Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Teesside University researchers helped organize a ‘hackathon’ on 4 and 5 July 2018 at Brunel University in London with an aim to develop virtual reality (VR) tools for patients.

The team, along with youngsters and adults with disabilities with their families and patients listed down issues and problems faced in tackling several health problems like managing pain, controlling movement and encouraging physical and social activity.

Consequently, developers were asked to generate ideas for digital and VR solutions to address these issues and concerns. The best idea will be selected to develop prototypes and present their solutions to experts in the form of ‘game jams’.

The VR4Rehab team will work with the chosen winners, bringing their idea to the public.

The hackathon aspires to coalesce developers in VR and digital technology with clinical experts, academics and researchers from the numerous partners.

Dr. Dido Green, specialist research therapist at the Royal Free Hospital and one of the projects leads, commented before the event, saying, “I am excited by the opportunities this project has to link experts in health, innovation and business to address issues confronting the delivery of excellent health care. Digital technologies and virtual reality are showing great potential to address the need for intensive therapies that can be delivered in accessible environments.”

This international project is receiving funds for three years, with the first year focusing on organising the ‘hackathons’ throughout Europe, the second year observing ideas sought from the ‘game jams’ tested across North West Europe, and the third year devoted to the winners working with the VR4Rehab team to polish and introduce their ideas into the market.