Virtual Worlds

The need for efficiency in radiology has been made clear and augmented reality (AR) has the potential to address this by aiding with issues around irregular lighting conditions impacting the accuracy of reports, while also speeding up the process with improved interactions. However, some interaction questions are still very much open, and interactions for radiological applications deserve more attention. This short-term exposure study involved a series of seven interviews with practising radiologists and radiology registrars, most of whom were AR-novices. Participants engaged in AR tasks using the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Meta Quest 3, running software provided by GigXR, as a basis for rich dialogue around the interaction value of AR for radiological tasks. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the resulting data, generating five themes, with the NASA-TLX providing additional context. The themes were mapped to three design considerations that stand as the contribution of this work and highlight how radiological AR requires interaction design distinguishing intended from unintended movement, standardised hardware requirements for clinical-grade HMDs, and versatile, workflow-integrated deployment to overcome resistance to clinical adoption. These are embodied in the speculation of an AR-First world that illustrates key requirements. Full article

Immersive interactive experiences like virtual field trips are increasingly popular in K-12 education, yet they often position youth as consumers. This paper details a design-based-research approach to developing a learning sequence that empowers students as creators of their own immersive learning experiences, grounded in principles of project- and place-based learning. An initial series of four case studies, involving six educators and 100+ youth, illustrates design milestones; highlighting that while students enjoy creating these experiences and educators recognize the pedagogical value, challenges such as time constraints and project scaffolding can impede implementation. Although these case studies represent small, non-controlled samples, findings were consistent across iterations. In response to these findings we present the VFT Creation Sequence, a suite of learning resources that uplifts the student experience and provides practical support for authentic implementation. A final case study showcases the sequence in practice in an elementary science classroom and examines domain-specific features of the student work, yielding promising results in using student products as evidence of sense-making. VFT creation can complement instruction across domains and learning contexts; the VFT Creation Sequence was designed to be easily distributed to and adapted by educators interested in integrating learner-driven digital activities into their curriculum. Full article

Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) has become an essential outcome of language education, yet many learners cannot access study-abroad or face-to-face exchange programs because of financial, logistical, and geographical constraints. Virtual world environments (VWEs) offer a route for developing ICC, but the literature has not yet synthesized the range of interventions, strategies, and challenges involved. This review examines how VWEs contribute to ICC development. It asks how VWEs are employed for ICC training, what implementation and design strategies enhance their effectiveness, and what challenges hinder their use. A thematic review of 27 peer-reviewed articles (2014–2024) was conducted following PRISMA guidance and framed by Byram’s model of ICC. VWEs support ICC through immersive cultural simulations, collaborative intercultural exchanges, learner motivation, and intracultural awareness. These environments approximate authentic cultural contexts and improve learners’ communication skills. Significant challenges remain: technological barriers, inequities in access, oversimplified cultural representations, and pedagogical difficulties, including limited teacher training. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, comparative studies across VWE technologies, standardized ICC assessment tools, teacher training models, and equity-sensitive implementation frameworks. Full article

While the value of XR has been broadly demonstrated in the literature, there is comparatively less empirical work seeking to establish where AR could effectively be placed within the training pathway. This is particularly true in radiology, where training relies heavily on anatomical comprehension, and AR has been proposed as a tool to support this through enhanced 3D visualisation of complex anatomical structures. A series of seven interviews with radiologists and radiology registrars was conducted, using AR anatomy tasks with the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Meta Quest 3 to engage participants in a rich dialogue around the educational value of AR in radiological training. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to interpret the resulting data. Four themes were generated, revealing a perceived stage specific utility whereby AR’s value is greatest for early-stage trainees and diminishes with experience, alongside a need for AR to integrate with, rather than replace, the traditional 2D methods used in practice. These themes were mapped to two design considerations for AR-enabled radiological curricula that stand as the contribution of this work; prioritising early-stage training through a structured graduation pathway into traditional practice and positioning AR as a supplement to existing training rather than a replacement for it. Full article

