Programme

Funded projects

Here you will find our funded projects that (partly) have been made possible through CIIIC schemes: from research to demonstration projects. This page evolves over time: as new schemes go into implementation, we will add new projects.

AI-Avatar

Police officers are continuously confronted with unexpected situations in which they must act quickly, provide assistance and gather information. Realistic training is essential for this, but expensive, time-consuming and difficult to scale. With an AI avatar – a digital, human-like figure driven by artificial intelligence – officers can practise realistic scenarios using VR headsets. The avatar flexibly switches between roles such as suspect, witness, victim or colleague, and responds naturally to the officer. This allows officers to train their communication, judgement and decision-making in a safe, lifelike environment. This makes practising unpredictable situations more effective, more efficient and easily scalable.

AR Assistant

AR Assistant is the innovative application for AR glasses that can be used by police officers to visualise data sources as optimally as possible during daily operational activities. Thanks to the AR Assistant, officers can act quickly and effectively when needed. By simply putting on AR glasses, the officer is supported by notifications, alerts, predictive policing and number plate recognition. Safety on the streets and in public spaces is increasingly high on the agenda for government, municipalities and public institutions. The Dutch Police is an essential link in this. The police must stay up to date and carry out their work more efficiently so that they can continue to effectively combat contemporary crime.

AR Inzicht

AR Insight: Transparent Urban Development Siekerman Technology B.V. is developing an innovative AR solution that helps municipalities communicate more effectively about urban development projects. Users of new AR glasses see context-relevant information - duration, background and expected results - at the exact location of the works. Residents have the opportunity to respond directly and influence project information, as well as make contact with contractors. The goal: reducing nuisance through better provision of information and increasing support for necessary urban development.

ASA (Augmented Situational Awareness assistent)

ASA is an augmented reality assistant that supports police officers with direct and contextual information in their field of vision via AR glasses. Think of visual markers for exits, colleagues, vehicles or danger zones, plus subtle warnings for approaching persons outside the field of view. In situations with smoke or poor visibility, ASA improves orientation through image processing. At the same time, the officer can share live footage with the control room for better coordination. This feasibility study examines whether ASA is technically feasible, practically deployable within the police organisation, and whether it contributes to safer, faster and better-informed action by officers on the street.

CGI Indoor Explorer

CGI Indoor Explorer provides situational awareness during emergency responder operations by using IX to create one integrated shared view of the situation, in real-time and in 3D. Emergency responders are equipped with a 3D sensor that tracks their position and maps their surroundings. This view is monitored remotely in real-time. This offers value for the police and thus for the Netherlands. CGI Indoor Explorer is being developed at CGI as an innovation project. This feasibility study examines the commercial opportunities of this innovation and its operational value for the Dutch National Police. The aim is to narrow the gap between innovation and actual deployment.

De Sensorische Stad

De Sensorische Stad is an immersive toolkit aimed at young people aged 12 to 16. Through IX, AR, VR, sensors and a digital twin, young people are playfully engaged with urban issues surrounding biodiversity, climate adaptation and quality of life. At a hybrid play location combining both virtual and real urban nature, young people experience the value and role of nature in the city. They also experience how their choices impact the quality of their living environment. The toolkit is scalable, suitable for educational use, and offers policymakers insights into young people's perspectives.

EGG: Hoe een immersieve kunst beleving over transitie doorwerkt in het dagelijks leven van mensen en groepen in een wijk

