Abstract:

As part of the BMFTR program “Interactive Systems in Virtual and Real Spaces – Innovative Technologies for the Digital Society,” fifteen participatory projects were funded between 2022 and 2025. The aim was to support innovative research and development in human-technology interaction and to enable the use of mixed reality (MR) technologies, such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), for physical interaction. Through the sustainable use of V/AR technology along the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, new fields of application were created for citizens to promote genuine participation, especially in education, healthcare, and public spaces.

The accompanying project “Living Lab: XR-Interakt” coordinated the networking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and participatory evaluation of all funded projects. Its focus was on creating immersive, effective knowledge spaces that enable social and cultural participation and inclusion. Additionally, the Living Lab analyzed the reach of V/AR applications within the digital society and worked on their user-oriented design.

This article presents key results from the participatory evaluation regarding to "Ethical, Legal and Social Implications" (ELSI) and introduces a newly developed diversity guideline for developers and organizations, which integrates structural, didactic, and technical aspects of diversity- and gender-sensitive virtual spaces.

To emphasize the technical, social, and organizational dimensions, the article focuses on the healthcare sector as an example — an area that has received little attention in V/AR investments so far, but highlights key challenges concerning diversity and digital participation. Virtual reality is considered particularly valuable in nursing education. Virtual patient models enable realistic clinical scenario simulations, allowing prospective doctors and nurses to develop their skills safely and practically in a risk-free environment (Foronda et al., 2013, 2020; Choi et al., 2022).

Key research questions in healthcare concerning diversity/gender and V/AR include:
- Which V/AR scenarios effectively promote patient safety while considering diversity dimensions such as age, gender, culture, and level of care?
- What technical requirements must be met to sustainably strengthen ELSI in the healthcare sector?

In summary, immersive visualizations succeed only when designed to be diversity-friendly and participatory, requiring a multidisciplinary development approach. This contribution offers an integrative framework for the ELSI-oriented development, implementation, and evaluation of V/AR technologies, transferable across diverse application fields.

Keywords:

XR-Technology, ELSI, VR, Healthcare.