Immersive virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used in higher education, yet evidence on how perceived presence, fidelity, immersion and usability co-occur in authentic learning objects—and how they relate to prior experience and gender—remains limited. This cross-sectional study examines these four perceptual dimensions in 250 undergraduate students of Early Childhood and Primary Education at the University of Seville immediately after interacting with an immersive VR learning object built around the Future Classroom model. All variables are self-reported perceptions collected at a single post-experience time point; no learning outcomes were assessed. Data were collected with the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ), a fidelity–immersion scale and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Reliability was high across instruments (α = 0.881–0.931). Students reported moderate-to-high presence, realism, fidelity and immersion, and a notable usability score (SUS = 71.18). Presence, fidelity and immersion correlated strongly and positively, although their conceptual proximity and the shared measurement method preclude treating these associations as evidence of empirically distinct constructs. Associations with usability were weak and heterogeneous. Gender differences were absent except for involvement, an isolated result reported as exploratory. Prior experience with VR and with head-mounted displays was associated with differences in the ratings, with small effect sizes and a non-monotonic pattern: the intermediate-experience group scored lowest, whereas the low- and high-experience groups did not differ significantly from one another. The study characterises students’ perceived experience of an immersive VR learning object; it does not test its effects on learning. Full article

Racial bias emerges early in life: explicit bias is often observable in childhood but tends to decline with age, whereas implicit bias typically persists through adolescence, shaped by stereotypes, peer dynamics, and identity development. Given adolescents’ heightened sensitivity to peer exclusion and discrimination, interventions targeting implicit bias during this stage may have important implications. Prior studies suggest that embodying avatars of different races in virtual reality (VR) can influence implicit attitudes, with effects depending on surrounding social context: positive interactions may reduce bias, whereas negative experiences may exacerbate it. This study extends this work, examining whether implicit racial bias changes from pre- to post-exposure following embodiment in a Black virtual body presented in either a positive or negative social context among White adolescents and adults. Participants experienced a strong sense of embodiment, with adolescents reporting greater perceived agency, while adults exhibited stronger emotional reactions to social cues. Nevertheless, no statistically detectable changes in racial bias were found from pre- to post-exposure, and these changes did not differ significantly by social context condition or age group. Overall, in this brief, single-session, and primarily non-interactive embodiment scenario with non-reciprocal crowd exposure, we found no statistically significant short-term changes in racial bias. However, the intervention elicited strong embodiment and selective, age-dependent differences in socio-affective experience, suggesting that more intensive, socially interactive, and tailored VR designs may be required for attitude change. Full article

Bruxism-related orofacial pain is a common clinical manifestation associated with muscular hyperactivity, psychoemotional factors, and altered pain sensitivity. Immersive virtual reality (iVR) has emerged as a non-pharmacological strategy for pain management; however, evidence in individuals with bruxism-related pain remains limited. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, tolerability, and preliminary clinical responses associated with an iVR intervention in adults with bruxism-related orofacial pain. A longitudinal pilot study with repeated assessments (T0–T4) was conducted in 15 adults with self-reported bruxism-related orofacial pain. Participants completed two standardized relaxation-oriented iVR sessions using an Oculus Quest 3 head-mounted display. Feasibility, immersive experience, cybersickness symptoms, pain intensity, and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were evaluated. All participants completed the intervention protocol and follow-up assessments, resulting in 100% adherence. Cybersickness symptoms were mild, and immersive experience scores indicated high perceived presence. Pain intensity decreased progressively throughout follow-up, with the greatest reduction observed at T4. The pressure pain threshold demonstrated modest temporal increases, particularly in the splenius, upper trapezius, and temporalis regions. The intervention was feasible and well tolerated and was accompanied by exploratory reductions in pain-related outcomes over time. These findings support future controlled studies to clarify the clinical effects of immersive virtual reality in individuals with bruxism-related orofacial pain. Full article

The study examines the acceptance of Virtual Reality (VR) as a university educational resource using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A quasi-experimental design was applied with 132 students from the Bachelor’s Degree in Education at the University of Seville. A desktop VR learning object developed according to Mayer’s principles was used and evaluated with three instruments: a TAM questionnaire, a SUS usability scale, and an ad hoc scale for technical and educational aspects. The results indicate high reliability (α > 0.9) and high scores for perceived usefulness, ease of use, enjoyment, attitude, and intention to use. The most notable correlations were between usability, usefulness, and intention. Usability was related to technical quality, ease of use and educational usefulness. The findings support the use of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for examining the acceptance of desktop VR in higher education. The results also suggest that desktop VR can provide motivating learning experiences. Future research should replicate these findings using random samples and immersive VR environments. Full article

