Yes! If you have access to a Quest (2, 3, 3S or Pro) or Pico 4 (Ultra) Enterprise you can checkout Virtual Life Support. Our trial version gives you 5 fully functional training sessions with all features enabled. After that, you can continue exploring the software with some limitations.

To use the 5 fully functional sessions in the trial version, your device must be connected to the internet (e.g. via Wi-Fi). We use this connection to securely track the number of sessions for each device. Without internet, the trial version will still run, but with some restrictions.

Click here to get access to the evaluation version.

The full-length training scenario in Virtual Life Support takes approximately 8 to 10 minutes to complete. The shorter, i.e. compressed, scenario takes approximately 4 to 6 minutes.

No, VLS has been designed for use without any prior experience with virtual reality. The use of hand tracking means trainees do not have to familiarize themselves with controller layouts, and instead perform actions using the same motions they would in the physical world.

Depending on the platform, some instruction may be required for the trainer to set up devices. We provide detailed guides on how the headsets can be prepared for a seamless experience for the trainees.

Most VR headsets are designed for ages 13 and up, including the Meta Quest 2. We have tested Virtual Life Support with a wide variety of ages and find that most age groups are able to complete the training. An evaluation version is available if you wish to test VLS for a specific group.

Please contact us if you want to evaluate Virtual Life Support.

Please contact us if you want to deploy Virtual Life Support at an event.

Definitely not. Virtual Life Support has been developed for many use cases, one of them being able to train as often as you want, where you want. Which of course implies individual use without supervising.

Note that HMD vendors and/or vendors of a software platform used for deployment of VLS may impose restrictions on unsupervised use.

Yes. Our team has extensive experience designing VR experiences for a wide audience, including those sensitive to motion sickness or simulator sickness.

Virtual Life Support does not contain any artificial motion (a common trigger for motion sickness), and most of the training is performed kneeling down in a stable position. We also ensure the VR headset is able to run at the lowest latency possible to maximize comfort.

No. Virtual Life Support uses hand tracking which means you control VLS with your hands. You may need your controllers to start VLS depending on the deployment platform you use.

Yes. Virtual Life Support uses hand-tracking and tracks both hands so it does not matter which hand you use.

You can contact us through our support form where you can suggest your ideas for improvement.

Virtual Life Support tracks various metrics throughout the training. All of that data is used to calculate and display a number of key indicators:

• Rate: this is the median frequency of your compressions, measured in compressions per minute.
• Depth: this is the median depth of your compressions, measured in centimeters or inches.
• Compressions between breaths: the median number of compressions per set, i.e. between giving breaths. The ideal number of compressions between rescue breaths is 30.
• Hands-off time: the median time between sets that the user is not giving compressions, i.e. time spent on giving breaths, applying shock, etc. Lower is better, but between 5 and 10 seconds is reasonable when giving rescue breaths.
• CCF (Chest Compression Fraction): the fraction of time during the rescue during which CPR was provided. Virtual Life Support starts measuring this time as soon as the victim has been deemed unresponsive and not breathing. Generally, a CCF of 60% or higher is considered reasonable, and a CCF of 80% is ideal.

These metrics are available as a total, calculated over the complete simulation. It is however also possible to expand the scores to show the same score calculated per set of compressions.

The final score is determined by awarding a score (points) to various elements and then to add those up. The maximum score is 100. The following elements are taken into account:

• Completing the training. When the user makes it to the end, this is awarded with 20 points.
• Rate is awarded with a maximum of 25 points. A rate between 100 and 120 compressions per minute results in 25 points and a rate outside that range but between 85 and 125 gets partial points (calculated linearly).
• Depth is awarded with a maximum of 5 points; 5-7 cm full points and outside that range but between 3.5cm and 10cm partial points.
• 30:2 intervals. A maximum of 20 points is awarded for 29-32:2 intervals and outside that range, 22-38:2 gets partial points. Again the median is used.
• CCF gets a maximum of 10 points; between 0% and 50% you can earn up-to 6 points, between 50% and 70% you can earn up-to 9 points and a CCF above 90% will get you the full 10 points.
• Any of the following 8 checklist achievements will get you 2.5 points, up-to a maximum of 20 points:
  • Checked surroundings without hint
  • Checked victim responsiveness while shouting and without hint
  • Checked victim breathing without hint
  • Called emergency services without hint
  • Started CPR within 15 seconds
  • Turned on AED without hint
  • Gave rescue breaths
  • Delivered shock without hint

When using the “Hands-only CPR” option, your score will be adjusted accordingly. Instead of performing 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, you’ll give continuous compressions. Rescue breaths will not be included in the checklist scoring.

