Firsthand Technology

Firsthand Technology builds virtual reality software for health care and wellbeing. Its virtual environments are linked to biosensors, with the aim of helping people take an active part in their own health. The company has spent more than 20 years developing and clinically testing VR as a way to ease acute and chronic pain.

What Firsthand Technology offers

• VR pain relief — applications designed to reduce pain and the need for drugs during treatment and recovery.
• Biosensor-driven environments — virtual worlds that respond to readings from the user's body.
• Clinical VR development — software tested in clinical studies, including with pancreatic cancer patients recovering from surgery at Providence Cancer Center in Portland, Oregon.
• Health and wellness VR — programs aimed at improving wellbeing and lowering care costs.

Who it works with

Firsthand works with hospitals, medical centres and health technology companies. In January 2020 Pear Therapeutics acquired its flagship pain relief applications, COOL! and GLOW!

Key facts

• Based in: San Francisco and Seattle, United States
• Experience: over 20 years of VR development and clinical trials
• Leadership: Howard Rose (CEO) and Ari Hollander (CTO)