Virtual Medicine Center at SIGGRAPH 2025: Exploring the Future of Health and Technology

The Virtual Medicine Center (HUG) recently participated in SIGGRAPH 2025 in Vancouver 🇨🇦, followed by a visit to The University of British Columbia (UBC).

At SIGGRAPH, the center contributed to the session “SIGGRAPH for Health: Engaging Successfully in the Next Disruptions”, which explored how computer graphics, extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping the future of healthcare.

The session was organized by Nicolas Henchoz (EPFL+ECAL Lab) and hosted by Thomas Schneider, bringing together experts from multiple disciplines. Speakers included Claudia Krebs (UBC), Till Schnabel (ETH Zurich), Marta Syrko (via video), and Kendall Ho (UBC), with the participation of Yannis Ioannidis (President of ACM SIGGRAPH), who emphasized health as an emerging priority theme at SIGGRAPH.

The session also featured active contributions from numerous participants, whose perspectives and discussions helped shape a rich exchange around the future of health and technology.

Additional highlights from SIGGRAPH included hands-on demonstrations of Meta’s latest prototypes (Boba 3 and Tiramisu) and immersive installations such as the VR adaptation of The Grinning Man presented by Mike Richardson. These exhibits showcased cutting-edge developments in immersive media and their potential applications in healthcare education and practice.

This visit marked an important step in strengthening links between Swiss and Canadian innovation communities, fostering dialogue and collaboration on the future of digital health.