The current uses of haptic-enabled extended reality technologies for developing professional touch within healthcare education: A scoping review

Gilbey, Marc, Palmer, Shea ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5190-3264, Newton, Christopher, Moody, Louise, Taylor, Natasha, Samson, Juliana and da Silva, Ksenija Maravic 2026. The current uses of haptic-enabled extended reality technologies for developing professional touch within healthcare education: A scoping review. Physical Therapy Reviews 10.1080/10833196.2026.2663685

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Abstract

Introduction: The development of professional touch is an important skill in the education of healthcare professionals. However, variability in clinical exposure, limited opportunities for repeated practice, and challenges in structured feedback and competency validation have prompted interest in simulation-based and technology-enhanced approaches, including haptic-enabled eXtended Reality (XR). Such approaches may also support patient and learner safety by allowing safer early skill development before clinical application. However, little is known about the scope of prior research in this field. Methods: This scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review template and methodology guidelines. Five databases were searched (CINAHL, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, IEEE, and AMED) to identify literature exploring the use of haptic-enabled XR technologies to support the development of professional touch skills in healthcare education. The search was limited to English-language publications from 1990 to March 2026. Themes were synthesised and reported using the PAGER framework. Results: The review included ten studies on haptic-enabled XR in healthcare education. Most studies employed grounded force feedback devices, demonstrating effectiveness in skill acquisition for palpatory diagnosis and procedural training. One validation study suggested simulator accuracy, and only one randomised control trial was identified and showed non-inferiority to traditional methods. Despite promising findings, limitations persist in feedback fidelity, long-term validation, standardised outcome measures, and economic transparency. Conclusions: This scoping review aimed to map and describes how haptic-enabled XR technologies have been used to support the development of professional touch skills in healthcare education. The findings show promise for enhancing training in professional touch. However, further rigorous and longitudinal research is required before widespread adoption can be recommended.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	1083-3196
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	20 April 2026
Date of Acceptance:	6 April 2026
Last Modified:	11 May 2026 11:26
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/186482

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