IZS VR
Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Abruzzo and Molise
Researchers and laboratory technicians at the IZS
Project TypeVirtual Reality, LM System
ScopeTraining
A virtual training experience for technical staff and laboratory researchers, simulating containment protocols to learn, practise and measure performance in handling biochemical agents.
Create a safe and realistic virtual environment for training personnel in high-risk laboratory procedures, minimising exposure to infectious materials, with the aim of objectively training and certifying technical and behavioural skills.
A VR simulator that reproduces a biological laboratory, enabling guided training and objective assessment of staff skills via an LMS web platform.
The project
IZS VR was created to innovate the technical and scientific training of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo, reproducing in virtual reality the laboratory procedure for identifying dangerous pathogens, such as the Rift Valley Fever virus. The aim is to offer a scalable, safe and objectively assessable learning experience.
In Training mode, the system guides the user through a series of technical operations, providing essential information for their execution. In Test mode, on the other hand, the system collects data and returns it via the LMS web platform, providing an objective and measurable assessment of the skills acquired.
Inside the experience
Wearing the headset, users access a three-dimensional virtual laboratory that reproduces a procedure divided into four modules, simulating environments, procedures, instruments and PPE. The experience begins with an introductory tutorial to familiarise users with virtual reality, then continues with the entire training course, which can be undertaken in training mode, guided by visual and vocal aids, or in test mode, to be carried out completely independently. During the test phase, users can request assistance via virtual hands or voice instructions, but each intervention results in a penalty in the final score, encouraging precision, autonomy, and self-control. At the end of the session, the system generates a unique code to be entered into the dedicated LMS portal, which returns an objective and measurable assessment of each user's individual performance.
About the design
IZS VR combines functional fidelity, procedural accuracy and scientific rigour, offering a realistic environment that replicates the mapped laboratory procedures of the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Teramo. The experience is designed to be enjoyed standing up and is entirely in English, to encourage its use in contexts of international cooperation and scientific dissemination, in line with the Institute's mission to make it accessible to researchers and laboratory technicians regardless of where they come from. The project adopts the structure of a serious game with educational and training objectives, developed through structured educational design, complex interaction dynamics and an advanced assessment system based on objective metrics, scores and formative and summative analyses. All digital assets – environments, tools, reagents and PPE – have been carefully modelled to ensure realism, consistency and educational value.