"We combine the world of virtual reality and healthcare"
“Quality of life through inclusion” – under this motto, integra, Austria’s biggest fair for care, rehabilitation and therapy, attracted professionals from rehabilitation and orthopedic technology, care and therapy as well as interested private visitors to Wels (Austria) from June 5th to 7th, 2024. Representatives of the two Upper Austrian project partners, Business Upper Austria and the Education Group, had the opportunity to present VReduMED at this event!
The integra fair combines an extensive exhibition area with a diverse supporting program: Affected individuals, therapy professionals, employees from specialized trade and industry, as well as institutions and associations find innovative aids for all important areas of life that ease the everyday lives of people in need of care and people with disabilities, and support caregiving staff. Practical benefits and inclusive application possibilities are the main focus of the event. The offerings for the professional audience are complemented by an educational and action program, as well as expert lectures, workshops, and discussion rounds.
The integra team poses with political stakeholders (Image Source: Messe Wels)
The Social Affairs Department of the State of Upper Austria also utilized integra as an important channel: “The priorities that we set in the social affairs department can also be found at integra: support in care through digitization, inclusion in the world of work and care and support of the older generation,” said Dr. Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, Provincial Councilor for Social Affairs, Integration and Youth of the State Government of Upper Austria.
For VReduMED’s Austrian project partners, this focus of the state government and the associated opportunity to present the project on one of the days of the fair at the stand of the Social Affairs Department of the State of Upper Austria were of course a great confirmation of the work to date: It once again showed that VReduMED operates at the cutting edge of current trends and keeps practical needs in mind.
Astrid Leeb (Education Group) and Dominik Mayrhofer (MedTech-Cluster of Business Upper Austria) at the VReduMED booth at integra
“We were on-site with two VR glasses and presented some applications that have proven particularly successful in our previous VReduMED events and that we have already defined as good practice examples in the project,” summarizes Astrid Leeb, project manager on behalf of Education Group GmbH. For example, fair visitors were able to try out an anatomy trainer or a VR app for fall prevention. “We were of course particularly pleased that the Upper Austrian State Councilor for Social Affairs, Dr. Hattmannsdorfer, also took the time to try out an app and gain practical insights into the work of the VReduMED team!”
Dr. Hattmannsdorfer, Upper Austrian Councilor for Social Affairs, experiencing VR assisted by the VReduMED staff (Image Source: Messe Wels)
At integra, it also became evident that nursing students, in particular, are very open to the use of VR: They greatly appreciated the opportunity to make their first attempts with a VR headset in a protected environment or to get to know apps that could be helpful in their practice. Most notable, the anatomy app with the option of training the exact location of muscles, for example, brings considerable added value and was used and tested with enthusiasm!
More information about this event can be found on www.integra.at!
Integra visitors experiencing VR-apps