A Comparative Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Table and a HoloLens-Based Augmented Reality System for Anatomy Training

Anatomy training with real cadavers poses many practical problems for which new training and educational solutions have been developed making use of technologies based on real-time 3-D graphics. Although virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have been previously used in the medical field, it is not easy to select the right 3-D technology or setup for each particular problem. For this reason, this article presents a comprehensive comparative study with 82 participants between two different 3-D interactive setups: an optical-based AR setup, implemented with a Microsoft HoloLens device, and a semi-immersive setup based on a VR Table. Both setups are tested using an anatomy training s…