VLS is currently available in English, Dutch, German and Spanish.

As of version 2.2 Virtual Life Support integrates with ArborXR Insights.

Through this integration, Virtual Life Support can connect to hundreds of Learning Management Systems (LMS). Learners can launch Virtual Life Support using their existing LMS credentials, and training data is automatically sent back to the LMS—no additional steps required.

Please contact us if you want to integrate Virtual Life Support with a specific LMS (Learning Management System).

By default, Virtual Life Support measures CPR performance—specifically compression rate and depth—using the headset’s built-in sensors. Compression rate is measured accurately, and compression depth is measured with reasonable accuracy, assuming compressions are performed with straight arms, as recommended in CPR guidelines.

Starting with version 1.4, measurement accuracy can be improved by connecting Virtual Life Support to a SimCPR® Pro Trainer. This lightweight device is worn on the wrist and connects to Virtual Life Support via Bluetooth, providing more direct and precise motion data.

Starting with version 2.2, the Pro tier of Virtual Life Support introduces the Connected Manikin feature. This enables the app to connect via Bluetooth to supported CPR manikins and use the highly accurate sensors built into the manikin to measure compressions and—when supported—ventilations. Initially, this includes Laerdal QCPR manikins, such as the Little Anne.

VLS is currently available for Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3(s) and Quest Pro. The software is also available for the Pico 4 Enterprise and Pico 4 Ultra Enterprise headsets.

Please note that, due to its form factor, the Meta Quest 2 is not recommended for use with the Pro tier, especially when using advanced features such as the Connected Manikin.

If you require VLS to be available on other hardware, please contact us so we can discuss your needs.

For Meta Quest 2 the standard head strap is not optimal for VLS. Especially for ladies with longer smooth hair the fit is not ideal and the headset will move easily when giving compressions. We therefore recommend using a more suitable head strap. There are many options available such as Meta’s Elite Strap, the KIWIdesign Audio Elite Strap and the BoboVR M2 Pro Plus. These alternative head straps also have options for an additional battery that is worn on the back of the head. This not only increases battery life (which is typically doubled), but also add to the the comfort of wearing the headset as the balance is improved.

We furthermore recommend using a replacement face interface, such as a silicon or PU leather face cover for the headset. These can easily be cleaned and are are a better fit than the standard cover provided by Meta. Companies such as VR Cover and KIWIdesign provide good options.

No, we do not believe we can offer a high quality VR training on smartphones.

Our team has previously developed experiences for simple VR headsets that require you to insert your phone, but these do not offer the fidelity and features required for Virtual Life Support.

If you do want to experience using an AED on a smartphone please checkout ZOLL’s Virtual Rescue apps, also developed by VR Lab, that are available in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

Connecting a Bluetooth training manikin is available only with the Pro tier of Virtual Life Support. Using a supported manikin allows for more accurate measurement of CPR performance, including compressions and—when supported—rescue breaths. Currently this is only supported for Laerdal QCPR manikins.

To connect a Bluetooth manikin, follow these steps:

1. Enable pairing mode on the manikin. This is usually done by pressing down on the chest area once (refer to the manikin’s manual if needed).
2. In Virtual Life Support, open the Special Settings menu, select Bluetooth Devices, and make sure Bluetooth is set to Enabled.
3. Apply the settings. You will be taken to the system Bluetooth connection screen, where the system will scan for nearby Bluetooth devices.
4. Select the manikin from the list and continue.

Once paired, the manikin will be stored under Known devices and can be selected directly the next time you start a training session.

