2025 Virtual Reality Expo: Accelerating Innovation in Healthcare

On April 25, Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada hosted the 2025 Virtual Reality Expo. A large group of the Montreal community of researchers, academics and healthcare professionals gathered to explore the latest advances in virtual reality (VR) and its growing role in clinical care. From easing pre-operative anxiety to use in rehabilitation, mental health and education, VR is increasingly benefiting patients.

Mia, 8, who lives with osteogenesis imperfecta, shared her personal experience with the technology. “Before, I was scared to come to the hospital. I didn’t like my treatment, but since I’ve been using the headset, I look forward to coming. I still feel the needle going into my arm, but just a little – it’s much better,” she told the audience.

Throughout the day, speakers presented their research and projects, followed by an engaging Q&A session with healthcare professionals. Attendees also visited a dozen booths displaying VR software, either currently in use or about to launch in clinical settings.

Creating these moments of exchange is key, said Argerie Tsimicalis, nurse scientist and event organizer: “We want to create a space where everyone can come together and connect, because there is so much innovation happening in Montreal – not only at McGill University, but across institutions and hospitals. We need to share our knowledge because we are listening to our patients, who want VR to be more deeply integrated into their care.”

At one booth, Lisa Blake, product director at Augment Therapy, introduced a VR platform originally developed by a physiotherapist for pediatric rehabilitation. Though it was designed for children aged 3 and older, the company quickly saw that adults and even seniors in long-term care were benefiting from its engaging exercises.

Elsewhere, Alexander Moreno, Ph.D., neuropsychologist at the Research Centre of the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, presented his lab’s VR tools designed for older adults navigating serious illness. While his research focuses on the elderly, the implications for pediatric care are significant. These non-pharmaceutical approaches to managing anxiety and pain can inform how virtual reality is used with children, particularly those facing complex medical treatments. Insights into how users with cognitive challenges engage with technology help guide the adaptation of VR tools for younger patients at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, making them more accessible, intuitive, and effective in clinical settings.

As the technology evolves, medical teams continue to explore VR’s potential as a complementary tool to reduce pain and anxiety in patients of all ages – providing new hope beyond traditional treatments.