Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Development of an Audio-based Virtual Gaming Environment to Assist with Navigation Skills in the Blind
Published on: March 27, 2013
Trainee-perceived benefits of a virtual temporal bone competition
Alexander Yao1, Emma Richards2, C Lucy Dalton3
1ENT Department, Worcester Royal Hospital, Worcester, UK.
Objective:
To assess the perceived benefits of a novel educational approach for otolaryngology trainees: a virtual reality temporal bone simulator drilling competition.
Methods:
Regional otolaryngology trainees participated in the competition. Drilling activities using the Voxel-Man TempoSurg simulator were scored by experts. Questionnaires that contained questions covering motivators for attending, perceived learning and enjoyment were sent to participants. Agreement with statements was measured on a 10-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 10 = strongly agree).
Results:
Eighteen trainees participated. The most cited reason for attending was for learning and/or education (61 per cent), with most attendees (72 per cent) believing that competition encourages more reading and/or practice. Seventeen attendees (94 per cent) believed Voxel-Man TempoSurg-based simulation would help to improve intra-operative performance in mastoidectomy (mean 7.83 ± 1.47, p < 0.001) and understanding of anatomy (mean 8.72 ± 1.13, p < 0.001). All participants rated the competition as 'fun' and 83 per cent believed the competitive element added to this.
Conclusion:
The virtual reality temporal bone competition is a novel educational approach within otolaryngology that was positively received by otolaryngology trainees.
Related Concept Videos
Bone Structure
Bone Remodeling
Cognitive Dissonance
Blood and Nerve Supply to the Bones
Nutrient Artery
The nutrient artery is the main blood vessel that enters the diaphysis via the nutrient foramen. While most long bones have only one nutrient foramen, large bones, such as the femur, may have two. This...
Virtual Work
In static equilibrium, a body can experience an imaginary or virtual movement, such as displacement or rotation. The virtual work done by a force is equal to the dot product of force and virtual displacement in the direction of the force. When it comes to virtually rotating a...
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback

