The procedure is only part of the challenge
Anticipation, unfamiliar equipment, previous memories and attention fixed on the clinical environment can make a short procedure feel much bigger to a child.
Immersive Smile Plus
A better procedure experience for children.
Children wear a VR headset and play in a calm, interactive world while nurses and doctors carry on with normal care. It is designed for the moments children find hardest, like needles and blood tests.
What a published study foundAverage pain score after a blood test · 0 = no pain, 10 = worst · lower is better
Standard VR5.0/10
Our approach: interactive VR with touch1.8/10
Randomized study of 50 participants during blood tests, published by Springer Nature in 2026. See the full results →
Published research
Springer Nature conference proceedings, 2026
The child takes part
A squeeze ball lets the child interact with the virtual world
Care comes first
Used alongside normal care, never instead of it
Open worldwide
Hospitals and research teams in any country are welcome
The clinical challenge
A routine procedure for a hospital can become a major event for a child.
Immersive Smile focuses on the experience surrounding pediatric procedures: attention, distress, interaction, cooperation and how the child remembers the moment.
The clinical team manages more than the needle
Healthcare professionals may need to support the child, reassure the family and maintain cooperation while also completing the procedure safely.
Families remember the experience
A difficult medical moment can shape how a child approaches future care. Better procedural experiences matter beyond a single visit.
Immersive Smile Plus
Immersive technology designed around the child and the clinical moment.
The child enters an engaging virtual environment while the healthcare team continues normal care. Research behind Immersive Smile explored how physical interaction and adaptive environments could go beyond passive VR distraction.
Immersive focus
Age-appropriate virtual environments offer an alternative place for attention.
Simple interaction
Tactile input can connect a physical action with events inside the virtual world.
Research-informed adaptation
Academic prototypes explored contextual signals and reinforcement learning.
Clinical-first design
The experience supports care. It does not replace medical treatment or judgment.
See it in motion
Two moments. One better experience.
Short concept films showing how Immersive Smile Plus is meant to feel for a child: one in the setting we have studied, and one in a setting we want to study with hospital partners.
Both films are dramatized. They illustrate the experience and are not clinical recordings or evidence of outcomes.
Clinical evidence
Evidence before claims.
The published randomized study compared static VR with adaptive VR plus sensor-enabled tactile feedback during venipuncture.
Two different groups of 25, not a before-and-after result. Findings apply to the study population and venipuncture setting and should not be assumed for other procedures.
Static VR5.0mean pain score / 10
Adaptive VR + tactile1.8mean pain score / 10
≈64%lower group mean than static VR
p < 0.001reported significance
≈ 1.53Cohen’s d
Hospital collaboration program
Bring Immersive Smile to your hospital.
We are building the next generation of pediatric immersive care with healthcare institutions, not in isolation.
Hospital pilot
Explore clinical fit, workflow and the questions an appropriate evaluation should answer.
Discuss this pathway →Research collaboration
Define a study question, comparator and meaningful outcomes with your research team.
Discuss this pathway →Procedure-specific development
Co-develop a new experience and the evidence its clinical setting requires.
Discuss this pathway →Regional partnership
Discuss market readiness, local requirements and training and support responsibilities.
Discuss this pathway →The people and the work
Built through research. Improved through experience.
Each step grew from feedback and research.
Early exploration
VR sessions and honest feedback: patients wanted more to do, not just more to watch.
Adding touch
A squeeze input let the child take part and see the virtual world respond.
A published study
50 participants during blood tests, published by Springer Nature in 2026.
Hospital pilots
Next: inviting clinical teams to test it where care happens.
Ready to share with your team
Take the evidence to your next meeting.
Open, printable and free. No sign-up needed.
Learn before you decide
All insights →Useful questions. Clear answers.
Research explainedWhat makes adaptive VR different?Ordinary VR plays the same scene for everyone. Adaptive VR can change as the child reacts.Read the explanation Reading the evidenceWhat does a lower pain score really mean?How to read the study’s numbers, and what they do not tell you.Read the explanation Technology explainedWhy does the child hold a squeeze ball?A simple action gives the child something to do and connects them to the virtual world.Read the explanation
Questions and answers
What parents and hospitals ask us.
Short, honest answers. For the full detail, see the clinical evidence.
What is Immersive Smile Plus?
A virtual reality (VR) experience for children during medical procedures such as needles and blood tests. The child wears a VR headset, explores an interactive world and uses a simple squeeze ball, while nurses and doctors carry on with normal care.
Does VR help with children’s pain during blood tests?
In a randomized study of 50 participants during blood tests (venipuncture), the group using adaptive VR with touch reported an average pain score of 1.8 out of 10, compared with 5.0 out of 10 for standard VR. This compares two groups, and individual results vary. The study was published by Springer Nature in 2026.
Which procedures has it been studied for?
The published study looked at blood tests. Other uses, such as IV cannulation, repeated procedures or recovery after surgery, are research directions that need their own evaluation.
Does it replace pain medication?
No. It is used alongside normal care, never instead of pain relief, anaesthesia or clinical judgment.
Is it suitable for every child?
The clinical team decides whether it suits each child, and the child can decline or stop at any time.
How can a hospital try Immersive Smile Plus?
Request a hospital pilot through the contact page or email support@immersivesmile.com. The team is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and welcomes hospitals and research groups in any country.
Who is behind Immersive Smile?
Immersive Smile was founded by Jaiyramanan Vijayaalayan, who co-authored the published study with Prasad Wimalaratne.
Published research
Springer Nature · 2026
Efficacy of Static VR vs. DQN-Enhanced VR with Sensor-Enabled Tactile Feedback for Pediatric Venipuncture: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Jaiyramanan Vijayaalayan · Prasad Wimalaratne
DOI 10.1007/978-3-032-10951-4_6
Collaborate worldwide
Serious research. Practical technology. Ready for the next hospital collaboration.
We welcome conversations with pediatric departments, hospitals, healthcare groups, universities and clinical researchers interested in evaluating and advancing Immersive Smile.