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Applied Sciences
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Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare
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Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Computing and Artificial Intelligence".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2025 | Viewed by 3177

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Vassilis Charissis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Arts and Creative Industries (SACI), Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh EH10 5DT, UK
Interests: HCI; VR; AR; gait analysis; emerging interaction technologies

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Submissions are now open for a Special Issue entitled “VR in Healthcare”.

Virtual Reality (VR) and other immersive Technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed reality (MR) have emerged as transformative technologies with the potential to revolutionize patient care, medical training, and therapy. By immersing users in realistic, interactive simulations, VR enables medical professionals to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and surgical planning. It is also able to enhance medical education for healthcare professionals, and improve pain management, rehabilitation, and mental health treatment for patients, providing immersive environments and telemedicine options that increase inclusiveness and transcend physical limitations.

This Special Issue of Applied Sciences, entitled “Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare”, encompasses a wide array of thematic areas, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of utilizing VR technology in healthcare. These technologies are not limited to VR but include all immersive technologies and their intersection with other disciplines.

In this Special Issue, we welcome submissions exploring cutting-edge research and recent advances in healthcare, and the contribution of immersive technologies (VR/AR/MR).

Both theoretical and experimental studies are welcome, as well as comprehensive reviews and survey papers. The following keywords offer an indication of the scope of this Special Issue.

  • Clinical applications
  • Medical training
  • Patient training and consent
  • Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation
  • Pain management,
  • Patient/user experience and engagement
  • User interaction (UI) in VR healthcare
  • User experience (UX) for VR healthcare
  • Immersive technologies and AI applications in healthcare
  • Telemedicine and remote care
  • Mental health and wellbeing
  • Gamification
  • Inclusivity
  • Social impact

Prof. Dr. Vassilis Charissis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • virtual reality (VR)
  • augmented reality (AR)
  • mixed reality (MR)
  • healthcare

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Effects of a Multimodal Immersive Virtual Reality Intervention on Heart Rate Variability in Adults with Post-COVID-19 Syndrome
by Neus Cano, Oscar Casas, Mar Ariza, Olga Gelonch, Yemila Plana, Bruno Porras-Garcia and Maite Garolera
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 4111; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15084111 - 8 Apr 2025
Viewed by 372
Abstract
Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCC) is characterized by autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation. Reduced heart rate variability (HRV) serves as a biomarker for ANS function. Few studies have assessed HRV modulations over treatment in PCC patients. This study evaluates the effects of a multimodal [...] Read more.
Background: Post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCC) is characterized by autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation. Reduced heart rate variability (HRV) serves as a biomarker for ANS function. Few studies have assessed HRV modulations over treatment in PCC patients. This study evaluates the effects of a multimodal immersive virtual reality intervention—integrating cognitive training, physical exercise, and mindfulness practices—on HRV parameters. Methods: Eighteen PCC adults were assigned to reduced (16 sessions) and extended (24 sessions) training. HRV was assessed using an electrocardiogram weight scale at baseline, in the mid-term, and at the end of the intervention. Time-domain and frequency-domain HRV measures were extracted. Results: No significant group-by-time interactions were found. However, certain time-domain HRV parameters showed significant changes over time. Unexpectedly, HRV decreased from baseline to mid-intervention in both groups, with recovery by the end of the intervention. No significant changes were observed in frequency-domain measures. Conclusions: The temporary reduction in HRV suggested that the initial cognitive and physical demands may have temporarily induced physiological stress. The subsequent restoration of HRV suggested adaptation and increased resilience. The absence of enhanced HRV with extended training suggests that session intensity may be more influential than the number of sessions in modulating HRV among PCC patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare)
24 pages, 14765 KiB  
Article
Mixed Reality in Therapeutic Education for Diabetes: Grayscale and Color Passthrough Compared with Augmented Reality and Traditional Methods
by Marcelo Calle, Francisco Abad and M.-Carmen Juan
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 4021; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15074021 - 5 Apr 2025
Viewed by 497
Abstract
This publication presents the development of a new mixed reality (MR) application for headsets, using grayscale and color passthrough to support therapeutic education in diabetes. Passthrough technology allows users to see their real-world environment through cameras on the headset. A comparative study was [...] Read more.
This publication presents the development of a new mixed reality (MR) application for headsets, using grayscale and color passthrough to support therapeutic education in diabetes. Passthrough technology allows users to see their real-world environment through cameras on the headset. A comparative study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of our application in its two visualization modes against traditional learning and an augmented reality (AR) application. The study assessed the increase in patients’ knowledge of the carbohydrate content of different foods, as well as the usability of and satisfaction with each application, with 92 Ecuadorian patients with Type 1 diabetes participating. The results indicate that all four learning methods positively influenced patient increase in knowledge (post–pre). However, pairwise comparisons of post-knowledge scores showed that the MR color passthrough and AR applications significantly outperformed the traditional method, with patients using color passthrough achieving greater post-learning outcomes than those using grayscale or AR. Positive post-knowledge outcomes were observed across all age and gender groups. The patient feedback on their experience with the MR application using color passthrough was significantly higher than with the grayscale version. Therefore, while all methods demonstrated positive effects on knowledge gain, the findings presented in this publication suggest that color passthrough offers great potential for creating engaging, context-rich, and interactive learning environments that have a positive effect on both learning and user experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare)
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26 pages, 8227 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Robotic-Assisted Lower Limb Rehabilitation Using Augmented Reality and Serious Gaming
by Calin Vaida, Gabriela Rus, Paul Tucan, José Machado, Adrian Pisla, Ionut Zima, Iosif Birlescu and Doina Pisla
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(24), 12029; https://doi.org/10.3390/app142412029 - 23 Dec 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1738
Abstract
Stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease are some of the conditions that can lead to neuromotor disabilities requiring rehabilitation. To address the socio-economic burden that is amplified by the rapidly increasing elderly population, traditional rehabilitation techniques have recently been complemented by [...] Read more.
Stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Parkinson’s disease are some of the conditions that can lead to neuromotor disabilities requiring rehabilitation. To address the socio-economic burden that is amplified by the rapidly increasing elderly population, traditional rehabilitation techniques have recently been complemented by technological advancements, particularly Robot-Assisted Therapy (RAT). RAT enhances motor learning by improving both accuracy and consistency. This study proposes an innovative rehabilitation system that combines serious gaming and augmented reality (AR) with the LegUp parallel robot, developed for the spatial rehabilitation of the hip, knee, and ankle in bed-ridden patients. The system aims to improve patient outcomes and actively involve patients in their therapy. Electro-goniometers and a HoloLens 2 device are used to provide immediate feedback about the position of the patient’s joints, forming the basis of an interactive game in which the patient moves their leg to reach various targets. Two game modes were developed, each targeting different aspects of neuromotor rehabilitation, such as coordination, strength, and flexibility. Preliminary findings suggest that combining RAT with augmented reality-based serious gaming can increase patient motivation and engagement. Furthermore, the personalized and interactive nature of the therapy holds the potential to improve rehabilitation outcomes by fostering sustained engagement and effort. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Virtual Reality (VR) in Healthcare)
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