A Mixed Reality-Based Telesupervised Ultrasound Education Platform on 5G Network Compared to Direct Supervision:...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Technology
• Remote Learning Innovations
• Mixed Reality Applications

Background:

• Ultrasound education is shifting towards remote learning using mixed reality (MR) and 5G.
• Existing research lacks randomized controlled trials in direct training settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare an MR-based telesupervised ultrasound education platform with traditional in-person training.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and user experience for novice doctors.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, unblinded, randomized controlled pilot study with 40 novice doctors.
• Comparison between MR telesupervision (TG) and direct supervision (DG) groups.
• Assessment of image quality, procedure time, interventions, user experience (NASA-TLX, SUS), and confidence.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in image quality or procedure time between TG and DG.
• TG showed more educational interventions (P<.001) and reduced cognitive load (lower NASA-TLX scores).
• TG reported higher usability (SUS score, P=.046) and greater improvement in confidence and proficiency.

Conclusions:

• MR-based telesupervision offers comparable image quality to in-person training.
• The platform enhances the training experience through increased interaction and reduced workload.
• This technology shows significant potential for improving remote ultrasound education.