Education is an important component of every healthcare system. Patients need to be educated about their planned procedures; healthcare professionals need to be trained in their respective profession. Both patient education and the training of healthcare professionals are often completed in person, which requires resources and is bound to certain times and places. Virtual educational environments can potentially save human and monetary resources, increase learner engagement, and enable users to learn according to their own schedules. This design study describes proofs of concept for two augmented reality-enabled (AR) educational tools, utilizing a Microsoft HoloLens head-mounted display. In the first use case, we demonstrate an AR application which could be used to educate cancer patients about their radiotherapy treatment and potentially reduce patient anxiety. The second use case demonstrates an AR training environment, which could complement the practical training of undergraduate radiography students. Two prototypes—VIPER, for patient education, and ARTUR for the training of radiography students—were developed and tested for viability and usability, both based on individual user tests. Both patient and student education were evaluated as viable and usable additions to conventional educational methods, despite being limited in terms of accessibility, usability, and fidelity. Suitable hardware is becoming more accessible and capable, and higher-fidelity holograms, better utilization of real-world objects, and more intuitive input methods could increase user immersion and acceptance of the technology.

Acquiring health knowledge is essential and starts already in primary school. Augmented Reality (AR) helps to convey complex topics in a more understandable way. In this paper, we present the prototype of KARLI, the “Kid-friendly Augmented Reality Learning Interface”. This AR smartphone app for in-school use is designed for age level 8 to 10, enabling pupils to explore a 3D model of the human body based on the primary school curriculum. Underlining the importance of kid-friendly app development and testing, our evaluation results of 38 pupils and 3 teachers indicate that KARLI is suitable and helpful for health education in primary schools.

We present a novel context acquisition and management middleware for mobile phones based on Qt (C++ based cross-plattform API) for S60 called mSense. In our middleware, sensor nodes encapsulate platform level APIs for seamlessly accessing hardware sensors, simulated sensors or web services. Aggregators (channels) combine information from other nodes to generate new knowledge. For example, GPS, accelerometer and compass could be combined to provide a more accurate inertial sensor node. The output is supplied via a native interface or broadcasted through web services.

Enlightening Patients with Augmented Reality (EPAR) enhances patient education with new possibilities offered by Augmented Reality. Medical procedures are becoming increasingly complex and printed information sheets are often hard to understand for patients. EPAR developed an augmented reality prototype that helps patients with strabismus to better understand the processes of examinations and eye surgeries. By means of interactive storytelling, three identified target groups based on user personas were able to adjust the level of information transfer based on their interests. We performed a 2-phase evaluation with a total of 24 test subjects, resulting in a final system usability score of 80.0. For interaction prompts concerning virtual 3D content, visual highlights were considered to be sufficient. Overall, participants thought that an AR system as a complementary tool could lead to a better understanding of medical procedures.

Fear of falling (FoF) is common in older adults and can reduce physical activity, mobility, and independence. As assistive technologies become more common, understanding how attitudes towards technology influence FoF is important. This study examined indoor FoF and its association with technology acceptance among 500 community-dwelling Austrian adults aged 65–85 via a cross-sectional web survey. Indoor FoF was assessed using the Falls Efficacy Scale–International (FES-I) indoor items. Technology acceptance was measured using the TechPH questionnaire, which captured TechEnthusiasm and TechAnxiety. Logistic regression models were used to analyse associations with FoF, dichotomised at the median. The mean age was 74 years, and 55% of participants were female. Overall, indoor FoF was low. Adjusted models indicated that older age (OR = 1.08; 95% CI: 1.04–1.12) and female sex (OR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.01–2.38) were linked to higher FoF. Greater TechEnthusiasm was associated with lower FoF (OR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.50–0.85), while higher TechAnxiety (i.e., less confidence with technology) was linked to higher FoF (OR = 1.79; 95% CI: 1.40–2.27). The TechEnthusiasm-FoF association was stronger among women. Promoting enthusiasm for technology may reduce FoF, but potential acceptance barriers must be addressed, especially among higher-risk individuals.