The problem
Important hands-on skills are hard to scale when training depends on physical sessions, low-fidelity equipment and scarce specialist availability.
Healthcare training
TrainTrach
Mixed reality tracheostomy training for rehearsing high-pressure bedside procedures with hand tracking, tactile props and realistic clinical context.
- Healthcare training
- Mixed reality
- Clinical input
Problem and solution
Specialist procedures need more than a video or a mannequin.
Tracheostomy care involves routine procedures and emergency moments where staff need to act quickly, confidently and correctly. Traditional training can depend on face-to-face sessions, basic mannequins and limited access to realistic clinical scenarios.
TrainTrach combines VR, audio, direct hand tracking and tactile objects to create a realistic bedside simulation. Trainees can practise procedures in a safer setting, while trainers can review performance and keep the experience aligned with established training materials.
The project was designed around the parts of tracheostomy training that are hardest to deliver at scale: urgent decision-making, physical interaction with equipment, consistent exposure to key scenarios and clear feedback for trainers.
The solution
A portable mixed reality training kit recreates the sights, sounds and tactile interactions of bedside tracheostomy care.
How we worked
The project was developed through SBRI-backed phases with clinical input, rapid prototypes, stakeholder review and iterative testing.
Hands-on
Direct hand tracking and real props support natural interaction rather than controller-only training.
Aligned
Content was mapped against established tracheostomy training resources and competency expectations.
Reviewable
Training scenarios were designed to be demonstrated, tested, recorded and improved with stakeholders.
What the training includes
A realistic bedside setup, not a generic medical scene.
- A hospital bedside environment with patient context, tracheostomy equipment, vital signs and procedure prompts.
- Direct hand tracking so the trainee can use their hands naturally rather than relying on game controllers.
- Tactile props and a physical mannequin approach to connect the virtual task with real-world touch.
- Emergency management and routine care workflows aligned to recognised tracheostomy training materials.
- Instructor observation, scenario recording and review so training can support feedback and competency development.
Trust signals
Built with the realities of clinical training in mind.
- Developed through the SBRI Simulation Technology Training Challenge.
- Shaped with Cardiff clinical input and public-sector stakeholder review.
- Informed by ICST, TRACHES, National Tracheostomy Safety Programme and Cardiff and Vale competency materials.
- Built around a realistic bedside scene, hospital sounds, patient context and tactile equipment.
- Designed for standalone, remote or instructor-supported use.
How we worked
Prototype, test, refine, then make the procedure feel real.
The early phases focused on the technical risks that mattered most: whether hand tracking, object registration, tactile feedback and multi-user observation could work together in a safe and usable training setup.
Clinical stakeholders reviewed the procedure flow, equipment, terminology and training priorities. That feedback shaped the modules, the bedside scene, the tactile kit and the way the product could support both standalone and instructor-supported training.
TrainTrach shows how Nudge Reality turns specialist clinical requirements into usable immersive training. The value is in the detail: matching procedure steps, making equipment feel familiar, and giving trainers a system they can evaluate rather than a one-off demo.