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Virtual Reality for Health Education Advanced Learning (VR-HEAL) (2024-2025)

This project team sought to address a critical gap in medical education: the lack of early, hands-on exposure to interventional radiology (IR), an innovative field that uses image-guided techniques for treatments, often reducing the need for traditional surgery. Existing IR training comes late in medical training and currently lacks interactive elements that can emulate the tactile feedback of live operations. The team aimed to develop an immersive virtual reality simulation that integrates visual, tactile and biometric feedback to provide medical students with realistic, interactive IR training early in their education.

Focusing on procedures like central line catheter placement, team members divided into subteams to tackle hardware and software development. The hardware subteam created physical components, including catheter tools and haptic gloves, that measure hand movement and applied force, allowing realistic, responsive interaction. The software team built a virtual operating room, complete with detailed 3D models and a functioning X-ray screen, integrating real-time spatial and force feedback.

The project’s outcomes demonstrate a promising step toward transforming IR education. By merging cutting-edge VR technology with tactile learning, the team developed a high-fidelity simulation that could reduce reliance on costly in-person training while improving procedural readiness. With further development and user testing, VR-HEAL could serve as a scalable, innovative model for medical training in complex specialties like IR.

Learn more about this team’s work by reading their team profile.

Timing

Fall 2024 – Summer 2025

Team Outputs

VR prototypes and training modules

Justifying Hardware and Software Solutions for VR Catheter Simulation (Report)

Virtual Reality for Health Education Advanced Learning (VR-HEAL) (Interactive display presented at the Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase, Duke University, April 16, 2025)

Can Virtual Reality Simulate Medical Procedures? (Team profile)

 

Image: Interventional Radiology Residency, Duke Radiology, Duke University School of Medicine

Team Leaders

  • Jonathan Martin, School of Medicine: Radiology
  • Dominic Tanzillo, School of Medicine

Graduate Team Members

  • Sarah Eom, Electrical/Computer Engg-PHD
  • Yihang Jiang, Biomedical Engineering-PHD
  • Brittany Leslie, Master of Egr AI for Product Innovation

Undergraduate Team Members

  • Ryan Baldwin, Biomedical Engineering (BSE); Electrical & Cmputr Egr (BSE2)
  • Ethan Castellino, Computer Science (BS)
  • Dani Castillo, Computer Science (BS); Psychology (BS2)
  • Yasha Doddabele, IDM:VMS-CS Computational Media
  • Soojin Lee, Statistical Science (BS); Neuroscience (AB2)
  • Albert Liu, Biology (BS); Computer Science (BS2)
  • Riya Manchanda, Computer Science (BS); Mathematics (BS2)
  • Ishaan Mehrotra, Biomedical Engineering (BSE); Computer Science (BS2)
  • Khanh Linh Pham, DKU-Interdisciplinary Studies (BS)
  • Sanjana Sankholkar, Biomedical Engineering (BSE); Computer Science (BS2)
  • Rithika Saravanan, Computer Science (BS); Statistical Science (BS2)
  • Ananya Sridhar, Biomedical Engineering (BSE)
  • Shan Tang, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Mason Wu, Computer Science (BS); Statistical Science (BS2)
  • Caroline Yoon, Biology (BS); Biology (BS2)
  • Eddie Zhou, Computer Science (BS)

Team Contributors

  • Jessilyn Dunn, Pratt School of Engineering: Biomedical Engineering
  • Augustus Wendell, Arts & Sciences: Art, Art History, and Visual Studies

Themes