Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications in Medical Training and Treatment
S Venkatakiran, Suman Vashist · 2025
The integration of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies into medical training and therapeutic practices was revolutionizing healthcare by providing immersive, interactive environments for skill development and patient care. However, despite their growing applications, significant challenges remain in the standardization, validation, and widespread adoption of AR/VR tools across diverse clinical settings. This chapter examines the current landscape of AR/VR in medical education and therapy, addressing key obstacles such as institutional resistance, regulatory uncertainty, and the lack of universally accepted frameworks for evaluating usability and efficacy. Through a comprehensive review, the chapter highlights the limitations of existing pilot studies and short-term evaluations, emphasizing the need for robust, multicenter trials to establish the long-term effectiveness of AR/VR applications. It outlines a roadmap for overcoming these challenges, focusing on the importance of international collaboration, standardized validation methodologies, and regulatory oversight to ensure the safe, ethical, and effective integration of AR/VR technologies in healthcare. This work offers essential insights for researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers, contributing to the ongoing development of a standardized, evidence-based framework for the future of AR/VR in medical practice.