Virti
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational TechnologySoftware |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | Dr Alexander Young |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Kurt Kratchman (CEO), Ray Kelly (Chairman), Dr Alexander Young (Founder) |
| Products | Content Authoring |
| Website | https://virti.com/ |
Virti is an immersive learning platform that leverages extended reality (XR), virtual reality (VR), and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide engaging training that improves performance.[1]
The company operates globally with teams based in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Taiwan.
Virti’s core business is to provide leading organizations with the tools to create, learn, analyze, and scale immersive learning content.
Virti immersive learning technologies are used by organizations globally[2] including Amazon, Cedars-Sinai, NHS, HTC VIVE, HM Revenue and Customs, Frontier, NIH, and more.
History
[edit]Virti was established in 2017[3] to address the challenges faced by learners in complex roles, such as difficulties accessing traditional learning and a lack of opportunities to practice and improve their skills. Dr. Alex Young, the founder, introduced Virti to the market as an innovative training solution that enables professionals to create immersive learning content, transforming how people learn and perform in their jobs.[4]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Virti released a new AI-powered “virtual patient” to enhance remote clinical training for medical professionals and trainees across the NHS and hospitals in the US.[5] Their technology was instrumental in training healthcare workers.[6] The platform trained over 300 doctors at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles in skills such as assessing patient symptoms and performing CPR while wearing protective clothing. The UK's National Health Service (NHS) also utilized Virti's technology to train staff on the correct use of personal protective equipment and effective communication with patients and their families.
Virti was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2020 and Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2021. In 2022, Virti announced its partnership with HTC and Taipei Medical University (TMU) to revolutionize food safety training in Taiwan. By integrating Virti's immersive training platform with HTC's advanced VR hardware, the partnership enhanced the delivery of high-fidelity simulations for improved food safety training.
Kurt Kratchman took over as CEO in 2022 after the company raised outside capital. He recruited Ray Kelly to board chairman in 2023 shortly after being appointed. Later that year, Virti was recognized as a Great Place to Work.
In 2024, Virti was featured by Emerge as one of the top Edtech companies in workforce development.
Technology
[edit]Virti's platform uses VR and AR to create immersive training scenarios. These scenarios can be accessed via a VR headset or a tablet, allowing for flexible training options. The platform also uses AI to provide detailed feedback and metrics on the trainee's performance, helping to identify areas where further practice may be needed.[7]
One of the key features of Virti's platform is the use of "virtual patients". These are AI-powered animations that interact with the trainee, testing their skills in areas such as empathy and communication. The virtual patients can respond to the trainee's actions in real-time, providing a realistic and responsive training environment.[8]
Impact
[edit]Virti's technology has been used in various sectors, including healthcare and education. In healthcare, the platform has been used to train doctors and nurses in skills such as patient assessment and CPR. It has also been used to improve communication skills and bedside manner, with the aim of improving patient outcomes[9]
In education, Virti's technology has been used to provide immersive learning experiences for students. For example, the platform has been used to simulate socially distanced science experiments for school students.[10]
In sports, Virti's technology has been used by cricketers in Bristol to stay on top form during the off-season[11]
References
[edit]- ^ "Bristol firms 'leading way' in virtual reality technology". BBC News. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "The metaverse is open for business". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Virti: The startup using gaming technology to train doctors". The Independent. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ Hainsworth, L; Kosti, A; Lloyd, A; Kiddle, A; Bamford, R; Hunter, I (2021). "Teaching the management of trauma patients through virtual reality". The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 104 (5): 330–333. doi:10.1308/rcsann.2021.0181. PMC 10335256. PMID 34928710. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ Dodds, Io (24 March 2020). "VR firm to urgently retrain 15,000 NHS workers to cope with coronavirus". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Doctors and nurses are using VR to learn skills to treat coronavirus patients". CNN. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Virtual Reality Helps Medics Beat Coronavirus". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Hospitals turn to artificial intelligence to help with an age-old problem: Doctors' poor bedside manners". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ Aquilina, Alex (2021). "Use of Virtual Reality to Support Rapid Upskilling of Healthcare Professionals during COVID-19 Pandemic". In Jung, Timothy; Dalton, Jeremy (eds.). XR Case Studies. Management for Professionals. Cham: Springer. pp. 137–145. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-72781-9_17. ISBN 978-3-030-72780-2. S2CID 240576950. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ Cook, James (6 September 2020). "Schools turn to virtual reality for socially distanced science experiments". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ "Bristol Cricketers Are Using VR Training To Stay On Top Form During Off-Season". Cricket World. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