As traffic automation grows, research into communication between automated vehicles (AVs) and pedestrians is increasing. Since communication is particularly challenging for persons with intellectual disability (PID), we investigated which gestures are used during street crossings and whether they differ between PID and persons with no diagnosed disability (PnDD). We conducted a virtual reality study with $N=70$ participants ($n=38$ PID, $n=32$ PnDD), observing participants’ movement and gestures in a road-crossing scenario and having them rate their presence, user experience, and the AV’s behavior. PID descriptively gestured less often than PnDD (33.3% vs. 18.8% of trials without a gesture), though this difference was not statistically significant. The increased learning effect of using gestures improves crossing time for PID. We identified three primary gestures (Greet, Barrier, Stop) that both groups equally favored. Our work contributes to making bidirectional communication with AVs more inclusive by providing insights into gestures used by PnDD and PID and identifying indicators of subconscious learning effects when using gestures. Full article

As VR hardware advances, hardware-related factors inducing motion sickness are expected to be gradually resolved; consequently, software-based mitigation methods are garnering significant attention. While various software-based methods exist, they often rely on modifying the content itself, presenting a significant drawback: difficulty in immediate application to existing content. Meanwhile, the Visual Guide (VG) technique reduces sickness by superimposing a separate image onto the content. This approach offers the distinct advantage of being easily applicable to existing content. However, motion sickness mitigation via visual guides suffers from a drawback: the added imagery can distract from the content, thereby reducing user concentration. To address this, this paper proposes a mitigation method utilizing the transparency of the visual guide to minimize the loss of focus on the content. To evaluate the proposed method, experiments were conducted to collect EEG data, Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) scores, and responses to a custom-designed concentration questionnaire. Under the tested conditions, the 60-s fade-out condition showed a favorable descriptive balance between lower mean SSQ score changes and preserved concentration. Because corrected pairwise post-hoc comparisons were not performed and the EEG analysis was based on whole-session average power spectral density, these findings should be interpreted as condition-level trends rather than definitive pairwise or event-related effects. Full article

Byzantine theological education often focuses on textual abstraction, frequently failing to convey the tradition’s embodied, spatial, and liturgical depths. This mixed-methods case study examined whether immersive virtual reality (IVR) could bridge this divide. A total of thirty (n = 30) graduate theology students were invited to navigate a bespoke reconstruction of a Byzantine church—modeled on the Chora Monastery—using Meta Quest 3 headsets (Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2, standalone inside-out tracking). Following a 25 min immersive session, participants completed usability assessments, semi-structured interviews, and observational documentation. Quantitative data revealed above-average system usability (M = 72.50, SD = 5.18), significantly exceeding the standard 68-point usability benchmark, t(29) = 4.760, p < 0.001, d = 0.869, and intuitive navigation even among IVR novices (63.3% of participants completed the guided task sequence with zero errors). Through thematic analysis, six key dimensions of the experience—spatial presence, theological meaning-making, navigational ease, interaction affordances, pedagogical limitations, and technical constraints—were identified. Participants described the sense of ‘immersive presence’ as transformative and reported that it helped them correct prior spatial misconceptions and deepened their affective engagement with the liturgy. However, they also identified significant pedagogical hurdles. The lack of collaborative features was described as “theologically incomplete,” while the absence of multisensory elements—specifically scent—created a noticeable liturgical void. Furthermore, participants highlighted an unresolved tension between the experience’s devotional immersion and the critical distance required for academic study. The findings suggest that if IVR can support theological education effectively, future digital architectures may need to go beyond technical functionality to prioritize communal presence, contemplative pacing, and scaffolded criticality. This single-case, non-comparative design does not test IVR’s efficacy relative to physical site visits or 360° video. It instead establishes baseline usability and experiential evidence to inform such comparisons in future research. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) technology presents the potential of transforming science education. Chemistry education, in particular, has traditionally been limited by the safety, infrastructure, and cost of chemistry laboratories, as well as the inability of traditional methods to visualize microscopic phenomena within chemistry. While there are various virtual reality systems that have been published that describe the capabilities of performing individual functions within the virtual chemistry classroom (such as simulating chemistry experiments or visualizing molecules), few have incorporated the various components of an effective chemistry classroom within their software, and the literature offers no unifying architectural framework or accompanying set of design principles for integrating those components systematically. This paper presents a design framework and reference architecture for an immersive virtual reality smart chemistry laboratory. The framework has not yet been implemented as a software system; its value lies in a principle-driven design blueprint—layers, responsibilities, inter-layer data flows, and design rules—that is intended to guide future implementations. The framework divides the virtual chemistry classroom into five major layers and the data that flows between those layers. Each layer has a relationship with other theories of learning, such as constructivism, experiential learning theory, and cognitive load theory, as well as a rule-based system for providing guidance to the user to enhance their learning of chemistry topics. The intelligence of the framework is deliberately staged: its core is a rule-based, explainable expert system that is implementable with current technology, while AI and generative-AI capabilities are positioned as optional future augmentations of specific layers. Additionally, a model for governing the data collected from the virtual chemistry laboratory is presented. Both existing literature and case studies of third-party virtual reality systems are reviewed to indicate the capabilities of each of these systems; these systems are not the implementations of the current framework. As a result, the virtual reality chemistry classroom can enhance engagement in chemistry concepts and topics, allow for accessibility to chemistry concepts, and reduce the potential for chemical exposure to students. The scalable design framework and reference architecture described in this paper can be used to guide the development of next-generation virtual chemistry classrooms. Future efforts in regard to this technology would focus upon actually implementing the proposed framework, deploying it into chemistry classrooms, and evaluating the learning of students who utilize the learning environment. Full article

