Meet the Project Team

Michael Loizou
(Principal Investigator)


Associate Professor in Digital Health at University of Plymouth

Marius Varga


Research Fellow at University of Plymouth

Praveen Kumar


Associate Professor at the University of the West of England

Om Prakesh Singh


Lecturer at University of Plymouth

Swen Gaudl


Lecturer at University of Plymouth

Project Summary

This project presents a unique and innovative approach to frailty prevention, combining immersive technology with low-impact physical exercises to enhance mobility.


By using a custom-made paragliding rig, complete with a genuine paragliding harness and integrating an immersive environment such as visuals and audio, the project aims to deliver a therapeutic experience that not only engages users but also offers potential health benefits through low-impact exercise. 

The project is divided in two stages, stage 1 is focused on creating a prototype to assess the viability of using the glider as an immersive low impact exercise activity. In stage 2, through a participatory design such as co-creation, the aim is to improve the glider assembly, to make it more suitable to older age users and also the inclusion of a robotic system that helps with the amount of power the user needs to exert in order to exercise. This will ensure that even patients with advance levels of frailty will be able to exercise. 

The project's greatest potential lies at the intersection between three distinct fields healthcare, technology, and user experience. Its focus on user-centered design and cocreation with the target patients ensures relevance and applicability to real-world needs. 

Furthermore, the project's co-designed staged approach allows for incremental development and validation, reducing risks associated with technology rejection by the patients. Overall, the Immersive Glider project demonstrates potential for a significant contribution on frailty mitigation and reduction due to its innovative approach and interdisciplinary collaboration.