Fort Worth’s Neuro Rehab VR Is Changing the Game in Virtual Reality To Improve Physical Therapy Recovery

Fort Worth-based Neuro Rehab VR has launched groundbreaking new technology that it’s calling the first virtual reality therapy system for neurological rehabilitation, physical therapy treatment, and assessment in clinical environments.

The XR Therapy System is both clinically validated and FDA registered. The startup said it aims to increase efficiency for providers while at the same time enhancing the patient experience and expediting recovery time.

On the provider side, the system has a proprietary data analytics portal that allows therapists to measure, track, and quantify a patient’s progress, according to a statement. It’s designed for clinical environments—hospitals, outpatient clinics, senior care living facilities—but is not yet available for individuals to purchase and personally use.

For patients, the therapy tech features fun and engaging virtual reality exercises by way of immersive games and activities. It’s meant to simulate daily living that is customizable and adaptable to a patient’s needs, ability, and targeted therapy plan.

And because it’s portable, patients are able to work on functional rehabilitation from anywhere in a clinic.

Veena Somareddy, Neuro Rehab VR [Photo: Skyler Fike]

“We can reach patients in critical need of rehabilitation with an engaging, easy to use system to accelerate the recovery process,” Neuro Rehab VR Co-Founder and CEO Veena Somareddy said in a statement. “With every minute spent in our virtual beach or serene meadows working on fun and engaging rehab exercises, patients are that much closer to reaching their therapy goals.”

According to Neuro Rehab VR, exercises that include virtual reality have evidence-based efficacy and benefits that have been proven through case studies and clinical partnerships.

It’s not the startup’s first foray into the space, though.

Neuro Rehab VR was created to provide comprehensive virtual reality solutions for patients at outpatient physical therapy centers and hospitals. The tech mainly focuses on physical therapy for upper and lower extremity, cognitive therapy, pain and anxiety alleviation, and behavioral and social skills training.

The XR Therapy System has gone through numerous iterations, the team told Dallas Innovates, but its release marks the availability of a solution that’s “more affordable than any other system out there.”

Neuro Rehab VR’s past system used HTC Vive, which required a computer, wires, and external sensors to be operational. This caused risk hazards, a cumbersome setup, and high costs, the startup’s head of Business Development Henry Weber told us.

Now, the XR Therapy System comes equipped with a wireless and portable virtual reality headset and mobile Samsung Tablet, allowing for users to take it on the go and use it in conjunction with other pieces of equipment in a facility.

The XR Therapy System is already in use at various facilities across the U.S.

“The user experience is now easier, more streamlined, and can be completely controlled and viewed through the tablet in our respective XR Therapy application and platform,” Weber says. “That is just a few differences with the system. Our software has had many new developments as well.”