MR headsets during blood donation

 

Blood Centers of America and Abbott partnered to use mixed-reality headsets to attract new blood donors on World Blood Donor Day.  The high-tech holographic glasses, developed by Microsoft and programmed by Abbott, create a virtual zen garden experience that donors can control with their eyes while they donate blood. The initiative aims to address the decline in blood donors under 30, which has dropped by nearly a third in the last decade and further decreased during the pandemic. New York Blood Center was the first to deploy the technology, with plans to rotate the headsets to donation sites in Houston, Chicago, and Columbus, Ohio. The mixed-reality experience is expected to appeal to young donors and provide a more engaging and enjoyable donation experience. The holographic lenses allow blood center staff to closely monitor donors and maintain eye contact during the donation process. June 14 is World Blood Donor Day, an annual global event that raises awareness of the importance of blood donation and honors voluntary blood donors. Visit bethe1donor.com/mixedreality to find out if the experience may be coming to a donation center near you and to learn more about becoming a regular blood donor.