Holo-BLSD

Computer-based BLSD self-learning methods have recently attracted considerable interest from the public and software companies. In particular, Virtual Reality technologies have been considered in several solutions because of their ability to incorporate multimedia and interactive content into the training process and to virtually reconstruct the emergency scenario, giving the user the feeling of being immersed in the training experience. The current tools still have some limitations. None of them fully covers the different phases of the user learning process (i.e., receiving instructions on the procedures to be performed, practicing the procedure, and evaluating the skills achieved). The use of immersive VR raises the issue of safety and confidence of the users to move in the physical training environment, since they cannot see the real environment. The few applications proposed in Augmented Reality (and which therefore overcome these safety issues) are often run on smartphones and have very limited content and interaction capabilities. The use of Hololens as AR technology allows hands-free use of Holo-BLSD and the integration of various natural interaction techniques that make the use of the tool simple and immediate.

Holo-BLSD leverages the Microsoft HoloLens device and the ability to interact naturally with speech, gestures, and body movements to augment a low-cost standard CPR manikin with interactive holographic contents that recreate a realistic emergency scenario.

Since Holo-BLSD must allow different categories of users (lay, professional) to experience BLSD procedures in their entirety, in different scenarios, and on different clinical cases, the software was designed to be flexible enough to support these different configurations and to facilitate the introduction of new elements (e.g., for team training). In addition, to simplify the use of the system in different real-world training environments, Holo-BLSD allows the virtual environment to be redesigned and the elements within it to be repositioned from within the application.

To minimize the learning curve when using the Hololens interaction device and to ensure that learners can focus on the procedures to be learned, the system also allows users to familiarize themselves with the interaction system through a dedicated training session that can be repeated until the learner gains the necessary confidence in the hardware devices.

In conclusion, our tests have shown that the tool is effective for education, as there are no significant differences between the results of students attending a standard course with a teacher and a course with Holo-BLSD. The tool is also reliable for assessment, as there are no significant differences between the scores of human experts and those of the tool when using a common metric.

The development of the system consists of three main points in addition to increasing the TRL of the current prototype version of the system.

The first is the update of the software and the redesign of the HCI component in light of the availability of the Hololens 2 version, which offers new features of significant interest and improves on those offered by the Hololens 1 version on which the software currently runs. The second point is the possibility of implementing adpative learning approaches that automatically adapt the learning path and the content conveyed to the needs and abilities of the learner. The third point concerns the integration of team training methods, especially for the professional field.