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Co-Design and Feasibility Testing of an AI-Based Virtual Reality Application to Prepare People With Intellectual
Stefan C Michalski1, Jane Adams1, Ali Darejeh2
1National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Background:
People with intellectual disability experience barriers in accessing healthcare. A virtual reality (VR) application that includes an intelligent agent powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI) may support preparation for healthcare visits in this population.
Objective:
To co-design, develop and evaluate the feasibility and usability of an AI-based VR application to improve healthcare preparedness for people with intellectual disability.
Methods:
Ten adults with intellectual disability completed an AI-VR experience simulating a general practitioner visit across three sequential scenes: checking in with a receptionist, waiting in a clinic waiting room, and consulting with a doctor. Participants interacted verbally with AI avatars. Semi-structured interviews followed each scene.
Results:
Participants valued the avatars' clear, patient communication and described the system as supportive for learning healthcare content and practising communication and self-advocacy skills. Usability issues were identified.
Conclusion:
AI-VR appears feasible and acceptable for healthcare preparation in people with intellectual disability. Refinements to system usability are needed to support independent use and broader implementation.
