MANDALUYONG, Philippines—In an effort to enhance its blood services by embracing technology and innovation, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) National Blood Services made another significant milestone in the country’s blood donation history as it formally introduced the Hololens Mixed Reality Headset for blood donors in partnership with Abbott to media partners and PRC Chapter representatives on October 15.

This technological advancement aims to improve the overall blood donation experience of donors by reducing anxiety and making blood donation fun and relaxing.

“We’re always first, always ready, and always there. For the first time in the Philippines, we are introducing this innovation with Abbott to encourage more people to donate blood and save lives. At the Red Cross, we elevate expectations and ensure we’re always ahead of the curve. This breakthrough will be the starting point of more advancements when it comes to intensifying our blood donation campaign,” remarked PRC Chairman and CEO Richard “Dick” Gordon.

“The PRC remains the leading blood supplier in the country. In 2023, the PRC collected 47% of the country’s total blood collection—a remarkable 538,769 blood units. Of this, 19% came from walk-in donors. To sustain and grow these numbers, the PRC is committed to innovating the donation process through technology. We aim to attract more young donors and ease any anxiety they may feel about giving blood and make people realize that donating blood must be a part of their lives,” added PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang.

“We thank the PRC for this partnership. Abbott continues to innovate to engage, attract, and retain our blood donors worldwide. Our mission is to transform and take blood donation into a new dimension. The PRC is the very first to adopt this technological innovation in blood donation in the Philippines,” said Abbott’s Marketing Manager for Asia Pacific Wendy Wan.

According to Abbott, mixed reality is similar to virtual reality but allows users to see the real world around them as they immerse themselves in a digital world. The experience is meant to help those who may be anxious about giving blood, providing a calming distraction and a fun way to participate. It also allows blood donation professionals to safely conduct the donation and interact with donors at every step of the process.

Additionally, the mixed reality uses Microsoft HoloLens 2 headsets, the world’s first self-contained holographic computer, enabling hands-free interaction with three-dimensional digital objects and a library of applications.

The new mixed reality blood donation experience will soon be available for people to use at select PRC blood centers, blood service facilities, and blood collection stations nationwide.