Hi-tech room has been installed by Merseyside firm Immersive Interactive which is now seeing its technology used across the world. Tony McDonough reports
Mersey tech firm Immersive Interactive has built an ‘immersive room’ for Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) for training student nurses.
LJMU will use the room as part of its Adult Nursing programme in order to give students the experience of delivering clinical care under realistic, and high-pressure conditions. uses projection, audio, and interactivity, to bring training scenarios to life.
Immersive Interactive worked with the university to create realistic clinical environments, building on traditional simulation methods which use mannequins and medical equipment.
The platform also allows students and lecturers from LJMU’s nursing faculty to design and produce their own interactive learning programmes to tailor course content to their needs. The room will be officially launched as part of LJMU’s Adult Nursing programme this month.
Founded in 2013, Immersive Interactive specialises in creating bespoke education and training using software, hardware, and digital content, to create immersive ‘virtual reality’ rooms.
The business, based in Southport, has seen significant growth in the past six years and have received funding through Liverpool city region’s Local Growth Hub to further develop the cloud-based software on which its technology is based.
The Local Growth Hub has previously supported Immersive Interactive with funding and business support, including participation in the LCR Activate programme, which has allowed the business to expand its expertise into new sectors.
As a result, Immersive Interactive has 150 spaces globally and is now providing rooms across all aspects of healthcare, including mental health, dementia care, and end of life care.
Director Chris Porter said, “Immersive training gives the sensation of placing someone in a completely different environment, which in the case of LJMU’s interactive room, this can make the difference between life and death in real life situations.
“As we’ve grown, so has our offering and we’re now able to build scenarios and rooms which are completely immersive, interacting with all the senses.
“The financial and advisory support the Local Growth Hub has given us has really helped us to bring our immersive rooms to life, develop our technical capability, and push into new territories. We’re set to keep on growing and pushing the boundaries of immersive training.”
Jan Williams, senior nurse lecturer, at LJMU, added “I was really keen to find out how we could use technology to enhance the simulation-based learning on the course, but didn’t want to simply use technology for technology’s sake.
“Immersive Interactive developed the basis of the room for us and set it up within the university so staff could see if this was something they could use. Overwhelmingly, the staff felt that the room would enhance the students learning experience.”