR-based environmental enrichment over a course of 6 months. The tolerability and interactivity of the participants in the VR training was serially assessed via virtual reality sickness questionnaire (VRSQ) and recording of input-error ratio. Cognitive functioning was assessed through Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) before and after the study. Mental wellbeing was assessed through Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well Being Scale (WEMWBS). Results: VR-based environmental enrichment was well-tolerated by the patients with significant decrease in VRSQ scores (p < 0.01) and input-error ratio (p < 0.001) overtime. VR training was also effective in stabilization of MoCA scores over the course of therapy (non-significant difference in the MoCA scores before and after the therapy) and was associated with a trend (p < 0.1) towards improvement in WEMWBS scores between the first and the last assessments. Qualitative observations by the care-givers further corroborated a noticeable improvement in mental wellbeing of patients. Conclusions: This pilot study shows that VR can be a feasible, tolerable, and potentially effective tool in long-term support of older adults with MCI and mild dementia.


Author(s):  
Susan M. Stevens ◽  
Timothy E. Goldsmith ◽  
Thomas P. Caudell ◽  
Dale C. Alverson

Virtual reality (VR) offers the potential to train medical students on high-risk situations. The current study investigated VR training of medical students to diagnose and treat a patient avatar experiencing a serious head injury. The user interface was investigated, including use of tools, comfort and VR locomotion, and found to be sufficiently high to warrant training within a medical curriculum. In addition, actual learning as a function of VR training was assessed by comparing medical students' knowledge structures to an expert knowledge structure before and after training. Students' knowledge structures became more similar to an expert's knowledge structure indicating that their conceptual understanding of core head-injury concepts increased as a result of VR training. The study was carried out under the auspices of Project TOUCH (Telehealth Outreach for Unified Community Health), a multi-year collaboration between The University of Hawaii (UH) and The University of New Mexico (UNM).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Hossein Sadeghi ◽  
Jette Jansje Peek ◽  
Samuel Max ◽  
Bryan G. Martina ◽  
Rodney A. Rosalia ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery commonly has a reversible cause, where often emergency re-sternotomy is required for treatment, as recommended by international guidelines. We have developed a virtual reality (VR) simulation for training of CPR and emergency re-sternotomy procedures after cardiac surgery, the CardioPulmonary resuscitation VR-simulator (CPVR-sim). In this prospective study, we researched face validity and content validity of this CPVR-sim. OBJECTIVE We designed a prospective study to assess the feasibility and to establish the face and content validity of CPVR-sim in a group of novices and experts in performing CPR and emergency re-sternotomies in patients after cardiac surgery. METHODS Thirty clinicians (staff cardiothoracic surgeons, physicians, surgical residents, and nurse practitioners) participated as either an expert or novice, based on experience with emergency re-sternotomy. All performed the simulation and completed the questionnaire rating the simulator’s usefulness, satisfaction, ease of use, effectiveness, and immersiveness to assess face validity and content validity. RESULTS Responses towards face validity and content validity were predominantly positive in both groups. Most participants felt actively involved (97%), in charge of the situation (73%), it was easy to learn how to interact with the software (80%), and the software responded well (70%). Almost all expert-participants preferred VR training as a substitute to conventional (100%) and digital (60% agreed and 40% was neutral) training. Moreover, 86% of the expert-participants would recommend VR training to other colleagues, and 93% found that CPVR-sim is a useful method to train infrequent CPR-cases after cardiac surgery. CONCLUSIONS We developed a proof-of-concept of a VR simulation for CPR training after cardiac surgery, which participants found was immersive and useful. By proving the face validity and content validity of CPVR-sim, we present a first step towards a cardiothoracic surgery VR training platform.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Zheng Zhang ◽  
Bote Qi ◽  
Yuyuang Xu ◽  
Yan Jin ◽  
Binghong Gao

This study was conducted to explore the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy combined with virtual reality (VR) training on oxidative stress indicators (OSIs) and inflammatory factors (IFs) in swimming athletes with depression. 88 swimming athletes suffering from depression were grouped into a control group (group C) and a research group (group R). The patients in group C were given HBO therapy, and the group R was given HBO therapy combined with VR training. The Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) were adopted to assess the depression status of patients. The differences between the two groups of serum OSIs and IFs before and after the intervention were compared and analyzed. The results disclosed that the PHQ-9 score and SCL-90 score in group R were not different from those in group C before the intervention, but those in group R were greatly decreased in contrast to group C after the intervention ( P < 0.05 ). Before the intervention, there was no obvious difference in the OSIs and the IFs between the two groups. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the two groups were decreased greatly after intervention, and those in the group R were much lower than those in group C ( P < 0.05 ). Compared with the preintervention, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in both groups were reduced observably, and the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were dramatically increased. The MDA in group R was much lower, while the SOD, NO, and GSH-Px were much higher in contrast to group C ( P < 0.05 ). It indicated that HBO combined with VR training had a good clinical effect for swimming athletes suffering from depression, and it could reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation, thereby helping patients recover quickly.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-254
Author(s):  
Se-Hee Park ◽  
Sung-Min Son ◽  
Ji-Young Choi

