Search

Elizabeth McLain interviews CripTech incubator artist Andy Slater about Unseen Sound (2023), his work for E.A.A.T.: Experiments in Art, Access and Technology. Slater discusses accessibility as artistic practice, the exclusion of blind folks from augmented and extended reality, and experimental art's capacity for fostering access intimacy. While developing Unseen Sound, Slater experienced failures in access and technology. Hyperactive listening—the key to Slater's creative practice— enabled him to pivot and continue the fight for accessible extended reality (XR) technology. In the process, he makes the case for a brilliant blind future by making noise in public spaces and leaning into the weirdness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment and chronic fatigue represent common characteristics of the long COVID syndrome. Different non-pharmacological treatments have been proposed, and physiotherapy has been proposed to improve the symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a dual-task augmented reality rehabilitation protocol in people with long COVID fatigue and cognitive impairment. Methods and materials: Ten non-hospitalized adults with reported fatigue and "brain fog" symptoms after COVID (7/10 females, 50 years, range 41–58) who participated in 20 sessions of a 1-h "dual-task" training, were compared to 10 long COVID individuals with similar demographics and symptoms (9/10 females, 56 years, range 43–65), who did not participate to any rehabilitation protocol. Cognitive performance was assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT-A and -B) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), and cardiovascular and muscular fatigue were assessed with the fatigue severity scale (FSS), six-minute walking test and handgrip endurance. Finally, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) investigated cortical excitability. Results: The mixed-factors analysis of variance found a significant interaction effect only in cognitive performance evaluation, suggesting TMT-B execution time decreased (− 15.9 s, 95% CI 7.6–24.1, P = 0.001) and FAB score improved (1.88, 95% CI 2.93–0.82, P = 0.002) only in the physiotherapy group. For the remaining outcomes, no interaction effect was found, and most parameters similarly improved in the two groups. Conclusion: The preliminary results from this study suggest that dual-task rehabilitation could be a feasible protocol to support cognitive symptoms recovery after COVID-19 and could be helpful in those individuals suffering from persisting and invalidating symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in sensor technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR) have unlocked opportunities across various domains. AR and large language models like GPT have witnessed substantial progress and increasingly are being employed in diverse fields. One such promising application is in operations and maintenance (O&M). O&M tasks often involve complex procedures and sequences that can be challenging to memorize and execute correctly, particularly for novices or in high-stress situations. By combining the advantages of superimposing virtual objects onto the physical world and generating human-like text using GPT, we can revolutionize O&M operations. This study introduces a system that combines AR, optical character recognition (OCR), and the GPT language model to optimize user performance while offering trustworthy interactions and alleviating workload in O&M tasks. This system provides an interactive virtual environment controlled by the Unity game engine, facilitating a seamless interaction between virtual and physical realities. A case study (N=30) was conducted to illustrate the findings and answer the research questions. The Multidimensional Measurement of Trust (MDMT) was applied to understand the complexity of trust engagement with such a human-like system. The results indicate that users can complete similarly challenging tasks in less time using our proposed AR and AI system. Moreover, the collected data also suggest a reduction in cognitive load when executing the same operations using the AR and AI system. A divergence of trust was observed concerning capability and ethical dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented reality (AR) in laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) can improve intrahepatic navigation by creating a virtual liver transparency. Our team has recently developed Hepataug, an AR software that projects the invisible intrahepatic tumors onto the laparoscopic images and allows the surgeon to localize them precisely. However, the accuracy of registration according to the location and size of the tumors, as well as the influence of the projection axis, have never been measured. The aim of this work was to measure the three-dimensional (3D) tumor prediction error of Hepataug. Eight 3D virtual livers were created from the computed tomography scan of a healthy human liver. Reference markers with known coordinates were virtually placed on the anterior surface. The virtual livers were then deformed and 3D printed, forming 3D liver phantoms. After placing each 3D phantom inside a pelvitrainer, registration allowed Hepataug to project virtual tumors along two axes: the laparoscope axis and the operator port axis. The surgeons had to point the center of eight virtual tumors per liver with a pointing tool whose coordinates were precisely calculated. We obtained 128 pointing experiments. The average pointing error was 29.4 ± 17.1 mm and 9.2 ± 5.1 mm for the laparoscope and operator port axes respectively (P = 0.001). The pointing errors tended to increase with tumor depth (correlation coefficients greater than 0.5 with P < 0.001). There was no significant dependency of the pointing error on the tumor size for both projection axes. Tumor visualization by projection toward the operating port improves the accuracy of AR guidance and partially solves the problem of the two-dimensional visual interface of monocular laparoscopy. Despite a lower precision of AR for tumors located in the posterior part of the liver, it could allow the surgeons to access these lesions without completely mobilizing the liver, hence decreasing the surgical trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to determine the extent of virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) adoption in university libraries in Indonesia and identify librarians' views of library readiness. The assessment centers on two crucial dimensions: library readiness, gauged by commitment and efficacy, and librarian readiness, appraised through cognitive and affective aspects. Design/methodology/approach: The research features a survey-based quantitative method. A sample of 259 librarians from university libraries, all members of the Indonesian Higher Education Library Forum, responded to the online survey. Findings: Indonesian university libraries, especially in Central Java, express strong interest in VR/AR despite low current adoption. Librarians believe in their commitment and efficacy for adoption, with improvements needed in budget procurement and human resources. Librarians are optimistic about innovating academic activities with VR/AR, despite concerns about collaboration, data governance and human resource insecurity. The research underscores the simultaneous influence of librarians' and libraries' readiness on VR/AR adoption, emphasizing their interconnectedness