Rapid technological advancements are transforming educational practice and reshaping the traditional conception of learning. In particular, immersive technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), have shifted the focus from learning outcomes alone to the quality of the learning environment and the psychological processes involved in learning (e.g., motivation and cognitive processes). Against this background, the current perspective proposes a reconceptualization of immersive technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) as ecological learning environments. Specifically, by integrating the neo-ecological framework with the Cognitive-Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL), we argue that immersive technologies create hybrid physical–virtual microsystems in which embodied and experiential learning emerge as pedagogical processes through which knowledge is actively constructed. From this perspective, learning results from the interaction between ecological contexts, immersive psychological mechanisms, and learners’ active engagement with the environment. We further discuss the important limitations and ethical challenges associated with immersive technologies. Finally, we suggest that immersive technology should be integrated into blended educational approaches consisting of traditional learning combined with immersive technologies. Full article

This study examines the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) application as a learning tool in higher hospitality education, focusing on declarative knowledge acquisition and test-based learning outcomes. Conducted as a classroom-based pilot study, it involved a census of undergraduate students enrolled in a restaurant management course (N = 28) and compared VR-supported learning with traditional instruction using printed materials. Declarative knowledge acquisition was assessed using identical multiple-choice pre- and post-tests. Results showed that scores improved across all students. A statistically significant time × group interaction indicated that the two groups improved at different rates over time. Students who learned using printed materials demonstrated greater improvement than those who used the VR application. The findings suggest that, in its implementation, the VR application did not demonstrate superior test-based knowledge outcomes compared to traditional learning. One possible explanation lies in the type of knowledge assessed: the test focused on declarative and recognition-based knowledge, whereas VR may be more effective for procedural and experience-based learning. The limited interactivity of the early-stage VR application (VR HOTEL v0.9.4) may have also constrained its instructional potential. Overall, the results highlight the importance of aligning VR-based learning activities with learning objectives, instructional design, and assessment methods. Full article

Driven by competition, innovation, and shifting market demands, the automotive industry has evolved from mass production to high-mix, low-volume manufacturing, increasing operator flexibility and cognitive load. Virtual Reality (VR) can support training if aligned with user needs. This study presents a VR assembly training prototype with varying support levels and evaluates its effects on performance, physiological responses, and user experience in eleven operators, categorized by VR experience (novices vs. experts). User experience was positive, though improvements are needed in perceived bodily ownership. Novices completed tasks slower than experts (Welch’s t-test, t(16.84) = −2.50, p = 0.023, d = −1.14), while no differences in hint usage were observed (χ²(1) = 1.02, p = 0.313). Mixed repeated-measures ANCOVAs revealed significant effects of support level and VR experience (p = 0.032; p = 0.046) on heart rate, but not on breathing rate or galvanic skin response (GSR). Mixed repeated-measures ANOVAs showed significant effects of task buzzer and support level on heart rate and breathing rate (p = 0.018; p = 0.005), with no effects for GSR. Although results warrant caution due to the small sample size, findings highlight the importance of support design and provide insights for future research on VR-based assembly training. Full article

