KEYNOTE: NFL Alumni Association
Presentation: The Opportunities for Current and Former NFL Players Utilizing Immersive Technology
Brad Edwards assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer of NFL Alumni in October of 2022 and was recently appointed to the NFL Player Care Foundation board of directors. Edwards enjoyed a nine-year NFL career (1988-1996) as a free safety, including a Super Bowl Championship with the then Washington Redskins where he was voted by NFL.com (2016) as recording the #36 best individual performance in Super Bowl history. He was also a first-team USA Today All-Pro selection and a UPI first-team All-NFC selection. Additionally, Edwards was voted as the 1992 South Carolina (Statewide) Male Professional Athlete of the Year, the 1992 Sons of Washington D.C. Downtown Athletic Club Outstanding Redskin of the Year and is a member of the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame.
Prior to joining NFL Alumni, Edwards spent the previous 20 plus years in collegiate sports administration, including the past 11 years as an NCAA Division One Athletic Director.
He was most recently the Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics at George Mason University where he oversaw more than $50mil in incremental new business development. This included a 20-year arena naming rights deal with EagleBank, a department-wide shoe and apparel agreement with adidas, a department-wide multi-media rights agreement with Learfield Sports, and the first ever athletic training room service contract with Vivature. Also included were project specific fundraising and licensing initiatives to include a new center hung video board for the arena, new game-day locker rooms for men’s and women’s basketball, a basketball practice facility, and numerous other facility upgrades.
He was a member of the NCAA Division I Sport Competition Committee, served as chair of the Atlantic 10 Conference Sport Competition Committee, as well as served as vice-chair of the NCAA DII Football National Championship Committee.
Additionally, Edwards served as the Senior Associate Athletic Director and CFO at the University of South Carolina where he oversaw all business-related functions of the department, including Williams Brice Stadium with an attendance capacity of 85,000 and the day-to-day oversight of operations of the 18,000 seat Colonial Life Arena. He had co-day-to-day oversight of the design and construction of the Colonial Life Arena, oversaw all multi-media rights, oversaw major gift development, and played a role in all departmental strategic decisions including the hiring of coaches. Edwards also held the roles of Chief Athletics Officer at Jacksonville University and as Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement and Intercollegiate Athletics at Newberry College.
He also served for 3 years as the Vice President of Recruiting and Training at IMI Resort Holdings, where he led the hiring and training of sales executives and sales managers and where the company sold over $550,000,000 worth of luxury resort real estate during his tenure.
Edwards worked a substantial part of his NFL Career as a financial associate for the Equitable Companies, the Equitable of Iowa, and as a financial consultant for Merrill Lynch where he held series 7, 6, 63, and life and health insurance licenses.
Academically, Edwards has a Master of Arts in Education from Michigan State University, a BS in Business Management from the University of South Carolina, an Executive Certificate in Labor Relations from Cornell University, an Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership from MIT, and an Executive Certificate from the Harvard School of Business in Marketing Management.
Kessler Foundation
Presentation: Lessons Learned from Research Combining Exercise and Virtual Reality to Optimize Health Benefits: Dismantle the Complexity
It's no secret that exercise has long-term benefits across a myriad of health outcomes, including physical, mental, and cognitive health. It is especially important for those struggling with chronic health conditions, such as chronic pain or a neurological disorder, to maintain exercise and reap those benefits. My research involves the unique brand of exercise that seamlessly integrates with virtual reality to potentially boost the effects of exercise alone, and to make it more enjoyable. At Kessler Foundation, I am working primarily on two lines of research applying this technique to persons with neurological disorders to 1) improve cognition and 2) improve the lives of those with chronic pain conditions.
Tampa Bay Rays
Presentation: Exploring Virtual Reality in Professional Baseball: A Descriptive Account
I am a vision scientist helping athletes reach their full potential for more than a decade. With a Ph.D. in Human Movement Studies, and an emphasis on visual-motor control, I have successfully worked at the Australian Institute of Sport, Cricket Australia, the National Sports Institute of Malaysia and the Tampa Bay Rays Baseball Club to help enhance athletic performance.
I currently lead the efforts of the Tampa Bay Rays to promote the visual health and performance of both the Major League and Minor League baseball players. In addition to assisting medical professionals, I've developed and implemented a series of bespoke visual assessments to better analyse player performance within a high-speed dynamic sport. I also work closely with the coaching and player development staff to explore unique solutions through an evidence-based approach to enhance performance.
