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Objective: Our study addresses the challenges limiting the adoption of Extended Reality (XR) Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs), mainly focusing on device quality and cybersickness. We aim to investigate the impact of hardware and software on user experience and task performance while wearing Video See-Through (VST) HMDs. We employ a novel methodology designed to bridge the gaps identified in previous research.Methods: This study uses a convergent mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data in a within-subjects evaluation involving 20 participants. This comprehensive evaluation examines visual perception, visual quality, and user experience through a range of tasks. Usability, comfort, and cybersickness are assessed, with insights derived from both user performance metrics and subjective measures collected through in-depth interviews and comments. The study includes three distinct HMDs—two prototypes (PD1 and PD2) and one commercial device (CD1)—to provide a broad analysis of the technology.Findings: Our findings reveal that while participants were generally satisfied with VST mode, their preferences varied across devices. CD1 was preferred for its realistic color representation and superior reading task performance due to its high-resolution display and camera. However, visual disturbances and temporal issues differed across devices, with CD1 exhibiting fewer artifacts when stationary but showing more disturbances when participants were moving. Participants found PD1 and PD2 more comfortable for extended use and fewer cybersickness symptoms, but they highlighted color and display resolution issues. These variations underscore the importance of considering both qualitative and quantitative measures in HMD evaluations.Conclusion: This mixed-methods evaluation emphasizes the limitations of relying solely on visual perception performance measures for VST HMDs. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative insights, we offer a more detailed evaluation framework to identify design flaws and user experience issues that quantitative metrics alone might miss. This methodology contributes to the field by illustrating how a mixed-methods approach provides a broader perspective on XR technology, guiding future improvements and enhancing VST adoption in future applications.

Developments in Virtual Reality (VR) technology have led to an increased use in research, practice, and for entertainment purposes. There is also a perceived applicability and suitability of the technology for educational purposes. For VR to be properly implemented in schools and special education, there is a need for understanding what teachers, special education teachers, and student teachers view as important implementation factors. We interviewed a total of 13 Norwegian teachers in which eight were interviewed individually and five were interviewed as a group. We thematically analysed the data, which resulted in five themes of implementation factors: training and knowledge, networks, resources, positive attitudes, and technological features. This study provides the educational-technology community with important insights from stakeholders for a successful implementation of VR in education. The themes elucidate the success factors, possible pitfalls, or challenges in implementing VR, and the perceived workload for the school personnel. Our findings are in line with existing research on the implementation of desktop computer technology, and we extended the scope to include VR technology in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended reality (XR) technologies are emerging as promising platforms for medical training and procedural guidance, particularly in complex cardiac interventions. This paper presents a high-fidelity methodology to perform real-time 3D catheter tracking and visualization during simulated cardiac interventions. A custom 3D-printed setup with mounted cameras enables biplane video capture of a catheter. A computer vision algorithm processes the biplane images in real-time to reconstruct the 3D catheter trajectory represented by any designated number of points along its length. This method accurately localizes the catheter tip within 1 mm and can reconstruct any arbitrary catheter configuration. The tracked catheter data is integrated into an interactive Unity-based scene rendered on the Meta Quest 3 headset. The visualization seamlessly combines a reconstructed 3D patient-specific heart model with the dynamically tracked catheter, creating an immersive extended reality training environment. Our experimental study, involving six participants, demonstrated that the 3D visualization provided by the proposed XR system significantly outperformed 2D visualization in terms of speed and user experience. This suggests that the XR system has the potential to enhance catheterization training by improving spatial comprehension and procedural skills. The proposed system demonstrates the potential of XR technologies to transform percutaneous cardiac interventions through improved visualization and interactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Extended reality (XR) has increasing usage in medicine, especially surgical fields, but the scope of applications is largely limited to intraoperative navigation. The aim of this scoping review is to evaluate all the available literature on how XR technologies have been applied to otolaryngology—head and neck surgery (OHNS) beyond the operating room for applications such as patient education and interdisciplinary communication. Review Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed and Scopus. Studies were reviewed without temporal restriction. Inclusion criteria comprised English-language, peer-review papers or conference abstracts studying XR technologies for non-operative uses such as patient education, physician training, or interdisciplinary preoperative planning in the field of OHNS. Results: Database searching initially identified 1607 records. After filtering for duplicates, screening for relevance, and applying the inclusion criteria, 10 studies were ultimately included. This study identifies gaps in the existing literature and describes future applications and key areas of research. XR is a novel strategy for increasing patients' comprehension of their procedures and can facilitate improved communication and planning amongst a multidisciplinary surgical team during preoperative discussions. However, the existing literature is small in scale and has low statistical power for demonstrating clinical benefits. Conclusions: More robust studies are required to determine the true value of implementing XR. XR is a promising new technology with potential to advance education and patient care in OHNS. Ongoing research will continue to optimize the use of XR technology, ensuring safe and effective integration into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid expansion of new technologies necessitates the adaptation of educational programs to meet the evolving demands of the labor market. This study focuses on students in technical fields, investigating their understanding of XR 3D visualization and proposing a unified training approach to improve both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The research also evaluates how this training influences students' attitudes towards XR technologies in various applications. Key findings reveal significant improvements in technical competencies and a more positive perception of XR technologies after the training. These results suggest that targeted XR education can better prepare students for the technological challenges