Accuracy and Reproducibility of Linear and Angular Measurements in Virtual Reality: a Validation Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging and Measurement
• Virtual Reality Technology
• Biomechanical Analysis

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers immersive environments for various applications.
• Accurate spatial measurements are crucial in fields like medicine and engineering.
• Validation of VR measurement tools against physical counterparts is essential for reliable adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate linear and angular measurements obtained in a virtual reality (VR) environment.
• To compare VR measurements with corresponding physical measurements for accuracy and equivalence.
• To assess the reproducibility of measurements taken within the VR environment.

Main Methods:

• Acquired 40 linear and 15 angular measurements from three physical objects (L-block, hand model, dry skull) using fiducial markers.
• Performed measurements in both virtual reality and physical settings across four sessions with two raters.
• Utilized inter-class coefficient (ICC) for reliability, paired t-tests and Bland-Altman plots for equivalence, and TOST for accuracy.

Main Results:

• VR linear and angular measurements demonstrated equivalence to physical measurements (p > 0.4).
• Accuracy of VR measurements was estimated at 0.5 mm for linear and 0.7° for angular dimensions.
• High reproducibility was confirmed with ICC values of 1.00 for linear and 0.99 for angular measurements.

Conclusions:

• Virtual reality measurements are equivalent to physical measurements for both linear and angular dimensions.
• The study confirms high accuracy and reproducibility of measurements within the VR environment.
• VR technology presents a viable and reliable tool for precise spatial measurements.