Virtual Reality for Home Medical Treatment: Exploring the User Experience for Patient and Healthcare Staff Training

About the Project

Home treatment for various diseases offers a cost-effective and patient-centred alternative, but it requires individuals and their caregivers to perform complex procedures safely and consistently. Current training approaches are resource-intensive, highly variable, and can cause anxiety for new patients.

Virtual Reality (VR) offers a novel solution by providing safe, repeatable, interactive, and engaging training environments. Patients can rehearse procedures virtually, experience troubleshooting cases, and gain familiarity with equipment before carrying out dialysis independently.

This PhD project will investigate the use of VR to support patients undertaking home treatment, and can build upon our extensive and ongoing research in VR medical training applications and collaboration with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the area of VR home-kidney dialysis training applications. Traditionally, immersive VR platforms have been applied to professional healthcare education and simulation. This project will extend such methods to patient-centred training, with the aim of improving self-management, confidence, and adherence in home-based dialysis care.

This project sits at the intersection of creative technologies, human-computer interaction, and healthcare innovation. It provides an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patient wellbeing and healthcare delivery while contributing to cutting-edge research in VR for medical applications.

Academic Qualifications

A first degree (at least a 2:1) ideally in subjects related to Creative Technologies (VR/AR/MR) computing, product design, with a good fundamental knowledge of UI/UX prototyping, user evaluation methods and data analysis.

English Language Requirement

IELTS score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in each of the four components). Other equivalent qualifications will be accepted.   See the University webpage: https://www.napier.ac.uk/study-with-us/international-students/english-language/english-language-requirements

Essential attributes

• Experience of fundamental: (a) VR application development, (b) user interface (UI) design and (c) user experience (UX) design
• Competent in: (a) programming (e.g. Unreal, C#), (b) 3D asset development and integration, and (c) usability evaluation
• Knowledge of: (A)healthcare informatics, (b)HCI principles, and (c) user-centred design
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Strong motivation, with evidence of independent research skills relevant to the project
• Good time management

Desirable attributes

• Experience working with healthcare professionals or in interdisciplinary projects
• Familiarity with biometric/physiological data collection methods (e.g., eye-tracking, stress measurement)
• Interest in patient wellbeing and the role of digital health in improving quality of life

Deadlines & timescale: Our standard entry times for research degrees are October and March, but you can make your application at any time and it will be considered for the next available intake, in this case: apply by 30 November 2025 for potential entry on 1 March 2026, or by 31 May for potential entry on 1 October 2026. If a different entry is required for specific reasons, please contact directly Prof Vassilis Charisis.

Funding Notes

This is an unfunded position