in their respective industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering education at the Institute for Information Management in Engineering integrates product lifecycle management (PLM), computer‐aided design (CAD), eXtended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance learning and prepare students for modern challenges. Our interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing digital twins and virtual twins, fosters immersive, hands‐on experiences. This paper reviews our strategies, comparing them with global initiatives, highlighting the transformative impact of our curriculum on preparing future engineers for complex industrial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this systematic review is to investigate the inclusion of autistic individuals in the design process of immersive technologies. This study follows the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses standards for systematic literature reviews. To ensure the research questions and subsequent stages of the review incorporate pertinent parameters, the problem, interest, context framework has also been employed. Findings highlight that, while early proponents of immersive technology emphasized the importance of user involvement in design of new technology, immaturity of the technology often limited the implementation of direct user input to the design process. Nonetheless, analysis of the literature published between 2002–2022 identified 20 studies in which substantial influence of autistic individuals and stakeholders was found in the design process of immersive technologies. The roles of autistic individuals varied from active co-designers and co-creators to essential contributors in refining prototypes and providing critical feedback, ensuring the final products align with their needs and preferences. Results underscore the need to align research and design of immersive technologies more closely with the priorities and preferences of autistic individuals. Further is needed regarding actively involving autistic individuals in the design and implementation of immersive technology applications. On this basis, we maintain that more inclusive and effective deployment of immersive technologies is needed in order to ensure that resultant technologies are fit for purpose and address the actual needs of the autistic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 360° immersive videos may be useful in procedure-based healthcare settings. We hypothesized that extended reality (XR) neonatal intubation education is a feasible alternative to live demonstration in skill and knowledge transfer. Methods: This was a prospective single center evaluation of an educational XR intubation video using Premature Anne™ (Laerdal Medical, Stavanger, Norway) comparing to a live demonstration. Participants were randomly allocated to either live demonstration or XR group. Each group received 20 min of teaching from the pediatric respiratory care education specialist, either in person or in video format. Intubation success, knowledge and skill acquisition were measured using a questionnaire and checklist. Results: We had a total of 23 participants, XR (n = 11) and live demonstration (n = 12). The groups were heterogeneous in experience level.The XR group was successful at intubating 73% of the time (n = 8), which was not significantly different to the live demonstration group 58% (n = 7) (p = 0.667). For patients who achieved intubation, there was no difference between groups in the mean time to successful intubation; 98 s (SD 73) for the XR group and 65 s (SD 22) for the live demonstration group (p = 0.685).When comparing scores between groups there were no statistically significant differences regarding knowledge scores (p = 0.514), skill scores (p = 0.826) and total scores (p = 0.926). Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicated no significant differences between the XR and live demonstration groups in terms of intubation success, knowledge acquisition, skill performance, total scores or time to successful intubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how Extending Reality (XR) technologies, such as Virtual and Augmented Reality, can provide innovative solutions for preventing and addressing bullying. A search for relevant articles was conducted in five electronic databases (ACM, Emerald, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science), resulting in the identification of 867 articles published between 2010–2023, from which 20 were selected for analysis. The selected articles provide insights into the potential applications of XR in addressing bullying, including immersive empathy training and virtual simulations of bullying scenarios. The paper concludes by highlighting the potential of XR technologies and providing recommendations for bullying recognition, prevention, and reduction to create safer communities in schools. The study results have implications for future research in designing and implementing XR technology in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent pandemic forced the virtualization of educational processes around the world, which caused a series of problems in the quality of teaching due to the improvisation of its execution. The reappearance of the metaverse as a new social scenario has opened new possibilities to overcome the problems inherited by education during a pandemic. Therefore, the present study aims to review the literature on the emerging concept of “metaversity” through a systematic review. A methodology was developed following the PRISMA statement in the WoS, Scopus and Scielo databases. Twenty research studies were selected that were closest to the proposed concept of metaversity, where their main characteristics and scope are identified. The results show that, although there are no experiences that unify all possible areas to be developed in a virtualized university, there are fundamental advances in specific sectors. Educational benefits of the implementation of metaversity for students are identified, such as the improvement of cognitive skills and personalization of learning. The potential of metaversity to transform higher education is evidenced by offering not only the implementation of immersive learning but also a new center of virtual social interaction within the university campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object detection and action/gesture recognition have become imperative in security and surveillance fields, finding extensive applications in everyday life. Advancement in such technologies will help in furthering cybersecurity and extended reality systems through the accurate identification of users and their interactions, which plays a pivotal role in the security management of an entity and providing an immersive experience. Essentially, it enables the identification of human–object interaction to track actions and behaviors along with user identification. Yet, it is performed by traditional camera-based methods with high difficulties and challenges since occlusion, different camera viewpoints, and background noise lead to significant appearance variation. Deep learning techniques also demand large and labeled datasets and a large amount of computational power. In this paper, a novel approach to the recognition of human–object interactions and the identification of interacting users is proposed, based on three-dimensional hand pose data from an egocentric camera view. A multistage approach that integrates object detection with interaction recognition and user identification using the data from hand joints and vertices is proposed. Our approach uses a statistical attribute-based model for feature extraction and representation. The proposed technique is tested on the HOI4D dataset using the XGBoost classifier, achieving an average F1-score of 81% for human–object interaction and an average F1-score of 80% for user identification, hence proving to be effective. This technique is mostly targeted for extended reality systems, as proper interaction recognition and users identification are the keys to keeping systems secure and personalized. Its relevance extends into cybersecurity, augmented reality, virtual reality, and human–robot interactions, offering a potent solution for security enhancement along with enhancing interactivity in such systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended reality (XR) applications for education are usually associated with motivation, engagement, knowledge and experiences that are difficult to achieve in the real world. One example of such knowledge in military education is the threat-based approach to protection of civilians in armed conflicts. The Norwegian Defence University College (NDUC) educates officers on the threat-based approach. This approach challenges conventional military practice, introducing new ways of thinking about what military forces can and cannot do to protect civilians from violence. Today, militaries are expected to protect civilians from perpetrators that target them as part of their warfare, expanding their responsibilities under International Humanitarian Law. This expansion of tasks represents "troublesome knowledge" for many military officers and demands a deeper understanding of the rationales and strategies driving perpetrators' targeting of civilians. To overcome this pedagogical challenge, we developed an XR-supported educational program combining immersive experiences and pedagogical approaches, including combined 360°-videos and embodiment, dialogue with virtual humans and collaborative VR-landscapes to encourage immersive peer-to-peer learning. The results are encouraging, suggesting high levels of acceptance by learners of the threat-based concept, an effect on stimulating critical discussion and a positive reaction to XR-supported learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have investigated which context-sharing interfaces are effective in improving task performance; however, consistent results have yet to be found. In this study, we developed a convenient remote collaboration system that provides multiple context-sharing interfaces in a single platform (2D video, 360° video, and 3D reconstruction view). All interfaces can reflect live updates of environmental changes, and we aimed to clarify the effect of the interface on the quality of remote collaboration. Thirty participants were recruited to perform a target-finding-and-placing scenario. Using both objective and subjective metrics, we compared the task performance among the three interface conditions. The results showed that participants completed the task faster and reported a better collaborative experience in the 3D interface condition. Moreover, we found a strong preference for the 3D view interface. These results suggest that providing 3D reconstructed spatial information can enable remote experts to instruct local workers more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to provide a review of the existing literature regarding the use of extended reality technologies and the metaverse focusing on virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) in safety training. Based on the outcomes, VR was predominantly used in the context of safety training with immersive VR yielding the best outcomes. In comparison, only recently has AR been introduced in safety training but with positive outcomes. Both AR and VR can be effectively adopted and integrated in safety training and render the learning experiences and environments more realistic, secure, intense, interactive, and personalized, which are crucial aspects to ensure high-quality safety training. Their ability to provide safe virtual learning environments in which individuals can practice and develop their skills and knowledge in real-life simulated working settings that do not involve any risks emerged as one of the main benefits. Their ability to support social and collaborative learning and offer experiential learning significantly contributed to the learning outcomes. Therefore, it was concluded that VR and AR emerged as effective tools that can support and enrich safety training and, in turn, increase occupational health and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As technology advances, virtual reality (VR) is increasingly being integrated into healthcare education to enhance learning outcomes. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of virtual reality-based healthcare education. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published over the past 10 years were retrieved from 10 databases using VR, healthcare, and education as the primary keywords. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 45 studies were included in the final analysis. A meta-analysis was performed to analyze the effects of VR in terms of knowledge, skill, and attitude. The results revealed that the use of VR significantly improved the knowledge (SMD: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18–0.39, p < 0.001) and skill scores (SMD: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.11–0.34, p < 0.001), shortened the skill performance time (SMD: −0.59, 95% CI: −0.82 to −0.35, p < 0.001), and improved the satisfaction (SMD: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48–0.81, p < 0.001) and confidence levels (SMD: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41–0.80, p < 0.001). The in-depth analysis highlighted the significant potential of VR and provided practical implications in educational settings. In conclusion, effectively integrating VR with traditional educational methods is necessary to enhance both the quality of learning and the overall competence of healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study, which is a cross-sectional survey, aims to investigate health-care academics, clinicians and students' perspectives of health-care simulation-based learning (SBL) and extended reality (XR) haptics use within health-care education. Participants' views regarding the application, barriers and facilitators of SBL and XR haptics were explored. Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted an online international cross-sectional survey of 178 participants. Findings: The survey found high health-care SBL use (n = 97, 55.1%) but low awareness (n = 48, 27.3%) or prior use of XR haptics (n = 14, 7.9%). Participants expressed interest in XR haptic technology emphasising its potential in SBL, particularly for understanding anatomy and physiology, enhancing clinical reasoning and consultation and practical skills. Research limitations/implications: Whilst there was interest in XR haptics, few participants described previous experience of using this technology in SBL. A large percentage of the participants were UK-based. Most participants were from a nurse or physiotherapy professional background. Practical implications: XR haptics is a developing technology for SBL in health-care education. Whilst there was clear interest from survey participants, further research is now required to develop and evaluate the feasibility of using this technology in health-care education. Originality/value: Health-care students, educators and clinicians views on XR haptics have not previously been explored in the development and application of this technology. The findings of this survey will inform the development of XR learning scenarios that will be