Immersive technologies including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) provide a rich medium for multi-modal human-computer interaction. Along a reality-virtuality continuum, the real world can be enriched with 2D and/or 3D digitally synthesized assets towards realizing purpose-centered virtual environments. These environments represent spaces with which individuals can engage and collaborate to accomplish diverse tasks. The increasing advancements in the software and the hardware components of VR/AR systems and the availability of affordable commercial solutions have increased people's interest in such technology. Accordingly, there has been a growing research attention that matches the ever-growing number of applications of VR/AR technology. Nowadays, the community of scientific research witnesses consistent innovation to create novel experiences and virtual involvements that are effective, efficient, and engaging. The scope of these experiences includes assistive living, rehabilitation, exercise, education, and healthcare.
Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is an evolving paradigm that embeds intelligence into our daily environments and makes such environments sensitive to us. AmI seeks to enhance the way where people and environments act together. Such environments should be considerate to individuals’ demands and customize their needs, expect behavior and discreetly respond with consideration and sensitivity. AmI is profoundly and completely associated with artificial intelligence (AI) to support the efficient use of further “intelligence” in the construction of these environments. AI also offers effective and valuable assistance to individuals and the vital knowledge required for taking decisions. AmI and AI have been used in several applications including ambient assisted living, AmI for e-learning and e-healthcare, AmI for smart cities, and AmI for assisting medical diagnosis.
Recently, the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected all aspects of individuals' lives, involving the way we learn, exercise, perform our jobs, play, and socialize. This epidemic has also influenced several industrial sectors including education, medical, and healthcare. Immersive technologies and AmI have the capability to diminish many of the challenges produced, which has prompted increased adoption. Indeed, both fields have also overlapped and contributed to one another since AmI has found its way into the creation, monitoring, and enhancement of virtual environments in training, rehabilitative, and commercial applications. The main aim of this Research Topic is to present research papers in the interdisciplinary areas of immersive technologies, AmI, and AI in medical, healthcare, and assistive living applications. It also invites you to submit innovative solutions and high-quality contributions to reduce the challenges caused by the current pandemic in the form of original research papers, review articles, and perspective articles.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
• Virtual reality (VR)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Healthcare
• VR/ AR and AmI for medical applications.
• VR/AR for e-learning applications.
• Human-computer interaction.
• Ambient intelligence (AmI) applications including; e-learning, e-healthcare, smart cities, and assisting medical diagnosis,
• Artificial intelligence,
• Machine and deep learning,
• Ambient assisted living (AAL),
• Biomedical signals,
• AI in health,
• Medical image processing,
• Cognitive assistants,
• m-Health,
• Mobility and behavioral analysis, and
• Physiological signal monitoring and analysis
Topic Editor Dr Ahmad Al-kabbany is the founder and CEO of VRapeutic. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject
Immersive technologies including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) provide a rich medium for multi-modal human-computer interaction. Along a reality-virtuality continuum, the real world can be enriched with 2D and/or 3D digitally synthesized assets towards realizing purpose-centered virtual environments. These environments represent spaces with which individuals can engage and collaborate to accomplish diverse tasks. The increasing advancements in the software and the hardware components of VR/AR systems and the availability of affordable commercial solutions have increased people's interest in such technology. Accordingly, there has been a growing research attention that matches the ever-growing number of applications of VR/AR technology. Nowadays, the community of scientific research witnesses consistent innovation to create novel experiences and virtual involvements that are effective, efficient, and engaging. The scope of these experiences includes assistive living, rehabilitation, exercise, education, and healthcare.
Ambient Intelligence (AmI) is an evolving paradigm that embeds intelligence into our daily environments and makes such environments sensitive to us. AmI seeks to enhance the way where people and environments act together. Such environments should be considerate to individuals’ demands and customize their needs, expect behavior and discreetly respond with consideration and sensitivity. AmI is profoundly and completely associated with artificial intelligence (AI) to support the efficient use of further “intelligence” in the construction of these environments. AI also offers effective and valuable assistance to individuals and the vital knowledge required for taking decisions. AmI and AI have been used in several applications including ambient assisted living, AmI for e-learning and e-healthcare, AmI for smart cities, and AmI for assisting medical diagnosis.
Recently, the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected all aspects of individuals' lives, involving the way we learn, exercise, perform our jobs, play, and socialize. This epidemic has also influenced several industrial sectors including education, medical, and healthcare. Immersive technologies and AmI have the capability to diminish many of the challenges produced, which has prompted increased adoption. Indeed, both fields have also overlapped and contributed to one another since AmI has found its way into the creation, monitoring, and enhancement of virtual environments in training, rehabilitative, and commercial applications. The main aim of this Research Topic is to present research papers in the interdisciplinary areas of immersive technologies, AmI, and AI in medical, healthcare, and assistive living applications. It also invites you to submit innovative solutions and high-quality contributions to reduce the challenges caused by the current pandemic in the form of original research papers, review articles, and perspective articles.
Topics of interest include but are not limited to:
• Virtual reality (VR)
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Healthcare
• VR/ AR and AmI for medical applications.
• VR/AR for e-learning applications.
• Human-computer interaction.
• Ambient intelligence (AmI) applications including; e-learning, e-healthcare, smart cities, and assisting medical diagnosis,
• Artificial intelligence,
• Machine and deep learning,
• Ambient assisted living (AAL),
• Biomedical signals,
• AI in health,
• Medical image processing,
• Cognitive assistants,
• m-Health,
• Mobility and behavioral analysis, and
• Physiological signal monitoring and analysis
Topic Editor Dr Ahmad Al-kabbany is the founder and CEO of VRapeutic. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject