Varjo Mixed Reality Headsets Advance Aeromedical and Military Training

Varjo Mixed Reality Headsets Advance Aeromedical and Military Training

There is a reimagination of military and aeromedical training by Real Response with mixed reality headsets by Varjo. Real Response has changed up ways to learn with mixed reality simulation which is a combination of the use of a Varjo virtual reality headset and also provision of care to a physical manikin in the real world. The Australian clinical simulation education provider Real Response makes use of Varjo’s mixed reality options to be able to solve aeromedical military teams’ greatest educational challenge: access to live airframes. This article will explore the software Blue Room on Varjo mixed reality headsets which is utilized by Real Response to provide educational opportunities to the Australian defense force.

The software Blue Room allows a mixture between the virtual and physical world to enhance the educational environment for learners. Virtual reality and gaming can be useful for familiarization of environments but a combination between the virtual and real world takes learners to the next level. Learners are able to experience enhanced fidelity from the mixed reality headset environment but are also able to complete clinical tasks with the use of physical equipment on a manikin within the clinical simulation environment. Real Response, Blue Room and Varjo have created a highly effective combination of both a virtual and simulated physical environment.

Real Response is an Australian training company which provides simulation based education for over 30,000 learners on an annual basis across both Australia and the world. Real Response specialize in medical, trauma and safety education for defense and civilian learners. The overall goal for Real Response is to empower people with the vital skills to navigate critical and highly stressful situations.

Real Response is to provide focused education on the best outcome for the learner with use of the most effective tool. In consideration of medical, aeromedical and defense force training a high level of dexterity and fine motor skills are required. Real Response used Varjo’s mixed reality headset to provide a highly immersive and accessible training experience.

The Key Benefits of Mixed Reality for Aeromedical Military Training

The use of mixed reality in aeromedical military training enables accessibility for learners to learn in environments which can be expensive to access, use, and maintain. The use of mixed reality assists to eliminate any logistical challenges to access real aircraft for education. This also includes access to items such as aircraft and pilot availability and maintenance. Mixed reality based education removes limitations of time and place. There is a reduction of issues associated with trainee/trainer availability and locations as well. The Real Response system can be used to address a number of educational issues beyond aeromedical for Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

History Of The Innovation of Real Response

Real Response turned the focus of their work to immersive technologies and have drawn inspiration from Professor Bob Stone’s work on Mixed Reality Medical Emergency Response Team training simulators at the University of Birmingham and with the UK Ministry of Defence. Real Response released their first virtual reality application in 2018. This was followed by the launch of a mixed reality department in 2020. The launch of a mixed reality department allowed Real Response to develop advanced and cost effective virtual, augmented, desktop, and mixed reality solutions in combination with Varjo’s headsets.

The BlueRoom clinical simulation platform was developed in collaboration with the Australian Defence Innovation Hub. This collaboration has enabled students to train for complex medical scenarios in a mixed reality environment. Varjo’s Focal Edition headset allows learners to interact with objects in the real world and develop fine motor skills effectively. BlueRoom clinical simulation platform features a mission control system that allows faculty to change the clinical scenario in real time dependant on learner clinical decisions.

Real Response also works with Garmin to integrate biometrics into the mixed reality experience data. This enables analysis of learner stress levels in clinical simulations and gives the ability to optimize the clinical scenarios for better learning outcomes. Real Response are also involved in a project on an AI engine that can interpret the baseline stress level of the learner and make recommendations to faculty.


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The use of Varjo headsets has enabled Real Response to provide training in environments that may not be accessible in the real world, allowing for more comprehensive and diverse training scenarios. Real Response is dedicated to the creation of impactful and life saving educational experiences. Real Response’s use of Varjo’s Focal Edition headsets in medical education has left an impression on clients and partners. The high definition visuals and hand track capabilities have amazed many who have never seen the technology before.

Vargo Works With Healthcare and Medical Partners to Deliver Mixed Reality

Varjo works with a number of other industries to provide mixed reality headsets and related educational solutions. Other industries do include healthcare and medical as well as a number of other industries. One of the examples of healthcare and medical companies that use Varjo headsets is Laerdal.

Laerdal is now in the process of development of new immersive healthcare simulation solutions alongside Varjo. The new educational solutions combine technology that already exists such as data collection, immersive healthcare simulation and cloud based infrastructure to deliver healthcare simulation in a whole new way.

With the help of immersive technology, teams of healthcare professionals from across the world can work together in medical scenarios. The mixed reality healthcare simulation experience offers great visual fidelity and high immersion to ensure the strongest learning outcomes for each learner. Laerdal’s partnership with Varjo is a demonstration of the power to combine both the physical and virtual worlds to add depth to the healthcare simulation learners’ experience.

This article has explored the Varjo mixed reality headsets. Exploration has been centered around the use of Varjo headsets in the aeromedical military training environment. The combination of both virtual and physical environments adds more depth to clinical simulations to place learners on a steeper edge of the learning curve. AI and biometric monitors alongside these mixed reality clinical simulations show promise to take these clinical simulation scenarios to the next levels for learners.

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Erin Carn-Bennett Avatar
MSN, RN
Simulation Nurse Educator
Erin Carn-Bennett is a Simulation Nurse Educator for the Douglas Starship Simulation Programme in Auckland, New Zealand. Carn-Bennett has her Masters of Nursing and has an extensive nursing career within pediatric emergency and also nursing management. She is passionate about debriefing and all things simulation. Carn-Bennett is a member of the IPSS board of directors. Carn-Bennett is the lead host of the podcast Sim Nurse NZ.