EU-projekt skal revolutionere undervisning og forskning indenfor healthcare
I EU-projektet LEAPXR skal 16 deltagere fra hele Europa udersøge, hvordan extended reality (XR)-teknologier og iværksætteri kan være med til at drive ny innovation i sundhedssektoren.
USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten is part of a new European research initiative that aims to revolutionise education and research in healthcare. The project, titled LEAPXR – Linking Education and Applied Practice for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in eXtended Reality, brings together 16 partner institutions across Europe to explore how extended reality (XR) technologies and entrepreneurial thinking can drive innovation in the health sector.
Researchers and experts at USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten contribute their experience in interdisciplinary education, digital transformation, and innovation, helping to embed XR technologies into both teaching and applied research.
Podcast on Spotify
The LEAPXR project officially kicked off online in March, and this October, the consortium gathered in St. Pölten for a two-day on-site meeting. Representatives from partner universities and industry collaborators came together to exchange ideas, align goals, and strengthen interdisciplinary ties.
During the meeting, the team recorded a special episode for the podcast 'LEAPXR Talks' that captures the voices, visions, and collaborative spirit of the initiative. Available on Spotify, the episode offers insights into the project's ambitions and the dynamic energy driving its development.
Vanessa Leung, Senior Researcher at USTP – University of Applied Sciences St. Pölten, shared her perspective on the transformative potential of XR in training and rehabilitation:
- Training is not one-size-fits-all. What the virtual environment can do is adapt to its user. We are trying to respond to physiological signals and the environment the person is in – either to calm it down or to stimulate it. That's where XR becomes truly powerful.
Annemarie Penders, project manager of LEAPXR, emphasised the interdisciplinary nature of the initiative:
- LEAPXR is, for me, the intersection of different disciplines – entrepreneurial as well as innovative. XR will become a standard tool in healthcare education and innovation.
Through immersive, lifelike simulations, XR enables healthcare students and professionals to practise complex scenarios, refine care processes, and tailor training to individual needs. This hands-on approach improves learning outcomes and enhances the quality of patient care. XR also supports collaboration across locations, thus offering new opportunities particularly in nursing and therapy.
Project page: https://leapxr.eu