EGG is a large-scale, sensory, interactive and learning art installation in the shape of an egg that invites encounter and conversation about societal system transitions. The sculpture has a smooth, organic form. Visitors can lean against it, climb on it and move around it freely. They can experience, through their senses, the 'hatching process' of an unknown, fictional creature inside the egg. Using augmented reality (AR) and sensor technology, EGG responds to heat, light and sound. This creates a responsive and partly unpredictable system that prompts spontaneous encounters and conversations among bystanders about transitions in the neighbourhood. In carrying out the project and the research, the Public Values Guideline for Immersive Experiences (CIIIC) is used as a framework for the careful handling of visitors, data and societal impact. Art and performance can have substantial effects on empathy, meaning-making and shifts in perspective (Brown & Novak-Leonard, 2011; Broadhead & Hooper, 2024; Norton, 2015). Knowledge about how such experiences carry over into everyday behaviour, social relationships and neighbourhood-based transition practices (Spaas, 2024; Horvath et al., 2025) is, however, limited. This research addresses the question: how do the installation and its development over time resonate through people and through neighbourhood-based transition processes (Vervoort et al., 2020)? And how can the effects of human-art interaction be understood in terms of values, relationships and community formation (scaling deep), as a basis for a meaningful translation to other contexts (scaling out) (Fraser, 2010 & 2023; Moore et al., 2015)? The research maps experiences, emotions, meanings and possible shifts in thinking and acting, and uses qualitative research to build on the data the installation generates: • EGG as Canvas: visitors leave written, drawn and material traces; • EGG Radio: a participatory platform where young people in particular discuss their experiences; • AR and sensor data: making interactions, attention and patterns of resonance visible.

Enhancing Authentic Learning in Primary Care: Real-Time Immersive Experiences in Family Medicine Clerkships

In medical education, too, much is expected of IX applications, certainly given the staff shortages in healthcare. With IX, students should go through a suitable and effective learning experience. Maastricht University is therefore investigating, together with two general practices, how students can experience real patient consultations digitally and live by means of IX.

Ervaren, uitleggen, beslissen

Experience, explain, decide: an IX stakeholder participation framework Good intentions sometimes get lost in translation, and positive ideas can become trapped in negative framing. The flexible IX stakeholder participation framework renews communication. This framework can serve as an AR model with projections that bring concepts to life, or as a 3D display on a traditional screen in a community centre. It breaks through miscommunication, transforms the way ideas are shared, connects with others and results in real impact.

Ethiek verbeelden: bruggen slaan tussen analoge en digitale immersieve ervaringen

Saxion, together with two SMEs and two foundations, investigates how human interaction, empathy and ethics are preserved when traditional role-play situations are combined with digital elements. A practical question that education professionals, live action role play (LARP) creators and IX designers answer jointly with students.

Experience the future, embrace the change: The potential of IX to create and leverage teachable moments and improve lifestyle behaviors in osteoarthritis patients

A healthy lifestyle is crucial for many patients, but a doctor's advice alone rarely leads to lasting behaviour change. Tilburg University is investigating whether immersive experiences can create and reinforce so-called teachable moments in osteoarthritis patients: moments in which a patient vividly realises the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. In IX, patients experience the long-term consequences of their behaviour in an emotionally resonant way, as a driver of motivation to live more healthily.

Futures of Listening

Futures of Listening has developed an R&D programme based on the principle of 'listening to a multivocal world'. The consortium researches and develops new forms of immersive creation, listening and experience through spatial sound, which deepen our understanding of the world and address societal challenges such as inclusivity and environmental challenges. At the same time, it aims to sustainably embed spatial sound as an artistic and technological discipline within the broader IX sector, improve the quality of spatial sound experiences, stimulate new forms of listening and knowledge transfer, and strengthen international positioning and accessibility. The activity programme consists of a series of activities, realised through a community-focused approach with makers and researchers. At its core is a residency programme in which makers - by invitation and through open calls - collaborate with researchers and developers. Within this, they work on developing prototypes of immersive creations, sensory storytelling, immersive listening, and weaving together the relationship between inclusivity, humans and non-humans. Four mutually reinforcing research areas are being developed ('message', 'perception', 'technology', and 'place & access'). This is supported by knowledge sharing and open-source tools, interfaces and instruments through symposia, an online platform and a concluding publication. Other activities include international events, workshops, education and mentorship.

GausScape: Evaluating 3D Gaussian Splatting for Spatial Understanding in Greenhouse Environments

In greenhouse horticulture, operators have to monitor optimal growing conditions for crops. Together with two SMEs, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) focuses on the question: what desirable and undesirable effects does a specific 3D technique (Gaussian Splatting) have on operators' work process, perception and decision-making, as opposed to the current technique? In addition, the insights from this research may be relevant to other sectors.

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.

