Virtual reality studies show improved safety training and presence

Recent studies have explored the efficacy of virtual reality (VR) in enhancing training and decision-making across different professional sectors.

A field study involving Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) compared six training formats for track safety. The research found that all digital training formats—including desktop single-player, immersive VR single-player, multiplayer, and VR classroom settings—resulted in significantly higher odds of participants achieving full scores on safety-critical exams compared to traditional training methods. The VR classroom configuration showed particularly favorable patterns regarding technology acceptance and practice-oriented outcomes.

In a separate study involving Australian Rules Football players, researchers investigated the impact of simulator physical fidelity and immersion on decision-making. The study compared 360-degree video VR with two-dimensional video. While 360VR significantly increased the sense of presence, there were no significant differences in decision-making performance across the different immersion levels. The findings suggest that psychological fidelity is a crucial factor for decision-making performance, independent of the level of simulator immersion or cognitive load.