Less risk, more skills: the virtual laboratory that is revolutionising training

Laboratory training is not just professional development: it is a fundamental part of safety.
In research institutes and scientific laboratories, every procedure must be executed with absolute precision. A single mistake can put people, results, and entire projects at risk. But how can truly effective, hands-on, and above all safe training be ensured, without exposing operators and researchers to real hazards?

Today, more and more research centers recognize the limitations of traditional training — shadowing, observation, bench simulations — and are looking for solutions that offer realistic operational experiences in high-risk contexts.

Why use virtual reality in laboratory training

Virtual reality (VR) is becoming a strategic tool in technical-scientific training.
Thanks to immersive simulations, it is possible to recreate complex environments and high-risk procedures, allowing users to practice without any biological or operational danger.

The main advantages of VR in scientific training

VR allows you to:

• reduce risks during training;


• standardize procedures precisely and reproducibly;


• improve laboratory safety with controlled scenarios;


• monitor and track performance through objective data;


• reduce training costs by eliminating material waste and repeated shadowing;


• offer scalable, customizable, and measurable training.

In VR, mistakes become part of the learning process: they can be repeated and analyzed without any impact on the real laboratory.

Case Study: IZS VR – Scientific Training Enters Virtual Reality

A concrete example of VR application in the scientific field is IZS VR, a project developed by Digital Mosaik for the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise “G. Caporale”.

Designed for the training of researchers and laboratory technicians, the system recreates the procedure for identifying the Rift Valley Fever virus in a three-dimensional virtual environment.

Users can practice every stage of the protocol completely safely:

• donning and using personal protective equipment (PPE);


• handling laboratory instruments;


• manipulating samples;


• responding to critical situations and emergencies.

The training pathway is divided into four main modules, available in two modes:

• Training — with visual and audio instructions, and guided support;


• Test — to assess the operator’s autonomy without hints.

Every action — movement, choice, or request for help — is tracked by an integrated Learning Management System (LMS).
The system assigns scores, provides personalized feedback, and allows for an objective measurement of the skills acquired.