Augmented reality (AR) provides a new format for retailers to connect with consumers. However, different consumer subgroups may have varying perceptions of AR as an integral technology within the retail experience. Since Millennials currently have an increasing disposable income, this study explores Millennials’ diverse perceptions of AR via Q methodology. Q methodology is a research approach that studies subjective viewpoints by having participants rank statements within a defined grid, which reveals shared patterns of perspective. To measure perceptions, participants were given a survey consisting of a Q sort with 14 statements that needed to be ranked from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree” and open-ended questions about why they ranked the statements in a specific order. In response, five unique factors emerged from the Q analysis. Factor 1 demonstrated a gamified view of AR, Factor 2 focused on the utilitarian benefit of AR, Factor 3 highlighted the innovation and effectiveness of AR, Factor 4 shared how AR can be enjoyable and realistic, and Factor 5 found AR to be immersive but not interactive. Full article

Virtual reality (VR) provides a flexible platform for investigating human perception of augmented bodily abilities. While motion scaling of virtual limbs has been explored in previous studies, psychophysical detection thresholds and embodiment have rarely been examined together, and direct comparisons between motion enlargement and reduction remain limited. In this study, we systematically manipulated the motion gain of a virtual hand in an immersive VR environment and evaluated both detection thresholds for deviations from unity gain and embodiment, including the sense of ownership and agency. Fifteen participants took part in the experiment. The results showed that the 50% detection thresholds for motion gain were 1.18 for motion expansion and 0.86 for motion shrinkage. These detection thresholds were approximately symmetric about the unity gain. In contrast, embodiment ratings showed an asymmetric decline, with ownership and agency decreasing more steeply for motion shrinkage than for motion expansion. Perceptual detection and subjective embodiment therefore exhibited both consistency and divergence: the onset of significant degradation in ownership and agency occurred near the perceptual detection range, whereas beyond these thresholds, embodiment declined asymmetrically. These findings provide quantitative guidance for designing motion-scaled body augmentation in VR, highlighting the importance of considering not only detectability but also the direction-dependent robustness of embodiment. Full article

This paper presents a workflow-driven VR simulation system for esports event production, designed to enable interaction with core production subsystems, including lighting control, audio management, and broadcast monitoring, within a task-based virtual environment that integrates spatial fidelity, workflow structure, and real-time feedback. A controlled pretest–posttest experiment with 80 undergraduate participants was conducted to evaluate the system in comparison with lecture-based instruction. The results indicate that while both approaches produced comparable gains in conceptual knowledge, the VR-based simulation led to significantly greater improvements in applied operational understanding and higher levels of user engagement. Interaction analytics further show that increased task complexity is associated with higher interaction frequency and lower completion rates, reflecting a trade-off between interaction fidelity and usability. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of VR-based simulation lies in its capacity to support scenario-based operational reasoning rather than conceptual learning alone, contributing to the design of virtual environments for complex workflow-based training. Full article

Fibromyalgia (FM) is associated with altered pain modulation and heterogeneous responses to exercise. Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH), typically observed in healthy individuals, appears inconsistent in FM. Immersive virtual reality-based exercise (VRBE) may influence pain through cognitive and attentional mechanisms, but its relationship with EIH remains unclear. This study aimed to identify exploratory response patterns based on changes in pressure pain thresholds (ΔPPT) following a single VRBE session and to explore associations with clinical and cognitive variables. A secondary pre–post analysis was conducted in 35 women with FM who completed a standardized VRBE protocol. PPTs were assessed at the trapezius, lumbar region, and knee before and after the intervention. K-means clustering was applied to ΔPPT values, and repeated measures ANOVA evaluated time × cluster interactions. No significant group-level changes in PPT were observed (p ≥ 0.432). Three response patterns were identified: positive responders (17%), negative responders (23%), and non-responders (60%), with significant time × cluster interactions across all sites (p < 0.001). Cognitive function and educational level were associated with ΔPPT but did not predict cluster membership. These findings indicate interindividual variability in EIH responses following VRBE in FM, highlighting the potential relevance of individualized monitoring during VR-based exercise interventions and the need for further investigation of underlying mechanisms. Full article