Visitors were able to map their health during HealthLab 2024 through various measurements and experiments. They discovered what physical exertion does to the heart and had the opportunity to measure their blood pressure. A special attraction was the VR glasses, which allowed visitors to take a virtual look into the heart and even take an educational walk inside a beating heart! Thanks to interactive sessions, visitors during Healthlab 2024 learned more about their heart health, measuring blood pressure, and using an AED.
There were AED demonstrations and practical lessons in resuscitation, where VR was also used. A large proportion of the visitors consisted of children and their parents or supervisors, and it was mainly the younger generation who enthusiastically took up the Philips AED. They were very curious about this device and curious where they could find this device in practice. Luc Geurts, Senior Design Strategist at Philips: “People could also search on an interactive map with all AEDs in Eindhoven for the location of the AED in their area. One of the children even wanted to immediately visit the local supermarket to look for the AED.”
Lifesaving skills
This time, HealthLab 2024 focused mainly on increasing awareness about heart health and the importance of knowledge about resuscitation. With interactive demonstrations, including AED use and virtual reality experiences, Philips and the Heart Foundation highlighted life-saving skills in an accessible way. VR, created from CT images, gave visitors a unique look inside the human heart. In practice, VR is already used in various places to provide support during heart operations.
CPR demonstrations
The importance of this event also extended to personal interactions, with Philips employees willing to give up their time to inspire and inform visitors. “In my work I don’t often come into direct contact with our customers or users. It is inspiring to speak to people who actually purchase or use our products,” says Roy Creemers, Senior Software Architect. “I am also proud of the products we develop and will promote them wherever possible.” Many people only know from television or the internet what to do during resuscitation. Only a few have actually taken a course.”
Yet this is knowledge that can save lives, especially since more than 100 people die every day from cardiovascular disease, according to the Heart Foundation. To change this, Philips and the Heart Foundation joined forces during the HealthLab event. Together they are committed to teaching visitors of all ages more about the heart and the crucial importance of rapid resuscitation in an interactive and accessible way. Interaction during HealthLab
VR and AR during Healthlab 2024
Liesbeth Bergmans, supervisor of the VR and AR projects, emphasizes how valuable the interaction with visitors and their personal stories is during HealthLab. “A mother told her children that this was the problem their grandfather had last week. They were immediately interested and wanted to know more. It was moving to see them trying to understand what happened to their grandfather.” Also present was a boy of about ten years old, who knew all the heart chambers and medical terms because of his personal experiences with heart operations. It was precisely those human stories that made the event extra impressive. Visitors were able to map their health during HealthLab 2024 through various measurements and experiments. They discovered what physical exertion does to the heart and had the opportunity to measure their blood pressure. A special attraction was the VR glasses, with which visitors could take a virtual look into the heart and even take a walk in a beating heart!
Heart for the cause
The employees who supervised the demonstrations during the event found the HealthLab an excellent opportunity to see how users respond to Philips innovations. “It gave a lot of energy. By being in the Philips Museum, as an employee of Philips, we engage in dialogue and tell our story, we create the future and it provides an opportunity for design and engineering to connect and share their stories,” says Judith Peeten, Experience Director. “It makes me very proud to work for Philips and it was a unique opportunity to connect with the users of our solutions.”
