Multi-user interactive neonatal resuscitation program using hand tracking in immersive virtual reality: A...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Virtual Reality (VR) Technology
• Emergency Medicine Training

Background:

• Traditional training methods like lectures and single-user VR fall short in simulating complex team-based emergency care scenarios.
• Multi-user VR systems with real-time communication offer a potential solution to these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a multi-user immersive VR neonatal resuscitation program (NRP) using hand-tracking technology.
• To compare this multi-user VR approach with a conventional controller-based single-user VR program regarding effectiveness and usability.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design was employed in a VR-based neonatal resuscitation training environment.
• Participants were divided into three groups: multi-user VR (n=34), single-user VR (n=27), and a control group (n=28).
• The multi-user group utilized hand-tracking VR, the single-user group used controller-based VR, and the control group received online lectures.

Main Results:

• The multi-user VR group demonstrated significantly higher neonatal resuscitation knowledge and performance confidence compared to other groups.
• Team communication performance and system usability were superior in the multi-user VR group versus the control group.
• Both multi-user and single-user VR training led to improved learning outcomes and higher satisfaction than traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• Multi-user VR training, particularly with hand-tracking, enhances learning outcomes and team coordination in neonatal resuscitation.
• Hand-tracking technology in VR is more user-friendly than controllers, indicating its potential to improve medical training in critical situations.
• VR-based training shows promise for advancing medical education, especially in high-stress emergency scenarios.