evaluated for feasibility in health-care SBL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Extended reality (XR) is an emerging technology, with its popularity rising in different industry sectors, where its application has been recently considered in construction safety. This study aims to investigate the applications of XR technologies in the safety of construction through projects lifecycle perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Scientometric analysis was conducted to discover trends, keywords, contribution of countries and publication outlets in the literature. The content analysis was applied to categorize previous studies into three groups concerning the phase of lifecycle in which they used XR. Findings: Results of the content analysis showed that the application of XR in the construction safety is mostly covered in two areas, namely, safety training and risk management. It was found that virtual reality was the most used XR tool with most of its application dedicated to safety training in the design phase. The amount of research on the application of augmented reality and mixed reality in safety training, and risk management in all phases of lifecycle is still insignificant. Finally, this study proposed three main areas for using the XR technologies regarding the safety issues in future research, namely, control of safety regulations and safety coordination in construction phase, and safety reports in the operation phase. Originality/value: This paper inspected the utilization of all types of XR for safety in each phase of construction lifecycle and proposed future directions for research by addressing the safety challenges in each phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of metaverse systems is marked by uncertainty regarding their technical architecture and the scope of their capabilities. Current social virtual reality (SVR) systems offer glimpses of future metaverse environments but remain fragmented, with limited interoperability, poor discoverability, and challenges in preserving assets and social capital across different platforms. Drawing parallels with the evolution of the Internet and World Wide Web, the essay argues that while certain metaverse standards may emerge naturally, fundamental challenges persist, particularly concerning client software. The essay highlights three overlooked yet critical issues for user experience: interoperability, scalable awareness, and accessibility. These challenges, often underemphasized in current standards discussions, are crucial for the practical development of user-friendly metaverse systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of remote business meetings through videoconferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams has substantially increased. While remote meetings provide benefits such as increased efficiency, flexibility, and environmental sustainability, they may also reduce meeting engagement, hamper conversational flow, or cause fatigue. This study investigates whether social Extended Reality technology can serve as a viable alternative for videoconferencing for remote business meetings. Employees from three distinct organizations in the Netherlands convened through Meta Horizon Workrooms, a collaborative virtual platform. Afterwards, participants were inquired about their perspectives on Extended Reality during semi-structured interviews that focused on the meeting's engagement, conversational flow and the system's usability. The study's findings highlight the benefits of Extended Reality for remote business meetings, as participants reported improved interaction, more togetherness, and a better conversational flow. Embodied virtual reality was identified as useful in supporting nonverbal communication by allowing for more natural interaction and turn-taking, similar to face-to-face interactions. Nonetheless, challenges associated with avatar realism and the developing technological state of Extended Reality present barriers, rendering current widespread adoption a difficult task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few years, safety and health have become major concerns in the warehouse and logistics sectors. Each year, warehouse fatalities, injuries, and accidents cause unrecoverable losses and huge financial costs. In spite of all the advancements in methods, tools, equipment, and regulations, the number of accidents, especially fatal ones, has not subsided significantly. As a result, safety professionals and researchers have explored new and innovative ways to combat this problem. In the circular logistics facility (CLF) industry, located inside warehouses and providing human muscle-oriented services to maintain pallets, both short-term safety incidents and long-term health concerns are present. Long-term health training is rarely discussed in the literature compared to short-term safety training. This is because health issues are more complex than safety issues, since biological outcomes may take time to develop, are affected by multiple resources, and cumulative injuries may occur. This paper contributes to warehouse health and safety by designing and developing a modular XR collaborative training and testing platform (MXC-P). The co-design process is applied to design each module in the MXC-P. Three main modules related to health and safety training for CLF were considered, namely personal protection equipment, pallet handling, and pallet repairing. On this platform, a virtual interactive world provides a solid hands-on training environment and generates syntactic data for evaluating long-term health risks. On the other hand, collaborative and modular environments provide a solution to geographically distributed systems, allowing employees to connect and train remotely. The effectiveness of the MXC-P is compared with traditional safety training in a pilot study. Based on the results, we can establish that the MXC-P is effective in teaching and testing hazard identification situations, especially those relating to short-term health. The results also indicate that trainees' recall of knowledge would improve with the MXC-P. In addition to this, the MXC-P can also be used to test and evaluate a new system and generate syntactic data for evaluating long-term health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of extended reality (XR) technology in education has been growing for the last two decades. XR offers immersive and interactive visualization experiences that can enhance learning by making it engaging. Recent technological advances have led to the availability of high-quality and affordable XR headsets. These advancements have spurred a wave of research focused on designing, implementing, and validating XR educational interventions. Limited literature focuses on the recent trends of XR within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Thus, this paper presents an umbrella review that explores the exploding field of XR and its transformative potential in STEM education. Using six online databases, the review zoomed in on 17 out of 1972 papers on XR for STEM education, published between 2020 and 2023, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The results highlighted the types of XR technology applied (i.e., virtual reality and augmented reality), the specific STEM disciplines involved, the focus of each study reviewed, and the major findings from recent reviews. Overall, the educational benefits of using XR technology in STEM education are apparent: XR boosts student motivation, facilitates learning engagement, and improves skills, for example. However, using XR in education still has challenges that must be addressed, such as the physical discomfort