The popularity of mixed reality (MR) technologies, including virtual (VR) and augmented (AR) reality, have advanced many training and skill development applications. If successful, these technologies could be valuable for high-impact professional training, like medical operations or sports, where the physical resources could be limited or inaccessible. Despite MR\'s potential, it is still unclear whether repeatedly performing a task in MR would affect performance in the same or related tasks in the physical environment. To investigate this issue, participants executed a series of visually-guided manual pointing movements in the physical world before and after spending one hour in VR or AR performing similar movements. Results showed that, due to the MR headsets\' intrinsic perceptual geometry, movements executed in VR were shorter and movements executed in AR were longer than the veridical Euclidean distance. Crucially, the sensorimotor bias in MR conditions also manifested in the subsequent post-test pointing task; participants transferring from VR initially undershoot whereas those from AR overshoot the target in the physical environment. These findings call for careful consideration of MR-based training because the exposure to MR may perturb the sensorimotor processes in the physical environment and negatively impact performance accuracy and transfer of training from MR to UR.

Mixed Reality is a technology that has gained attention due to its unique capabilities for accessing and visualizing information. When integrated with voice control mechanisms, gestures and even iris movement, it becomes a valuable tool for medicine. These features are particularly appealing for the operating room and surgical learning, where access to information and freedom of hand operation are fundamental. This study examines the most significant research on mixed reality in the operating room over the past five years, to identify the trends, use cases, its applications and limitations. A systematic review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to answer the research questions established using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator and Outcome) framework. Although implementation of Mixed Reality applications in the operations room presents some challenges, when used appropriately, it can yield remarkable results. It can make learning easier, flatten the learning curve for several procedures, and facilitate various aspects of the surgical processes. The articles\' conclusions highlight the potential benefits of these innovations in surgical practice while acknowledging the challenges that must be addressed. Technical complexity, equipment costs, and steep learning curves present significant obstacles to the widespread adoption of Mixed Reality and computer-assisted evaluation. The need for more flexible approaches and comprehensive studies is underscored by the specificity of procedures and limited samples sizes. The integration of imaging modalities and innovative functionalities holds promise for clinical applications. However, it is important to consider issues related to usability, bias, and statistical analyses. Mixed Reality offers significant benefits, but there are still open challenges such as ergonomic issues, limited field of view, and battery autonomy that must be addressed to ensure widespread acceptance.

While metaverse is widely discussed, comprehension of its intricacies remains limited to a select few. Conceptually akin to a three-dimensional embodiment of the Internet, the metaverse facilitates simultaneous existence in both physical and virtual domains. Fundamentally, it embodies a visually immersive virtual environment, striving for authenticity, where individuals engage in real-world activities such as commerce, gaming, social interaction, and leisure pursuits. The global pandemic has accelerated digital innovations across diverse sectors. Beyond strides in telehealth, payment systems, remote monitoring, and secure data exchange, substantial advancements have been achieved in artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and blockchain technologies. Nevertheless, the metaverse, in its nascent stage, continues to evolve, harboring significant potential for revolutionizing healthcare. Through integration with the Internet of Medical Devices, quantum computing, and robotics, the metaverse stands poised to redefine healthcare systems, offering enhancements in surgical precision and therapeutic modalities, thus promising profound transformations within the industry.

UNASSIGNED: This study aimed to examine the views of professionals working with children with developmental communication disability (e.g. associated with developmental disability, autism, developmental language disorder) on the features underlying effective augmented reality (AR) applications for language learning and education; and design, build, and evaluate a prototype AR application (InterPlay) to support language learning for children with developmental communication disability.
UNASSIGNED: A three-stage design methodology was used to (a) identify opportunities for AR to support children with developmental communication disability; (b) create a prototype application to provide an identified support; and (c) evaluate the features of AR that may afford the best support, using the InterPlay prototype as a foundation for discussion.
UNASSIGNED: Expert reference focus groups identified support opportunities and key design considerations, informing development of a prototype AR application, InterPlay. Evaluation identified a further four key themes: (a) designing an accessible reality, (b) integrating physical and virtual realities, (c) barriers to access and usability, and (d) contrasting new and existing technology.
UNASSIGNED: Findings highlighted the need for careful consideration in the design and implementation stages of AR development to ensure AR applications are accessible and beneficial for children with developmental communication disability.

The placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD) is a critical neurosurgical procedure used to relieve intracranial pressure in patients with conditions such as hydrocephalus, traumatic brain injury, and intracranial hemorrhage. Traditional methods rely heavily on anatomical landmarks and the surgeon\'s experience, which can lead to variability in outcomes and increased risk of complications. Neuronavigation, while available, is infrequently used due to the size, cost, and set-up times associated with these devices. This report explores the use of a headset-based augmented reality (AR) system for guidance during the EVD placement procedure. We describe an AR system that overlays a 3D model of the patient\'s cranial anatomy, derived from preoperative imaging, onto the patient\'s head. This system is a head-mounted display and utilizes a rapid fiducial-less registration to provide the surgeon with visualization of 3D anatomy, and targeted trajectories. The system was used with a 32-year-old patient undergoing EVD placement prior to a cranioplasty. Due to the atypical cranial anatomy and due to prior procedures and midline shift, this relatively high-risk catheter placement was an ideal circumstance for the use of AR guidance during the EVD placement. This report described an early use of AR for EVD placement and represents a substantial advancement in neurosurgical practice, offering enhanced precision, efficiency, and safety. Further large-scale studies are warranted to validate these findings and explore the broader applicability of AR in other neurosurgical procedures.

