Healthcare of the future no longer a secret as Health House opens its doors

"Health House is a unique exposition about the future of healthcare in cooperation with UZ Leuven, KU Leuven, the city of Leuven, the province of Flemish Brabant, imec, KBC and COI", Director Isabelle François mentions. "Technology already plays a huge role. Watches that measure our activity, 3D printed prostheses, they're all a part of our healthcare. And the effect of technology on healthcare will only increase. That's what Health House is about."

The new Health House boasts a myriad of different technologies. Next to informational screens, there is also a 3D cave where a 3D scan of the visitor is made. This scan is then projected and by using Kinect technology, the visitor can discover more about its own skeleton simply by touching the projection of his/her very own skeleton.

Another centerpiece is the digital dissection table, one of only two in all of Flanders. This table consists of a screen showing real body scans uploaded by UZ Leuven where visitors, ranging from experienced professors to freshman students, can have real operational interaction with.

Another room uses VR to show visitors exactly what happens in our brain during an epileptic shock and how technology can treat it. These VR applications were developed by Nanopixel whereas the immersive sound was developed by artist Ozark Henry, carefully coordinated by Wim Van Paeschen, KU Leuven's epilepsy specialist.

"We've paid special attention to making our exhibits as truthful as possible", Francois mentions. "This is imperative for one of Health House's key intentions: making Leuven's expertise in health tangible."

"Everything is digital, this allows us to be flexible", Isabelle François continues. "There are several different tours which can be initiated simply by a couple of mouse clicks. This way, external companies can use our infrastructure and upload their own content. Updates are also easily implemented as well, since healthcare is evolving at rapid speeds."

For the moment, Health House aims for an audience of professionals. It's still located in a temporary location which has its limitations. In about two years, however, Health House will move to the center of the city where it will open its doors to all visitors.