The VirtuVP project aims to improve the communication skills of healthcare professionals by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual patient (VP) technology. Effective clinician-patient communication is crucial in psychiatry, yet training opportunities are often limited. VirtuVP introduces an AI-driven, immersive training system that enables clinicians to practice patient interactions in a controlled, realistic environment.

Project Objectives:

• AI-powered Virtual Patients for Training: The project develops a VP system that simulates realistic psychiatric patient interactions, including verbal and non-verbal communication, to train clinicians in key communication skills.
• Multimodal Data Capture for Skill Assessment: VirtuVP collects speech, gaze, facial expressions, and body movements to analyze communication effectiveness.
• Machine Learning for Automatic Assessment: Advanced machine learning models evaluate the clinician’s performance in areas such as empathy, engagement, and therapeutic communication.
• Personalized Training and Feedback Reports: The system provides real-time analysis and personalized reports, identifying strengths and areas for improvement

Impact:

• Advancing Medical Training: VirtuVP represents a breakthrough in psychiatric education, replacing traditional actor-based simulations with scalable AI-driven virtual patients.
• Improving Mental Healthcare Quality: By refining clinicians’ communication skills, the project enhances patient outcomes, adherence to treatment, and overall healthcare efficiency.
• Scalability and Accessibility: The AI-powered system provides an affordable and adaptable training solution that can be integrated into universities and hospitals worldwide.

VirtuVP offers a novel approach to clinician training by combining virtual reality, AI-driven patient simulations, and multimodal behavioral assessment, ensuring future healthcare professionals are well-equipped for effective patient interactions