A tele-assessed 6MWT (TL 6MWT) could be an alternative method of evaluating functional capacity in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2). This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of a TL 6MWT. The functional capacity of 28 patients with DM2 (75% men) aged 61 ± 13 years was evaluated twice via an indoor, center-based 6MWT (CB 6MWT) and twice outside each patient’s home via a web-based platform TL 6MWT. The study showed a high statistically significant correlation between the CB and TL 6MWT (Pearson’s r = 0.76, p < 0.001). Reliability testing showed no statistically significant differences in the distance covered (CB1: 492 ± 84 m and CB2: 506 ± 86 m versus TL1: 534 ± 87 m and TL2: 542 ± 93 m, respectively) and in the best distance of the TL 6MWT (545 ± 93 m) compared to the best CB distance (521 ± 83 m). Strong internal reliability for both the CB (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.93) and the TL 6MWT (ICC = 0.98) was found. The results indicate that a TL 6MWT performed outdoors can be a highly valid and reliable tool to assess functional capacity in patients with DM2. No learning effect between the TL and CB assessment was found, minimizing the need for repetition.
Virtual reality (VR) and 3D modeling technologies have become increasingly powerful tools for multiple fields, such as education, architecture, and cultural heritage. Museums are no longer places for only placing and exhibiting collections and artworks. They use such technologies to offer a new way of communicating art and history with their visitors. In this paper, we present the initial results of a proposed workflow towards highlighting and interpreting a historic event with the use of an immersive and interactive VR experience and the utilization of multiple senses of the user. Using a treadmill for navigating and haptic gloves for interacting with the environment, combined with the detailed 3D models, deepens the sense of immersion. The results of our study show that engaging multiple senses and visual manipulation in an immersive 3D environment can effectively enhance the perception of visual realism and evoke a stronger sense of presence, amplifying the educational and informative experience in a museum.
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