SBIR Phase I:Augmented Reality Platform for Nursing Education

This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I (SBIR) research project uses augmented reality devices to combine multimedia technologies with manikin task-trainers to provide a nonlinear, immersive learning platform for nursing education. This project hopes to combine interactive, 3D medical graphics with the hands-on realism of manikin task trainer simulation, capitalizing on the strengths of both technologies. Using mixed reality goggles, 3D imagery of the body's internal anatomy will be superimposed over the view of the user, providing additional 3D didactic information while using a task trainer manikin. The project anticipates that this will enable highly effective synergy between the visual and hands-on component of medical education. Integrating multimedia technologies with manikin simulation presents the opportunity to combine the strengths of both technologies. The potential outcomes of this project will integrate multimedia medical education technology with low-fidelity manikin technology (task trainers) using affordable, mixed-reality goggles to provide an affordable mixed-reality training solution for nursing education. While there have been academic prototypes of an augmented reality application for endotracheal intubation, the project anticipates that this will be the first work to develop fully functional mixed-reality training simulator for nursing education. Using mixed-reality goggles, 3D imagery will be superimposed over the view of the user. This will enable the user to get additional 3D didactic information while using the task trainer. This research project will play a role in increasing learning opportunities in the nursing field. This technology may play a critical role in mitigating the well documented future nursing shortage, by providing high quality virtual nursing educational experiences, without increasing the number of nurse educators.