I've also worked alongside World Champions and Olympic medalists at the National Sports Institute of Malaysia and the Australian Institute of Sport. Based on their needs, I've been able to create training paradigms to better support their development and performance in events around the world. I have also been able to introduce new technologies and techniques to further enhance training environments, identify emerging talent, and help coaches to make more informed decisions.
I've been fortunate to publish several papers in world renowned journals, and the privilege to share my background and experiences at conferences, seminars, and as a guest lecturer/speaker at numerous universities and professional sporting organisations.
I can be contacted via email: vishnu.sarpeshkar@gmail.com
Atrium Health
Presentation: Treating Established Phantom Limb Pain with Virtual Reality: Feasibility of Outpatient Targeted Brain Rehabilitation
Dr. R. Glenn Gaston has been the Chief of Hand Service for the Department of Orthopeadic Surgery at Atrium Health - Carolinas Medical Center since 2008 and he is the Program Director for the OrthoCarolina Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship.
Dr. Gaston earned his bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Georgia where he was also inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. He then returned to his home state of Tennessee where he received his medical degree from the University Of Tennessee
College Of Medicine at Memphis. His internship and orthopedic surgery residency were completed at the Atlanta Medical Center. He was awarded a distinguished hand surgery fellowship at the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dr. Gaston is heavily involved in upper extremity research and has received numerous honors, including awards from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH). He serves as the hand consultant
for the Carolina Panthers and NASCAR. He was named one of the top 45 hand surgeons in the U.S. by Becker’s ASC in 2011 and has received the Faculty Teaching Award for Carolinas Medical Center Department of Orthopedic Surgery three of the last 10 years.
Dr. Gaston gained national recognition for the development and implementation of the starfish procedure which allowed the first amputee in the world to have individual finger control of a myoelectric prosthesis. Dr. Gaston founded the OrthoCarolina Congenital Hand Clinic, Brachial Plexus Clinic and the Reconstructive Center for Lost Limbs clinic. Recently, Dr Gaston has developed Targeted Brain Rehabiltation as a virtual reality solution for phantom limb pain.
XRWorkout
Presentation: From Virtual Reps to Real Results: Building the Regulatory Pathway for XR Fitness as Medicine
Rachid Akiki is the Medical Director of XRWorkout and Head of Regulatory & Clinical Affairs at 2San, where he leads global strategies for digital health and medical device approvals. A Medical Doctor with an MBA and a background in clinical trials and health tech, Rachid specializes in navigating regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies. His current work focuses on positioning XRWorkout as an FDA-recognized therapeutic fitness platform, bridging immersive tech with measurable clinical outcomes. He graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and Trained in Nuclear Medicine Trials at Harvard Medical School.
MIT Immersion Lab
Presentation: MIT Immersion Lab: Redefining Sports Science through XR and Fencing
Talis Reks is the Lab Manager of the MIT.nano Immersion Lab, where he oversees operations and supports innovative work at the intersection of art, science, and immersive technology. At MIT, he leads a cutting-edge facility that enables multidisciplinary teams to explore new forms of virtual and augmented reality experiences. He is also the co-founder and co-CEO of DreaMR Labs, an XR development studio focused on creating real-world applications that use immersive technology and game development to solve complex challenges. With a Master’s degree in Digital Media Design, Talis has contributed to XR initiatives at Harvard University, particularly in the area of public health. His work bridges creativity and research, driving forward immersive innovation through simulation, interactivity, and design.
At the MIT.nano Immersion Lab, XR technologies are actively advancing research in biomechanics, human behavior, and physiological monitoring. Through the integration of motion capture systems and physiological data tracking, the lab facilitates studies that reveal how people respond and perform within immersive environments. These experiences are not only used for investigation but also for developing, training, and evaluating human performance and decision-making. Current case studies span healthcare, sports science, and human factors, leveraging head-mounted displays (HMDs) and custom XR applications to create immersive tools that inform both research and real-world applications. These efforts position XR as a valuable medium for studying behavior, enhancing learning, and improving process efficiency across disciplines.
Arizona State University
Presentation: Unlocking Human Performance: 4D Volumetric Streaming and XR for Athletic Analysis
Jamol James is a former Trinidadian track and field Olympian, specializing in sprints and jumps, with accolades including a World Junior Championship bronze and NCAA finalist honors.
Transitioning from elite athletics, he pursued a Master’s in Media Arts and Sciences (Arizona State University), focusing on Extended Reality (XR) to improve athletic performance and injury prevention. Combining first-hand athletic experience with advanced XR training, Jamol is uniquely equipped to innovate in sports technology, supporting athletes in achieving peak performance while minimizing injury risks.
