Augment Therapy partners with Niantic to revolutionize physical rehabilitation with AR pets
Augment Therapy is teaming up with Niantic, creators of popular augmented reality (AR) games like Pokémon GO and Peridot, to transform physical rehabilitation. The collaboration integrates Niantic’s beloved virtual pets, called "Dots," into therapeutic exercises, offering patients a fun and engaging way to improve mobility.
Patients, including children and older adults, will interact with these virtual pets using Augment Therapy’s ARWell app. Therapeutic activities like walking, brushing, and throwing motions will be tailored to enhance patient mobility, making recovery more enjoyable.
AR + Physical Therapy
This partnership aims to blend the engaging world of AR with the practical needs of physical therapy, creating a playful yet impactful experience for patients of all ages. Niantic and Augment Therapy will pilot these Peridot-inspired experiences in clinical settings and conduct research to measure the effectiveness of AR in enhancing patient motivation and performance during therapy.
Multi-phase research will explore how digital companions can boost rehabilitation outcomes, with further developments expected to be shared soon. Augment Therapy’s mission to make movement accessible aligns perfectly with this innovative approach, bringing the magic of AR into healthcare.
About Augment Therapy
Augment Therapy was co-founded and is led by CEO Lindsay Watson. Lindsay is a former physical therapist that specialized in pediatrics for nearly 20 years. Taking that experience, she’s now a tech entrepreneur with a passion to drive change in the rehab industry by integrating innovative augmented reality technology into treatment.
What they’re saying
“We’re impressed by Augment Therapy’s success in using augmented reality for physical rehabilitation. Together, we’re excited to create engaging therapeutic experiences within the Peridot franchise that transform recovery into a playful journey, enhancing motivation and making therapy more enjoyable for patients of all ages.”
- Asim Ahmed, Global Product Marketing Lead for Niantic