Virtual herbal garden (Hayushasutra): An educational aid for Ayurveda students

TL;DR

A virtual herbal garden was created to help Ayurveda students learn about medicinal plants despite geographic and seasonal barriers.

Contribution

The development of an interactive digital platform featuring 3D models and multimedia for five medicinal plants.

Findings

The Virtual Herbal Garden provides an immersive and user-friendly educational experience.

The platform includes detailed information on five key medicinal plants used in Ayurveda.

It is expected to enhance awareness and understanding of traditional medicine in the AYUSH sector.

Abstract

The AYUSH sector relies mainly on medicinal plants and metals, which form the foundation of traditional healing practices. However, all plants are often inaccessible to many students due to geographic and seasonal limitations. To bridge this gap, Ayurveda Medical College, in collaboration with, Incubation Center and Engineering College, initiated a pilot project to develop a Virtual Herbal Garden a Solution for problem statement given by All India Institute of Ayurveda, under Smart India Hackathon 2024. This digital platform offers an immersive, interactive, and user-friendly learning experience, enabling users to explore medicinal plants in detail. The garden includes 3D models, multimedia resources, and comprehensive information on five medicinal plants: Cassia fistula, Ocimum sanctum, Aloe vera, Mentha piperita, and Azadirachta indica. The Virtual Herbal Garden is expected to become a valuable educational tool, promoting awareness and understanding of plants used in traditional medicine in the AYUSH sector.

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