Events

Postdoctoral associate Erin J.K. Truesdell showed her collaborative alternative-control game Haber Dasher as part of the Indie Arcade exhibition at MAGFest 2024.

Drs. Hieftje and Marks presented on our work at XRPeds and the new Center for Immersive Technologies in Pediatrics at an event hosted at Mass General Brigham in a talk titled "XR and Kids: Design and Implementation Considerations." In their talk, they covered the expansion of XRPeds and the foundation of the new Center, and the triumphs and challenges of expanding access to immersive technologies within the Yale community.

Drs. Hieftje and Marks presented a talk titled “XR and Kids: Design and Implementation Considerations” at the Mass General Brigham XR network event on 12 December 2023. At this event, they discussed our process for development, evaluation, and implementation of XR-based applications focused on kids as the end users.

Dr. Hieftje discussed ethical considerations related to mental healthcare when providing “therapy” without a therapist with some amazing folks at ABCT 57th Annual Convention in Seattle on Nov 17.

Drs. Kimberly Hieftje, Steve Hollon, Skip Rizzo, Iony D. Ezawa, and PhD. Candidate Noah Robinson presented strategies and considerations on using virtual spaces to deliver peer-based support for survivors of trauma at the ISTSS Pre-Conference Workshop.

Dr. Hieftje discussed Debugged, a virtual reality (VR) game funded by the CDC designed to improve infection control behaviors among NICU parents. DeBugged leverages known strategies to enhance retention and efficacy of training through an immersive, hands-on educational experience.

XR Pediatrics was thrilled to host the Inaugural Virtual Reality and Pediatrics Healthcare Symposium on September 19 and 20 at the Yale West Campus in West Haven, CT, in partnership with the International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association. This two-day symposium featured talks and demos from more than 30 leaders in care, technology, research, and policy.

Dr. Hieftje recently attended the 2023 Games For Change Festival in New York City. This year's festival marked the 20-year anniversary of Games For Change and all of the amazing work they do. Hosted at the United Nations building in New York City, this year's event was filled with innovative and talented creators showcasing how to make a better place through their love of games.

XR Pediatrics Postgraduate Associate Joshua Rigsby presented at UCONN mHealth's 7th Annual Conference. His video poster focuses on our project, No Time Wasted, an Alcohol Harm Reduction game. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/p4Iw2Yjq8Lw

XR Pediatrics Project Director and Creative Producer Justin Berry presented with Maya Georgeiva on empowering the next generation through XR education at U Michigan’s XR Initiative Summit.