[Edaily Reporter Shin Young-bin] #Samsung Electronics held a blood donation campaign using Galaxy Extended Reality (XR) devices to mark World Blood Donor Day. The initiative aims to lower the barrier to participation among the younger generation by alleviating anxiety and fear associated with blood donation through an immersive content experience.

Samsung Electronics announced on the 11th that it conducted a blood donation campaign using Galaxy XR devices on the 2nd at Suwon Digital City, in collaboration with global healthcare company Abbott and the Korean Red Cross. This marks the first instance of using XR devices at a blood donation site in South Korea.

The campaign is being held for employees at Samsung Electronics’ nationwide facilities, including Suwon and Gumi, in observance of World Blood Donor Day on June 14. It is designed to help employees who feel anxious about donating blood reduce their tension by experiencing meditation-style interactive content while wearing the Galaxy XR.

Participants sit in a blood donation chair, put on the Galaxy XR, and interact with the content by gazing at a virtual seed that appears before their eyes. When they fix their gaze on the seed, it is selected and planted in the ground, after which a virtual garden unfolds where flowers and trees grow. A key feature is that users can control the experience using only their gaze, without needing to move their hands or use a separate controller.

The content lasts approximately 3 to 5 minutes. A serene space reminiscent of a Zen garden, combined with music created in collaboration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is designed to reduce anxiety during the blood donation process and enhance immersion.

Samsung Electronics views this campaign as an attempt to reintroduce blood donation to the younger generation. The company explains that it integrated the XR-based content experience into the familiar blood donation setting to transform blood donation from simply a “duty” into an experience people want to participate in.

Park Geun-woo, a project manager at Samsung Electronics’ Network Business Division who participated in the blood drive while wearing the Galaxy XR, said, “I try to donate blood at least once a year, but I used to get bored because I had to sit still the whole time.” He added, “Wearing the Galaxy XR while donating made it fun to watch, which was great.”

Kim Kang-soo, a professional at Samsung Electronics’ Visual Display Business Division, who was donating blood for the 20th time, said, “It was a new experience to try out the Galaxy XR while donating blood, and the content that changes interactively based on my line of sight was interesting and fascinating.”

Miguel Caraza of Abbott’s Blood Diagnostics Division said, “The Android XR-based Samsung Galaxy XR is a significant advancement that demonstrates new possibilities for mixed reality blood donation programs.” He added, “It features a design suitable for use in medical settings, allowing medical staff to monitor donors more easily and helping donors naturally immerse themselves in the experience.”

Abbott and national Red Cross societies have been running blood donation campaigns in approximately 30 countries since 2016. Recently, they have been working to expand the next-generation blood donation experience by incorporating XR and mixed reality (MR) technologies. The campaign in Korea is part of an XR-based blood donation experience program that has been conducted in major countries such as Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and plans to expand to more countries in the future are currently under discussion.

This Korean campaign was conducted as a pilot project in a controlled environment following consultations with the Korean Red Cross. Safety concerns and potential dizziness associated with wearing XR devices during blood donation were thoroughly reviewed, and Red Cross officials were present at the event site to oversee the entire process.

James Park, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics’ Global Mobile B2B Team, stated, “When the boundaries between reality and the digital world naturally blur, blood donation is no longer just a nerve-wracking experience.” He added, “Through this campaign, we aim to demonstrate the potential for the Galaxy XR to serve as a platform that spreads social value beyond entertainment and business.”

Samsung Electronics explained that this collaboration demonstrated the potential for the Galaxy XR to serve as a platform that connects technology, people, and social value, going beyond that of a next-generation device.