Travel Grant:Techniques for Adminintering Local Anesthesia Using Mixed-Reality Technology

2005-06 WSU Undergraduate Research Grant Application

Cover Sheet

Amount Requested: $3088

Student Information

Project Information

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Student Signature                                                                                                                                Date

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Undergraduate Research Committee Representative                                                                     Date

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2005-06 Undergraduate Research Grant Application

Additional Students Form

Student Information

Student Information

Student Information

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Student Signature                                                                                                                                Date

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Student Signature                                                                                                                                Date

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Student Signature                                                                                                                                Date

Project Description:

            The purpose of this proposal is to secure funding to present research findings at the American Dental Educator’s Association’s (ADEA) annual session to be held in Orlando, Florida, March 8 – 11, 2005.  We have submitted an abstract to present a poster of research findings (under the “works-in-progress” category) as well as an application to present with mentor Kami Hanson at the TechExpo.  The TechExpo will allow us to present research outcomes plus demonstrate the mixed-reality technology that we are implementing in our project.  ADEA will notify us of the outcome of our submission during the month of November 2005.

            Two of us, Natalie Jones and Marie Krantz worked this summer 2005 in collaboration with Kami Hanson to develop the technology needed to implement the research project titled: “Techniques for administering local anesthesia utilizing mixed-reality technology.”  During the course of our summer project we kept a log on the project objectives, daily goals and outcomes.  This log can be found at http://augmentedrealityproject.blogspot.com. 

This semester, Fall 2005, our colleague, Heidi Law, has joined us in further development and implementation of the research project.

            Our research questions are as follows:

1)      Will the use of 3-dimensional images allow for a greater understanding of anatomy?

2)      Will students develop conceptual understandings using mixed-reality technology that allows them to direct their own learning?

3)      Will students experience a cycle of trial, error and effect as they interact with the virtual image?

The traditional process of learning local anesthesia takes extensive time because the students cannot see their needle once it penetrates tissues; so, success or failure for anesthesia must be assumed based on what they can imagine instead of what they can actually see.  The benefit of using 3D virtual images is that the student would be able to see their technique for anesthesia from needle penetration to the deposition site of the anesthetic.  This would allow them to experience visual and sensory perceptions and develop relationships between theory and practice, thus minimizing the trial and error process for successful administration of local anesthesia (Winn & Windschitl, 2001).

Proposed Methods:

            Thirty senior dental hygiene students will participate in the research.  Students will be recruited as a convenient sample from, an on-campus course on oral local anesthesia taught at Weber State University.  For the purposes of this research, the focus is on the administration and techniques for two cranial block injections.  These two injections are the most difficult to administer and have the highest degree of complications if administered incorrectly.

            The research will be conducted at Weber State University’s clinical setting using a dental operatory, which includes a dental chair, overhead light, air/water and suction, and other related equipment.  Additionally, materials to support mixed-reality technologies will be present such as head-mounted display (HMD) for the user, a sensor stylus that will be visualized as a virtual syringe.

            Our research method would involve an environment that will allow users to manipulate 3D objects (or images) through the use of a hand-held card that serves as a platform on which to project the 3D objects seen through a head mounted display (HMD) (Shelton & Hedley, 2003; Salzman, et al., 1999).

Research Design & Timeline:

Expected Outcomes:

            The outcomes expected would be for students to move from classroom learning to a real understanding of anatomy as they learn by doing with visual and sensory feedback using our interface.  We hypothesize that this experience will improve their clinical skills for anesthesia.  This research will also be used as a framework for future use of virtual realities for clinical instruction (Barab, et al., 2001).

Dependent_______________________________X___________________________________Independent

(student helping faculty do research)                                                       (student doing own research)

* Student and faculty working together doing research

References:

Barab, S. A., Hay, K. E., Barnett, M. & Squire, K. (2001). Constructing virtual worlds: Tracing the historical development of learner practices. Cognition and Instruction, 19(1), 47-94.

Salzman, M., Dede, C., Loftin, R. B., & Chen, J. (1999). A model for understanding how virtual reality aids complex conceptual learning. Presence, 8(3), 293-316. Retrieved on February 1, 2004 from EBSCOhost databases.

Shelton, B. E. & Hedley, N. R. (2003). Exploring a cognitive basis for learning spatial relationships with augmented reality. Technology, Instruction, Cognition and Learning (in press). Retrieved on January 16, 2004 from it.usu.edu/~bshelton/courses/ar_cog_ticl.doc.

Winn, W. D. & Windschitl, M. (2001). Learning in artificial environments. Cybernertics and Human Knowing. 8(4), 5-23. Retrieved on January 15, 2004 from depts.washington.edu/edtech/chk.html.

Budget Narrative:

We realized that undergraduate research will only cover a maximum of $3,000, and the remaining balanced will be covered out of pocket. Estimated airfare for three students to travel to Orlando, FL is $510 per ticket roundtrip, so the total cost will be $1,530.  