GrondGids

The GrondGids is an interactive tool by Studio Metaform and Bright that playfully connects residents with their underground neighbourhood. Due to climate change, the energy transition and grid congestion, the (underground) public space is coming under increasing pressure. The GrondGids makes underground systems such as energy, water, data and greenery visible and understandable. This provides insight into how choices within households are linked to developments in the public space. The GrondGids ensures an integrated approach in which people can make informed choices, understand their living environment and jointly take responsibility for sustainable development.

Handsfree Intelligence: De Mixed Reality Gedachtenkamer voor de Tactische Recherche

An AI-driven Mixed Reality application that supports tactical detectives in real time during investigation, scenario thinking and administrative tasks at a crime scene. The application combines MR and artificial intelligence. In doing so, it offers investigators a "thought room" in which they can visualise, mark and analyse evidence. This reduces the administrative burden and improves the quality and speed of investigative processes. This contributes to more efficient law enforcement.

HEFT: Heritage for the Future

HEFT: Heritage for the future – expanding the IX ecosystem for embodied cultural experiences HEFT aims to strengthen and develop the IX field by bridging systemic challenges - limitations in scalability, inaccessible public spaces, low discoverability - through artistic research. The consortium focuses on developing artistic methodologies that embrace the embodied qualities of IX, foster collective engagement and enable scalable preservation and version management (heritage) for long-term access. The project operationalises five core objectives ('reimagine', 'unite', 'sustain', 'empower' and 'safeguard'). The consortium's key contribution is generating fundamental, sector-wide and transferable knowledge and tools. The activity programme is carried out through five interconnected work packages, with an emphasis on artistic research through design using IX prototypes from makers. Key results include the framework for embodied design methods, toolkits, guidelines and recommendations for policy and international support. The efforts culminate in an international conference and the integration of the results into educational programmes. A sustainability plan safeguards the long-term impact and application of the results.

HoloCollab

HoloCollab is a concept for a mixed reality co-planning tool that accelerates and improves integrated, urban planning processes. Instead of stacks of separate drawings and static 2D maps, stakeholders get one shared 'holographic' project environment. Using a mixed reality headset, policymakers, designers and contractors view a virtual 3D model of the planning area in the middle of the meeting table. This allows them to jointly explore different design options, place spatial notes and visualise changes. This shared interactive view prevents miscommunication and speeds up decision-making in urban projects.

Immersive platform

Immersive platform: making the combined impact of urban development on stakeholders insightful through 3D environments Within this project, an accessible and immersive platform is being developed, enabling even non-technical users to experience future spatial plans in an accessible way before their realisation. The platform makes it possible to digitally involve all parties concerned, from citizens to policymakers, at an early stage in urban development trajectories. The (immersive) tools to be developed actively engage stakeholders in the process. This increases support and leads to more efficient decision-making, resulting in savings in time and costs.

ImmersiveValidMovement: Validatie van consumenten-XR voor verantwoorde fysiotherapie oefeningen

In physiotherapy, there is a wish to use immersive experiences (IX) such as XR serious games both to motivate patients and to help them perform exercises correctly. To this end, VerseUS Games has developed XR exercise formats that use the built-in sensors of consumer XR headsets (such as Meta Quest and Pico) to record patients' movements. However, it is unclear to what extent these data are reliable and valid enough to assess clinically relevant joint angles, particularly in patients with complex shoulder complaints. ImmersiveValidMovement therefore focuses primarily on "new methodological approaches to measuring usability and effectiveness of IX". We develop and validate methods to derive movements of the head, neck, shoulder and elbow from XR sensor data (headset and hand controllers) and to assess their reliability. We do not develop new IX software or hardware, but work with existing VerseUS games and consumer XR headsets. The emphasis is on measurement methods, analysis techniques and responsible use. In work package 1 (the first three months) we carry out the preparatory work. Together with physiotherapists (FlevoFysiotherapie) we specify which joint angles and variables matter for correctly performing the prescribed exercise (position, speed, acceleration; in a global coordinate system and/or relative to body segments). VerseUS Games provides the XR environment and does the technical work to export the data collection from the headset in time-synchronised form. UMCG provides the research protocol, arranges ethical approval and has the research labs required to conduct the study. In work package 2 we then carry out the validation study, in which the XR measurements are compared with the gold standard (for example Vicon or Optotrak) available at UMCG. Reliability and validity are determined using, among other things, ICC, Bland-Altman plots, correlations and RMSE. Based on this research, UMCG will deliver a report on the validity and reliability of the VerseUS XR exercises as measured by the sensors in the commercial headsets. This provides the basis for further development.