and mutual support within library management. Practical implications: There are practical implications for library institutions in Indonesia in terms of understanding the attendant opportunities and challenges when preparing organizational ecosystems. These findings provide a broad overview of VR/AR adoption in university libraries in Indonesia and contribute to understanding the specific needs and interests of universities in Indonesia considering adopting VR/AR. In addition to preparing adequate infrastructure, libraries should ensure the availability of adequate human resources. Originality/value: In the Indonesian context, this study, to the best of the authors' knowledge, makes the first attempt to examine the librarian's view as part of library management to face the dilemmas that may arise during the adoption of VR/AR despite university libraries' commitment and efficacy to enable this technology. This research also identifies librarians' cognitive and affective readiness as individual characteristics and resources able to influence adequate adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review synthesizes the literature base evaluating the effects of behavior analytic interventions delivered via augmented reality (AR) technology for individuals with autism. We also conducted a quality review. We identified 14 studies with a majority of the studies (n = 11; 79%) utilizing single-case research design. Of the 14 studies, three met the quality criteria to be classified as "strong" and can offer evidence on the integration of AR technology into the practice of behavior analysis. All three studies taught a functional skill (i.e., tooth brushing and navigation). The remaining studies focused on skill acquisition with zero studies utilizing AR within the context of behavior assessment or behavior reduction interventions. This literature base is emerging with additional research required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Augmented reality (AR) technologies may provide immersive visual supports that foster active user engagement in activities. However, there is little research examining the use of AR as a visual support to guide its use in research or therapy settings. Aims: To investigate the development and use of AR for delivering visual supports in an immersive environment, using the Microsoft® HoloLens2® and Microsoft® Dynamics 365 Guides® software. Method: In a duo-ethnography, two speech-language pathologists who were novice users of the HoloLens2®, examined the affordances of the device for potential use in future research with people with neurodevelopmental disability. In a proof-of-concept study, an AR application was designed by the first author and used by two researchers in a duo-ethnography. The first and second author tested the AR guide and reflected on opportunities and barriers to further use of AR technology, specifically the HoloLens2®, to support people with disability to participate and be included in meaningful activities. Results: The guide created provided situated visual instructions, video models, and holographic symbols to direct the second author in making of a cup of tea. While a moderate level of technological literacy was needed to establish and install a guide, effective use could be established with minimal training. Discussion & conclusions: AR guides offer a situated and integrated means of providing visual support to people with disabilities. This proof-of-concept study justifies further testing and evaluation of AR as an assistive technology for people with neurodevelopmental disability. Emerging immersive Augmented Reality technology provides new opportunities to create integrated visual supports that function within the user's environment to enable active participation in activities and interactions. Visual supports integrated with the user's environment may better support people with disability to actively engage and attend to objects and to their communication partners. While new and emerging technologies like Augmented Reality are largely untested for disability support, they offer opportunities to enable participation in independent activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature supports the use of technological tools such as augmented reality, 3 D avatars and mobile devices to improve individuals with autism spectrum disorder skills. Possibilities of including these technological tools in intervention and the critical issues related to intervention design are essential research questions. The aim of the current work is to present an interdisciplinary research study on the design of an autism intervention considering these technologies. This study used qualitative evidence and thematic analysis to identify the main design guidelines. A semi-structured interview was administered to a total of twenty participants representing four stakeholder categories: ASD, clinicians, therapists and caregivers. Interviews focussed on three dimensions related to user, technology and environment since they represent a complex system within which the individual using technology is situated. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified a total of 10 themes considered central to the design of the technological intervention. Since the application of technology in autism intervention is a relatively new area, the guidelines related to the potential incentives and barriers of the proposed technology are helpful to inform future treatment studies. This study highlights the strengths and barriers associated with the use of smartphones and augmented reality in autism spectrum disorder interventions considering the dimensions within which the user using assistive technology is located. Strengths and major concerns that emerged are key points to consider during the development of the technological intervention. Considering these points can foster the use of technology within the intervention and promote its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We developed an augmented reality technology‐based endotracheal aspiration simulation tool (the AR tool) consisting of three modes: a mode for nursing students to learn endotracheal aspiration by themselves (learning mode); a mode for repeated practice (practice mode); and a mode for confirmation testing (test mode). This study aimed to compare the learning outcomes of the AR tool with traditional training mannequins and identify potential uses and improvements of the AR tool. Methods: We invited students, and faculty members from the three universities who agreed to cooperate in conducting this study. Fifty‐four students and nine faculty members agreed to participate in this study. The students were divided into two groups. One group was to study with the AR tool and the other group was to study with the traditional half‐body training mannequin for suction. The students in both groups were asked to demonstrate endotracheal aspiration on another full‐body type training mannequin which could be used as a patient with a tracheostomy (Skill test). Group interviews with faculty members focused on the topic of the AR tool's potential use in nursing education and improvement needed. Results: There was little significant difference in the skill test results of endotracheal aspiration of students in both groups. The students and faculty members both expressed an interest in the AR tool. They said it was suitable for self‐study of endotracheal aspiration. Conclusions: This AR tool is an effective teaching tool for learning the sequence of endotracheal suctioning, although there are some areas that need improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Three-dimensional reconstructions of state-of-the-art high-resolution imaging are progressively being used more for preprocedural assessment in thoracic surgery. It is a promising tool that aims to improve patient-specific treatment planning, for example, for minimally invasive or robotic-assisted lung resections. Increasingly available mixed-reality hardware based on video pass-through technology enables the projection of image data as a hologram onto the patient. We describe the novel method of real-time 3D surgical planning in a mixed-reality setting by presenting three representative cases utilizing volume rendering. Materials: A mixed-reality system was set up using a high-performance workstation running a video pass-through-based head-mounted display. Image data from computer tomography were imported and volume-rendered in real-time to be customized through live editing. The image-based hologram was projected onto the patient, highlighting the regions of interest. Results: Three oncological cases were selected to explore the potentials of the mixed-reality system. Two of them presented large tumor masses in the thoracic cavity, while a third case presented an unclear lesion of the chest wall. We aligned real-time rendered 3D holographic image data onto the patient allowing us to investigate the relationship between anatomical structures and their respective body position. Conclusions: The exploration of holographic overlay has proven to be promising in improving preprocedural surgical planning, particularly for complex oncological tasks in the thoracic surgical field. Further studies on outcome-related surgical planning and navigation should therefore be conducted. Ongoing technological progress of extended reality hardware and intelligent software features will most likely enhance applicability and the range of use in surgical fields within the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Augmented reality (AR) navigation systems are emerging to simplify and enhance the precision of medical procedures. Lumbosacral transforaminal epidural injection is a commonly performed procedure for the treatment and diagnosis of radiculopathy. Accurate needle placement while avoiding critical structures remains a challenge. For this purpose, we conducted a randomized controlled trial for our augmented reality navigation system. Methods: This randomized controlled study involved 28 patients, split between a traditional C-arm guided group (control) and an AR navigation guided group (AR-NAVI), to compare procedure efficiency and radiation exposure. The AR-NAVI group used a real-time tracking system displaying spinal structure and needle position on an AR head-mounted display. The procedural time and C-arm usage (radiation exposure) were measured. Results: All patients underwent successful procedures without complications. The AR-NAVI group demonstrated significantly reduced times and C-arm usage for needle entry to the target point (58.57 ± 33.31 vs. 124.91 ± 41.14, p < 0.001 and 3.79 ± 1.97 vs. 8.86 ± 3.94, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The use of the AR navigation system significantly improved procedure efficiency and safety by reducing time and radiation exposure, suggesting a promising direction for future enhancements and validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Augmented reality (AR) is receiving increasing interest as a tool to create an interactive and motivating learning environment. Yet, it is unclear how instructional support affects performance in AR. Objectives: This study sought to explore how varying the instructional support in AR can affect performance‐related behaviours of students with low cognitive abilities during assembly work. Methods: A total of 90 Belgian secondary school students repeatedly executed four different realistic assembly tasks. Three levels of instructional support (low, medium, and high) in AR as well as a control condition with paper instructions with a high level of detail were systematically varied across tasks and participants. Results and Conclusions: Multilevel regression analyses showed that AR instructions yielded lower assembly times and a lower perceived physical effort than paper instructions. Additionally, participants perceived tasks as less complex when given AR instructions with a high or a medium level of detail than when given a low level of detail. No effects of instructional support were established for other performance‐related behaviours, namely necessary assistance, error‐making, cognitive load, competence frustration, and stress. Effect sizes were small, at least among the instructional support conditions studied, yielding a limited base for adaptivity. Presumably, tailoring the instructional support in AR is only beneficial for highly complex tasks. The results might be useful for the design and implementation of AR in educational settings. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Augmented reality is knowing increased use in education.Little is known about how to design effective instructional support in augmented reality. What this paper adds: This study represents an initial insight into how to personalize instructional support.The impact of instructional support on augmented reality performance of students with low cognitive abilities was investigated.The study suggests that varying instructional support may lead to differences in performance outcomes. Implications for practitioners: How instructional support is constructed may affect augmented reality learning.The results may inform the design of effective augmented reality learning environments for students with special needs.How individual, contextual, and task‐specific characteristics moderate the effectiveness of instructional support should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An innovative and interactive real‐world environment can be presented with augmented reality (AR) that comprises digital visual elements, audio, or other sensory information delivered via technology to enhance one's experience. AR has numerous potential applications in various everyday fields. The education sector is one such arena where AR has been implemented prominently globally. AR in education can impact active students' learning to memorize effectively and can persuade them to engage in a meaningful process of learning. Objectives: This article presents a bibliometric analysis of some recent applications of AR, emphasizing the potential effects, challenges, and trends of AR in the education sector for the past 15 years. Methods: A total of 3909 documents published during 2006–2020 were retrieved from the Scopus database for analysis. The bibliometric analysis included document types, subject categorization, document growth, as well as top contributing sources, countries, authors, and funding sponsors. It also analyses keywords, abstracts, titles, and characteristics of the most cited documents. Additionally, it provides a brief account of the challenges for AR adaptation in education. Results and conclusions: The findings uncover an increased use of AR to promote enhanced learning in the education field. This work will provide the survey, limitations, and drawbacks, as well as open usability and technical issues that may represent new challenges for future research in this field. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: AR has numerous potential applications in various everyday fields.The education sector is also one arena where AR has been implemented widely.AR in education can provide effective learning processes to students. What this paper adds: Survey of last 15 years (3909 documents) based on the Scopus database.Analysis of AR documents by authors, journals, countries, and funding agencies.Publication trends based on titles, keywords and abstract analysis.Literature survey for top 50 most cited publications on AR in education sector. Implications for practice and/or policy: An increased use of AR to promote enhanced learning in the education field.Reflects the limitations, drawbacks, open usability and technical issues.Future research challenges with AR adaptation in academics and other learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Education is, after gaming, the second largest sector embracing augmented reality (AR) at an accelerated pace, yet studies on AR's potential as an efficient learning environment had mixed results. Objectives: This study's primary objective is to test students' interaction with graphical 3D elements in AR and its impact on information retention. The second objective is to compare information retention from AR engagement with information retention from exposure to identical 3D content delivered via instructional video. Finally, the third objective explores students' perceptions of AR as a learning environment. Methods: Sixty‐five college students participated in a two‐arm experiment followed by semi‐structured interviews. Results and Conclusion: AR can efficiently deliver a meaningful learning experience and promotes information retention. Nevertheless, AR's interactive features and novelty may distract learners while they engage with the virtual environment. Objective data obtained through eye tracking and video monitoring showed similar levels of engagement with a 3D model for both environments. While both AR and video groups showed significant knowledge gain from pre to post‐intervention, the video format was overall significantly more effective than AR in increasing topic‐related information retention. However, participants preferred the AR learning environment significantly more than the video. Takeaways: Although effective, AR is still a distracting instructional environment. Designing learning experiences tailored explicitly for AR environments requires additional research to ensure its successful deployment as a learning tool. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Education is the second‐fastest growing sector to adopt and experiment with augmented reality (AR).Hardware and software tools to create AR environments have reached the consumer level.The advantage of immersing learners in dedicated virtual environments seems obvious.Research has had mixed results in validating AR as a proper learning environment. What this paper adds: AR is a viable environment which supports information retention.For many students, the medium's novelty promotes engagement with the content.Students prefer AR to video lectures, but it may distract them from learning.Regarding information retention, video lectures do better than AR. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Learning experiences in AR should be reserved for some specific topics and designed purposedly.Progressive exposure of learners to AR environments may produce habituation and decrease distraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive load during AR use has been measured conventionally by performance tests and subjective rating. With the growing interest in physiological measurement using non‐invasive biometric sensors, unbiased real‐time detection of cognitive load in AR is expected. However, a range of sensors and parameters are used in various subject fields, and reported results are fragmented. Objectives: The aim of this review is to analyse systematically how physiological methods have been used to measure cognitive load and what the implications are for the future research on AR‐based tools. Methods: This paper took the systematic review approach. Through screening with 10 exclusion criteria, 23 studies, that contain 3 key elements: AR‐based intervention, cognitive state examination and physiological methods, were identified, analysed and synthesised. Results: Physiological methods in their current form require reference to provide meaningful interpretations and suggestions. Therefore, they are often combined with conventional methods. Many studies investigate the effect of wearable devices in comparison with non‐AR stimuli, which has been controversial, but detection of different causes of cognitive load are on the horizon. Eye‐tracking is the method most used and most consistent in the use of its parameters. Conclusions: A multi‐method approach combining two or more evaluation instruments is essential for the validation of users' cognitive state. In addition to the AR stimuli in question, having another independent variable such as task difficulty in experiment design is useful. Statistical approaches with more data input could help establish a reliable scale. The future research should attempt to dissociate cognitive load caused by different effects such as device, instruction, and other AR techniques as well as intrinsic and extraneous aspects, in a better experimental setup with multiple parameters. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The efficacy of AR‐based instructional tools can be evaluated using the concept of cognitive load.Cognitive load has been conventionally measured by self‐reporting and performance.There is a growing interest in physiological measurement of cognitive load with non‐invasive biometric sensors. What this paper adds: This paper systematically analyses how physiological methods are used to measure cognitive load in AR.It synthesises the fragmented results of AR studies conducted with a range of physiological methods. Implications for practice: Combining two or more evaluation instruments is essential for the validation of users' cognitive state.Eye‐tracking is the method most used, and fixation duration is the most consistent parameter.A statistical approach with more biometric data input could help establish a reliable cognitive load scale.Future research should attempt to separate cognitive load caused by different effects and different cognitive aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study delves into the psychological processes underlying sport fans' post-purchase innovativeness behaviour. This exploratory research aims to establish a theoretical framework that elucidates the formation of sport fans' word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviours, particularly emphasising the structural relationship between motivated consumer innovativeness and satisfaction in using AR live-streaming services. Design/methodology/approach: Utilising an online survey and convenience sampling, the study garnered a total of 243 usable responses from three online baseball fan communities in South Korea. Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to assess the psychometric properties of the constructs. Subsequently, a structural equation model was used to probe the influence of motivated consumer innovativeness on WOM, with a particular focus on the mediating role of satisfaction. Findings: Three dimensions of motivated sport fans innovativeness – functional, hedonic and cognitive – showed a positive association with WOM, partly mediated by satisfaction. In contrast, socially motivated sport fans innovativeness did not directly lead to WOM but influenced it solely through satisfaction. The full mediating role of satisfaction in the relationship between socially motivated fans innovativeness and WOM was found. Originality/value: This research stands out as one of the scant studies exploring motivated sport fans innovativeness in the context of AR live sport streaming. The findings not only corroborate but also augment the extant literature by empirically confirming that three dimensions of motivated fans innovativeness, coupled with satisfaction, are pivotal antecedents to WOM intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present an accurate and quaternion-based solution for the Perspective-n-Point method for determining the position and orientation of a calibrated camera from a set of n 3D points and their corresponding 2D projections on the image plane referred to as AQPnP. Most of the previous PnP methods have not handled the uncertainty of image feature points directly. In the proposed method, uncertainty of image points is integrated into PnP method. This is achieved by mapping the covariance (uncertainty) matrices of the image points to PnP method. It then uses the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) method to minimize the modeled cost function, which has the ability to find the desired solution in real time. The ADMM method solves the system of equations in a manner that is convergent to the global optimal. The ADMM, a widely used operator splitting technique, has drawn significant attention due to its excellent performance in various applications. Quaternion-based rotation parameterization allows AQPnP to be highly accurate in estimating the rotation matrix. We compared AQPnP method with the state-of-the-art PnP methods, and pose estimation results show that our proposed method outperforms better than other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the global prevalence of autism is high and continues to increase dramatically. Effective support and interventions are therefore warranted. Augmented reality (AR), one of the recent modalities of immersive technology, is gaining traction in autism interventions. However, there is currently a lack of reviews on the use of AR in children with autism, and what is more, to the authors' knowledge, no systematic review to date has been carried out to exclusively examine the effects of AR on basic social skills in children with autism. Therefore, an evidence-based systematic review was conducted to fill the gap and answer the specific research question: Can AR support children with an autism diagnosis towards developing or promoting social skills, such as greetings? The initial search yielded a total of 416 records. After excluding duplicate articles and screening the abstract and full text, 13 studies were included for analysis. A narrative approach was employed to synthesise and evaluate the research findings to substantially explore the effects of AR-based social interventions. The favourable role of AR technology in fostering social skills in children diagnosed with autism was widely recognised in the included studies although multiple methodological limitations were identified in relation to the quality of the included studies. Overall, the promising findings may suggest the effectiveness of AR in improving social skills in children with autism. Nonetheless, this field of research still calls for more high-quality studies relying on rigorous methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study uses epistemic network analysis (ENA) to examine the use of extended reality (XR) technologies embedded in post-secondary classes, one in a traditional setting and the other a place-based setting, to examine climate change while utilizing a socioscientific issues (SSI) approach. One group used a virtual reality (VR) application on their smartphones in a traditional class setting to explore four different locations on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA (OBX). A second group used an augmented reality (AR) application on their smartphones while visiting the same four locations. Qualitative data was collected after each experience. Analysis of each group's networks indicated that both forms of technology engaged students in the SSI and were beneficial to their learning. However, differences in the networks revealed that virtual reality students made stronger connections between the technology, the physical impacts of climate change, and the political/socioeconomic aspects of climate change. In contrast, the augmented reality students made stronger connections between the technology and learning in general. Implications for practice and future research will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital game technologies, that is, games and emerging game-based applications, are pervasively spread in society as a means of entertainment, education and exercise, amongst other uses. With this popularity, attention has been directed towards the accessibility of these technologies to people with disabilities to ensure equity, equal access to opportunities and realize earnings from a significant customer group. This study investigates: How is the attention of academic game accessibility research divided across game technologies, disability categories and use domains? And where is attention needed? To answer these questions, I conducted a review of research (162 manuscripts) on game technologies' accessibility published between 2016 and 2020, inclusive. The reviewed literature appears to have a utility focus (e.g. on education and health management) that relatively de-emphasizes the importance of game accessibility for entertainment or fun purposes. Auditory, motor and mobility disabilities, and emerging gamification, exergames, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are especially under researched in the academic domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic segmentation from a three‐dimensional point cloud is vital in autonomous driving, computer vision, and augmented reality. However, current semantic segmentation does not effectively use the point cloud's local geometric features and contextual information, essential for improving segmentation accuracy. A semantic segmentation network that uses local feature fusion and a multilayer attention mechanism is proposed to address these challenges. Specifically, the authors designed a local feature fusion module to encode the geometric and feature information separately, which fully leverages the point cloud's feature perception and geometric structure representation. Furthermore, the authors designed a multilayer attention pooling module consisting of local attention pooling and cascade attention pooling to extract contextual information. Local attention pooling is used to learn local neighbourhood information, and cascade attention pooling captures contextual information from deeper local neighbourhoods. Finally, an enhanced feature representation of important information is obtained by aggregating the features from the two deep attention pooling methods. Extensive experiments on large‐scale point‐cloud datasets Stanford 3D large‐scale indoor spaces and SemanticKITTI