Samsung Electronics, working alongside global healthcare company Abbott, is bringing immersive extended reality experiences to blood donation settings worldwide, using Galaxy XR to make donating blood more comfortable and engaging for donors.
On June 2, 2026, Samsung and Abbott partnered with Korean Red Cross to conduct Korea's first XR-powered blood donation campaign at Samsung Digital City in Suwon. Held in recognition of World Blood Donor Day, Samsung employees experienced immersive meditation content through Galaxy XR while donating blood, with Korean Red Cross personnel on-site throughout.
Following Korea's launch, Samsung and Abbott are preparing to expand this program through upcoming activations at major global events in both United States and Malaysia, aiming to bring Galaxy XR donation experiences to more donors, healthcare professionals, and blood bank stakeholders worldwide.
How Galaxy XR Transforms Blood Donation
After putting on Galaxy XR, donors enter a calming, Zen garden-inspired virtual environment. Using only gaze-based interaction with no controllers and no hand gestures required, they plant virtual flower seeds simply by looking at them. Over three to five minutes, flowers and trees bloom around them as music created in collaboration with Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays throughout.
James Park, EVP of Global Mobile B2B Team at Samsung Electronics, stated that blood donation no longer has to be a stressful experience and that this initiative demonstrates how Galaxy XR can extend beyond entertainment and productivity to create lasting social value.
Miguel Carrazza of Abbott's Transfusion Medicine division noted that Samsung Galaxy XR, powered by Android XR, is well-suited for healthcare settings, allowing medical staff to monitor donors more easily while keeping donors naturally engaged during their session.
Samsung employees who participated shared positive reactions. Geunwoo Park of Networks Business said Galaxy XR made donating more enjoyable with something engaging to watch. Gangsu Kim of Visual Display Business, making his 20th blood donation, found gaze-based interactive content especially fascinating.
Since 2016, Abbott and Red Cross organizations have conducted blood donation campaigns across nearly 30 countries. Samsung and Abbott have now introduced Galaxy XR into donation settings across multiple countries, with momentum building ahead of major upcoming events.
At Augmented World Expo in Long Beach, California, running June 15 to 18, 2026, Samsung and Abbott will host a four-day blood drive bringing Galaxy XR donation experiences to thousands of attendees from across XR ecosystem. Later in June, at International Society of Blood Transfusion Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, more than 100 blood bank decision-makers from around world will have opportunity to experience this initiative firsthand.
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