LabTrainingVR: Biosafety Cabinet Edition vs Pixaera

LabTrainingVR: Biosafety Cabinet Edition is a free virtual reality course for practicing safe work in a biological safety cabinet (BSC). Its 1.5 hours of training cover identifying Class II BSC parts, maintaining positive airflow, preparing for work, applying safe practices, decontaminating and shutting down, and emergency shutdown procedures. The course is designed for laboratory professionals, including public health and clinical laboratory staff, safety professionals, and others interested in safe BSC use. It supplements CDC’s existing eLearning course on working safely in a BSC. Learners practice in a virtual laboratory without exposure to pathogens or risk of accidental infection or release. The course is headset-only, with versions for HTC Vive and Oculus Quest 2; the equipment guide also identifies Meta Quest 2 and above and OpenXR-compatible headsets. It requires 360° tracking and a play area of at least 3 by 3 feet, with 20 by 20 feet listed as ideal. HTC Vive and tethered-headset setups require Windows 8.1 or later, at least 8 GB RAM, and 20 GB available storage, among other hardware requirements. Quest setup requires Wi-Fi and a mobile device for initial installation.

Pixaera is a safety-training platform for high-risk industries, built around realistic workplace scenarios in which workers make decisions and practise responses. It records those decisions and links performance gaps to relevant safety rules and life-saving actions. Training is available as illustrated, animated Storybook scenarios or 3D, video-led Cinematic scenarios, in more than 42 languages. Organisations can deliver it through an LMS, facilitator-led classroom sessions, or a link or QR code. Learners can use a browser, desktop app, mobile device, or VR headset, including Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S. Most training works on iOS and Android without an app, though some modules are not available on mobile. The platform includes collaborative learning, authoring tools, learner analytics, and admin controls. It supports SCORM and SAML-compatible SSO, lists several learning and business-system integrations, and offers an API for two-way sync of assignment and completion data. Pricing is available on request; a free trial is offered.