Why VR Care Habituation Matters

Access to healthcare remains a major challenge for people with intellectual or cognitive disabilities. Anxiety about medical environments, fear of the unknown and sensory hypersensitivity create significant barriers: 30% of consultations fail for these populations, and care avoidance is twice as high as in the general population.

The consequences are severe: delayed diagnoses, "blank" consultations (the patient is present but care is impossible), increased use of restraint or sedation, and burnout among care teams. This is a public health issue affecting hundreds of thousands of people in France.

Faced with this reality, virtual reality offers a radically new approach: allowing patients to discover and become familiar with the medical environment before physically encountering it.

The easycare360 Methodology

easycare360 is a VR-based care habituation solution initiated by the Lab Saint-Hélier, the innovation laboratory of the Saint-Hélier Foundation in Rennes, and technically developed by explorations360. This Breton partnership — two organizations based in Brittany pooling their expertise — is built on a simple yet powerful principle: immersing patients in a faithful reproduction of the consultation they will experience, filmed in 360° video in real medical environments.

The kit includes preconfigured VR headsets (HTC Vive Flow and Pico G3), a control tablet that allows the companion to manage the experience in real time, and immersive scenarios covering 6 medical specialties. Everything works without an internet connection and can be set up in minutes.

The companion sees on the tablet exactly what the patient sees in the headset. They can adjust the pace, pause, or go back. Each scenario is available with a full or simplified voice-over, pictograms and interactive pauses, adapted to each user's sensory and cognitive profile.

The 6 Medical Specialties Covered

The easycare360 scenarios cover the consultations most frequently associated with anxiety for people with disabilities:

  • Dental care: from the waiting room to the chair, including sounds and instruments
  • Ophthalmology: visual exams, measurement devices, proximity of the practitioner
  • General medicine: the standard consultation, auscultation, blood pressure measurement
  • Nursing care: injections, blood draws, bandaging
  • Gynecology: a particularly anxiety-inducing environment, handled with sensitivity
  • Health prevention: screening campaigns, the Handimobile van

Each scenario is filmed in real medical offices with real practitioners, for the most realistic immersion possible. The patient will thus find familiar reference points on the day of their actual consultation.

A Breton Partnership: Lab Saint-Hélier and explorations360

easycare360 was not born in a design office. The project was initiated by the Lab Saint-Hélier, the innovation laboratory of the Saint-Hélier Foundation in Rennes. Faced with the healthcare access difficulties encountered by the people it supports daily, the Lab envisioned using virtual reality and turned to explorations360, a Breton VR 360° specialist, for the technical development of the solution.

It is this geographical proximity — two organizations based in Brittany, just a few dozen kilometers apart — that made such close collaboration possible. Lab Saint-Hélier contributed its clinical expertise, its network of pilot facilities and its deep understanding of the needs of the people it supports. explorations360 designed the technological solution, the immersive scenarios and the tablet-based control system. This complementarity of expertise — medico-social on one side, technological on the other — enabled the creation of a tool truly adapted to field realities.

Over 10 pilot facilities, 17 professionals consulted and 9 medico-social organizations participated in the design and evaluation of the system. The evaluation protocol was validated by the Rennes University Hospital Ethics Committee.

Results and Scientific Recognition

The clinical results are very encouraging. Initial studies show a significant reduction in patient anxiety, better cooperation during care and a decrease in failed consultations. Full results are currently being published.

This work has been recognized by the scientific and medical community on several occasions:

These recognitions validate the approach and pave the way for wider deployment.

Field Deployment

easycare360 is already being used in real-world conditions in several facilities. The system has been tested and validated with residents with disabilities, with very positive feedback from both users and professionals.

At the FAM de Chaudeboeuf, the Saint-Hélier Foundation and the Anne Boivent Association tested the solution with residents of the Medicalized Care Home. The sessions showed strong user engagement and visible calming effects during the real consultations that followed.

The all-in-one portable kit enables rapid deployment in any facility, without any special technical infrastructure. The headsets are preconfigured, the control tablet is intuitive, and the entire system works offline.

Structures 3.0: Institutional Recognition

In March 2026, easycare360 was selected among the 8 winners of the Structures 3.0 program, out of 34 applications. This national program, led by the French Digital Health Agency (ANS) and the Digital Health Delegation (DNS), identifies and supports the most promising digital projects for the medico-social sector.

This selection validates the relevance of the easycare360 approach at a national level and paves the way for enhanced support for deploying the system in new facilities.

The Care Habituation Kit

The easycare360 Care Habituation Kit is available starting at €2,800 excl. VAT. It includes:

  • Preconfigured VR headsets (HTC Vive Flow + Pico G3)
  • Control tablet
  • 6 medical specialties in immersive scenarios
  • Full and simplified voice-over
  • Pictograms and interactive pauses
  • Offline operation

A Custom Pack is also available on request: it includes the complete kit plus 2 bespoke content pieces filmed directly at your site, for an immersion perfectly tailored to your premises and practices.

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