Tokyo Gakugei University
Presentation: Physical Education Dance Class in the Metaverse: System Development
Takashi Fukushima is a specially appointed assistant professor at Tokyo Gakugei University. He holds a master’s degree in sports and exercise science from the Technical University of Munich.
He researches the effectiveness of VR, AR, and Metaverse applications in education, especially in physical education. Involving many projects related to the area, his main work is to develop the applications as he was working as a software engineer in the past. At the same time, he is a PhD student at Technical University of Munich. He researches athletic performance analysis using pose estimation. His aim is to develop cost-effective and educationally / practically helpful AR,VR, and Metaverse applications for students and athletes.
University of New Hampshire
Presentation: Balancing the Brain and Body: Implications for Sports Medicine and Exercise Science
Dr. Sanghee Moon is an Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA. He holds a PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Kansas Medical Center and has extensive research experience in virtual reality applications, machine learning model developments for movement disorders, and cognitive workload assessment using pupillometry. His work aims to create cost-effective assessment tools using the state-of-the-art technologies to measure cognitive and motor performances and enhance therapeutic strategies for individuals with neurological impairments.
Arizona State University
Presentation: Convergence of XR and ML for Martial Arts through Motion Capture
Pavan Turaga joined Arizona State University in 2011 jointly with the Schools of Arts, Media and Engineering and the School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering. They received tenure in 2017 and were promoted to full Professor in 2022. Their research in machine learning has resulted in new algorithms for geometrical analysis of feature-spaces which leads to increased robustness in several end-applications. They received the National Science Foundation CAREER award in 2015 and were also named a 2024 Distinguished Alumnus by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, at the University of Maryland, College Park. Their work has received sponsorship from multiple US federal agencies including the NSF, NIH, and DARPA.
Schmidt and Hunter Biokineticists
Presentation: Can Virtual Reality Serve to Mitigate Injury-Risk Among Tennis Players?
I am an enthusiastic, professional, and highly motivated Biokineticist. I have worked in the sports industry for 7 years working with tennis players of all ages and abilities. Through my work as a tennis coach, I have gained invaluable experience as an educator, and I have developed high-level communication skills. As a Biokineticist I have helped tennis players recover from overuse injuries & created S&C programmes. I have also conducted biomechanical serve analyses to improve service techniques
Starting tennis as a junior school child taught me many lessons that I would carry through in my life. Hard work, never-give-up attitude and resilience were some of the most important skills that I learned. My passion for sports runs deep as I believe that sports can teach anybody the life skills they require to become the best version of themselves.
Through Biokinetics, I believe I can help people become the best versions of themselves by improving their quality of life through movement and exercise. Although my main passion lies within sports, I have a growing passion for helping people and making a difference in their lives and the world.
LifeMax
Presentation: Turning CPET into an Experience (Breath by Breath in the Metaverse)
Graeme Homann is a health technology expert with over 30 years of experience specializing in exercise medicine, human performance, and longevity innovation. As the founder of LifeMax, he has consulted for healthcare facilities, research institutions, performance centres, and leading sports retailers. Graeme has been instrumental in introducing cutting-edge technologies such as 3D motion capture, cardiopulmonary testing, and physiological monitoring across Southern Africa.
At the VR Symposium in Sarasota, FL, Graeme will be presenting on behalf of CORTEX Biophysik GmbH, showcasing the newly launched CORTEX C21. His talk, titled "Turning CPET into an Experience (Breath by Breath in the Metaverse)," will explore how advanced cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) technologies are evolving into fully immersive, digital experiences. His passion for bridging science, innovation, and business is also reflected in his industry blog, Get THE Measure, where he simplifies complex health technologies for real-world application.
NextGenSurgery
Presentation: The Science of Elite Performance
Richard S Hart BA MD FRCSC
Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic and General Surgeon
Founder/CEO NextGenSurgery Inc.
Dr. Richard Hart is a visionary leader and an internationally recognized expert in Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and General Surgery. With a career spanning over three decades, and having the surgical service he created designated a "Centre of Excellence" by Cancer Care Ontario.
Dr. Hart holds degrees from York University and the University of Western Ontario where he also completed General Surgery residency and fellowship training in HPB and Transplantation with the Multi-Organ Transplant Program and a further year as clinical fellow, overseas post Hammersmith Hospital in London, UK. He is a proud recipient of multiple awards, reflecting his contributions to surgery and medical education.
