How Real Are Virtual Emotions?

Enhancing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Training with Mixed Reality: Improving Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Performance and Enjoyment

Cardiac arrests stand as a leading cause of mortality worldwide. When performed timely, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can significantly improve a person's chance of survival during a cardiac arrest. Given that the majority of cardiac arrests happen outside of hospitals, it becomes crucial to equip as many laypeople as possible with CPR skills. Recently, mixed reality has garnered attention as a potential tool for CPR training. This study, with a randomized controlled trial (RCT), tested the effectiveness of a mixed reality CPR training compared to traditional training among laypeople (N = 59). Results revealed that participants in the mixed reality training either showed similar (i.e., compressions per minute, exam scores) or better (i.e., compression depth) CPR performance compared to participants that received the traditional training. Furthermore, the mixed reality training was perceived as more enjoyable than the traditional training. Finally, across conditions, participants reported comparable levels of presence, indicating a similar sense of being in a CPR situation. Based on these findings, we conclude that mixed reality CPR training can serve as a viable alternative for traditional CPR training. Especially, the enjoyable nature of mixed reality can boost motivation and encourage more people to follow or refresh previous CPR training.

Toward a Humane Metaverse: Challenges and Opportunities

The metaverse, an emerging digital universe blurring the lines between reality and virtuality, offers a view into a future where human interaction transcends physical boundaries. In this article, we analyze the multidimensional facets of the metaverse, scrutinizing the landscape of challenges and opportunities it offers. The article delves into the challenges faced by human society in adapting to the metaverse, including the digital divide, ethical dilemmas, the level of trust, and the potential erosion of social and physical reality. Amid the allure of boundless creativity, questions arise about the very essence of human experience-identity, empathy, social relationships, life satisfaction, and the nature of reality itself. The metaverse, with all its complexities, challenges us to redefine the boundaries of human interaction, urging us to tread cautiously while embracing the limitless possibilities it presents. As we venture "toward a humane metaverse," we must navigate the intricate interplay of technology and humanity, shaping a future where the virtual realm enhances, rather than diminishes, the richness of the human experience.