of the learner wearing the XR headset and technical glitches. Besides revealing trends of using XR in STEM education, this umbrella review encourages reflection on current practices and suggests ways to apply XR to STEM education effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Buttenfield led the user evaluation and user interface design/improvement tasks in the Alexandra Digital Library (ADL) Project from 1994 to 1998 funded by the National Science Foundation in the U.S. Her research efforts in the ADL extended the role of cartographers from traditional map designers to web-based user interface and user experiences (UI/UX) designers. This paper will highlight key concepts and design principles (including user center design (UCD), usability testing, and user interface evaluation) in the ADL project and re-investigate these pioneering research topics in cartography with recent development of the Metaverse and human-computer interaction (HCI) using Extended Reality (XR), including Virtual Reality, (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). The new role of cartographers today includes user interface designers and usability evaluators using XR-enabled mapping tools and technologies. This paper will discuss cartographic research challenges and opportunities in the era of the Metaverse and highlight some software issues for cartographers to develop 3D or 4D web GIS applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency response decision making is crucial in managing critical incidents; however, several studies have demonstrated the negative effects of decision inertia. Understanding the manifestation and impact of decision inertia, as well as utilising extended reality (XR) technology with 360-degree immersion, should enhance decision making in high-stress environments and improve emergency response efforts. This study investigated decision inertia, using 109 participants, in an XR 360-degree environment and its impact on decision-making outcomes. The findings revealed that participants often opted for a sub-optimal outcome, and decision inertia scores varied across these outcomes. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that decision inertia scores significantly predicted decision outcomes, with higher decision inertia scores associated with sub-optimal decision-making. Participants prior moral decision-making did influence subsequent immersive reality decision outcomes and demonstrated a Bayesian updating effect. The Structured Tabular Thematic Analysis highlighted the importance of information validity, decision confidence, and scenario fidelity in decision-making within the immersive environment. The study provides insights into decision inertia in immersive virtual reality critical incidents and offers practical solutions for improving decision-making processes in emergency response contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended reality has brought new opportunities for medical imaging visualization and analysis. It regroups various subfields, including virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Various applications have been proposed for surgical practice, as well as education and training. The aim of this review was to summarize current applications of extended reality and augmented reality in vascular surgery, highlighting potential benefits, pitfalls, limitations, and perspectives on improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the metaverse presents novel ethical challenges to society. There is a lack of knowledge of the potential metaverse and its effects on society. In this article, several ethical challenges of the future metaverse are discussed to responsibly prepare for the metaverse. A systematic literature review was conducted that showed the void of literature, meta-information of the state of the field, and level of maturity of the research. After defining the metaverse concept and reviewing its constructs, we present an overview of ethical challenges for the metaverse which ask for governance awareness and responsible action in the future. These ethical challenges have been clustered in the following pairs: Privacy & Freedom, Duplicate & False identities, Abuse & Manipulation, Trade & Ownership, Censorship & Surveillance, Democracy & Participation, and Regulation & Control. Related to these pairs, we also show some potential governance topics as a research agenda for the metaverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The year is 2030. The internet has evolved into the metaverse. People navigate through advanced avatars, shop in digital marketplaces, and connect with others through extended reality social media platforms. Three-dimensional patient scans, multidisciplinary tele-collaborations, digital twins and metaverse health records are part of clinical practices. Younger generations regularly immerse themselves in virtual worlds, playing games and attending social events in the metaverse. This sounds like a sci-fi movie, but as the world embraces immersive technologies post-COVID-19, this future is not too far off. This article aims to provide a foundational background to immersive technologies and their applications and discuss their potential for transforming healthcare and education. Moreover, this article will introduce the metaverse ecosystem and characteristics, and its potential for health prevention, treatment, education, and research. Finally, this article will explore the synergy between generative artificial intelligence and the metaverse. As younger generations of healthcare professionals embrace this digital frontier, the metaverse's potential in healthcare is definitely attractive. Mainstream adoption may take time, but it is imperative that healthcare professionals be equipped with interdisciplinary skills to navigate the plethora of immersive technologies in the future of healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of X‐reality (XR) technologies is reshaping the business landscape and redefining the film production process and the role of the audience in films. This study presents a bibliometric and content analysis of 131 academic articles to explore the development and research trends of XR in the film industry. We identify five core themes within the topic: (1) technical considerations, (2) narrative considerations, (3) presence, (4) audience responses and (5) ethical considerations. Based on the identified themes, we provide insights into the intellectual structure of this developing and interdisciplinary topic and propose the framework called the XR Film Innovation Circle (XR‐FIC). The study concludes by identifying the current research gaps and suggesting future directions, further emphasizing the rationales behind the suggested directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the design and implementation of an innovative human–machine interface (HMI) in mixed reality for a robot model operating within Robot Operating System 2 (ROS 2). The interface is specifically developed for compatibility with Microsoft HoloLens 2 hardware and leverages the Unity game engine alongside the Mixed Reality Toolkit (MRTK) to create an immersive mixed reality application. The project uses the Turtlebot 3 Burger model robot, simulated within the Gazebo virtual environment, as a representative mechatronic system for demonstration purposes. Communication between the mixed reality application and ROS 2 is facilitated through a publish–subscribe mechanism, utilizing ROS TCP Connector for message serialization between nodes. This interface not only enhances the user experience by allowing for the real-time monitoring and control of the robotic system but also aligns with the