SONIA: an immersive customizable virtual reality system for the education and exploration of brain networks

While mastery of neuroanatomy is important for the investigation of the brain, there is an increasing interest in exploring neural pathways to better understand neural circuitry and brain functions. Traditional 2D display-based neuronavigation software has limitations in intuitively visualizing complex 3D anatomies. Several VR/AR solutions have been proposed for neuroanatomy education, but comparable tools for teaching and exploring brain connectivity remain scarce and require more elaborate visualization and interaction strategies. To address this gap, we designed SONIA (immerSive custOmizable Neuro learnIng plAform), a user-friendly VR system featuring a multi-scale interaction paradigm and flexible customization of learning materials. Quantitative and qualitative user studies showed high usability, attractive visual design, and good educational value. As the first immersive system integrating customizable content and detailed narratives of brain subsystems for neuroanatomy and connectivity education, SONIA demonstrates new directions and provides insights for medical learning and exploration in VR.