GausScape: Evaluating 3D Gaussian Splatting for Spatial Understanding in Greenhouse Environments
In greenhouse horticulture, operators need to monitor optimal growing conditions for crops. Wageningen University & Research (WUR), together with 2 SMEs, is investigating the following question: what desired and undesired effects does a specific 3D technique (Gaussian Splatting) have on operators' work processes, perception and decision-making, compared to the current technique? The insights from this research may also prove relevant to other sectors.
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Gedeelde inzichten in interactionele en impactvolle XR
XR learning environments - such as VR simulations and interactive training scenarios - are increasingly used in health care, communication, safety and public services. They help professionals practise difficult conversations, analyse complex situations and experiment safely with new behaviour. Despite this growth, it is not yet sufficiently clear which didactic and design choices make these environments effective, inclusive and responsible. The project Gedeelde inzichten in interactionele en impactvolle XR investigates how immersive learning environments can be designed to support learning, reflection and meaningful professional practice. The focus is not on the technology, but on the experience of users: how they navigate, interpret, process feedback and gain insight into digital decision-making processes. Together with XR creators and partners from the health care and public sectors, we analyse existing applications - such as VR-Gedeelde Smart and the BEP environments - and gather experiences from designers, health care professionals, communication advisers and environmental analysts. We build on existing, long-used XR learning environments and a proven collaboration, so that we do not need to develop new technology and can devote resources fully to research, analysis and validation. By linking their practical knowledge to insights from conversation analysis, user experience design, adoption theories and smart education, we develop and validate a set of generic design and didactic principles for effective and responsible XR learning environments. These principles address, among other things, clarity, interaction, reflection, accessibility and value-conscious design. The results yield scalable knowledge for the broad XR sector: from design studios and public organisations to educators working with immersive technology. In doing so, the project contributes to a more responsible and inclusive use of XR in society and offers concrete tools for digital decision-making and complex communication.
The Locus Of Fear 7 (TLOF_7)
One example is the project The Locus of Fear, in which UMC Amsterdam collaborates with the University of Twente and 2 IX creators from the cultural and creative industries. In this practice-based artistic research project, they explore how IX can help us better understand and measure experiences of fear.
To what degree do interactive agents enhance the willingness-to-adopt IX?
IX environments have the potential to transform how people train physical, interactive skills - from surgery to team sports. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, working with movement scientists, IX developers and a user-experience designer, is investigating whether interactive avatars that physically respond to a user's movements can make XR training more engaging and effective. The test case is a football training exercise in which participants learn to make themselves available for a pass - with and without virtual defenders that move in response.
Responsible Immersive Support for Firefighter Retreat under Unreliable Spatial and Communication Information
Firefighters retreating from a building operate under extreme time pressure, poor visibility and high mental strain - precisely when positioning and communication can become unreliable. The University of Twente is researching how immersive systems can make this uncertainty visible and understandable, so that digital cues support decision-making without creating false confidence or adding to the user's mental load.
Ethiek verbeelden: bruggen slaan tussen analoge en digitale immersieve ervaringen
This project explores how analogue and digital forms of immersive experiences can reinforce each other within an educational context. The central research question is how human interaction, empathy and ethics can be preserved when traditional role-play scenarios are enhanced with digital components. The project aims to develop an integrated model that makes optimal use of both the power of face-to-face role-play and the possibilities of digital immersion. The previously developed IX 'De Lifetimer' serves as a test case for an analogue immersive experience in which participants use physical aids, such as name tags and simple props. This setting emphasises closeness, spontaneity and emotional engagement. The workings and impact of these low-tech elements are systematically examined in terms of immersion, imaginative power and emotional response. In parallel, the project explores how similar effects can be achieved digitally, for example through visual effects or immersive audio. These digital approaches are tested and evaluated through proof-of-concepts. Ultimately, the project will develop a hybrid bridging model that meaningfully connects the analogue and digital IX worlds and encourages exchange between the two domains. The intended outcomes include: a theoretical framework for hybrid immersive learning experiences, a series of proof-of-concepts demonstrating practical applicability, and a growing network of analogue and digital creators. In doing so, the project makes a concrete contribution to the development of responsible, future-proof immersive experiences in educational settings.
Van ethische dilemma’s naar toekomstdenken: immersieve technologie als katalysator voor inclusieve besluitvorming
Technological innovations bring urgent ethical questions with them. These questions call not only for judgements about what is desirable, but also for anticipating possible futures and the values at the heart of them. A key barrier to inclusive decision-making is the lack of future consciousness and ethical capacity. Many people struggle to imagine the implications of technology. Non-users in particular experience a knowledge gap and don't feel entitled to a voice in the conversation, even though they are the ones who bear the impact of that technology. This problem is compounded by the fact that the future of a technology is often shaped by a handful of companies with business models that fuel polarisation and digital dependency, while environmental impact and social costs are externalised. This increases the risk of one-sided decision-making. The project applies ethics-by-design by actively and inclusively involving city residents in exploring the ethical dilemmas raised by emerging technology. We treat social friction as a source of innovation and link technology development to values such as safety, power and inclusion. The research focuses on expanding people's capacity for imagination through two 'Moral Labs': 1 - A traditional presentation (image and text), followed by a discussion; 2 - An immersive presentation in Virtual Reality (VR), followed by a discussion. In both scenarios, multiple participants will discuss their positions and the moral dilemmas together. The VR intervention uses multiplayer functionality to create social presence. By running a moderated split test across these two scenarios, this research measures the effectiveness of an immersive experience against a traditional presentation. The richness of both conversations is analysed using Ahvenharju's (2018) five dimensions of future consciousness and the LIWC tool (Boyd, 2022). The results offer insight into how immersive technology can contribute to inclusive ethical dialogue and democratic decision-making.