indicate that authors network shows excellent advantages over existing representative methods regarding local geometric feature description and global contextual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) gaming (VRG) captures, examines, analysis, and renders the game data virtually instead of the users’ devices over efficient networks. E.g., VR is crucial in visually guided surgery and manifold therapies. Video Quality Assessment (VQA) helps VRG software and devices execute high-quality inputs/outputs. This paper debates VRG processes, environments, VQA metrics, Quality of Experience (QoE), platforms, current methods, tools, use in medicine, existing operational gains/challenges, and highlights future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immersive journalism is a recent field of research focusing on digital technologies such as augmented reality (AR), 360° video, and virtual reality (VR). This research analyzed 69 academic articles published in the Web of Science from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2021, using a systematic review of scientific literature (SLR). The prevalence of media effects and quantitative methodologies in investigating immersive journalism was demonstrated. The corpus analysis shows the recurrence of some key macro-concepts. We propose grouping these macro-concepts into affordances (presence, embodiment, and interactivity) and gratifications (comprehension, credibility, emotional engagement, and empathy), which affect in different extents the cognition, affectivity, and behavior of the users. This review highlights the need to expand and combine different theories and methodologies. Another important recommendation is to create specific frameworks for analyzing immersive news stories and examining their various narrative and aesthetic characteristics during both production and post-production. This article discusses the ethical and normative concerns of journalism in relation to current and future research in VR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial perspective‐taking (SPT) ability positively influences performance in STEM fields. While limited research studies have been done with school students, they have yielded inconclusive findings and, hence, here we report findings from our study with an augmented reality (AR) enhanced learning environment (ARELE), GeoSolvAR, on middle‐school students' SPT ability. We conducted a sequential explanatory mixed‐method study with 90 students to test GeoSolvAR's twin features of augmented systems and inquiry‐based activities. The study had one experimental (n = 30) and two control groups (n = 30 × 2), where students were individually administered an online pre‐ and posttest to measure their SPT ability. The experimental group worked with both the features of GeoSolvAR, while the control group worked with only the AR feature or had no intervention. Our findings reveal that the experimental group showed significant improvement in SPT ability while students in the control groups showed non‐significant improvement or no change. Furthermore, we found that all experimental group students used certain body movements and imagined shifts in spatial positions while solving the activity questions. Thus, we conjecture that GeoSolvAR affords thinking and imagining with the body which makes it a potent tool for improving students' SPT ability. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic Spatial perspective taking (SPT) belongs to a set of spatial abilities that have been shown to positively influence academic success and career success in STEM fields. Augmented reality systems with their ability to augment 2D images into 3D forms are being explored mostly in college and above levels to improve SPT ability. Limited research investigating the improvement of SPT in school students has used VR digital games or robots. These have either yielded inconclusive findings or not found any improvement in school students' SPT abilities. What this paper adds Conclusive evidence for improving SPT ability in middle‐school students. Empirical evidence for a design to effectively combine augmenting abilities of AR systems with inquiry‐based learning scaffolds to improve the SPT ability of middle‐school students. A conjecture about the mechanism by which middle‐school children's spatial perspective taking improves when scaffolded with an Augmented Reality Enhanced Learning Environment (ARELE) tool. Implications for practice and policy Practitioners such as teachers may directly use GeoSolvAR (the ARELE tool) to help middle‐school students improve their spatial perspective‐taking abilities. Researchers from the fields of both technology‐enhanced learning and science education may use the findings to design improved AR tools and test their impact on students' SPT ability. This work can serve as the basis for further investigating the effect of improved SPT ability on students' performance in STEM subjects. Our work provides support for embodied cognition being used as a strategy for solving SPT tasks. The identification of specific head and hand movements (gestures) can be further probed to understand the exact mechanism of how the ARELE mediates students' performance on the SPT tasks. What is already known about this topic Spatial perspective taking (SPT) belongs to a set of spatial abilities that have been shown to positively influence academic success and career success in STEM fields. Augmented reality systems with their ability to augment 2D images into 3D forms are being explored mostly in college and above levels to improve SPT ability. Limited research investigating the improvement of SPT in school students has used VR digital games or robots. These have either yielded inconclusive findings or not found any improvement in school students' SPT abilities. What this paper adds Conclusive evidence for improving SPT ability in middle‐school students. Empirical evidence for a design to effectively combine augmenting abilities of AR systems with inquiry‐based learning scaffolds to improve the SPT ability of middle‐school students. A conjecture about the mechanism by which middle‐school children's spatial perspective taking improves when scaffolded with an Augmented Reality Enhanced Learning Environment (ARELE) tool. Implications for practice and policy Practitioners such as teachers may directly use GeoSolvAR (the ARELE tool) to help middle‐school students improve their spatial perspective‐taking abilities. Researchers from the fields of both technology‐enhanced learning and science education may use the findings to design improved AR tools and test their impact on students' SPT ability. This work can serve as the basis for further investigating the effect of improved SPT ability on students' performance in STEM subjects. Our work provides support for embodied cognition being used as a strategy for solving SPT tasks. The identification of specific head and hand movements (gestures) can be further probed to understand the exact mechanism of how the ARELE mediates students' performance on the SPT tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road maintenance operators often work in dangerous environments and are in need of a support system to enhance their safety and efficiency. Augmented reality (AR) has proven to be useful in providing support to operators in various industrial sectors. However, the vast majority of the existing applications focus mainly on static, controlled