Healium partners with T-Mobile, transporting veterans to DC memorials via virtual Honor Flight
May 12, 2021 | Startland News Staff
Veterans living in rural America can experience the sights and sounds of the nation’s war memorials in Washington D.C. thanks to a Kansas City-area startup’s virtual reality technology, powered by T‑Mobile 5G.
“We are losing our World War II veterans at a rate of hundreds a day, and sadly many may not live long enough to be able to see their memorials in person,” said Sarah Hill, founder and CEO of Columbia-based Healium. “This is such a powerful application that can help us reach veterans, including those living in small towns and remote locations. While nothing is as good as a real, in-person Honor Flight trip, this is a beautiful way to take veterans there if they’re not able to travel.”
Healium is an early leader in Mixed Reality solutions designed to improve mental fitness. Since 2015, it has supported the volunteer efforts of Central Missouri Honor Flight, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring those who served and sacrificed for our country. The Honor Flight Network is a national network of independent Hubs, each dedicated to transporting U.S. military veterans to see the Washington, D.C. war memorials at no cost to the veterans.
Click here to read about a new partnership between the U.S. Air Force and Healium, one of Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch in 2020.
Launched in recognition of Military Appreciation Month, T-Mobile and Healium are equipping Honor Flight Network volunteers with VR headsets and Inseego 5G MiFi M2000 hotspots to allow veterans to virtually experience the memorials dedicated to them.
Because T-Mobile Extended Range 5G covers 1.6 million square miles, the toolkit enables volunteers to travel to remote locations, meet with veterans in their homes and run a high-bandwidth VR experience using the T-Mobile 5G network, according to the “un-carrier,” which operates the Kansas City-based T-Mobile Accelerator, as well as the T-Mobile Ventures investment fund, and is a co-founder of the 5G Open Innovation Lab.
Click here to read about the current T-Mobile Accelerator class, which debuted in early April. A demo day is set for the end of June.
“5G is the enabler for VR applications that can transport us to new places, giving us immersive experiences that better connect us to our world,” said John Saw, executive vice president of advanced and emerging technologies at T-Mobile. “We are delighted to team up with Healium and Honor Flight Network to help give back to those who have served our country. With 5GForAll we can bring transformative services such as this to everyone, including those living in rural America.”
This story is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.
For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn
Featured Business
2021 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Voting now open: Startup’s stem cell scaling solution vies for ‘Coolest Thing Made in Kansas’
An Olathe biotech lab is once again growing “Coolest Thing Made in Kansas” honors with its breakthrough technology to help researchers produce stem cells at a massive scale to help fight pandemics and global diseases. T-Blocks were announced Tuesday as one of the Top 32 contenders in the Kansas Chamber’s annual Kansas-made tournament, which highlights…
KC startup releases ‘eVaccine passport’ with state registry verification, alerts for booster shots
Employers and event organizers hoping to promote safety amid the flourishing Delta variant and the threat of fraudulent CDC vaccine cards have a new tool, said Jeremy Elias, announcing a Kansas City-built solution to track and confirm individuals’ COVID-19 vaccine statuses. TrackMy Verivax empowers businesses to capture data, track compliance, report on vaccine administration and…
A Bible parable helped connect vegan foods to Made in KC cafes; here’s how two sisters planted the seed
Now served at Made in KC cafes across the metro — from the brand’s popular marketplaces to the new Outta the Blue oasis and downtown trolley cafe — vegan goods from Mattie’s Foods arrive on plates thanks to growing hunger for more healthy options, as well as the wholesome ingredients of a community-built business. Between…
Midtown ice cream shop for pups churns out treats, therapeutic ‘doggo date’ spot for pets, people
Bad days especially call for ice cream, Sherri Corwin said, recalling one of her favorite self-care rituals and the way it became her freshly creamed, Midtown-scooped startup — a venture that’s left tails across the metro wagging for waffle cones. “People really do love their pets,” said Corwin, who in February opened Mixed Mutt Creamery —…