Background: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity for innovative educational methods in nursing. Our study takes a unique approach using a multidisciplinary simulation design, which offers a systematic and comprehensive strategy for developing virtual reality (VR) simulations in nursing education. Objective: The aim of this study is to develop VR simulation content for a pediatric nursing module based on a multidisciplinary simulation design and to evaluate its feasibility for nursing education. Methods: This study used a 1-group, posttest-only design. VR content for pediatric nursing practice was developed by integrating the technological characteristics of a multimodal VR system with the learning elements of traditional nursing simulation, combining various disciplines, including education, engineering, and nursing. A user test was conducted with 12 nursing graduates (preservice nurses) followed by post hoc surveys (assessing presence, VR systems, VR sickness, and simulation satisfaction) and in-depth, one-on-one interviews. Results: User tests showed mean scores of 4.01 (SD 1.43) for presence, 4.91 (SD 0.81) for the VR system, 0.64 (SD 0.35) for VR sickness, and 5.00 (SD 1.00) for simulation satisfaction. In-depth interviews revealed that the main strengths of the immersive VR simulation for pediatric pneumonia nursing were effective visualization and direct experience through hands-on manipulation; the drawback was keyword-based voice interaction. To improve VR simulation quality, participants suggested increasing the number of nursing techniques and refining them in more detail. Conclusions: This VR simulation content for a pediatric nursing practice using a multidisciplinary educational design model was confirmed to have positive educational potential. Further research is needed to confirm the specific learning effects of immersive nursing content based on multidisciplinary design models.

Immersive technology, refers to various novel ways of creating and interacting with applications and experiences, e.g., virtual reality (VR), has been used in various simulations and training where preparing real/physical settings is not ideal or possible, or where the use of virtual contents is otherwise beneficial. Realizing realistic interactions with virtual content is crucial for a quality experience and the effectiveness of such simulation and training. In this paper, we propose a kinematics-based realistic hand interaction method to enable a physically plausible grip-lifting experience in VR. The method reflects three kinematic characteristics of the hand: the force at contact points, finger flexion, and the speed of hand/finger motion, and we developed a grip-lift interaction prototype using the proposed method. To examine the sense of realism and hand poses during the grip-lift interaction, we conducted a human subjects experiment using the prototype, resulting in positive effects on the perceived realism and usefulness of the interaction. Grip-lifting is a fundamental interaction technique that is involved in most embodied interaction scenarios. Our method would contribute to the design and development of realistic virtual experiences, of which we will discuss the implications and potential based on our findings.

This paper explores the impact of an augmented reality (AR) virtual dog, designed to mimic user behavior, on the exercise experience in both solo and group settings. Focusing on the virtual pet's role as a companion during physical activity, we conducted a human-subject experiment comparing three conditions: a mimicking virtual dog, a randomly behaving virtual dog, and no virtual dog. Participants exercised either solo or in groups, specifically in pairs, allowing for a detailed analysis of how the behavior and physical presence of the virtual dog influenced users' exercise experience and social connections. The findings demonstrate that the mimicking virtual dog significantly enhanced the exercise experience, especially in solo settings, by fostering a stronger sense of companionship. In group exercises, the virtual dog acted as a social facilitator, improving group cohesion and interaction. This research highlights the potential of behavior-mimicking virtual pets to enhance both individual and group exercise experiences and offers valuable insights for developing AR-based fitness applications.

This paper presents a scoping review of immersive virtual nature experiences delivered via head-mounted displays (HMDs) and their role in promoting well-being, psychological restoration, cognitive performance, and nature connectedness. As access to natural environments becomes increasingly constrained by urbanization, technological lifestyles, and environmental change, immersive technologies offer a scalable and accessible alternative for engaging with nature. Guided by three core research questions, this review explores how HMD-mediated immersive technologies have been used to promote nature connectedness and well-being, what trends and outcomes have been observed across applications, and what methodological gaps or limitations exist in this growing body of work. Fifty-five peer-reviewed studies were analyzed and categorized into six key implication areas: emotional well-being, stress reduction, cognitive performance, attention recovery, restorative benefits, and nature connectedness. The review identifies immersive virtual nature as a promising application of extended reality (XR) technologies, with potential across healthcare, education, and daily life, while also emphasizing the need for more consistent methodologies and long-term research.

As virtual reality (VR) continues to expand, particularly in social VR platforms and immersive gaming environments, understanding the factors that shape user experience is becoming increasingly important. Avatars and locomotion methods play central roles in influencing how users identify with their virtual representations and navigate virtual spaces. Despite extensive research on these elements individually, their relationship remains underexplored. In particular, little is known about how congruence between avatar appearance and locomotion method affects user perceptions. This study investigates the impact of avatar-locomotion congruence on user experience and avatar identification in VR. We conducted a within-subjects experiment with 30 participants, employing two visually distinct avatar types (human and gorilla) and two locomotion methods (human-like arm-swinging and gorilla-like arm-rolling), to assess their individual and combined effects. Our results indicate that congruence between avatar appearance and locomotion method enhances both avatar identification and user experience. These findings contribute to the understanding of the relationship between avatars and locomotion in VR, with potential applications in enhancing user experience in immersive gaming, social VR, and gamified remote physical therapy

Immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) allow remote users to meet and interact in a shared virtual space using embodied virtual avatars, creating a sense of co-presence. However, asynchronous communication-essential in many real-world contexts-remains underexplored in these environments. Traditional playback-based systems lack interactivity and often fail to preserve critical contextual cues necessary for effective asynchronous communication. In this paper, we introduce AVAGENTs, AI-powered virtual avatars that replicate users' verbal and nonverbal cues from recordings of past meetings. Avagents can interpret meeting context and generate appropriate responses to questions posed by asynchronous viewers. Through a user study (N =30), we evaluated Avagents against a traditional playback method and a voice-based AI assistant across two asynchronous meeting scenarios: analytic reasoning and affective resonance. Results showed that Avagents enhance the asynchronous communication experience by increasing social presence, sense of belonging, emotional intimacy, and other user perceptions. We discuss the findings and their implications for designing effective AI-driven asynchronous communication tools in VR/AR environments.