principles of Industry 5.0, emphasizing human-centric and inclusive technological advancements. The practical outcomes of this research include a fully functional mixed reality application that integrates seamlessly with ROS 2, showcasing the potential of mixed reality technologies in advancing the field of industrial automation and human–machine interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in technology that can reshape educational paradigms, with Extended Reality (XR) have a pivotal role. This paper introduces an interactive XR intelligent assistant featuring a virtual teacher that interacts dynamically with PowerPoint presentations using OpenAI's ChatGPT API. The system incorporates Azure Cognitive Services for multilingual speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities, custom lip-syncing solutions, eye gaze, head rotation and gestures. Additionally, panoramic images can be used as a sky box giving the illusion that the AI assistant is located at another location. Findings from three pilots indicate that the proposed technology has a lot of potential to be used as an additional tool for enhancing the learning process. However, special care must be taken into privacy and ethical issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed reality (MR) games refer to games that integrate physical entities with digitally mediated contents. Currently, it entails game creators to integrate heterogeneous virtual and physical components, which is often time-consuming and labor-intensive, without the support of a coherent technology stack. The underlying technodiversity manifested by the research corpus suggests a complicated, multi-dimensional design space that goes beyond merely technical concerns. In this research, we adopted a research-through-design approach and proposed an MR game technology stack that facilitates flexible, low-code game development. As design grounding, we first surveyed 34 state-of-the-art studies, and results were synergized into three different spectra of technological affordances, respectively activity range, user interface and feedback control, to inform our next design process. We then went through an iterative prototyping phase and implemented an MR game development toolset. A co-design workshop was conducted, where we invited 15 participants to try the prototype tools and co-ideate the potential use scenarios for the proposed technology stack. First-hand user feedback was collected via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. As a result, four conceptual game designs with three major design implications were generated, which conjointly reflect a broader understanding on MR gameful experience and contribute fresh insights to this emerging research domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study offers a systematic literature review on the application of Convolutional Neural Networks in Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality, and Extended Reality technologies. We categorise these applications into three primary classifications: interaction, where the networks amplify user engagements with virtual and augmented settings; creation, showcasing the networks’ ability to assist in producing high-quality visual representations; and execution, emphasising the optimisation and adaptability of apps across diverse devices and situations. This research serves as a comprehensive guide for academics, researchers, and professionals in immersive technologies, offering profound insights into the cross-disciplinary realm of network applications in these realities. Additionally, we underscore the notable contributions concerning these realities and their intersection with neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the implications and significance of immersive technologies (viz. metaverse, virtual reality, and extended reality) in organizational learning and development. Design/methodology/approach: Employing a strategy map (using Biblioshiny) and network analysis (using VOSViewer), the study analyzed a total of 189 Scopus-indexed documents, spanning the period 1997 to 2023. Findings: The findings revealed four thematic clusters, knowledge management, training, e-learning, and technology. Each cluster provided insights into the various facets of development and learning in respect to these technologies. The strategy map identified key themes, revealing core ideas, emerging trends, and foundational concepts within the domain. Practical implications: Organizations can utilize this study to incorporate metaverse, virtual reality, and extended reality in organizational development, optimizing training and boosting employee experience and productivity. Originality/value: While most literature delves into the technical side of immersive technologies, our study uncovers their impact on development and learning in organizations, addressing a critical research gap and offering a guiding framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The startup industry is experiencing a dynamic and exciting time called Startup 5.0, where technology is quickly transforming how we conduct business, and startups are at the vanguard of this change. This study aims to model the enabling technologies influencing start-up 5.0. The enabling technologies that impact start-up 5.0 are modelled in this research using TISM and MICMAC analysis. According to the findings, key enabling technologies that are changing the technical landscape and opening up new opportunities for Startup 5.0 are Edge computing, complex adaptive systems, network slicing, and 6G and beyond. Fostering effective innovation and entrepreneurial activity within the startup ecosystem requires an understanding of the dynamic relationships among various technologies. Our findings have implications for government decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and investors who want to support Startup 5.0's expansion. This study emphasizes how crucial it is to understand how enabling technologies interact in order to enable well-informed strategies for fostering innovation and long-term entrepreneurial endeavors in the dynamic startup environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Extended reality (XR) technologies are emerging as promising platforms for medical training and procedural guidance, particularly in complex cardiac interventions. This paper presents a high-fidelity methodology to perform real-time 3D catheter tracking and visualization during simulated cardiac interventions. A custom 3D-printed setup with mounted cameras enables biplane video capture of a catheter. A computer vision algorithm processes the biplane images in real-time to reconstruct the 3D catheter trajectory represented by any designated number of points along its length. This method accurately localizes the catheter tip within 1 mm and can reconstruct any arbitrary catheter configuration. The tracked catheter data is integrated into an interactive Unity-based scene rendered on the Meta Quest 3 headset. The visualization seamlessly combines a reconstructed 3D patient-specific heart model with the dynamically tracked catheter, creating an immersive extended reality training environment. Our experimental study, involving six participants, demonstrated that the 3D visualization provided by the proposed XR system significantly outperformed 2D visualization in terms of speed and user experience. This suggests that the XR system has the potential to enhance catheterization training by improving spatial comprehension and procedural skills. The proposed system demonstrates the potential of XR technologies to transform percutaneous cardiac interventions through improved visualization and interactivity.

