When you bring 3 year-old children and adults over 65 together in the same room, unpredictable things happen. But when you surround that space with immersive images, sound, and interactive environments projected onto the walls, the entire dynamic shifts.
That is precisely what EngAGE is about: a clinical trial investigating how play, intergenerational interaction, and immersive technology can be combined to improve mobility and well-being in older adults.
Led by researchers from Universitat Ramon Llull – Blanquerna in collaboration with Broomx, the project has just wrapped up a very special phase at Escola Bressol Municipal Can Casamada (Montcada i Reixac). This September, it kicks off again in other educational centers across Catalonia.
Designing from Reality and Co-Creation
Unlike traditional health programs designed strictly in a lab, EngAGE is built on participatory action research and co-creation (Phase 1). For months, a diverse team of older adults over 65, children, families, schools, sports science specialists, and healthcare professionals worked together to design the interventions.
This collaborative effort resulted in the one-hour sessions that now form the core of the study: dynamic activities that merge physical exercise with cognitive stimulation. Everything is set within Broomx’s immersive projections, transforming the room into an interactive space where participants can play, take virtual walks, or exercise as a group—all without the barrier of VR headsets.
Scientific Evidence: Measuring Real Health Impact
The project is currently advancing through Phase 2 (Clinical Evaluation), structured as a randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial. The main goal is clear: to improve the quality of life and functional independence of community-dwelling adults over 65.
To measure the effectiveness of these intergenerational immersive sessions, the research team at Blanquerna conducts comprehensive evaluations across four distinct timeframes (months 0, 4, 10, and 16), assessing high-impact clinical variables:
- Movement Patterns and Sedentary Behavior: Objectively monitored over 7 days using thigh-worn ActivPAL™ sensors.
- Physical Function and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: Assessing gait speed, handgrip strength, and balance.
- Mental Health and Emotional Well-being: Tracking indicators of anxiety, depression, quality of life, and reductions in social isolation or loneliness.
Demonstrating Cost-Effectiveness: EngAGE goes a step further in its scientific rigor. In a strategic alliance coordinated with the London School of Economics, the study incorporates an in-depth economic evaluation. The aim is to empirically demonstrate that prevention through technology and motivation reduces future healthcare spending associated with sedentary lifestyles.
The Role of Broomx Immersive Technology
Why use Broomx immersive projections over other media? Anyone working with young children or older adults knows that individual screens and VR headsets isolate users and create barriers. Experts agree that long-term behavior changes only stick when driven by intrinsic motivation and enjoyment.
Our technology transforms the walls of the room, allowing participants to see each other, touch, interact face-to-face, and move freely while strolling through a virtual forest, exploring an underwater scene, or joining an interactive game. Technology stops being the focal point and becomes the backdrop for genuine human connection.
The Role of Broomx Immersive Technology
Why use Broomx immersive projections over other media? Anyone working with young children or older adults knows that individual screens and VR headsets isolate users and create barriers. Experts agree that long-term behavior changes only stick when driven by intrinsic motivation and enjoyment.
Our technology transforms the walls of the room, allowing participants to see each other, touch, interact face-to-face, and move freely while strolling through a virtual forest, exploring an underwater scene, or joining an interactive game. Technology stops being the focal point and becomes the backdrop for genuine human connection.
Want to Get Involved? We Are Looking for New Centers
The impact of EngAGE shouldn’t be limited to a single facility. We want to bring this human and technological co-creation to more community spaces.
If you direct or work at a nursery school, primary school, residential care facility, or adult day center, your organization can participate in this scientific study on a completely voluntary basis.
Take a look inside the sessions:
If you would like your center to join this initiative, send us an email with the subject line “ENGAGE” to:
ignasi@broomx.com / mariagg@blanquerna.url.edu
We would be delighted to share all the details and get started!