May I ask you a question? A large-scale experiment examining the effectiveness of a multimodal, conversational digital dietitian on nutritional knowledge in virtual reality

Dietitians play a key role in health care, but a shortage of well-trained professionals is looming. Wageningen University & Research is therefore exploring an immersive digital dietitian: in VR, patients learn about portions, energy density and food preparation by preparing virtual meals themselves. The central question is whether the virtual dietitian's conversational abilities and non-verbal communication - asking questions, gestures, facial expressions - further strengthen the learning effect.

Multifunctioneel AR-systeem voor Real-time Visuele herkenning

The system uses AR glasses with built-in cameras and powerful AI to automatically recognise number plates, vehicles and personal characteristics from the agent's field of vision. This makes the system particularly suitable for deployment within the TBB, TBP and forensic investigation domains. Agents can also use the system for operational tasks on the street, where real-time recognition adds crucial operational value. Information is projected directly and visually into the glasses, allowing agents to work hands-free. Operation takes place via subtle hand and eye movements or app integrations. This enables rapid recognition and decision-making during surveillance, incidents and traffic checks, whilst maintaining continuous situational awareness.

Participate-360

Participate-360: participation, data and visualisation in the living environment ReGreeny is developing a digital 3D platform that allows residents, designers and municipalities to work together on plans for their street or neighbourhood. In many neighbourhoods, it is difficult to make good decisions about issues such as greening, traffic and water storage, because these topics are complex and influence one another. With this platform, users immediately see the effect of their choices, allowing plans to be aligned more quickly and effectively. This helps prevent misunderstandings and delays, and creates greater support among residents.

PerspectiveXR

PerspectiveXR is developing a new way of citizen participation for urban development. Through an immersive XR experience, residents literally experience each other's perspectives on building plans in their neighbourhood. This reduces conflicts and polarisation around new developments. The project builds on previous successful research in Sweden and adapts it to the Dutch context. In 6 months, Future of Now will create a working prototype and test it with municipalities and residents. The goal is to make participation more accessible and effective, allowing urban development to take place faster and with less resistance.

Placemaking Immersive

Stipo and Orb Amsterdam are exploring how to convert physical participation tools for urban development into a digital, immersive application. Using virtual and mixed reality, they are investigating how citizens, policymakers and developers can gain better insight into the coherence and impact of spatial choices. The intended IX solution makes participation more accessible and enables various stakeholders to give feedback from their own perspective and facilitate co-creation. This helps improve decision-making, prevent unwanted side effects and create broader support for complex urban challenges, such as housing, sustainability and accessibility.

PLAN Configurator

PLAN is a digital tool that enables municipalities and property developers to present spatial plans to residents in an understandable way. During participation evenings, it visualises adjustments directly in real time within a photorealistic 3D environment featuring scanned data. This allows residents to immediately see the effect of their input, leading to greater trust and engagement. PLAN aligns with the participation requirement under the Dutch Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet). It enables authorities and initiators to communicate plans transparently and clearly, involving citizens at an early stage in spatial decision-making.

Planning & Real-time IX Scenario Maker

PRISM is an AI-supported VR scenario builder that enables police officers without technical knowledge to build and adapt realistic environments and scenarios. Using voice commands and simple building blocks, previous incidents can be recreated and new situations prepared, for example for crowd control or threat scenarios. The tool drastically shortens the development time of XR training and enables the sharing and reuse of scenarios nationwide. In phase 1, they are investigating the technical feasibility, user acceptance and economic perspective of a proof of concept for this AI-driven IX scenario builder.

Polaris: Real-time Situational Intelligence voor het Politiewerk van de Toekomst

Polaris is a new platform that supports police officers with real-time information during deployment. The system brings together data from various sources, interprets it, and translates it into understandable visual signals. These signals are then visible on various devices, including desktop, mobile devices and, in particular, AR devices. This gives officers immediate insight into what is happening in their environment, such as changes in threat level or relevant control room information. Polaris thus helps officers act faster and more safely, reduces cognitive load, and makes it possible to deploy immersive technology responsibly and sustainably. Not only in training, but also in real operations.

