HEAL-XR
Virtual reality therapy for people after limb loss, developed with surgeons and therapists to ease phantom limb pain and support recovery.
Figure: Johnsen et al., IEEE VR 2025 Workshops
Most people who lose a limb experience phantom limb pain, and it can be severe. HEAL-XR (Healing and Empowerment after Limb Loss in XR) uses extended reality to help: distracting from pain, letting patients see and move a virtual version of their missing limb, and practicing with prosthetics, so patients and caregivers can return to productive lives.
With orthopedic surgeons and therapists at OrthoCarolina’s Reconstructive Center for Lost Limbs, the lab developed a hands-free, gaze-controlled virtual reality therapy called Targeted Brain Rehabilitation. It guides patients through limb-recognition, imagery and mirror-therapy exercises, and finally through moving the missing limb in VR. Clinical studies of the approach have been published in The Journal of Hand Surgery, JBJS Case Connector and the Journal of Hand Therapy.
The work received a 2026 Golden Helix Innovation Award from Georgia Life Sciences. The software is licensed to Axolo Health through UGA Innovation Gateway.
Publications
- An introduction to virtual reality-based Targeted Brain Rehabilitation to treat phantom limb pain in the upper extremity amputee population C. Chandler, R. Serbin, J. Frix, M. Siebert, K. Johnsen, E. Bowmar, R. Gaston, B. Loeffler. Journal of Hand Therapy, 2026.
- Immediate Postoperative Virtual Reality Therapy for Phantom Limb Pain in Multiextremity Amputees J. Frix, R. Serbin, M. Rieker, K. Johnsen, E. Bowmar, B. Loeffler, R. Gaston. JBJS Case Connector 15(4), 2025.
- Prophylactically Limiting Phantom Limb Pain using Collaborative Virtual Reality K. Johnsen, J. Frix, R. Serbin, G. Gaston, B. Loeffler, E. Bowmar, S. J. Ahn. IEEE VR 2025 Abstracts and Workshops (VRW), 2025.
- Targeted Brain Rehabilitation: Development, Feasibility, and Usability of a Novel Virtual Reality System for Phantom Limb Pain Management and Amputee Rehabilitation R. Serbin, J. Frix, E. Bowmar, K. Johnsen, M. Siebert, G. Ahn, B. Loeffler, R. Gaston. The Journal of Hand Surgery, 2025.
In the news
Kyle Johnsen receives a Golden Helix Innovation Award
Georgia Life Sciences recognized a gaze-controlled virtual reality therapy for phantom limb pain, developed with clinical collaborators, with a 2026 Golden Helix Innovation Award.
Presidential seed grant for HEAL-XR
Kyle Johnsen leads "Healing and Empowerment after Limb Loss in XR," a UGA Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant on virtual reality for people with limb loss.