A multidisciplinary team of student interns at Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) in Alberta, Canada developed a virtual reality wheelchair curling training application to support Team Canada's preparation for the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina, Italy. The project, completed during summer 2025, was carried out through RDP's Centre for Innovation in Manufacturing–Technology Access Centre (CIM-TAC) and brought together students from animation, computer programming, and kinesiology programs.

Animation students were responsible for constructing the immersive visual environment, while programming students developed the underlying physics engine and gameplay logic. Kinesiology students contributed expertise to ensure that the movement mechanics and training scenarios accurately reflected the biomechanics of wheelchair curling performance. The virtual arena was modelled after the actual competition venue in Milano Cortina, allowing Canadian athletes to familiarise themselves with the rink layout before arriving at the Games.

A key feature of the platform is its support for distributed training: geographically dispersed Team Canada members could participate in shared virtual training sessions, removing the travel and logistics barriers that typically challenge national para-sport programmes. The project also prompted broader discussions within RDP about the role of immersive technology in accessibility and adaptive sport training, positioning the institution as an early contributor to innovation in para-athlete preparation.