For the best experience, we recommend pairing a specific headset with a specific manikin, so the connection can be made quickly and reliably in future sessions.

If you want to use a SimCPR® Pro Trainer for more accurate measurement of CPR performance you can set this up with these steps:

1. Turn on your SimCPR® Pro Trainer.
2. Select Pair with SimCPR® Pro Trainer on the manikin selection dialog.
3. The software will then scan for Bluetooth accessories, showing only the SimCPR devices that it will find. Select the device and continue. 
4. The software remembers the device and will show it under Known devices, the next time you run the training. Select and continue.

It is recommended to keep a specific SimCPR® Pro Trainer together with a specific headset, so it easily connects the next time.

Check out this short video clip to see how to connect a SimCPR.

We strongly advise you to manually setup the play space. The automatic play space detection, and automatic floor detection, as it is available on some of the supported devices, is an interesting innovation but does not always accurately set the ground level.

In our experience, a Meta Quest 2 running VLS lasts around 2 hours on a single charge.

You can use an external tethered battery pack to keep the headset at a constant charge. If this is your preferred option, please make sure that it is comfortable to wear the battery pack and it does not get in the way of your movements, specifically when performing compressions. Instead, we prefer having pairs of headsets to alternate between charging and being in use.

We recommend using a manikin with a realistic chest height to ensure proper alignment with the virtual victim during training. Virtual Life Support includes presets for several common manikins, but you can use any CPR manikin. During setup, you will be asked to specify the chest height of your manikin so the virtual victim’s chest aligns accurately with the physical manikin.

With a Virtual Life Support Pro license, additional options are available. Supported manikins can be connected via Bluetooth to enable more accurate measurement of compressions and—when supported—ventilations. This feature, called the Connected Manikin, initially supports Laerdal QCPR manikins.

Sometimes the Meta Quest system software sets up the play area incorrectly, which can cause strange things to happen in Virtual Life Support. For example:

• The victim outline shows up in a random place you cannot reach.
• The victim seems to be underground.
• Other unusual positioning issues appear.

Why this happens:

Virtual Life Support needs a room-scale play area of at least 2 × 2 meters with the floor level calibrated correctly. However, the Meta Quest often starts apps with a stationary (seated) boundary by default, even if you already set up a room-scale boundary in the system settings or through your MDM. The system seems to remember the boundary type per app. You can recognize this when you step aside, while wearing the headset, and only see the outline of a small circle.

Note that starting with version 2.1 of Virtual Life Support, if your boundary is too small or is stationary, you will be prompted to redraw your boundary. You will then start at step 4 below.

Floor level is calibrated in the headsets guardian system. It is extremely important that this is done right. Together with the manikin height this determines whether compression depth can be accurately measured and calculated. You should reset and redraw the guardian and carefully set the ground level. Do not use the automatic guardian detection as provided by some headsets.

This usually means the chest height isn’t correctly set or the ground level needs adjustment. Ensure the ground level is precise and, if you’re manually setting the manikin’s height, your hands should remain visible within the manikin’s outline during alignment. A visual check can greatly assist in setting the correct height. For optimal performance, adjust the height to be slightly above the manikin’s actual height, ideally by 2 to 3 cm.

If you’re using a preset manikin with an accurate ground level, this issue should not occur. We plan to expand our presets to include new manikins over time.

You may need to reinstall VLS. If you selected “Remember this preference” and then clicked “Don’t allow,” you won’t be able to grant this permission again unless you reinstall the application.

You may need to reinstall VLS. If you selected “Remember this preference” and then clicked “Don’t allow,” you won’t be able to grant this permission again unless you reinstall the application.

A single Meta account cannot access an app on multiple devices simultaneously. When attempting to use the app on multiple devices simultaneously, users will receive the error, “Multiple Devices Can’t Access This App at the Same Time. This app must be purchased separately to be used by multiple devices at the same time. To continue, quit this app on any other devices.”. This can usually be solved by disabling App Sharing for the account on each of the headsets that has the app installed. You will find this setting under Settings > Profiles.