VR does not help with fear of falling

Executive summary

Welcome to your weekly briefing on the metaverse and spatial computing. Here are your snippets to sound smarter in meetings this week:

• This week’s stories: A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that virtual reality interventions significantly improved depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in older adults, though no significant effect was observed on fear of falling (more below).

• Event: Meet up with other industry professionals on 30 October in London! Can you speak on the topic? Let me know at tom (at) immersivewire (dot) com.

• Study: A study presented at the ACC Middle East 2025 conference found that virtual reality significantly reduced anxiety and stabilised vital signs in patients undergoing coronary angiography compared to standard care with medication.

This week’s stories

• A meta-analysis of 14 studies found that virtual reality interventions significantly improved depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in older adults, though no significant effect was observed on fear of falling.

• Augmentir has launched a new AR extension to its AI-native platform, enhancing onboarding, upskilling, and support for connected workers in industrial enterprises.

• HMS Co unveiled the SiNGRAY G2 AR glasses at the Augmented Enterprise Summit, offering hands-free digital instructions, remote collaboration, and a 1920×1200 BirdBath display powered by Qualcomm’s QCS8550 chipset.

• Innovate UK Immersive Tech Network, AREA, and Nexus University of Leeds will host Immersive Innovation 2025 on 12–13 November in Leeds, a two-day enterprise XR conference featuring demos, workshops, and roundtables, with expressions of interest open via this link.

• Salthill Digital in Slough is launching a free VR programme for 35 young people aged 18–25, using immersive scenarios, AI tools, and mock interviews to help prepare them for the workplace.

• Skillsearch has opened community input for its annual Salary and Satisfaction Survey, inviting immersive professionals to suggest questions over the next two weeks to ensure the XR section reflects the industry, with contributions welcome via this form.

• The University of Bonn, TH Köln, and MindPort have secured €2 million from NEXT.IN.NRW to develop Gen-AIvatar, a generative AI project creating lifelike avatars with harmonised voice, movement, gestures, and facial expressions for accessible use in VR and beyond.

• XPR Labs has launched Taebo Reboot: Master of the Elements in Early Access on 25 September for Meta Quest, bringing Billy Blanks’ iconic fitness program into VR as an interactive training game.

Note: The Immersive Wire is run by Tom Ffiske, who also works at Accenture. The contents of the newsletter should not be regarded as Accenture’s views.

All spelling mistakes are deliberate, actually.