SUNY Upstate Medical University’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease hired Virtual Ability to build the IITG Virtual Reality virtual learning environment to support an Alzheimer’s dementia curriculum module.  The environment comprised a Clinic and a Home setting. 

In the Clinic, student avatars encountered features such as a patient chart, exam room, and AI-powered bots that simulated a dementia patient and his daughter.  Using a series of scripted prompts, medical students engaged in questions and answers with the bots.

Following this, the students’ avatars explored the Home where they observed several hazards commonly associated with dementia, such as drawn curtains, empty refrigerator, and laundry piled on the floor.

Following these encounters, students were expected to write notes and evaluations and identify the observed hazards.