POLice Augmented Reality Intelligence System (POLARIS)

By applying Augmented Reality (AR) interfaces, Embedded Acoustics B.V. strengthens the “situational awareness” of intervention units. The intended solution combines the use of a visual interface (AR glasses or helmet) with 3D audio. Information is projected in both image and sound over the real environment. Embedded Engineering develops robust interfaces, to date mainly for military applications. This has demonstrated how, with the right interface design, information can be presented very intuitively and effectively. “Awareness” of the environment increases significantly, while cognitive load is reduced. They are adapting the existing system to meet the requirements of relevant teams at the Police.

Police Rapid Environment & Scenario Platform

PREP is developing a system that enables police officers to create and run a realistic training or operational scenario within one hour in an immersive 3D environment. Through the use of AI, realistic crowd simulations and up-to-date environmental data, officers can practise and evaluate quickly and effectively. It also allows them to prepare for a wide range of situations, such as events, incidents or large-scale operations. The project investigates the technical and operational feasibility of this rapid scenario generation, with the aim of making police work more agile, safer and better prepared.

PublicTwin

PublicTwin is a hybrid platform that offers professionals, civil servants and residents relevant insights into the spatial planning process and the public support for it, both online and on location. By involving residents at an early stage, setback risks are prevented or limited. This avoids costly delays in planning processes. Visitors to PublicTwin have the opportunity to visualise the project and its impact, respond in real time, ask questions and make suggestions. This allows professionals to respond to feedback effectively and efficiently. PublicTwin builds support within the community, and also collects invaluable qualitative data to support decision-making. This makes investments considerably less risky and speeds up the planning process.

RapidScan, snelle en autonome AI-generatie van 3D-omgevingen

RapidScan is a tool for quickly creating realistic 3D simulations of real locations, generated using photos or videos of the location. Once a location has been captured, the resulting scenes can be quickly viewed and used in a VR headset. RapidScan builds on earlier work by Leiden University with 3D Gaussian Splatting. In that work, they showed that complex urban areas can be reproduced with remarkably fine detail. By focusing on speed and ease of use, the tool offers a practical way to explore or practise situations, creating opportunities for police forces, municipalities and others with an interest in simulations of physical environments

Responsible Immersive Support for Firefighter Retreat under Unreliable Spatial and Communication Information

Firefighters retreating from a building work under extreme time pressure, poor visibility and high mental load - precisely when positioning and communication can become unreliable. The University of Twente is investigating how immersive systems can make that uncertainty visible and understandable, so that digital cues support decision-making without creating false certainty or placing an extra burden on users.

Scenebrook Haalbaarheidsonderzoek Interactieve XR-Trainingsscenario’s

The project investigates whether Scenebrook can be expanded with features that enable the police to develop VR training scenarios faster and more accurately. We are testing three points: automatically converting geo-data into realistic 3D environments, building complex, police-specific scenarios without technical knowledge, and measuring learning outcomes in VR. The aim is to determine whether the police can use this to create realistic, up-to-date and directly adaptable training for situations that are difficult to practise physically.

Shared Realities

The Shared Realities consortium is launching a living lab to research and develop collective immersive experiences and a physical and sustainable exhibition culture for emerging forms of immersive art. The consortium focuses on exploring and researching collective immersive storytelling, strengthening the ecosystem for co-production and distribution, and engaging audiences through shared experiences. Makers, producers, curators, distributors and researchers are working together to further develop an emerging practice and generate knowledge through an interconnected process. The activities are organised around overlapping tracks – 'creation and prototyping', 'reflection and interpretation', 'documentation and dissemination' – and develop applicable knowledge, encourage sustainable exhibition practices, and increase the international visibility of Dutch immersive artists (artists who are part of the consortium and artists selected through an open call). The tracks are staged in the run-up to the annual International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

SimCityScope

SimCityScope: virtual experience and coordination of urban disruption and implementation phasing SimCityScope is an interactive process, including a tool, that lets residents, entrepreneurs and policymakers experience building projects and other changes in their neighbourhood virtually in advance. Via VR, AR or a screen, you see not only the end result but also the planning, temporary closures and possible disruption. This creates greater understanding, involvement and better collaboration before implementation begins. The project helps municipalities and other parties make better choices in urban development together with residents.

