SoldierStrong announced the donation of the REAL® Immersive Systems to the VA Boston Healthcare System.
The donation will support U.S. military veterans receiving care at VA Boston by providing immersive virtual reality (VR) technology designed to enhance wellness, engagement, and mental health support. The REAL® i-Series delivers interactive VR experiences that promote relaxation, cognitive engagement, and stress management in a clinically guided setting.
“We’re grateful for this generous contribution,” said Matthew Edwards, chief of VA Boston’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement. “VR experiences can complement existing clinical care, offering our Veterans an additional resource for engagement and wellness support.”
The REAL® i-Series is designed as a flexible, user-friendly immersive platform that can be used across a variety of care environments. The system supports seated VR experiences that encourage mindfulness, emotional regulation, and cognitive stimulation through a library of guided immersive content. It is intended to complement existing clinical care by offering patients an additional tool for engagement and wellness support.
Virtual reality continues to expand its role in healthcare, particularly in supporting veterans who benefit from immersive and interactive environments that foster relaxation and participation. By integrating VR-based wellness tools into care pathways, clinicians can help enhance patient engagement and provide additional resources for stress reduction and emotional well-being.
“Veterans deserve access to every available tool that can support their recovery, resilience, and overall well-being,” said Dr. Chris Meek, co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong. “The REAL® i-Series gives clinicians an innovative way to engage patients through immersive experiences that promote calm, focus, and cognitive wellness. We are proud to support VA Boston in expanding access to these types of forward-thinking resources for the veterans they serve.”
This donation is part of SoldierStrong’s broader mission to provide state-of-the-art medical technologies to veterans and VA medical centers across the country. To date, SoldierStrong has donated more than $7.3 million in revolutionary devices, including wearable robotic exoskeletons known as “SoldierSuits,” which help paralyzed veterans stand and walk, and the BraveMind virtual reality system used to treat veterans living with post-traumatic stress (PTS).
With the addition of the REAL® i-Series systems, VA Boston will further expand its ability to deliver innovative, patient-centered wellness and mental health support to the veterans it serves.
About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong assists U.S. military veterans in taking their next steps forward in life after service. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help returning service men and women move in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards support of veterans so that they can better transition to and thrive in civilian life. Our organization works to remind veterans who have sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful. For more information, visit: https://www.soldierstrong.org/.
About VA Boston Healthcare System
VA Boston HCS provides comprehensive health care and services to more than 65,000 Veterans from the greater Boston area and across New England, including primary care, mental health, vision care, surgery, rehabilitation services, oncology and diagnostic imaging, as well as emergency services, long-term care and a spinal cord injury unit.
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