Abstract The rapid expansion of new technologies necessitates the adaptation of educational programs to meet the evolving demands of the labor market. This study focuses on students in technical fields, investigating their understanding of XR 3D visualization and proposing a unified training approach to improve both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The research also evaluates how this training influences students’ attitudes towards XR technologies in various applications. Key findings reveal significant improvements in technical competencies and a more positive perception of XR technologies after the training. These results suggest that targeted XR education can better prepare students for the technological challenges in their respective industries.

Abstract Purpose 360° immersive videos may be useful in procedure-based healthcare settings. We hypothesized that extended reality (XR) neonatal intubation education is a feasible alternative to live demonstration in skill and knowledge transfer. Methods This was a prospective single center evaluation of an educational XR intubation video using Premature Anne™ (Laerdal Medical, Stavanger, Norway) comparing to a live demonstration. Participants were randomly allocated to either live demonstration or XR group. Each group received 20 min of teaching from the pediatric respiratory care education specialist, either in person or in video format. Intubation success, knowledge and skill acquisition were measured using a questionnaire and checklist. Results We had a total of 23 participants, XR (n = 11) and live demonstration (n = 12). The groups were heterogeneous in experience level.The XR group was successful at intubating 73% of the time (n = 8), which was not significantly different to the live demonstration group 58% (n = 7) (p = 0.667). For patients who achieved intubation, there was no difference between groups in the mean time to successful intubation; 98 s (SD 73) for the XR group and 65 s (SD 22) for the live demonstration group (p = 0.685).When comparing scores between groups there were no statistically significant differences regarding knowledge scores (p = 0.514), skill scores (p = 0.826) and total scores (p = 0.926). Conclusion These preliminary findings indicated no significant differences between the XR and live demonstration groups in terms of intubation success, knowledge acquisition, skill performance, total scores or time to successful intubation.

The year is 2030. The internet has evolved into the metaverse. People navigate through advanced avatars, shop in digital marketplaces, and connect with others through extended reality social media platforms. Three-dimensional patient scans, multidisciplinary tele-collaborations, digital twins and metaverse health records are part of clinical practices. Younger generations regularly immerse themselves in virtual worlds, playing games and attending social events in the metaverse. This sounds like a sci-fi movie, but as the world embraces immersive technologies post-COVID-19, this future is not too far off. This article aims to provide a foundational background to immersive technologies and their applications and discuss their potential for transforming healthcare and education. Moreover, this article will introduce the metaverse ecosystem and characteristics, and its potential for health prevention, treatment, education, and research. Finally, this article will explore the synergy between generative artificial intelligence and the metaverse. As younger generations of healthcare professionals embrace this digital frontier, the metaverse’s potential in healthcare is definitely attractive. Mainstream adoption may take time, but it is imperative that healthcare professionals be equipped with interdisciplinary skills to navigate the plethora of immersive technologies in the future of healthcare.

Mixed Reality (MR) Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) offer a hitherto underutilized set of advantages compared to conventional 3D scanners. These benefits, inherent to MR-HMDs albeit not originally intended for such applications, encompass the freedom of hand movement, hand tracking capabilities, and real-time mesh visualization. This study leverages these attributes to enhance indoor scanning process. The primary innovation lies in the conceptualization of manual-positioned MR virtual seeds for the purpose of indoor point cloud segmentation via a region-growing approach. The proposed methodology is effectively implemented using the HoloLens 2 platform. An application is designed to enable the remote placement of virtual tags based on the user's visual focus on the MR-HMD display. This non-intrusive interface is further enriched with expedited tag saving and deletion functionalities, as well as augmented tag visualization through overlaying them on real-world objects. To assess the practicality of the proposed method, a comprehensive real-world case study spanning an area of 330 s2 is conducted. Remarkably, the survey demonstrates remarkable efficiency, with 20 virtual tags swiftly deployed, each requiring a mere 2 s for precise positioning. Subsequently, these virtual tags are employed as seeds in a region-growing algorithm for point cloud segmentation. The accuracy of virtual tag positioning is found to be exceptional, with an average error of 2.4 ± 1.8 cm. Importantly, the user experience is significantly enhanced, leading to improved seed positioning and, consequently, more accurate final segmentation results.