SIMplify-XR, een AI-gestuurde VR-trainingsomgeving

Improvive wants to help the police create training scenarios more quickly to address suspicious individuals at large-scale events. This should lead to training in VR or Mixed Reality. Until now, 3D environments and scenarios have been designed by specialists. They want to simplify this with an AI-driven design assistant, combined with existing digital tools. The AI assistant guides the creator step by step through designing a training programme. This way, the police can easily and autonomously build scenarios that fit current situations.

Simulation Operations

SIM-OPS is a large-scale VR training simulator for the Dutch Police. The system combines AI-driven crowd simulation with photogrammetric environments, allowing officers to realistically practise scenarios such as demonstrations, riots and hostage situations. By intelligently integrating existing software wherever possible and adding its own innovation, SIM-OPS gives instructors the ability to independently create scenarios without technical expertise. The consortium is investigating the feasibility of this approach, drastically reducing the cost, complexity and turnaround time of traditional training while increasing training effectiveness.

Situational Awareness op elk moment, door iedereen

With the innovation from Imagem NL B.V., users without specialist knowledge are able to independently create and explore a digital, photorealistic copy of a location. The location is based on up-to-date data such as drone footage, laser scans, 360 video, live feeds and administrative sources. In this 3D virtual world, users can analyse, simulate and coordinate situations. Think of line-of-fire and line-of-sight analysis or realising 'what if' scenarios. Through this new information position, they create a realistic digital environment for preparation, coordination and operations in both ad-hoc and planned situations. This should lead to faster decision-making, increased situational awareness, more efficient use of resources and a safer working environment for officers on the street.

SPOT - Simultaan Plaats Onderzoek Tool

The solution from CoVince Innovations B.V. converts simple video recordings into collaborative 3D environments. This allows multiple experts to simultaneously visit crime scenes within two hours - from any location.

Stad in Beeld

Stad in Beeld – Participatory digital twin for future-proof urban development In this project, Webbio B.V. is investigating the feasibility of a participatory digital twin, specifically for the municipality of Nijmegen. The focus is on combining spatial data, policy information and interactive visualisation via webXR. The aim of the participatory digital twin is to make policy choices visually comprehensible and to involve citizens in an accessible way. In this phase, Webbio, in collaboration with the municipality of Nijmegen and 2 specialised technology partners, is realising a working proof of concept focused on 1 specific neighbourhood. The technical feasibility, user interaction, data connections and policy integration are being validated.

Stad op het Spel

Stad op het Spel lets decision-makers in area development experience the effects of their choices and collaboration. In this interactive experience, they engage in conversation with people from a future city scenario. These conversations reveal what abstract policy dilemmas and design choices mean for everyday life. Playing creates space for empathy, reflection and better conversations. In this way, the game contributes, in an accessible and engaging manner, to more human-centred policy, more effective working practices and cross-domain thinking about the city of tomorrow. In short: a conversation starter for arriving at new perspectives.

Stage IX

LAUNCHPAD NINE aims to transform the fragmented Dutch IX sector by building an artist-centred infrastructure that unites creation, production, presentation and education. The activity programme generates openly accessible methodologies and toolkits, creates sustainable talent trajectories and reclaims imagination by challenging technology-driven paradigms. The programme works with intensive residencies built around practice-based research with emerging and established artists and collectives, who are recruited through an open call. Each residency includes workshops, prototyping and public activations. Artistic creation processes serve as the main research engine, with residencies generating insights across three research clusters: 'pedagogy, knowledge exchange & documentation', 'sustainable production workflows', and 'audience engagement & experience'.

Staging collective VR experiences

Scalable and therefore affordable IX onboarding and social IX, as parts of an optimal user experience, remain important challenges for the IX community. How can museums onboard visitors more effectively so that more visitors can experience an IX that is functional at the same time? And how can they create a shared VR experience while doing so? That is what Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences will investigate in collaboration with a museum and an IX developer.

T.O.A.R.

