VR training you do, not watch
Virtual reality training puts people in the room where the job happens and lets them act. The good kind responds to what they do, scores it against a guideline and lets them try again.
What VR training is
VR training, or virtual reality training, is practice inside a headset that blocks out the real world and replaces it with a simulated one. The headset tracks the trainee’s head and hands, so they can look, reach and move as they would at work.
VR simulation training goes a step further. The scene is a simulation, not a recording: a patient whose vital signs change, a confined space where the gas reading climbs, an electric vehicle that stays live until it is isolated. The trainee’s choices decide what happens.
It suits the moments people rarely get to practise for real: a cardiac arrest on the ward, a newborn who is not breathing, a worker stuck to a live panel. Those are the moments we build for.
Room-scale interactive simulation vs 360 video
Both use a headset. They are not the same thing. 360 video has its place, and we say where below.
| Interactive 6DoF simulation | 360 video | |
|---|---|---|
| How you move | Room-scale, six degrees of freedom (6DoF). Walk round the bed, kneel by the casualty, lean in to look. | Three degrees of freedom. You can turn your head but you stay where the camera was. |
| What you do | Pick things up, place pads, turn on oxygen, give a drug, call for help. | Watch, and sometimes pick from a menu at a pause point. |
| Consequences | The patient engine responds. Miss the deterioration and saturation keeps falling. | The video plays the same way whatever you choose, or branches to a pre-filmed clip. |
| Scoring | Every action timed and checked against the guideline, then explained in a debrief. | Usually a quiz at the end. |
| Teams | Several headsets join one scenario, each with a role. | One viewer, one video. |
| Where it is strong | Decisions, sequence, timing, teamwork and recognising what is happening. | Showing a real place cheaply: a site induction, a walk-through. |
What 6DoF means
Six degrees of freedom: three ways to rotate your head, and three ways to move your body. 360 video gives you the first three only.
More detail: interactive simulation vs 360 video, and VR vs manikins.
How a session works
- 1
Practise with guides
A guide panel, hotspots on the patient and coach marks show what to do next.
- 2
Run it for real
Guides off. The scenario reacts to each decision, alone or as a team.
- 3
Debrief
A scored list of what was done, when, and what was missed, with a button to go again.
Room-scale: trainees walk round the bed, or use “Move to” points when space is tight.
Industries covered
One platform, with scenarios for each industry. Each page lists the scenarios, how they map to training units, and what is still coming.
- Nursing education
Virtual simulation that behaves like a ward, not a quiz.
- Hospitals and health services
Patient simulator practice for education teams and sim labs.
- First aid and CPR
CPR simulator practice before the hands-on assessment.
- Aged care and disability
Practice for care workers before the real shift.
- Mining and industrial safety
Confined space, electrical rescue and fire, without the risk.
- Defence and emergency services
Casualty care for combat medics and paramedics.
- Automotive and EV trades
High-voltage safety before anyone touches a live system.
The headsets
Standalone headsets mean no PC to set up and nothing to trip over. Everything runs offline. Meta Quest 3 also runs our mixed reality mode, and HoloLens 2 shows scenarios as holograms. Deployment and setup. Choosing? Read which VR headset for nursing and clinical training.
Compatible with Meta Quest 3, PICO 4 Ultra Enterprise, PC VR and Microsoft HoloLens 2. Product names belong to their owners. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Which headset should you choose?
- Illustration
Meta Quest 3
Standalone
- 6DoF
- Standalone
- Hand tracking
- Passthrough MR
- Controllers optional
Our recommended headset for new deployments: VR and mixed reality on one device.
Meta Quest 3 for training - Illustration
PICO 4 Ultra Enterprise
Standalone
- 6DoF
- Standalone
- Hand tracking
- Passthrough MR
- Controllers optional
A strong choice for new deployments, especially for sites standardised on PICO.
PICO 4 Ultra Enterprise for training - Illustration
PC VR
Tethered to a PC
- 6DoF
- Tethered
- Hand tracking, by model
- Controllers
Teams that already own PC VR headsets and a capable PC. Compatible with SteamVR headsets including Valve Index, Steam Frame, Varjo, Pimax and HTC VIVE Pro.
Standalone or tethered? - IllustrationSupported for existing fleets
Microsoft HoloLens 2
Standalone, see-through visor
- 6DoF
- Standalone
- Hand tracking
- Holographic AR
Firsthand began on HoloLens 2 and still supports organisations that own them. Microsoft has ended production, and security updates and support run to the end of 2027, so we recommend Meta Quest 3 or PICO for new deployments.
HoloLens 2 end of life
Also supported: Meta Quest 3S, PICO 4 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy XR, HTC VIVE Focus Vision, Apple Vision Pro, SteamVR headsets including Steam Frame, Magic Leap 2 (existing fleets). All headsets
Where VR is not the answer
- Hands-on technique such as compression depth or cannulation feel. A headset cannot judge force, so the debrief says so and points to the manikin.
- Formal certification. VR supports practice. The assessment your unit or licence requires still applies.
- Long sessions for new users. Keep first sessions short. See the safety guidance.
VR training questions
What is VR training?
Training inside a virtual reality headset. The trainee is placed in a realistic room and does the task, rather than reading about it or watching it. Good VR training is interactive: what the trainee does changes what happens next.
Is VR simulation training as good as a manikin?
They are good at different things. VR is strong on decisions, sequence, timing and teamwork, and it is easy to repeat. A manikin is better for hands-on technique such as compression depth. Many teams use both.
Do I need a gaming PC?
No. Our scenarios run standalone on Meta Quest 3 and PICO headsets. PC VR is supported if you already own it.
How long is a VR training session?
Most sessions are one or two scenarios plus the debrief. For new users, start with one scenario and a break. See our safety guidance.
Is 360 video the same as VR training?
No. 360 video lets you look around a filmed scene. Interactive VR lets you move through the room and act, and the scenario responds.
More on the technology
- XR training explained
VR, AR and mixed reality in plain words, and which to use for what.
- Mixed reality training
Passthrough on Meta Quest 3: the scenario in your own room.
- AR training
In the real room on HoloLens 2 and Meta Quest 3, plus phone web AR built to order.
- VR in healthcare
Clinical VR simulation for nursing, hospitals and aged care.
See it in a headset
Book a 30-minute demo. We will run a scenario live, talk through your training units and scope a pilot that fits your team.