The ADEA conference will be held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin & Swan Hotel.  Each room costs $224 per night.  The three students will be sharing one room for three nights for a total cost of $672.  The hotel also requires a resort fee of $5/night totaling $15.  State tax is 11.5%, which is $79.  Thus the total cost of lodging would be $766 for three nights for three students.

The registration fee for ADEA is $120 per student, totaling $360.  The students will be exhibiting a presentation poster in the required format of 8’x4’ costing $145.

2005-06 WSU Undergraduate Research Budget Worksheet

NOTE –         Equipment and left-over materials purchased with this grant will remain the property of WSU

2005-06 WSU Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor Recommendation Form

Student Name (last, first): Krantz, Marie; Jones, Natalie & Law, Heidi

1.  How long and in what capacity have you known this student?

I have known Natalie, Marie and Heidi since last fall 2004.  They have all been students of mine in both a didactic and clinical setting.  Last spring they expressed their interest to work with me on a project involving the use of mixed-reality technology to teach techniques for local anesthesia.  As a result, Natalie and Marie dedicated their summer to meet and work with me (90 hours documented) to create the technology needed to make this project a real possibility.  Our summer work was truly collaborative and included Alan Lewis from computer support.  We all basically started with the same knowledge base and worked well together pulling all the pieces together.  Natalie and Marie were not “grunt laborers” on the project; they were valued contributors that assisted in improving both Alan’s and my understanding on virtual systems.  I recommend that you visit the project blog that is listed in the body of their proposal for a clearer understanding of this project and the level of involvement by these students.  Heidi Law could not participate during the summer; however, she has always been part of the group and has participated since he beginning of this semester.

2.  Briefly describe the proposed project.  Is this part of a larger research project? Is this part of a course?  If so, how is the project apart from the nature and scope of activities normally taken for the course?

The proposed project is an investigation into the utilization of mixed-reality technology to teach techniques for local anesthesia.  This is a project with which I am heavily involved.  As mentioned, two students and I spent the summer investigation the technology needed to make this research possible.  As a result of our summer work, we have clarified our technological needs and have received funding in the amount of $10,000 to purchase those items necessary.  Due to the delay in funding we will not be able to implement the research phase of this project until early next semester.  However, the research phase will only take a couple of days and then the analysis of findings will take several weeks.  We will be ready to present findings at ADEA.

Natalie, Heidi and Marie became a part of this project because they were interested in the concept and asked to be involved.  Because the project concept was still in an embryonic stage, I was happy to accept their offer to get involved and was able to truly collaborate with them as equal contributors at each stage of it’s development.  The effort and participation that these students have given so far goes beyond the nature and scope of normal academic activities.  This project will result in the thesis work for each student’s baccalaureate degree and the correlating courses DENT 4530 & 4780.

3.  Give an assessment of the project’s significance to the student’s discipline and of the project’s educational and/or professional benefit to the student.

I believe that these students and I have already benefited greatly from our work on this project.  We have had so much fun as we have brainstormed the specifics of cranial anatomy and its virtual counterpart for the 3D images that we were creating.  The student’s level of understanding of spatial and dimensional acuity of cranial anatomy has increased and they understand the techniques for local anesthesia better than any of their peers.  It is truly gratifying to see them get so excited when they see that what they are creating can make learning more real and exciting for those that will have the opportunity to use our interface.

This project is unique in the field of dentistry and has the potential to have a large impact on the way that clinical skills are taught in dental and dental hygiene education.

4.  Comment on the qualifications of the student to successfully complete this project, both in terms of the project’s scope and its time frame.

I have confidence that these students will complete the project in the stated timeframe.  They are very dedicated and willing to spend the time necessary to get the job done.  Our timeframe was slightly delayed due to some other funding concerns, so we will have to implement our interface early next semester instead of in the Fall.

5.  Comment on the justification and appropriateness of the project budget.

These students are requesting funding to travel to present.  I think that their outlined budget in justified and appropriate for this purpose.

6.  Describe your role in the project.

My role in this project is as a mentor/collaborator.  The students and I continue to work closely in every stage of its development.  I have a vested interest in this project, more so than any other.  However, that does not mean that the students have not contributed and gained a valuable education because they have not worked on the far right of your dependency continuum.  I think that if you are going to mentor research and model a research one institution, it is realistic for a student to seek out faculty that are working on research that interests them.  I don’t think that the work that these students have done should be minimized because I also have an active role in this project.  I would place their level of involvement in the middle of the continuum; we have all worked together in a relationship of co-dependence.  This project would not be what it is now without their contributions and these students could not have conceptualized and created this project without my help.

7.  Include anything else that you think will be helpful to the committee in evaluating this application.

This project was recently awarded funding from the Dumke endowment to purchase needed technology components to take us to the next stage of development.

This project __X__ DOES ____ DOES NOT require review by the WSU Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects or the WSU Animal Care and Use Committee.

* The IRB will be submitted November 3, 2005.  Results pending.

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