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Kaluschke M, Yin MS, Haddawy P, Suebnukarn S, Zachmann G. The effect of 3D stereopsis and hand-tool alignment on learning effectiveness and skill transfer of a VR-based simulator for dental training. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291389. [PMID: 37792776 PMCID: PMC10550175 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent years have seen the proliferation of VR-based dental simulators using a wide variety of different VR configurations with varying degrees of realism. Important aspects distinguishing VR hardware configurations are 3D stereoscopic rendering and visual alignment of the user's hands with the virtual tools. New dental simulators are often evaluated without analysing the impact of these simulation aspects. In this paper, we seek to determine the impact of 3D stereoscopic rendering and of hand-tool alignment on the teaching effectiveness and skill assessment accuracy of a VR dental simulator. We developed a bimanual simulator using an HMD and two haptic devices that provides an immersive environment with both 3D stereoscopic rendering and hand-tool alignment. We then independently controlled for each of the two aspects of the simulation. We trained four groups of students in root canal access opening using the simulator and measured the virtual and real learning gains. We quantified the real learning gains by pre- and post-testing using realistic plastic teeth and the virtual learning gains by scoring the training outcomes inside the simulator. We developed a scoring metric to automatically score the training outcomes that strongly correlates with experts' scoring of those outcomes. We found that hand-tool alignment has a positive impact on virtual and real learning gains, and improves the accuracy of skill assessment. We found that stereoscopic 3D had a negative impact on virtual and real learning gains, however it improves the accuracy of skill assessment. This finding is counter-intuitive, and we found eye-tooth distance to be a confounding variable of stereoscopic 3D, as it was significantly lower for the monoscopic 3D condition and negatively correlates with real learning gain. The results of our study provide valuable information for the future design of dental simulators, as well as simulators for other high-precision psycho-motor tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Myat Su Yin
- Faculty of ICT, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Peter Haddawy
- Faculty of ICT, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Gabriel Zachmann
- Computer Graphics and Virtual Reality, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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Shuggi IM, Shewokis PA, Herrmann JW, Gentili RJ. Changes in motor performance and mental workload during practice of reaching movements: a team dynamics perspective. Exp Brain Res 2017; 236:433-451. [PMID: 29214390 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5136-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Few investigations have examined mental workload during motor practice or learning in a context of team dynamics. This study examines the underlying cognitive-motor processes of motor practice by assessing the changes in motor performance and mental workload during practice of reaching movements. Individuals moved a robotic arm to reach targets as fast and as straight as possible while satisfying the task requirement of avoiding a collision between the end-effector and the workspace limits. Individuals practiced the task either alone (HA group) or with a synthetic teammate (HRT group), which regulated the effector velocity to help satisfy the task requirements. The findings revealed that the performance of both groups improved similarly throughout practice. However, when compared to the individuals of the HA group, those in the HRT group (1) had a lower risk of collisions, (2) exhibited higher performance consistency, and (3) revealed a higher level of mental workload while generally perceiving the robotic teammate as interfering with their performance. As the synthetic teammate changed the effector velocity in specific regions near the workspace boundaries, individuals may have been constrained to learn a piecewise visuomotor map. This piecewise map made the task more challenging, which increased mental workload and perception of the synthetic teammate as a burden. The examination of both motor performance and mental workload revealed a combination of both adaptive and maladaptive team dynamics. This work is a first step to examine the human cognitive-motor processes underlying motor practice in a context of team dynamics and contributes to inform human-robot applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle M Shuggi
- Systems Engineering Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Patricia A Shewokis
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.,Nutrition Sciences Department, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Herrmann
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.,Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | - Rodolphe J Gentili
- Department of Kinesiology, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. .,Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. .,Maryland Robotics Center, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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