This article reports a systematic literature review that examined past research exploring the effectiveness of collaborative Augmented Reality (AR) enabled instruction, in higher education contexts. To be included, an article should consist of an experimental study investigating the use of collaborative AR for learning in higher education settings. An initial search was conducted on five databases that resulted in a total of 2537 articles, of which 20 were finalized for this review. The main findings suggest that AR-enabled collaborative learning benefits students\' overall learning outcomes and provides a positive collaboration experience in higher education settings. Further research is needed to determine the interaction elements, collaboration mechanisms, and information representation through AR that would potentially enhance student learning outcomes. This article concludes by discussing the implications of these findings, identifying challenges and strategies for developing effective collaborative AR-enabled learning content.

This review explores the transformative applications of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies in interventional cardiology. The integration of these cutting-edge systems offers unprecedented potential to enhance visualization, guidance, and outcomes during complex cardiac interventional procedures. This review examines four key domains: (1) medical AR/MR systems and technological foundations; (2) clinical applications across procedures like TAVI, PCI, and electrophysiology mapping; (3) ongoing technology development and validation efforts; and (4) educational and training applications for fostering essential skills. By providing an in-depth analysis of the benefits, challenges, and future directions, this work elucidates the paradigm shift catalyzed by AR and MR in advancing interventional cardiology practices. Through meticulous exploration of technological, clinical, and educational implications, this review underscores the pivotal role of these innovative technologies in optimizing procedural guidance, improving patient outcomes, and driving innovation in cardiovascular care.

In the global context, advancements in technology and science have rendered virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality technologies capable of transforming clinical care and medical environments by offering enhanced features and improved healthcare services. This paper aims to present a mixed reality-based system to control a robotic wheelchair for people with limited mobility. The test group comprised 11 healthy subjects (six male, five female, mean age 35.2 ± 11.7 years). A novel platform that integrates a smart wheelchair and an eye-tracking-enabled head-mounted display was proposed to reduce the cognitive requirements needed for wheelchair movement and control. The approach\'s effectiveness was demonstrated by evaluating our system in realistic scenarios. The demonstration of the proposed AR head-mounted display user interface for controlling a smart wheelchair and the results provided in this paper could highlight the potential of the HoloLens 2-based innovative solutions and bring focus to emerging research topics, such as remote control, cognitive rehabilitation, the implementation of patient autonomy with severe disabilities, and telemedicine.

The introduction of new technologies in current digestive surgical practice is progressively reshaping the operating room, defining the fourth surgical revolution. The implementation of black boxes and control towers aims at streamlining workflow and reducing surgical error by early identification and analysis, while augmented reality and artificial intelligence augment surgeons\' perceptual and technical skills by superimposing three-dimensional models to real-time surgical images. Moreover, the operating room architecture is transitioning toward an integrated digital environment to improve efficiency and, ultimately, patients\' outcomes. This narrative review describes the most recent evidence regarding the role of these technologies in transforming the current digestive surgical practice, underlining their potential benefits and drawbacks in terms of efficiency and patients\' outcomes, as an attempt to foresee the digestive surgical practice of tomorrow.

BACKGROUND: Gamification and augmented reality (AR) are innovative teaching modalities. Research on the effects of combining these two strategies in nursing education is scarce.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of the combined use of gamification and AR in teaching mechanical ventilation (MV) on nurse students\' knowledge, motivation, self-efficacy, and satisfaction.
METHODS: Randomized controlled trial.
METHODS: A conveniently selected faculty of nursing in Egypt.
METHODS: A total of 410 nurse students.
METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group (205 in each). Kahoot games and AR were used in the intervention group, whereas a traditional lecture was applied in the control group. The outcomes included levels of students\' knowledge, learning motivation, self-efficacy, and satisfaction.
RESULTS: Mixed design repeated-measures ANOVA test revealed a statistically significant difference in knowledge test scores within-subject over time (p-value [effect size]: <0.001 [0.515]), between-subject due to the main effect of interventions (<0.001 [0.146]), and within-between interaction effect of group and time (<0.001 [0.515]). After using Kahoot and AR, the total mean self-efficacy score was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (<0.001 [0.662]). The total median motivation score was significantly higher for the Kahoot and the AR groups compared with the traditional lecture (<0.001 [0.558]).
CONCLUSIONS: Kahoot games and AR significantly increased nurse students\' knowledge, motivation, and self-efficacy compared with traditional MV learning classes. Nursing educators need to incorporate Kahoot and AR in their pedagogies to enhance nurse students\' satisfaction and development.