Our Research

Using Virtual Reality Recreation Therapy to Enhance Social Interaction and Well-Being in Homebound Seniors

A Pilot Study by Vue Reality Labs, NTUC Health Home Care, and SUSS

Foo J J, Chew KH, Lim P, Tay J, Ma CHK. Using Virtual Reality Recreation Therapy to Enhance Social Interaction and Well-Being in Homebound Seniors. Journal of Ageing and Longevity. 2024; 4(4):373-393. https://doi.org/10.3390/jal4040027

Adult cancer survivors' perceptions of immersive virtual reality exercise and its utility during chemotherapy infusion

Ferrar, K., Lange, B., Beltrame, T., Buckley, E. S., Chew, K. H., Foo, J. J., Hollis, M. K., Kemp, E., Koczwara, B., Lim, P., Mizrahi, D., May, N., Thomson, J., Schumacher, J., & Hobbs, D. (2026). Adult cancer survivors' perceptions of immersive virtual reality exercise and its utility during chemotherapy infusion: a concurrent mixed method exploratory study. Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 34(7), 734.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-10920-7

VR for Stress and Anxiety Management

Exploring the Use of Virtual Reality for the Delivery

and Practice of Stress-management Exercises

Mindfulness-based interventions may benefit healthcare professionals with burnout symptoms. Virtual reality may reduce initial difficulty of engaging in mindfulness exercises and increase participants’ level of engagement in practice through immersion and presence.

Ong J, Doshi K, Chew, KH, Tay, J HM, Foo JJ. The Effectiveness of Immersive VR 360 Mindfulness for the Reduction of Stress and Burnout among Teachers. Mental Health and Digital Technologies. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHDT-10-2024-0026

VR for Acute Pain Management

Chronic Non-Cancer Pain (CNCP) is a common healthcare problem locally and globally. Despite its prevalance, CNCP remains poorly managed with over-reliance on pharmacological agents and interventional procedures. Effective management must be patient-centric, have judicious use of pharmacologiocal agents, and equip patients with active self-management strategies. Leveraging on the high fidelity medium afforded by Virtual Reality (VR), the project aims to develop a novel VR based application that will be an educational platform to allow the teaching of psychological tools to patients suffering from CNCP to increase patient engagement and receptiveness to psychological interventions.

Li LW, Beng MH, Singh PA, Koo SH, Sng BL. Evaluating simulator sickness and acceptability of virtual reality prototype in pain management in hospitalized patients. Pain Manag. 2024 Feb;14(2):53-63. https://doi.org/10.2217/pmt-2023-0072

Paediatric Procedures Pain Management Using Virtual Reality in Dermatology, Paediatric Wards and Clinics, Paediatric Surgery and Orthopaedic Surgery

Paediatric patients who undergo routine painful medical procedures, such as peripheral intravenous catheter placement or venepuncture, often experience anxiety and distress, increasing their risk of needle phobia and treatment non-adherence. Other paediatric patients with chronic conditions that require repeated invasive procedures or who experience chronic pain, may experience even greater adverse emotional or traumatic reactions. The pain and distress reduce treatment satisfaction for the patient, caregiver, and clinician. Hence, immersive VR is a promising and engaging intervention that may help to decrease pain and anxiety in children. With the advent of inexpensive consumer VR systems, the use of VR in hospitals and clinics have expanded.