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Prof. Bill Kapralos (University of Ontario, Institute of Technology) gave a talk entitled "Immersive technologies and serious gaming for medical education and training" at the Technical University of Crete on May 30, 2017.

Abstract: 

The rising popularity of video games has seen a recent push towards the application of serious games, that is, video game-based technologies to teaching and learning, to medical education and training. Serious games provide a high level of interactivity not easily captured in traditional teaching/learning environments. Recent technological advances have given rise to a variety of consumer-level immersive technologies including virtual and augmented reality headsets such as the Occulus Rift and HTC VIVE which provide the opportunity to develop highly interactive and immersive serious games. In this presentation a discussion of the application of serious games for medical and surgical education and training will be provided. This will include an overview of several existing serious games for medical-based education and a discussion regarding a number of issues, and open problems focusing on those related to fidelity/realism, multi-modal interactions, and the implications they may have on performance and computational requirements. The presentation will conclude with insight and suggestions that may guide designers and developers of virtual learning environments in general.

Short Bio:

Bill Kapralos is an Associate Professor at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology. His current research interests include: immersive technologies, serious gaming, multi-modal virtual environments, the perception of auditory events, and 3D (spatial) sound generation. He is currently leading the serious gaming theme within the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Interactive and Multi-Modal Experience Research Syndicate (IMMERSe) initiative. He is a past recipient of an IBM Centers for Advanced Studies Faculty Award, a past co-recipient of a Google Faculty Award, and a past recipient of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Fellowship to conduct research in Japan.