With passions colliding, he is integrating cutting-edge neurotechnology, bci, and psychophysiological assessment into the training ecosystem of Surgery culminating in the operating room. His pioneering work with NextGenSurgery Inc. aims to create a new paradigm in surgical education, focusing on developing elite performance in stress resilient surgeons and OR teams to address the problem of preventable harm.
The program and its DNA come from his own experiences and teachings as an elite athlete, Dr. Hart competed internationally for Canada in freestyle wrestling before becoming a surgeon. His unique perspective and experiences in optimal performance combined with scalable wearable tech and XR are at the heart of his IoSxT Theory, using neurotechnology and bci to train "the bidirectional flow of information to manage the requisite biobehavioral, cognitive, affective and technical skills for elite performance in critical moments using data science. Positioning him as a thought leader in the field, recognized for his surgical training innovations.
Dr. Hart’s passion extends beyond his professional life—he is also a dedicated father who enjoys spending time with his son exploring life's realities and wonders while instilling a philosophy of lifelong learning.
His commitment and passion for excellence, both in his professional endeavors and personal life, drives his relentless pursuit of innovation and the outer limits of human possibility.
University of Johannesburg
Presentation: Milliseconds Matter: Time, Decision-Making and XR in Sports and High Performance
Habib Noorbhai is a professor, scientist and academic in Health and Sports Science at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, and a Visiting Professor at MIT. He holds a Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of Cape Town and has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles. He has also presented his work at 40 national & 15 international conferences, and has supervised candidates from the undergraduate to post-doctoral stages. In 2021, he received the Distinguished Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teacher Excellence at UJ, and also won the Forty Under-40 South Africa Science and Innovation award in 2023. Prof. Noorbhai has developed several innovations in cricket science and health education (including a VR game for exercise physiology students). Habib remains committed to using data, science and technology to drive impactful change in sport and health.
Ringling College of Art & Design
Department Head
Virtual Reality Development
Ringling College of Art and Design
At Ringling College of Art and Design, Martin Murphy is the Drs. Joel and Gail Morganroth endowed Department Head of the Virtual Reality Development major. His experience in computer graphics spans over thirty years, with a sustained focus on real-time applications. He has been a product designer and producer for interactive media for a variety of clients. In addition to his current leadership role, he has served as Worldwide Director of Art for major games publisher. He has also collaborated as part of a leadership team at a game studio. Among his many accomplishments, he has contributed to the creation of visual effects for feature films at Warner Brothers Digital Studio, broadcast graphics packages for the likes of CBS, FOX and CNN, theme parks attractions at Walt Disney World, and the creation of more than twenty video games for Activision, Midway Games, and SEGA. More recently, he has put his skills and experience to virtual worlds and immersive media. Martin has nearly 16 years of experience teaching in Higher Education. He was an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago first, then a full time instructor at Ringling College, and he earned a Master's of Education at USF with a concentration in Instructional Technology and Simulation. Marty also serves as a competition judge for career and technology student organizations for high schools and middle schools across the state of Florida and Nationally.
IVRHA
Executive Director and Founder
IVRHA
Robert is the Executive Director and Founder of IVRHA (International Virtual Reality and Healthcare Association).
In 2009, Robert started Cool Blue Media by organizing the first social media conference on the east coast of the United States, leading to the publication of the text book, "The Big Book of Social Media Case Studies, Stories and Perspectives" and shortly thereafter the only printed magazine covering social media, The Social Media Monthly. In May 2016, he launched VRVoice.co, a content vertical exploring virtual reality in the enterprise. In 2017, Robert started the largest annual conference on virtual reality and healthcare with events taking place both in the US and Europe.
Prior to 2009, Robert was the Senior Director of Global Strategy and Development of IT at Conservation International (CI). Robert joined CI in 2000 to take responsibility for connecting all of CI’s forty field offices to the Internet with broadband connectivity. During his 10 year tenure, he built an international staff of 25 IT professionals.
Robert has over ten years of additional work experience as a systems and sales engineer with various companies including CMGI, Hughes Network Systems, ioWave and Raytheon. Robert has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Villanova University, a master’s degree in environmental science and public policy from Johns Hopkins University, and is ABD at George Mason University.
Location To Be Announced
Prof. Habib Noorbhai
Dr. Sanghee Moon
Dr. Carly L.A. Wender
Brad Edwards
Jamol James
Prof. Pavan Turaga
Dr. Vishnu Sarpeshkar
David Kopping
Dr. Richard S. Hart
Dr. Glenn Gaston
Dr. Rachid Akiki
Takashi Fukushima
Graeme Homann
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