Co-design and Feasibility Testing of an AI-Based Virtual Reality Application to Prepare People with Intellectual Disability for Healthcare Visits

Background: People with intellectual disability experience barriers in accessing healthcare. Virtual reality (VR) with artificial intelligence (AI) may support healthcare preparation for this population. Objective: To co-design, develop and evaluate the feasibility and usability of an AI-based VR application to improve healthcare preparedness for people with intellectual disability. Methods: Ten adults with intellectual disability completed the AI-VR experience simulating a general practitioner visit across three sequential scenes: checking in with a receptionist, waiting in a clinic waiting room, and consulting with a doctor. Participants interacted verbally with AI avatars. Semi-structured interviews followed each scene. Results: Participants valued the avatars' clear, patient communication and described the system as supportive for learning healthcare content and practising communication and self-advocacy skills. Usability issues were identified. Conclusion: AI-VR appears feasible and acceptable for healthcare preparation in people with intellectual disability. Refinements to system usability are needed to support independent use and broader implementation.