ReVRlution: Changing the Game for Wheelchair Sport
A QUT Sport & Innovation Central Brisbane ProtoComp 2025 success story
In Semester One 2025, as part of the Sport Innovation ProtoComp, a collaboration between QUT Sport and Innovation Central Brisbane, student innovators came together to tackle one big question:
How might we create a smarter, more inclusive, and sustainable sporting experience that enhances performance, event operations, and spectator engagement while ensuring lasting regional impact?
Among the standout teams was ReVRlution, who took on one of the most significant challenges in wheelchair sport – the accessibility gap caused by high equipment costs and limited training opportunities.
ReVRlution was developed by QUT students Long Le and Kailah Rushton, and VR Game Designer Jayce Rushton. Together, they combined creative communication skills, engineering expertise, and a shared passion for inclusive sport to design a solution with the potential to make wheelchair sports more accessible worldwide.
Long Le
Bachelor of Industrial Design & Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
Kailah Rushton
Bachelor of Communications
Jayce Rushton
VR Game Designer
From Pitch to Pivot: A Lesson in Human-Centred Innovation
Initially, ReVRlution pitched an idea to improve stadium accessibility for wheelchair users. But after conducting market research and engaging directly with athletes, they discovered the problem wasn’t as pressing for their target users as they had assumed.
This insight led to a major pivot, a real-world example of why listening to end users and validating assumptions early is critical in innovation.
The Solution: A VR Wheelchair Sports Simulator
ReVRlution’s final concept is a sports wheelchair simulator with VR integration. The physical system replicates the feel and movement of a real sports wheelchair, using sensors to track speed and direction. This data is fed into a VR headset, placing the user into immersive virtual sporting environments where every push of the wheel is reflected in real time.
Why It Matters
Many wheelchair users face huge barriers to playing sport due to the cost of specialised sports wheelchairs, which can exceed $18,000 per chair per sport. ReVRlution’s simulator changes that by offering:
• A cost-effective, versatile platform that can replicate multiple sports wheelchairs in one system
• Applications across athlete training, rehabilitation, inclusive education, and immersive gaming
• A compact, portable design that makes it practical for schools, sports clubs, and rehabilitation centres
By lowering financial and logistical hurdles, this technology has the potential to make wheelchair sports more inclusive, engaging, and widely accessible.
The Impact of the ProtoComp Experience
Working alongside mentors from QUT Sport, Cisco, and the broader sports innovation community, the ReVRlution team turned an early-stage concept into a tangible prototype concept in just twelve weeks. The process gave them:
• Real-world industry feedback from judges and mentors
• Experience in human-centred design and agile product development
• Opportunities to connect with potential collaborators and future supporters
Looking Ahead
ReVRlution is now focused on building a working prototype that demonstrates both the technology and its potential impact. From there, they’re open to partnerships, funding, and collaborations to bring the simulator to life.
With the right support, ReVRlution could redefine the future of wheelchair sport, empowering more athletes, inspiring young players, and creating inclusive sporting environments around the world.
