Augmented Reality for Return to Work Assessments

Context: In 2016, healthcare workers accounted for 16% of Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) cases in Ontario at a total cost of $9,000,000; complex return to work (RTW) cases comprised 8% of this total.  There is currently no RTW assessment tool developed.

Industry Challenge: An effective RTW assessment tool would accurately measure a worker’s interpersonal skills and their capacity for effectively returning to a team environment and providing services to clients.  It is of great importance to ensure that healthcare workers are fully able to perform to ensure the wellbeing and safety of patients.

Solution: Following a user co-design methodology, there was input from case managers, nurses, directors by means of interviews to develop a script for the simulation prototype set in an Emergency waiting room using facial motion captures, a variety of stressors, and memory evaluation.

Impact of the project: The project developed an Augmented Reality/Mixed Reality simulation that was modeled from the information found in the research. The team was able to recreate the common stressor cues in the simulation that were determined in collaboration with the Hamilton Health Sciences team. A workable prototype has been developed to begin initial trials for director and clinician feedback.  The Industry Partner intends on using the prototype to apply for other grants that will help further commercialize the product.

Mohawk’s role: Business Analysis students did a thorough business case and the findings supported a trial of AR/VR/ Mixed Reality Simulation.  Mohawk College then leveraged the skill sets of the Software Development and Animation 3D students.  Media equipment from the College was also used to support the project.  The outcome is an outstanding simulation exercise that could lead to greater buildout.

This and 20 other applied research projects were supported by the Ontario Centres of Excellence through the College Voucher for Technology Adoption Program.