Multilingual Virtual Avatar Enhances Patient Comfort During Autonomous Ultrasound Procedures

Recent research conducted by Prof. Nassir Navab from the Technical University of Munich highlights the positive impact of a multilingual virtual avatar on patient comfort and stress reduction during autonomous ultrasound examinations. The system employs a high-tech setup comprising a large screen, virtual reality glasses, a robotic arm equipped with an ultrasound probe, and a powerful computer to perform examinations of arteries and other regions.

To address concerns about the autonomous process, researchers developed a virtual environment that features an avatar guiding patients throughout the procedure. Once patients wear VR glasses, they see an avatar that converses, responds to questions, and can communicate in multiple languages including regional accents. This human-like interaction fosters trust and helps alleviate anxiety.

A study involving 14 male and female patients across different age groups compared stress levels using sensors that monitored heart rate variability through ECG. The participants experienced different scenarios: virtual support with real elements, virtual support in a fully virtual environment, and a non-virtual, real environment. The findings revealed that all three virtual scenarios significantly lowered stress compared to the purely real setup, with the avatar in a real environment garnering the highest trust and comfort ratings.

A key element contributing to this effectiveness is the avatar's ability to speak various languages and regional accents, which enhances relatability and trust. The avatar also provides verbal and non-verbal cues, such as gestures and facing the patient, which further humanizes the interaction.

This innovative approach aims to make autonomous ultrasound systems more acceptable, especially in regions lacking sufficient medical personnel. The research, published in IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, demonstrates how immersive virtual environments and advanced conversational AI can transform patient experiences in medical settings.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-multilingual-avatar-stress-patients-autonomous.html