This project investigates the feasibility of an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) solution that makes police operations safer and more efficient. Cronos B.V. is developing a concept for smart glasses that provide officers in the field with a contextual heads-up display (HUD) and an interactive 3D map. This system translates complex operational data into a direct tactical advantage, enabling officers to be better informed and respond more quickly. The feasibility study validates the technical set-up, the user experience with the police, and the integration possibilities for the future.

TactiCall

TactiCall is an immersive video calling solution that supports the police in their daily and operational work. Using augmented reality and information overlay, officers on the street can communicate live with the control room and specialists. This allows crucial information to be shared more quickly and visually. It shortens response times, makes expertise available everywhere, increases safety and improves collaboration between disciplines. TactiCall also offers opportunities for training and evaluation by reliving realistic situations in VR/AR. The feasibility study examines the technical and organisational conditions for the broad deployment of TactiCall within the Dutch police force.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Exploring the Potential of VR for Decolonial Storytelling

A key focus of the CIIIC stimulus programme is public values. How do we ensure that IX applications are developed, applied and used responsibly? This theme runs as a common thread through all funded projects. The project by Inholland University of Applied Sciences (with, among others, the Nationaal Archief and the Koninklijke Bibliotheek) even focuses entirely on public values. Central to it is the question of how scriptwriters can responsibly develop cinematographic VR narratives about colonial histories and their repercussions in present-day society.

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 two IX creators from the cultural and creative industry. In this practice-oriented art research, they investigate how IX can help to better understand and measure experiences of fear.

Thuis

Thuis aims to foster a deeper sense of connectedness by reinterpreting immersive experiences as an embodied and accessible practice in (semi-)public spaces, using dance and movement as core methods. Thuis aims to strengthen the Dutch IX field by providing body-centred design principles that challenge dependency on hardware, and by delivering shareable knowledge on creating accessible, inclusive IX as a form of 'social infrastructure' that fosters social cohesion and a collective sense of belonging. The research focuses on how the body can take on a more central role in immersive experiences and how a sense of home can be fostered among participants. This research is built around three themes: 'spatial awareness', 'embodied empathy' and 'collective belonging'. The activity programme follows a research-through-design methodology, structured into four iterative phases: 'collecting', 'processing', 'shaping', and 'engaging'. The research is carried out with communities in public spaces. This methodology will result in two artistic pilots (one outdoors and one indoors), a case study, an open-source website and public events.

To what degree do interactive agents enhance the willingness-to-adopt IX?

IX environments can change the way people train physical, interactive skills, from surgery to team sport. Together with movement scientists, IX developers and a user experience designer, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is investigating whether interactive avatars that respond physically to the user's movements make XR training more engaging and more effective. The test case is a football training exercise in which participants learn to find space to receive a pass, with and without virtual defenders that move along.

Towards a Common Language for Immersive Experiences: a Cross-Sector Exploration of Concepts and Measurement

How are IX effects measured? And do different sectors actually mean the same thing when they use IX concepts and measurement methods? These questions evolve alongside developments in the IX field. For Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, this is reason to critically re-examine the perception of existing concepts and methods, together with other research groups and IX creators from the creative industry.

Training Sandbox

The Training Sandbox is a hybrid IX platform that enables operational police officers to independently generate, adapt and share realistic scenarios within hours. A web editor makes ad hoc situations and large-scale events quick to replicate; a Unity package gives internal development teams the ability to customise and expand. The platform supports real-time influencing, learning analytics and collaboration with multiple staff members within a simulation. With a privacy-conscious architecture and public values as guiding principles, the Sandbox focuses on enhancing officers' operational competence, professional skill and mental resilience, and reducing turnaround time from weeks to hours.

TransitieTwin3D

Dutch cities are facing an unprecedented accumulation of spatial challenges: housing construction, grid reinforcement, the installation of heat networks, greening and climate adaptation. These challenges collide at street level, with designs and communication often developed in isolation from one another. This leads to fragmentation, delays and a lack of understanding among residents. TransitieTwin3D offers an integrated IX solution: a virtual, interactive environment for policymakers, contractors and residents to understand, influence and better align spatial projects. The application runs on the web-GIS platform GeoApps, enhanced with a real-time 3D engine and live BIM integration via Innobrix. Users experience the impact of projects via a 65” TouchTable or online, without VR headsets or specialist hardware.

