15-07-2026
News
Built around the Healthcare Innovation Cycle developed by CIMIT, the VR Health Champions project supports the development of healthcare XR solutions through a structured framework that maps innovation progress across four domains: Technology, Clinical, Market/Business and Regulatory.
Within this framework, the Technology Domain focuses on advancing the maturity, functionality, integration and performance of XR healthcare innovations. Its role is to help innovators in the design and development process, address technical challenges, strengthen solution readiness, and support progression through increasing levels of innovation maturity.
Virtual and augmented reality technologies are moving beyond pilots and demonstrations. XR technologies are increasingly being introduced into hospitals, medical universities and rehabilitation centres. As these technologies evolve, technical readiness becomes an important factor in determining whether innovations can progress beyond early-stage development.
The Technology Domain therefore supports innovators in evaluating whether their solutions are sufficiently robust, reliable, scalable and integrated for their intended use and stage of development. By addressing the technological development process and challenges in a structured way, early and systematically, innovators can strengthen their solutions and improve readiness for clinical validation, regulatory pathways and market adoption. Together with the Clinical, Market/Business and Regulatory domains, the Technology Domain contributes to a balanced and structured approach to healthcare innovation development.
Besides the guidance on the process of design and development, VR Health Champions offers knowledge and capability in key technical aspects, including data management, artificial intelligence, interoperability, software and hardware integration, and system performance. Together, these activities help create a stronger technological foundation for healthcare innovation.
Building technological readiness for healthcare innovation
In VR Health Champions, the Technology Domain supports flagship SMEs developing XR solutions in areas such as image-assisted surgery, immersive therapeutic applications, cognitive assessment and medical education. The objective is to strengthen the technical foundations of these solutions by supporting technology development, integration, data management and system performance. The work is divided into several practical tasks designed to support technological development and innovation readiness.
One of the key focus areas is access to anonymised medical datasets and AI development. Through dedicated infrastructure and AutoML platforms, SMEs can improve AI-driven healthcare applications while working with clinically relevant data. AI systems depend on reliable data to learn, improve and deliver meaningful outcomes. Access to anonymised medical data helps SMEs develop solutions based on representative healthcare datasets while respecting privacy and responsible data use.
Another important area is optimisation of system performance, user interaction mechanisms and technical functionality. XR solutions must support effective interaction between users, software and hardware systems while maintaining functionality and reliability. The technological know-how also addresses interoperability. XR applications need to communicate with medical devices, healthcare management systems, and digital infrastructures already used in healthcare environments. Strong integration between software, AI, data and hardware systems helps ensure that solutions become functional, reliable and technically robust. Interoperability also supports the development of connected healthcare technologies capable of operating within broader digital ecosystems. For MedApp, one of the flagship SMEs in the project, the work includes development of a dedicated AR headset for image-assisted surgery and further advancement of medical navigation software. The goal is to strengthen technical performance, integration capabilities and operational reliability while supporting the development of specialised healthcare technologies.
“Technology in healthcare needs to work as part of integrated healthcare systems, not alongside them. Through VR Health Champions, we are developing XR solutions that combine medical data, AI and AR technologies with practical usability for healthcare professionals and patients.”- Maciej Stanuch, MedApp S.A.
The project also supports technical adaptation of XR applications across different hardware environments and deployment scenarios, helping solutions operate across a wider range of devices and technological settings.
Technology developed through collaboration
The implementation of the Technology Domain of the framework is supported through collaboration between SMEs, hospitals, universities and research organisations contributing technical expertise across different stages of innovation development.
Among the key partners involved are:
- Fondazione Bruno Kessler, supporting digital health and research activities
- Instituto Pedro Nunes, supporting MedApp with probe integration, MetaSkills with 3D assets generation, and MEEVA with product optimisation and performance improvement
- Lightspace Technologies, contributing XR hardware and display technologies
- Medical University of Lodz, providing clinical and healthcare expertise
- MedApp S.A., working on AR-assisted surgery and medical navigation software
- MEEVA, focusing on multiplayer XR experiences
- Metaskills, developing XR-based training and educational content
- Virtuleap, developing immersive cognitive and therapeutic VR applications.
Additional contributions are provided by partners including LifeScience Kraków Cluster, Medtronic, .lumen, the University of Latvia, and RTE Lab, supporting the broader development, integration, and validation of XR healthcare solutions. The goal is not only to improve individual XR technologies, but also to strengthen the wider European XR healthcare ecosystem through interregional collaboration and shared innovation services.
“The real value of XR in healthcare comes from collaboration between technology developers and clinical experts. In VR Health Champions, this interdisciplinary approach helps ensure that innovations respond to actual healthcare needs and can be implemented in practice.” – Professor Anna Zalewska-Janowska MD PhD, Medical University of Lodz
Technology Domain activities within VR Health Champions
Within the Healthcare Innovation Cycle, progress within the Technology Domain is assessed through a series of technology-focused deliverables and activities that support advancement across Innovation Maturity Levels. VR Health Champions contributes to this process by providing services and expertise that help innovators strengthen the technical readiness of their solutions.
Medical Data
The project supports secure access to anonymised medical data used for the development, testing and validation of AI and machine learning solutions. Reliable datasets help ensure that innovation is supported by clinically relevant information while respecting privacy and responsible data use.
AI Algorithms
AI development focuses on improving the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of healthcare solutions. By refining algorithms and strengthening decision-support capabilities, the project supports the development of technologies that are practical and technically robust.
Technical Functionality and Interaction Design
The project supports optimisation of interfaces and interactions between users and XR technologies, helping improve functionality, efficiency and overall system performance.
Solution Integration
Healthcare technologies rarely operate in isolation. The partnership supports integration of data, AI, software and hardware systems to ensure that XR solutions can operate effectively within existing healthcare infrastructures.
Augmented Reality Headset
The project supports development and adaptation of AR headset technologies for healthcare applications, including image-assisted surgery. The objective is to improve technical performance, functionality and operational effectiveness in clinical contexts.
Medical Navigation Software
These solutions are designed to support guidance, coordination and informed decision-making within digital medical environments, helping transform advanced technologies into integrated digital healthcare solutions.
From technology development to innovation maturity
Within the Healthcare Innovation Cycle, the Technology Domain contributes to the advancement of XR healthcare innovations by strengthening technical readiness, integration capabilities and technological maturity. These activities support the progression of innovations through increasing levels of maturity while complementing the work undertaken in the Clinical, Regulatory and Market/Business domains.
“Healthcare XR innovation cannot be developed in isolation. Real impact comes from connecting technologies, clinical expertise, data and user needs into one coherent ecosystem. Within VR Health Champions, this collaborative approach helps transform XR concepts into solutions that can progress toward real-world healthcare application.” Giulia Mezzanotte, Fondazione Bruno Kessler
As the VR Health Champions project develops, this work will contribute to creating XR healthcare solutions that are innovative, technically robust and better prepared for further advancement across Innovation Maturity Levels and future implementation within healthcare system.
