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Kerstin Schmid*, Andreas Knote*, Alexander Mück*, Philipp Ockermann, Keram Pfeiffer, Sebastian von Mammen, Sabine C. Fischer; (*contributed equally) (University of Würzburg)
The lung is a vital organ and teaching its physiology to young physicians and biologists is essential. However, understanding respiratory processes requires spatial imagination and the ability to stay on top of various interdependencies. Experimental methods on the level of gas exchange units, the alveoli, are not always the most intuitive methods for teaching. To address this, we present the interactive virtual simulation “Alvin”. With Alvin, users can manipulate model parameter values and immediately observe the resulting effects. 3D visualization and graphs allow both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Visual hints link parameters, output, and the 3D model, to support building an understanding of the model interdependencies. Multiple simulation instances can be compared, increasing exploratory value. Pre-configured common disease patterns are provided. Alvin was successfully integrated into a physiology lab course, where students (N = 73) found it to be an illustrative and motivating tool to address respiratory processes. We believe that Alvin, and similar interactive models, have potential as beneficial extensions to traditional teaching.