Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2025
Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another
Published on: September 18, 2017
Effectiveness of sensing gloves-applied virtual reality education system on hand hygiene practice: A randomized
Mahiro Izumi1, Hideharu Hagiya2, Yuki Otsuka3
1Quality Assurance Center, Graduate School of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.
Background:
We developed a virtual reality (VR) education system and evaluated its clinical utility for promoting hand hygiene practices.
Methods:
This prospective, 2-week, randomized controlled study conducted at Okayama University Hospital, Japan, from November 2023 to January 2024, involved 22 participants (18 medical students and 4 residents). A fully immersive 360° VR system (VIVE Pro Eye) using a head-mounted display and sensing gloves was used to develop 3 health care tasks in a virtual patient room-Environmental Cleaning, Gauze Exchange, and Urine Collection. After monitoring all participants' baseline usage data of portable hand-rubbing alcohol in the first week, we randomly assigned them into 1:1 groups (VR training and video lecture groups). The primary outcome was differences in hand-rubbed alcohol use before and after intervention.
Results:
Before the intervention, alcohol use did not significantly differ between both groups. After the intervention, a significant increase in alcohol use was observed in the VR training group (median: 8.2 g vs 16.2 g; P = .019) but not in the video lecture group.
Conclusions:
Our immersive 360° VR education system enhanced hand hygiene practices. Infection prevention and control practitioners and digital technology experts must collaborate to advance the development of superior educational devices and content.
