Motivation
Modern technologies for health applications are supposed to maintain the users’ quality of life and to improve their well-being. For this purpose, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) offer new possibilities of human-technology interaction by means of multimodal and immersive user experiences. Here, the successful design and implementation of technological innovations always takes place through the context-sensitive embedding into the users’ everyday lives.
Goals and procedure
The research alliance called HIVE-Lab is establishing two complementary “Living Labs” in Dusseldorf and Munich. Both advise research and development projects regarding technological issues, such as the selection of applicable algorithms. At the same time, technological innovations are evaluated in real and simulated everyday environments as well as methodologically and technologically supported. Moreover, a generally accessible knowledge base is being developed, which will promote the transfer of scientific expertise to economic and social fields. This takes place through public events and open-access publications. Creative, ethical and social consultancy services for scientific, economic and social cooperation partners are also offered by the HIVE-Lab.
Innovations and perspectives
The HIVE-Lab offers the research alliances between science and economy suitable evaluation options with a focus on creation and the daily life. By means of these possibilities, the VR/AR technology is sensitively embedded into the users’ everyday environment.