Urban Prototype Station

Urban Prototype Station: Through Our Eyes Urban Prototype Station: Through Our Eyes is a mixed reality platform that reduces the negative consequences of urban development by combining 3D city models, storytelling through volumetric videos of local residents, and open data. The platform visualises the impact of building projects at 3 functional scale levels: • bird's-eye view (1:500) for project-on-table discussions; • neighbourhood scale (1:50) for Madurodam-like district visualisation; • street level (1:1) for real-size viewing in the actual environment. It integrates personal stories from, for example, local residents about their experiences of nuisance, thanks to lifelike holograms directly incorporated into the design process. The platform provides a communication channel between officials and local residents, enabling plans to be visualised, allowing residents to give direct feedback, and simulating alternative implementation scenarios to minimise nuisance.

Urban Remix

Urban Remix: AI-driven citizen participation through visual storytelling Urban Remix is an AI-driven platform that helps residents visually communicate their ideas for their own neighbourhood. Through a chatbot, map interface, and image and animation tools, citizen participation is made more accessible, more persuasive and more visually appealing. The feasibility study examines the technical, societal and economic conditions needed for successful implementation. This builds a bridge between residents and policymakers. In addition, students get the chance to work on a current societal issue in which AI, IX and inclusion take centre stage.

URPIX

URban Planning IX URban Planning IX (URPIX) helps urban planners quickly translate policy scenarios into representative visualisations of cityscapes. This gives residents insight into the consequences of the various scenarios. Residents view the images using XR visualisations. It also offers the possibility to switch between different scenarios. Alongside the cityscape, URPIX also shows the effects on the living environment, such as air quality, impact on mobility and population density. This gives residents insight into the consequences of policy choices at an early stage. They can also take part in the dialogue between planners, policymakers and implementers.

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 an assessment of what is desirable, but also for anticipating possible futures and the values that are central to them. A major barrier to inclusive decision-making is a lack of futures awareness and ethical capacity. Many people find it hard to imagine the implications of technology. Non-users in particular experience a knowledge gap and feel they cannot join the conversation, even though they do undergo technology's impact. This problem is reinforced because the future of a technology is often imagined by a handful of companies whose business models encourage polarisation and digital dependency, while environmental impact and social costs are externalised. This increases the likelihood of one-sided decision-making. The project applies ethics-by-design by involving a city's residents inclusively and actively in exploring ethical dilemmas around emerging technology. We use social friction as a source of innovation and connect technology development to values such as safety, power and inclusion. The research focuses on strengthening the imagination through two 'Moral Labs': 1 - a traditional presentation (image and text), followed by a conversation; 2 - an immersive presentation in Virtual Reality (VR), followed by a conversation. In both scenarios, several participants discuss the positions taken and the moral dilemmas together. The VR intervention uses multiplayer functionality to create social presence. By running a moderated split test on the two scenarios above, this research weighs the effectiveness of an immersive experience against the traditional presentation. The richness of both conversations is analysed using Ahvenharju's (2018) five dimensions of futures 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.

Virtual Reality en Neurofeedback

Virtual Reality and Neurofeedback: towards an inclusive city The Olifantenpad Consortium argues that the era of well-intentioned drawing-board plans and unintended desire paths is over. Olifantenpad Consortium is developing a participation tool that provides insight into people's conscious and unconscious responses to a spatial environment or spatial design, using VR, AI and neurofeedback based on environmental psychology. This tool leads to a broad understanding of how different groups of people experience the spatial environment. This prevents urban planning errors, costly after-the-fact adjustments and delayed construction processes.

Virtuele War Room voor Wendbaar Politieoptreden

The Virtual War Room enables police teams to prepare for unexpected situations within a matter of hours. Using up-to-date 3D area data, colleagues jointly build a realistic tactical situation map, explore scenarios and train directly in VR or Mixed Reality, even from different locations. In this feasibility study, we determine which workflow is needed to enable operational colleagues to independently create and use scenarios. This takes into account the relevant preconditions for responsible and safe use within the police context.

Want to participate?

View the open funding schemes and submit your project.

View funding schemes