environments, such as industrial shopfloors, although the dynamic flow of information that AR can provide could be very valuable to unstructured, dynamic environments. This paper presents a novel AR—based methodology for human–robot collaboration, real‐time instructions, and support for road maintenance operations, aiming to enhance operator safety and efficiency. A robot operating system‐based architecture is exploited for the communication of the modules. The methodology is tested in a laboratory environment, and the results validate the hypothesized enhancement of road operators. In the future, the application will be validated on real interventions in highways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectively examine the effect of 3D-Augmented Reality anatomic review on craniotomy planning among neurosurgical residents as it pertains to craniotomy size, skull positioning, and knowledge of significant anatomic relationships. Postgraduate year 1-7 neurosurgery residents were instructed to review standard 2D radiographs, pin a skull, and tailor a craniotomy for 6 different lesions and case vignettes. Participants then reviewed the lesion in a 3D-augmented reality (AR) environment, followed by repeating the craniotomy station for a variety of lesion types and locations (superficial, subcortical, deep, skull base). Quiz with case-specific anatomic and surgical questions followed by an exit survey for qualitative impressions. Eleven of thirteen eligible residents participated. Skull position significantly changed in 5 out of 6 cases after 3D-AR view (P < 0.05, 20° angular adjustment). No significant change in incision length or craniotomy size. Subgroup analysis of junior versus senior residents revealed that craniotomy size was significantly altered in 2 out of 6 cases. Qualitative testimonials (Likert scale 5 = strongly agree) reported a change in craniotomy approach after 3D-review (3.5), improved appreciation of anatomy (4.2), increased confidence in surgical approach (4.33 junior residents, 3.5 senior residents), smaller incision (3.5 junior residents, 1.75 senior residents), better appreciation of white matter tracts (4.6). The augmented reality platform offers a medium to examine surgical planning skills. Residents uniformly appreciated 3D-AR as a valuable tool for improving appreciation of critical anatomic structures and their relationship to lesional pathology. 3D-AR review significantly altered skull positioning for various lesions and craniotomy approaches, particularly among junior residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurosurgical technologies have become increasingly more adaptive, featuring real-time and patient-specific guidance in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings. This review offers insight into how these integrative innovations compare with conventional approaches in spine surgery, focusing on machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, and spinal navigation systems. Data on technology applications, diagnostic and procedural accuracy, intraoperative times, radiation exposures, postoperative outcomes, and costs were extracted and compared with conventional methods to assess their advantages and limitations. Preoperatively, augmented reality and virtual reality have applications in surgical training and planning that are more immersive, case specific, and risk-free and have been shown to enhance accuracy and reduce complications. ML algorithms have demonstrated high accuracy in predicting surgical candidacy (up to 92.1%) and tailoring personalized treatments based on patient-specific variables. Intraoperatively, advantages include more accurate pedicle screw insertion (96%–99% with ML), enhanced visualization, reduced radiation exposure (49 μSv with O-arm navigation vs. 556 μSv with fluoroscopy), increased efficiency, and potential for fewer intraoperative complications compared with conventional approaches. Postoperatively, certain ML and artificial intelligence models have outperformed conventional methods in predicting all postoperative complications of >6000 patients as well as predicting variables contributing to in-hospital and 90-day mortality. However, applying these technologies comes with limitations, such as longer operative times (up to 35.6% longer) with navigation, dependency on datasets, costs, accessibility, steep learning curve, and inherent software malfunctions. As these technologies advance, continuing to assess their efficacy and limitations will be crucial to their successful integration within spine surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, the significance of land and buildings as valuable assets, sources of authority, and drivers of economic prosperity has been widely recognized, spanning from ancient civilizations to contemporary societies. Cities have inherent value due to their ability to facilitate good interactions among individuals. The significance of the real estate sector as an investment vehicle has been growing. Companies, particularly those seeking to make new investments in the commercial real estate sector, are particularly interested in achieving a high degree of potential for their ventures. Turkey is a nation that has a significant position in this industry. In this study, the real estate sector in Turkey, housing sales according to type and situation, city management, the real estate market, the impact of COVID-19 on real estate markets, real estate marketing and technologies, and the advantages and disadvantages of technologies in real estate are examined. Furthermore, an analysis was conducted on the data pertaining to housing transactions in Turkey, categorizing them based on the kind of sale and the condition of the properties. When the data is examined, housing sales in Turkey are the highest in 2020. Housing sales decreased after 2020, and there was a large decrease in housing sales in 2023. As a result, to develop real estate marketing and revitalize this sector, it is necessary to invest in technologies such as artificial intelligence, the metaverse, augmented reality, virtual reality and increase the number of studies in the literature where these digital technologies are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of digital technologies, the use of augmented reality in the tourism sector has received increasing attention. However, the understanding of the factors influencing tourists' post-experience intention with augmented reality devices is incomplete and there is a lack of empirical research. This study explores the impact of AR technical factors, individual factors and situational factors on users' post-experience AR usage intention and destination revisit intention through satisfaction based on a socio-technical perspective. The survey data collected from 254 visitors who visited the Liangzhu Museum using the corresponding AR glasses were analysed, and the results showed that the novelty of the technical aspect, the technology trust of the individual aspect and the aesthetics, education and authenticity of the situational aspect influenced visitors' AR usage intention and destination revisit intention through satisfaction. This study has an impact on future research on the application of augmented reality technology to heritage museums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Studies have shown that the introduction of multidisciplinary tumour boards can have a positive impact on the survival