HistoLab VR: A User Elicitation Study Exploring the Potential of Virtual Reality Game-based Learning for Hazard Awareness

Oct 9, 2024·
Robin Hänni
Tiffany Luong
Tiffany Luong
,
Julia Chatain
,
Felix Mangold
,
Holger Dressel
,
Christian Holz
Abstract
Occupational medicine is a vital field for workplace safety and health but often encounters challenges in engaging students and effectively communicating subtle yet critical workplace hazards. To tackle these issues, we developed HistoLab VR, a Virtual Reality (VR) game that immerses participants in a histology lab environment based on real-world practice. Our comprehensive user study with 17 students and experts assessed the game’s impact on hazard awareness, interest in occupational medicine, and user experience through quantitative and qualitative measures. Our findings show that HistoLab VR not just immersed participants in a relatable histology lab worker experience but that it effectively raised awareness about subtle hazards and conveyed the inherent stress of the job. We discuss our results and highlight the potential of VR as a valuable educational tool for occupational medicine training.
Type
Conference paper
Publication
In ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology