The USC Institute for Creative Technologies is proud to announce that Dr. Albert “Skip” Rizzo, Director of the Medical Virtual Reality (MedVR) Lab at ICT, has been elected to the 2025 AWE XR Hall of Fame, recognizing his pioneering work at the intersection of clinical psychology, neuroscience, and immersive technology. He will be officially inducted during the Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach, California, on June 12, 2025.
This honor reflects more than three decades of research and innovation that have defined Dr. Rizzo’s career—and helped shape the broader field of extended reality (XR). His contributions have demonstrated how virtual environments, once imagined primarily for gaming or entertainment, can become rigorous and effective tools for clinical assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation.
Leadership in Translational XR Research
Since joining ICT in its early years, Dr. Rizzo has led some of the most influential research programs in immersive therapeutics. His work exemplifies ICT’s mission to advance the science and engineering of human experience through interdisciplinary innovation.
Dr. Rizzo’s leadership of the MedVR Lab has resulted in the development of immersive applications in clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and neurorehabilitation—bringing together the fields of computer science, engineering, and mental health in practical and measurable ways.
He is best known for developing “Bravemind”, an immersive virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) system designed to treat military service members and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Built on cognitive behavioral principles and enhanced by multisensory VR design, Bravemind enables patients to engage with combat-related traumatic memories in a safe and controlled therapeutic setting. The system has been used in dozens of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, military medical centers, and university clinics, with research validating its clinical effectiveness over multiple studies.
Beyond PTSD, Dr. Rizzo’s work has addressed a range of health and behavioral challenges—including traumatic brain injury (TBI), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and age-related cognitive decline. His efforts have consistently centered on the translational value of XR—bringing lab-based innovations into real-world clinical use.
A Career Built on Innovation and Evidence
Dr. Rizzo began his career as a clinical neuropsychologist, with a PhD in psychology and a strong foundation in experimental research. His early work focused on cognitive assessment and rehabilitation following brain injury, laying the groundwork for his later transition into technology-based interventions.
By the late 1990s, he was among the first in the medical and psychological sciences to recognize the potential of immersive environments as therapeutic platforms. His work has since helped define a new category of evidence-based digital therapeutics—one that leverages simulation, presence, embodiment, and interaction in support of improved mental health outcomes.
Over the years, Dr. Rizzo has authored or co-authored more than 350 scientific publications and book chapters, and delivered invited lectures across the United States and internationally. He has served as Principal Investigator on multiple federally funded research grants from agencies including the Department of Defense (DoD), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and the Army Research Laboratory.
His long-standing advocacy for rigorous, interdisciplinary research has advanced both academic understanding and public trust in the role of XR in healthcare.
Bravemind and the Legacy of Immersive PTSD Therapy
Perhaps no single project better illustrates Dr. Rizzo’s impact than Bravemind. Initially developed in the mid-2000s with funding from the Office of Naval Research, Bravemind was conceived as a next-generation evolution of traditional exposure therapy. The goal was to enable clinicians to recreate combat-relevant scenarios with precision and control—offering patients a way to confront and process traumatic memories without relying on imagination alone.
The system uses 3D environments, spatial audio, vibration, and scent components to simulate events such as foot patrols, IED explosions, convoy ambushes, and urban firefights. Crucially, the platform is designed to be therapist-led, with clinical protocols that support gradual desensitization and emotional processing in a safe therapeutic alliance.
Over time, Bravemind evolved into a modular, scalable, and clinically validated system. Clinical trials have reported significant reductions in PTSD symptoms for participants using the system, particularly when combined with traditional psychotherapeutic methods. It is now used in over 60 clinical settings worldwide.
Bravemind has also served as a model for how immersive technology can be integrated into behavioral healthcare training, education, and research. By producing both quantitative and qualitative evidence of efficacy, the system has helped move the field of VRET from the margins of experimental psychology to the center of 21st-century clinical practice.
Expanding the Reach of XR for Health and Aging
In addition to trauma-focused interventions, Dr. Rizzo has explored how immersive technologies can support healthy aging, cognitive training, and caregiver support. His recent research includes the use of voice-enabled virtual agents—essentially, AI companions that can help older adults manage daily tasks and social isolation. In this context, XR is not just therapeutic but empowering: a means of promoting agency and autonomy for vulnerable populations.
As he described in a recent interview with USC Today, “We’re looking at a future where immersive technology becomes ambient—where AI-powered companions and VR-based experiences are as common in the home as smartphones are today.” The vision is not simply technical but humanistic: to design systems that amplify empathy, extend independence, and preserve dignity across the lifespan.
Dr. Rizzo has also been a leading voice in ethics, transparency, and user safety within XR-based healthcare. He has consistently emphasized the importance of protecting user data, validating outcomes, and designing systems that support—not replace—the therapeutic alliance.
Recognizing a Visionary in the XR Field
Dr. Rizzo’s induction into the 2025 AWE XR Hall of Fame is a significant recognition of these accomplishments—not only for the impact of his work to date, but for the roadmap it provides to future researchers, clinicians, and technologists. The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made lasting contributions to the XR industry across domains including research, product development, public education, and advocacy.
At USC ICT, Dr. Rizzo has long served as a mentor to early-career researchers and students, fostering a collaborative culture grounded in curiosity, compassion, and scientific rigor. His work has helped set the standards for ethical, human-centered immersive research, and continues to inspire new generations of investigators exploring the frontiers of healthcare, simulation, and experiential design.
Looking Ahead
As the field of XR continues to evolve—driven by advances in generative AI, wearable sensors, and cloud-scale simulation—Dr. Rizzo’s approach offers a foundational model: rigorous, integrative, and mission-driven. His work reminds us that technological innovation is not an end in itself, but a means to solve real-world problems with measurable outcomes.
In a landscape often dominated by hype cycles and speculative futures, Dr. Rizzo has consistently delivered systems that work—rooted in science, refined through testing, and implemented with care. His career stands as a testament to the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, long-term commitment, and the responsible application of emerging technology for public good.
The USC Institute for Creative Technologies congratulates Dr. Rizzo on this well-deserved honor, and celebrates his ongoing contributions to the advancement of immersive healthcare.
For more information about the MedVR Lab at ICT and Dr. Rizzo’s ongoing projects, visit https://ict.usc.edu/research/labs-groups/medical-virtual-reality