of cancer patients. By bringing together the different disciplines involved in the treatment of cancer patients, tumour boards provide an interdisciplinary approach to decision-making in the treatment of oncological diseases. Tumour boards have become an integral part of treatment planning. However, their preparation is time-consuming and labour-intensive. The multiplicity of sources and clinical systems makes common communication difficult and consumes a lot of resources. Mixed reality technology could provide the necessary information as an interactive user interface. This is a new digital holographic imaging technology that can generate virtual 3D objects in space from radiological sectional images. A mixed-reality-based software prototype will be developed to analyse whether and to what extent this technology is suitable as a platform for decision making in the head and neck tumour board. The preparation and implementation of interdisciplinary oncological case reviews are time-consuming and complex. The variety of clinical and radiological information must be presented in a clear and comprehensible manner. Only if all relevant patient-specific information is demonstrated in a short time frame can well-founded treatment decisions be made on this basis. Mixed reality (MR) technology as a multimodal interactive user interface could enhance understanding in multidisciplinary collaboration by visualising radiological or clinical data. The aim of the work was to develop an MR-based software prototype for a head and neck tumour board (HNTB) to support clinical decision-making. The article describes the development phases and workflows in the planning and creation of a MR-based software prototype that were required to meet the multidisciplinary characteristics of a HNTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ergonomic‐centric holography is introduced, an algorithmic framework that simultaneously optimizes for realistic incoherent defocus, unrestricted pupil movements in the eye box, and high‐order diffractions for filtering‐free holography. The proposed method outperforms prior algorithms on holographic display prototypes operating in unfiltered and pupil‐mimicking modes, offering the potential to enhance next‐generation virtual and augmented reality experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Im November 2022 ist die Zentralbibliothek im KAP1 mit einer eigenen App an den Start gegangen. Die „Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf App" bietet den Besucher*innen der Zentralbibliothek ein besonderes Erlebnis, indem sie den realen Ort Bibliothek mit Augmented-Reality-Technologie um virtuelle Elemente erweitert. Gut ein Jahr nach der Eröffnung der neuen Räume erhielten diese mit der App nun eine neue, virtuelle Nutzungsebene. Aufgrund der großzügigen Öffnungszeiten der neuen Zentralbibliothek, auch ohne dass das Bibliotheksteam zur Unterstützung vor Ort ist, war es von Anfang an geplant, umfangreiche digitale Self-Services anzubieten, um die Zentralbibliothek jederzeit eigenständig entdecken und sich zurechtfinden zu können. Mit dem Düsseldorfer Unternehmen und AR-Experten Exponential Dimensions hat das Team nun eine alles andere als typische Bibliotheks-App entwickelt. Der Schwerpunkt liegt, übereinstimmend mit der Leitlinie „Menschen, Bücher, Räume", ganz auf Ort und Besuchenden. Im Juni 2023 erhielt die „Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf App" international Anerkennung. Sie erhielt den renommierten Auggie Award in der Kategorie „Best Consumer App". Die jährlichen Auggie Awards sind seit 2010 die weltweit anerkanntesten Auszeichnungen der AR- und VR-Branche. In November 2022, the central library in KAP1 launched its own app. The "Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf App" offers visitors a special experience by adding virtual elements to the real place of the library using augmented reality technology. A year after the opening of the library, the app adds a new, virtual level of use. Due to the generous opening hours of the new central library, even without the library team being on site for support, it is designed to offer extensive digital self-services for users to discover the library independently at any time and to find their way around. With Düsseldorf-based AR experts Exponential Dimensions, a "anything but typical" library app has been developed. In keeping with the principle of "People, Books, Spaces", its focus is entirely on location and visitors. In June 2023, the "Stadtbüchereien Düsseldorf App" got international recognition. It received the prestigious Auggie Award in the category "Best Consumer App". The annual Auggie Awards have been the world's most recognized awards in the AR and VR industry since 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of geo-localization broadly refers to the process of determining an entity's geographical location, typically in the form of Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates. The entity of interest may be an image, a sequence of images, a video, a satellite image, or even objects visible within the image. Recently, massive datasets of GPS-tagged media have become available due to smartphones and the internet, and deep learning has risen to prominence and enhanced the performance capabilities of machine learning models. These developments have enabled the rise of image and object geo-localization, which has impacted a wide range of applications such as augmented reality, robotics, self-driving vehicles, road maintenance, and 3D reconstruction. This paper provides a comprehensive survey of visual geo-localization, which may involve either determining the location at which an image has been captured (image geo-localization) or geolocating objects within an image (object geo-localization). We will provide an in-depth study of visual geo-localization including a summary of popular algorithms, a description of proposed datasets, and an analysis of performance results to illustrate the current state of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of augmented reality (AR) and game-based learning could increase interaction in educational games and provide more learning guidance in higher education courses. This study developed an AR educational board game that featured cognitive scaffolding, immediate feedback, and collaborative interaction. The study also analyzed and compared the competition- and collaboration-oriented mechanisms in the game. Participants of the study were 60 university students, who were divided into a competitive group and a collaborative group. We analyzed learners' psychological and cognitive differences in their learning effectiveness, motivation, flow, technology acceptance, learning anxiety, and gaming anxiety in the game. The results showed that both groups significantly improved in learning, and the competitive group had better learning effectiveness than the collaborative group. As for learning motivation, the competitive group improved in certain sub-dimensions, whereas the collaborative group improved in all sub-dimensions. Moreover, the collaborative group had higher scores in flow antecedent and perceived ease of use than the competitive group. The students had more smooth gaming experiences and perceived more clear feedback. Both groups showed lower gaming anxiety. These findings may have important implications for AR educational board game design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]