The educational landscape is an environment prone to change due to the volatile and ever-changing nature of the digital society in which we all live. Although the world moves at different speeds and any generalization is bound to have some exceptions, there is evidence from research conducted in different places and contexts that educational methods are becoming increasingly digitized and driven by technological innovation. Among the technological trends fueled in many cases by the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to stay at home but online, augmented reality solutions received an additional boost as a valid and versatile educational technology worth exploring and eventually integrating into several teaching methods already in use. Although the technology still faces problems related to affordability, accessibility, and the technical skills required of users, some ongoing projects have already provided evidence that using augmented reality solutions as teaching and learning tools can improve teacher and student learning outcomes by increasing engagement and interactivity. The same issues arose when personal computers, tablets, and smartphones were first discussed as valuable tools for education and have now found their way into most classrooms. This paper reviews some of the key concepts related to augmented reality, as well as some current trends, benefits, and concerns related to its integration into educational contexts in areas such as life sciences, engineering, and health. The work conducted and presented in this paper provides an interesting insight into a technology that has given rise to global phenomena such as Pokémon Go, and continues to improve in terms of portability, usability, and overall user experience. Throughout the paper and in the conclusion section, we discuss the relevance of using the best features of augmented reality and how they can contribute to positive educational outcomes.

The need for objective data-driven usability testing of VR applications is becoming more tangible with the rapid development of numerous VR applications and their increased accessibility. Traditional methods of testing are too time and resource consuming and might provide results that are highly subjective. Thus, the aim of this article is to explore the possibility of automation of usability testing of VR applications by using objective features such as HMD built-in head and hands tracking, EEG sensor, video recording, and other measurable parameters in addition to automated analysis of subjective data provided in questionnaires. For this purpose, a simple VR application was created which comprised relatively easy tasks that did not generate stress for the users. Fourteen volunteers took part in the study and their signals were monitored to acquire objective automated data. At the same time the observer was taking notes of subjects’ behaviour, and their subjective opinions about the experience were recorded in a post-experiment questionnaire. The results acquired from signal monitoring and questionnaires were juxtaposed with observation and post-interview results to confirm the validity and efficacy of automated usability testing. The results were very promising, proving that automated usability testing of VR applications is potentially achievable.

This paper presents and concludes the ATOMIC project, which was to create an XR-based educational environment that enables students to meet the challenges of a natural business environment such as planning and organizing, staffing and control, problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. Four different approaches were taken utilizing different XR technologies (projector-based AR, mobile-based AR, HMD AR, and HMD VR), and their efficacy and educational value were juxtaposed. A universal 34-question usability questionnaire was proposed that can be applied in future XR usability studies. Four versions of the application were tested among 20 students to identify the advantages and disadvantages of each approach in an educational context.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has the potential to be a powerful tool in promoting empathy towards inclusion, particularly for individuals with impairments such as mobility difficulties, vision deficits, or autism but also about pregnancy, which can create temporary difficulties. By...

Acrylate polymer-based bone cements constitute the most popular bonding agents used in regenerative surgery. Due to their inferior biocompatibility, however, these materials are often enriched with ceramic additives including hydroxyapatite (HAp). The aim of this paper was to perform a comparative study of the acrylate cements filled with different content (3–21%) of nano- and microscale hydroxyapatite. The work concerns a comparison of times and temperatures of the cross-linking reaction, as well as morphology, glass transition temperature, and principal mechanical properties of the resulting composites. Before being used as a filler, both HAp forms were subjected to an in-depth characterization of their morphology, specific surface area, pore size distribution, and wettability as well as chemical composition and structure. For that purpose, such analytical techniques as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensiometry, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, Shore D hardness test, and Charpy impact test were used. The results indicated a drop of cross-linking temperature and an extension of setting time with the addition of µHAp. The µHAp-filled acrylate composites were characterized by a globular surface morphology, higher glass transition temperature, and lower hardness and impact strength compared to nHAp-filled materials. This relationship was evident at higher nHAp concentrations.