Medical education is a long and demanding process whose traditional formative methods are often based on static pedagogical content and sometimes far removed from actual clinical practice. Currently, these methods are being replaced by new approaches based on the use of information and communication technologies, such as virtual and mixed reality and 3D printing. However, several challenges remain to be addressed in order to extract the full didactic potential of virtual models: (1)There are no existing technologies for quick and automatic generation of 3D models; (2) there are no accepted standards to exploit these novel immersive technologies with pedagogical guidelines in medical training, and (3) scientific evidence to support the validity of personalized models as learning and training tools is scarce.MIREIA is a unique Knowledge Alliance involving HEIs and companies that will combine the use of cutting-edge technology in immersive virtual technology and 3D printing with personalized learning content to promote the student-centred learning process of medical students and residents. This Alliance proposes the development of an innovative methodology and tools to provide interactive pedagogical content for customized training based on virtual models, such as 3D models, anatomical models (with and without pathologies) built from real-patient cases (e.g. imaging studies)or virtual scenarios for basic training in minimally invasive surgery.Contents will be accessible anytime and anywhere using portable devices, extended reality visualization technologies or printed with 3D printing technology. This will allow students to train through immersive environments or in physical simulators using personalized 3D printed models. In addition, innovative tools will be implemented for the semi-automatic creation of custom 3D models for educational purposes. This Alliance seeks to bridge the gap between classroom learning and laboratory training and actual clinical practice
MIREIA provides an innovative methodology with multidisciplinary approaches to incorporate tools and guidelines to support the early stages of medical and surgical education. This makes use of customised learning content and training environments based on extended reality (XR) immersive visualisation and 3D printing technologies.
The success of the project will be based on the experience of higher education institutions, companies developing innovative solutions in the field of multimedia and immersive (virtual) content creation and management, and hospitals and medical-surgical training centers.
<< Background >> The success of the project will be based on the experience of higher education institutions, companies developing innovative solutions in the field of multimedia and immersive (virtual) content creation and management, and hospitals and medical-surgical training centers. << Objectives >> MIREIA provides an innovative methodology with multidisciplinary approaches to incorporate tools and guidelines to support the early stages of medical and surgical education. This makes use of customised learning content and training environments based on extended reality (XR) immersive visualisation and 3D printing technologies. << Implementation >> For the implementation of the innovative solutions resulting from this project, an exhaustive process has been carried out to obtain knowledge and training requirements from the end users (students, tutors and healthcare professionals), methodological guidelines have been developed for the creation of training content based on 3D printing and extended reality (VR, AR and MR), a learning content platform has been designed and implemented and, finally, these results have been validated. << Results >> (1) the methodological guidelines for the creation of training content based on 3D printing and extended reality; (2) the MIREIA learning content platform; (3) the tools for the semi-automatic creation of 3D models based on endocopic images and the MIS-SIM platform for the creation of virtual surgical training environments; and (4) all the training content created throughout the life of the project.