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine whether the posture control training in the sitting posture using virtual reality (VR) training program affects sitting balance and trunk stability in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). METHODS: The experiment was conducted for 4 weeks by randomly allocating 20 children with CP. The experimental group (n = 10) performed balance training in the sitting position using a VR training program, and the control group (n = 10) performed arm reach training in the sitting position. To evaluate static and dynamic sitting balance and trunk stability, the Wii Balance Board and Balancia software, the modified functional reach test, and the Korean version of the Trunk Control Measurement Scale were used. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the two groups in the changes in speed and postural swing distance before and after training (p < 0.05). The mFRT measurement showed significant differences in all directions before and after training between the two groups (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the K-TCMS score. CONCLUSIONS: Posture control training in the sitting position using a VR training program was found to be more effective in improving the sitting balance and trunk stability of children with CP.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4663
Author(s):  
Janaina Cavalcanti ◽  
Victor Valls ◽  
Manuel Contero ◽  
David Fonseca

An effective warning attracts attention, elicits knowledge, and enables compliance behavior. Game mechanics, which are directly linked to human desires, stand out as training, evaluation, and improvement tools. Immersive virtual reality (VR) facilitates training without risk to participants, evaluates the impact of an incorrect action/decision, and creates a smart training environment. The present study analyzes the user experience in a gamified virtual environment of risks using the HTC Vive head-mounted display. The game was developed in the Unreal game engine and consisted of a walk-through maze composed of evident dangers and different signaling variables while user action data were recorded. To demonstrate which aspects provide better interaction, experience, perception and memory, three different warning configurations (dynamic, static and smart) and two different levels of danger (low and high) were presented. To properly assess the impact of the experience, we conducted a survey about personality and knowledge before and after using the game. We proceeded with the qualitative approach by using questions in a bipolar laddering assessment that was compared with the recorded data during the game. The findings indicate that when users are engaged in VR, they tend to test the consequences of their actions rather than maintaining safety. The results also reveal that textual signal variables are not accessed when users are faced with the stress factor of time. Progress is needed in implementing new technologies for warnings and advance notifications to improve the evaluation of human behavior in virtual environments of high-risk surroundings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii461-iii461
Author(s):  
Andrea Carai ◽  
Angela Mastronuzzi ◽  
Giovanna Stefania Colafati ◽  
Paul Voicu ◽  
Nicola Onorini ◽  
...  

Abstract Tridimensional (3D) rendering of volumetric neuroimaging is increasingly been used to assist surgical management of brain tumors. New technologies allowing immersive virtual reality (VR) visualization of obtained models offer the opportunity to appreciate neuroanatomical details and spatial relationship between the tumor and normal neuroanatomical structures to a level never seen before. We present our preliminary experience with the Surgical Theatre, a commercially available 3D VR system, in 60 consecutive neurosurgical oncology cases. 3D models were developed from volumetric CT scans and MR standard and advanced sequences. The system allows the loading of 6 different layers at the same time, with the possibility to modulate opacity and threshold in real time. Use of the 3D VR was used during preoperative planning allowing a better definition of surgical strategy. A tailored craniotomy and brain dissection can be simulated in advanced and precisely performed in the OR, connecting the system to intraoperative neuronavigation. Smaller blood vessels are generally not included in the 3D rendering, however, real-time intraoperative threshold modulation of the 3D model assisted in their identification improving surgical confidence and safety during the procedure. VR was also used offline, both before and after surgery, in the setting of case discussion within the neurosurgical team and during MDT discussion. Finally, 3D VR was used during informed consent, improving communication with families and young patients. 3D VR allows to tailor surgical strategies to the single patient, contributing to procedural safety and efficacy and to the global improvement of neurosurgical oncology care.


2021 ◽  
pp. 146144482110127
Author(s):  
Marcus Carter ◽  
Ben Egliston

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology with the potential to extract significantly more data about learners and the learning process. In this article, we present an analysis of how VR education technology companies frame, use and analyse this data. We found both an expansion and acceleration of what data are being collected about learners and how these data are being mobilised in potentially discriminatory and problematic ways. Beyond providing evidence for how VR represents an intensification of the datafication of education, we discuss three interrelated critical issues that are specific to VR: the fantasy that VR data is ‘perfect’, the datafication of soft-skills training, and the commercialisation and commodification of VR data. In the context of the issues identified, we caution the unregulated and uncritical application of learning analytics to the data that are collected from VR training.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mi Kyoung Jin ◽  
Hui Jeong Yun ◽  
Hye Sun Lee

In the field of technology education, virtual reality (VR) training has received significant attention in terms of its efficacy in use. Given its many advantages, there is a specific need to emphasize concrete measures for the implementation of VR training in the field of tech education. VR training based on mobile environments has been touted as a means of not only enhancing presence, flow, and learning authenticity, but also of minimizing spatial and temporal constraints. The present study has developed an evaluation tool for VR training contents, including those based on mobile environments. After categorizing VR training contents in the field of tech education into structure comprehension type, procedure learning type, and equipment experiment type contents, we constructed items for each evaluation area. The considered areas included learning, media, and content quality. By conducting Delphi surveys with a panel of experts, we confirmed that the derived evaluation items differed in number across different types of content. Under the learning area, satisfaction was found to be adequate for all content types. Items such as flow, interactivity, and learning effects were found to be adequate for procedure learning and equipment experiment type contents. The media area indicated marked variability in item adequacy depending on the content type. Usability was found to be adequate only for procedure learning type content. For equipment experiment type content, items such as presence, usability, and manipulability were all found to be adequate. All evaluation items under the content design area were found to be adequate across all content types. Thus, regardless of the type of content, it is necessary to fulfil the basic elements within the content design area in order to establish the efficacy of VR training as educational content in the field of tech education.


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