Lucid Reality Labs at IMSH 2023: Patient Simulation Highlights
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From January 21 to 25, the world’s leading healthcare, education, simulation, and technology experts gathered both in-person and virtually for the 23rd Annual International Meeting on Simulation in Healthcare (IMSH) — the flagship global scientific conference organised by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH).
As the world’s premier forum for healthcare simulation, IMSH brings together professionals from across the spectrum — clinicians, educators, researchers, and technologists — to share the latest methods, evidence, and tools that advance training and improve patient safety and outcomes.
This year’s conference, hosted at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, reached a record-breaking attendance of over 4,100 participants and featured 140 exhibitors. Across five intensive days, attendees engaged in plenary sessions, immersive courses, hands-on workshops, research presentations, awards, scholarships, and networking events, confirming IMSH’s position as one of the most influential gatherings in healthcare simulation worldwide.
A Year of Innovation and Collaboration
The exhibition opened on Sunday, January 22, with a dynamic address from SSH President Haru Okuda, who added a modern twist by turning to ChatGPT to co-write a paragraph of his speech — a playful nod to the growing role of AI and emerging technologies in healthcare education.
The 2023 program delivered hundreds of sessions covering topics from VR for Interprofessional Collaboration and Distance Health Simulation to VR in Nursing and Forensic Education. These sessions reflected the steady convergence of XR (Extended Reality) and traditional simulation practices, illustrating how digital innovation continues to complement hands-on patient training.
Even as immersive technology gains prominence, physical patient simulators and manikins remain vital for medical education. Their realism and tactile feedback deliver critical hands-on experience, while XR adds contextual depth, dynamic scenarios, and remote collaboration. Together, these tools represent the future of comprehensive simulation training — blending physical accuracy with digital intelligence.
Alex Dzyuba, Founder & CEO of Lucid Reality Labs, shared:
“Enhancing physical simulators and manikins with advanced digital capabilities of XR technology can elevate the healthcare simulation industry to an entirely new level of immersion. While haptics are still evolving, a high-fidelity digital overlay can bring patient responses to life. Our goal is to deliver new tools that ultimately improve patient safety and outcomes worldwide.”
Alex further explored this topic in an interview with Lance Baily for HealthySimulation.com, discussing how VR and XR solutions are transforming medical device education and clinician training.
Alex talks more about how VR technology can help educate and train medical professionals on medical devices in his interview with Lance Baily for the HealthySimulation.com Press Box.
Top Patient Simulation Highlights from IMSH 2023
Gaumard Scientific – HAL® S5301
Gaumard Scientific showcased the HAL® S5301, one of the most advanced interdisciplinary patient simulators. The anatomically precise manikin features realistic human articulation and skin, speech recognition with real-time responses, programmable tears, and diaphoresis. Its full-body system replicates neurological, airway, breathing, cardiac, circulation, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, and trauma capabilities — setting a new benchmark for physical fidelity.
Echo Healthcare – Gwen Manikin
Echo Healthcare presented a diverse range of lifelike medical manikins representing adults, children, and infants of multiple ethnicities. The highlight was the Gwen Manikin — the world’s first child with Down Syndrome training simulator — advancing inclusivity in medical education. Each lifecast model achieved exceptional realism, enabling healthcare professionals to train for diverse, real-world scenarios with unprecedented precision.
SimCharacters – Emily and Paul
SimCharacters introduced Emily, a newborn high-emotion simulator, and Paul, a premature baby simulator developed with neonatal nurses and clinicians. Wireless and intuitive, these simulators enable training for spontaneous and pathological breathing, circulation, neurology, and movement. They embody the next step in neonatal care simulation — emotionally engaging, clinically accurate, and ready for global training use.
In Conclusion
IMSH 2023 reaffirmed its status as the world’s leading platform for healthcare simulation — a convergence point for knowledge, innovation, and collaboration. The conference underscored how traditional patient simulations and XR-enhanced immersive environments can coexist to create transformative learning ecosystems.
As the industry continues to evolve, Lucid Reality Labs remains committed to supporting this convergence — crafting XR solutions that complement and amplify physical simulation experiences, empowering clinicians to train smarter, safer, and more effectively.
With anticipation already building for IMSH 2024 (January 20–24 in San Diego, CA), the momentum of innovation shows no sign of slowing down. Next year’s event promises to connect even more experts, technologies, and ideas — showcasing how far traditional patient and XR solutions have advanced together to enhance patient safety and care outcomes worldwide.
About Lucid Reality Labs
Lucid Reality Labs is a visionary XR development company that crafts complex immersive solutions through spatial technology – from concept & design to development & support, with a strategic focus on Healthcare, Life Science, Aerospace & Defense, and many more. We equip industries with the boundless potential of immersive technology. The Lucid Reality Labs’ Team believes that XR can contribute to the improvement of the quality of life for people around the globe. With our mission of disrupting global challenges with responsible technology, the company delivers solutions with impact that elevate industries with immersive capabilities. Check the award-winning use cases created by Lucid Reality Labs here.
Authors: Lucid Reality Labs marketing team & subject matter experts.