Background: In medical education various non-digital teaching methods are established. However, studies have proven that the immersive character of virtual reality (VR) applications positively impact the understanding of spatial relationships.This study outlines the development and pilot testing of a novel system for collaborative, case-based VR teaching, utilizing real-time volume rendered computed tomography (CT) data of thoracic cases among graduate students. Methods: A system was configured and deployed to provide real-time volume rendered CT data in a collaborative, multiuser VR environment. A thoracic surgery VR course was implemented into the surgical graduate curriculum, which has subsequently been evaluated with questionnaires. Results: Seventy students assessed the curriculum through a questionnaire. Usability was rated intuitive (77.14 %) while few students (5.71 %) reported cyber sickness.A vast majority (98.57 %) agreed VR improved their understanding of anatomy compared to traditional methods and most students found learning more effective. (88.57 %) and joy during participation was rated high (97,14 %). A majority of the students (61.43 %) believed VR could partly replace traditional methods. They supported integrating VR into preclinical (81.43 %) and clinical teaching (94.29 %) as well as taking VR courses from home (78.57 %). Most participants (90,72 %) encouraged the expansion of VR infrastructure. Conclusion: The concept of a collaborative real-time VR-based educational program in medical graduate teaching has proven its technical feasibility and positive acceptance with a desire for more VR integration in surgical curricula. A two-armed study will be conducted to evaluate the objective impact as the expansion of VR environments for teaching continues.

Purpose: In recent years, there has been significant interest in adopting XR (extended reality) technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), particularly in retail. However, extending activities through reality-mediation is still mostly believed to offer an inferior experience due to their shortcomings in usability, wearability, graphical fidelity, etc. This study aims to address the research gap by experimentally examining the acceptance of metaverse shopping. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducts a 2 (VR: with vs. without) × 2 (AR: with vs. without) between-subjects laboratory experiment involving 157 participants in simulated daily shopping environments. This study builds a physical brick-and-mortar store at the campus and stocked it with approximately 600 products with accompanying product information and pricing. The XR devices and a 3D laser scanner were used in constructing the three XR shopping conditions. Findings: Results indicate that XR can offer an experience comparable to, or even surpassing, traditional shopping in terms of its instrumental and hedonic aspects, regardless of a slightly reduced perception of usability. AR negatively affected perceived ease of use, while VR significantly increased perceived enjoyment. It is surprising that the lower perceived ease of use appeared to be disconnected from the attitude toward metaverse shopping. Originality/value: This study provides important experimental evidence on the acceptance of XR shopping, and the finding that low perceived ease of use may not always be detrimental adds to the theory of technology adoption as a whole. Additionally, it provides an important reference point for future randomized controlled studies exploring the effects of technology on adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to explore content creator preferences in broadcast media, with a specific focus on the impact of integrating 3D graphics to enhance viewer engagement. In this study, we investigated the integration of 3D technology in broadcasting. We examined the preferences of content creators and assessed the impact of 3D photo-real human representations on perceived production quality and viewer engagement. Data was collected through surveys, interviews, and real-time broadcast analysis to gain insights into this technology's potential benefits and challenges in broadcasting. Our findings indicate that incorporating 3D photo-real human representations into broadcasting significantly improves production quality and viewer engagement, especially in real-time broadcasts. We also observed that 3D humans offer greater depth and presence, although challenges in fidelity and orientation highlight areas for technological advancement. Additionally, our study revealed the complementary nature of 2D and 3D visuals in broadcasting, with each modality serving distinct purposes-2D for clarity and information conveyance and 3D for immersive experiences. This research suggests a paradigm shift in broadcast content creation, where integrating 3D technologies, such as 3D photo-real human representations, can lead to more dynamic, engaging, and visually appealing content across various platforms. The study's findings provide explicit guidelines for content creation, catering to diverse viewer preferences and evolving consumption patterns. This research contributes to the broader understanding of how technological advancements in extended reality can effectively enhance the media landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of embodiment when learning a technical procedure in immersive virtual reality (VR) by introducing a framework based on immersion and interactivity. The goal is to determine how increasing the levels of immersion and interactivity affect learning experiences and outcomes. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, 177 high school students were assigned to one of four experimental conditions, varying levels of immersion (learning in immersive virtual reality wearing a head-mounted display (VR) vs. learning via a computer screen (PC)) and interactivity (directly manipulating objects using controllers/mouse and keyboard (congruent) vs. indirectly manipulating objects with a laser pointer to select a course of action (incidental)). The main outcome measure was a transfer task in which students were required to perform the task they had learned in the virtual environment using concrete objects in real life. Results demonstrated that students in the VR conditions experienced significantly higher levels of presence, agency, location, body ownership, and embodied learning compared to participants in the PC conditions. Additionally, students’ performance during the virtual lesson predicted their real-life transfer test. However, there were no significant effects of immersion or interactivity on any of the transfer measures. The results suggest that high immersion in VR can increase self-reported measures of presence, agency, location, body ownership, and embodied learning among students. However, increased embodiment—manipulated by adding immersion and congruent manipulation of objects did not improve transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]