The rationale for the proposed project is based on the following points: 1) there is a need to reform the curriculum to engage students who are disinterested in their studies, as many view science as difficult, boring, or uninterestingly presented; 2) the literature pertaining to the incorporation of AR/VR systems into the Anatomy curriculum is limited; and 3) few studies directly compare AR/VR systems to traditional textbook and cadaver learning paradigms. The main research hypothesis is: a personalized mixed-reality Magic Mirror technology which allows in-situ contextual visualization onto one’s body provides a greater learning experience when compared to traditional textbook and cadaver learning paradigms. Consequently, the Magic Mirror technology will result in equivalent or higher degree of student learning as the traditional paradigms while being a low-cost alternative. Our specific objectives in the proposed project are threefold: 1) to develop a personalized mixed-reality Magic Mirror technology that incorporates all anatomical structures, and to visualize them in real-time; 2) to design a mixed-reality Magic Mirror user-interface that has an intuitive gesture-based interaction which facilitates interactive learning; and 3) to translate the mixed-reality Magic Mirror technology inside bilingual curricula at the University of Ottawa, and demonstrate its positive learning effect compared to traditional learning paradigms.
