Care sector workers in Dumfries and Galloway are to be trained using a virtual reality ‘digital twin’ of a care home – powered by next generation mobile connectivity.
Staff based across the county will be able to take advantage of 5G-powered VR glasses situating them in a model of a care home in real-time.
The low latency, high fidelity connectivity enables carers to get an ’immersive’ experience of the environment they will be working in, whilst addressing resource issues in a large rural area.
The Dumfries-based company Care Reality – a winner of an innovation challenge by The Scotland 5G Centre – is behind the new tech approach, which could be expanded nationwide.
It developed a virtual reality and simulated learning platform to improve the quality and access of clinical skills and competence training for care professionals. The company is working with the Scotland 5G Centre and supported by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) to showcase the idea to Scottish Care and NHS Dumfries & Galloway Health and Social Care
Partnership.
The software designers, all with healthcare experience, will also listen to
feedback to ensure the ‘digital twin’ includes interventions reflecting what users need to
support them in their valuable work.
The digital twin approach allows educators to help learners test scenarios before trying
them in real-life situations or environments. Care professionals can move around the
home and practice interactions and procedures with avatars within the application.
The scenarios are dynamic and in real-time and will relate to what participants are learning,
for example, educators who are training people on catheter changes can create a
scenario for completion within the simulation.
As well as practice opportunities to build confidence, the platform also provides meeting
zones for learners to share experiences. Care Reality’s innovative platform also creates
the opportunity for hosting virtual training events. With its large rural area and many
remote towns, Dumfries and Galloway provides a potential marketplace for the new
technology.