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CHALLENGE - Often, when moving patients, students are focused on body positioning and hand placement and forget about other aspects of the process including things like locking a wheelchair and raising foot pedals. Correctly moving a patient is an important skillset for occupational therapy students, and the consequences for performing these movements incorrectly can be severe.

SOLUTION - To address the support of occupational therapy students and in partnership with faculty member, Scott Truskowski OTRL PhD, STING created a virtual reality patient movement checklist and simulator  which can used with Meta Quest 2 headsets. In this simulation, students complete a checklist of locking the left and right wheel brake of a wheelchair, pulling up the foot pedals, removing the arms, placing a gait belt on the patient, then moving the patent forward in the wheelchair to ready the patient for moving. As students do each step of the checklist correctly, the simulation indicates each task as completed. 

CHALLENGE - There are several jobs, roles, and spaces in a courtroom, however, when it comes to trials, proceedings, etc. legal studies students are often focused on the details of cases and less so on the details of a courtroom's function. This can make those cases and moments in trial confusing and intimidating for students. Ultimately, without adequate preparation, students feel ill-prepared in those moments. 

SOLUTION - In partnership with Courtney Topić, J.D., Assistant Professor in the Legal Studies Program, STING collaborated on creating a courtroom tour using 360 images and interactive elements to prompt learning as well as quiz the students in their knowledge. The 360 courtroom experience provides students with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with key courtroom elements. 

CHALLENGE - According to Katie Branch, Director of Simulation at the GVSU Interprofessional Simulation Center, only one student from the Grand Rapids area is able to shadow in a downtown OR per day. As a consequence, Katie says that students are often nervous and fail to observe sufficient detail in their one likely visit, stating that it is especially unlikely for students to notice which staff member is fulfilling what duties.

SOLUTION - To help address this critical issue, I+R created an app for the Microsoft HoloLens 2 which allows users to view a life-sized model of an OR complete with it’s typical fixtures, as well as a green glowing sterile field, and job titles floating above the heads of each staff member. The app is utilized as part of a larger learning module within the Immersive Rooms at the Sim Center.

CHALLENGE - Visualizing the skyline of Grand Rapids in the future as the community grows, expands, builds, and dreams.

SOLUTION - In a collaborative effort with Visual and Media Arts, I+R provided support in a GR in XR experience during Tech Week GR, whereby, the skyline of Grand Rapids we visualized with specific sites including: GVSU's Blue Dot Lab, Corewell Heath Center for Transformation and Innovation, Grand Rapids Public Museum Expansion, and Grand Action 2.0 Amphitheater.

CHALLENGE - Visualizing the MRI and X-ray imaging can be difficult for patients and doctors.

SOLUTION - I+R and the Applied Computing Institute collaborated with Gustav Lo a medical doctor in Petoskey, Michigan to build off from an existing visualization of the human body to overlay MRI and X-ray images.

CHALLENGE - Mary Karpen, Professor of Chemistry, indicated that the ability to visualize complex protein molecules is challenging for students and their understanding of biochemistry.

SOLUTION -  I+R created a 3D protein molecule gallery by which students in biochemistry can visualize over 90 3D protein molecules to garner an increase in understanding of these often abstract concepts.

CHALLENGE - Students in Carla Slabaugh’s Occupational Therapy courses have no effective way to experience what a “Left Field Cut” looks like for patients. A Left Field Cut occurs after someone has a stroke: a large, left part of their vision is essentially cut out, but the brain doesn’t register this as blackness like the tape on the glasses would. Instead, it realigns the vision altogether. This affects patients’ motor skills. It often causes people to run into walls and door frames when they thought they were walking through the door. 

SOLUTION - I+R created a virtual reality app that provided students with a more authentic experience of patients that have experienced a stroke and have the "Left Field Cut" condition.

Create with Us!

Inspired by what you see on this page? Let's build something amazing together - leveraging emerging technologies and your ideas. The I+R team has a running INNOVATION CALL FOR PROPOSALS whereby we seek innovative submissions from faculty and staff at GVSU.