Interactive mixed reality anatomy learning of normal and malformed inner ears

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy Learning
• Mixed Reality (MR) Technology

Background:

• Traditional methods for learning inner ear anatomy, such as video courses and mobile applications, may not fully engage students.
• There is a recognized gap in current medical curricula for learning about inner ear malformations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive Mixed Reality (MR) tool, HoloInnerEar, for learning inner ear anatomy.
• To compare MR learning against traditional educational methods.
• To assess the utility of HoloInnerEar for learning inner ear malformations.

Main Methods:

• A controlled experiment (N=32) compared HoloInnerEar's interactive 3D+2D features against a traditional video and mobile app method for normal anatomy learning.
• A second experiment assessed HoloInnerEar's malformation module with otolaryngologists (N=7).
• Data collection included knowledge tests, questionnaires, and the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX).

Main Results:

• Interactive MR learning using HoloInnerEar demonstrated significantly higher interest and knowledge confidence compared to traditional methods.
• While knowledge test scores were higher with MR, statistical significance was not reached for all tasks.
• Otolaryngologists confirmed HoloInnerEar's malformation module addresses a critical, overlooked area in ear anatomy education.

Conclusions:

• Interactive MR learning, exemplified by HoloInnerEar, is a promising complementary method for teaching both normal and malformed inner ear anatomy.
• The tool shows potential to improve student engagement and learning outcomes in otology education.
• HoloInnerEar effectively addresses the need for better resources in learning complex inner ear malformations.