Results

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 keeps growing: as ongoing schemes award new projects, we add them here.

Achter de voordeur

Behind the Front Door is a mixed reality experience that puts civil servants at the table with a resident who's stuck in their dealings with the government. Working with key stakeholders, directors and professional actors, recognisable situations are turned into true-to-life scenarios – for example, an incomprehensible letter or a service desk where someone hits a dead end. A reflection session follows afterwards. Dutch Rose Media/4DR Studios is carrying out the feasibility study in collaboration with BUas and the municipality of Eindhoven. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

AI-Avatar

Police officers are constantly confronted with unexpected situations that require them to act quickly, provide assistance and gather information. Realistic training is essential for this, but it's expensive, time-consuming and hard 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 switches flexibly between roles such as suspect, witness, victim or colleague, responding naturally to the officer. This allows officers to train their communication, judgement and decision-making in a safe, true-to-life environment, making it easier, more efficient and more scalable to practise for unpredictable situations.

AR Assistant

AR Assistant is an innovative application for AR glasses that police officers can use to visualise data sources as effectively as possible during their day-to-day operational work. With the AR Assistant, officers can respond quickly and effectively whenever needed. Simply by putting on a pair of AR glasses, officers are supported with notifications, alerts, predictive policing and number plate recognition. Safety on the streets and in public spaces is increasingly high on the agenda for the government, municipalities and public institutions, and the Netherlands Police play an essential role in this. The police need to keep pace and work more efficiently in order to keep tackling modern-day crime effectively.

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. Using new AR glasses, users see context-relevant information - duration, background and expected results - right at the location of the works. Residents can respond directly, help shape project information and get in touch with contractors. The goal: reducing nuisance through better information provision and building broader support for necessary urban development.

ASA (Augmented Situational Awareness assistent)

ASA is an augmented reality assistant that supports police officers with direct, contextual information in their field of view via AR glasses. Think visual markers for exits, colleagues, vehicles or danger zones, plus subtle warnings about people approaching from outside their line of sight. In situations involving smoke or poor visibility, ASA improves orientation through image processing. At the same time, officers can share live footage with the control room for better coordination. This feasibility study examines whether ASA is technically achievable, practical to deploy within the police organisation, and whether it helps officers on the street act more safely, quickly and with better information.

Belletje Trek

Belletje Trek is an immersive group experience in which local residents jointly go through a simulated crisis situation, such as a 3-day power outage. Using their own smartphones, participants complete tasks and work together to deal with the situation. No app download or technical knowledge is required. The experience helps residents get to know each other better, discover each other's strengths and build trust. Belletje Trek is designed as a practical tool for neighbourhood professionals to strengthen social cohesion and self-reliance, particularly within groups that don't yet know one another. This makes it possible to practise mutual self-reliance in an accessible, playful way. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

Beyond the Bubble

Beyond the Bubble is a consortium at the intersection of IX, ecology and art, in which a cooperative of makers takes a central position. It wants to research how IX enables people to become aware of the perspective of non-human organisms and to experience ecological empathy. The intended programme will be structured around themes based on the partners' expertise. For each theme, working groups of makers and researchers will be formed, to develop immersive experiences for a broad audience through fieldwork, artistic research and practical testing.

Black-out Event: immersive serious gaming voor samenredzame gemeenschappen

Black-Out Event is a mobile, interactive crisis simulation in which local communities experience how they can help one another when power, internet and other services go down. Over 72 minutes, participants live through the first 72 hours of a nationwide blackout, making decisions for their own neighbourhood based on limited information. Most crisis preparedness today relies on passive information: campaigns, websites, leaflets or public meetings. These are useful, but generic, and tend to reach mainly people who are already interested. Black-Out Event takes a different approach. The experience makes crisis preparedness collaborative, practical and tangible, while also addressing the social and emotional impact of a crisis. Participants discover who can help, which locations matter, and what arrangements need to be made. The outcomes are translated into a practical map or toolkit for their own neighbourhood. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

BoX-R

BoX-R is an interactive XR learning experience that lets residents find out what a prolonged power outage really means for daily life. In a guided simulation for multiple users, they practise dealing with situations such as lifts breaking down, phones running out of battery, being unable to pay by card, limited access to information, and helping vulnerable neighbours. BoX-R addresses the problem that traditional communication about emergencies is often too text-heavy, abstract or complicated. The experience is designed for residents, with particular attention to people with low literacy, non-native speakers, older people and those in vulnerable situations. Key figures from organisations such as libraries, the Red Cross and housing associations can use the experience to make crisis preparedness and self-reliance concrete, local and accessible. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

BrightAR: samen zien wat je alleen niet ziet

Young people take risks: around alcohol, peer pressure and testing boundaries. Key figures are closely connected to their community and want to make a difference there. But they often lack the means to truly get a group moving. BrightAR gives them those means. BrightAR is a group-based, immersive methodology in the form of a physical toolkit. Key figures use the toolkit to run workshops with young people. Through mixed reality, participants experience the consequences of choices around alcohol and risk-taking behaviour, for example, and translate this experience together into concrete agreements and skills. BrightAR strengthens the role of key figures as drivers of awareness and behavioural change. The approach opens up conversations about social issues and helps young people make agreements together and hold each other accountable. In doing so, BrightAR aims to strengthen not only individual awareness, but also cohesion within groups and communities. Source: public summaries phase 1, RVO

BRIX

CIIIC is launching a nationwide network of five IX Labs: physical workspaces across the Netherlands where anyone interested in immersive technology can access facilities, knowledge and equipment. Together, they're shortening the distance between experimenting and real-world application — open, accessible and low-threshold for everyone. BRIX is a network of IX labs in Brabant, bringing together companies and knowledge institutions. Together, they support creators at every stage: from first idea and testing through to getting market-ready. Each lab brings its own strengths: VR spaces and driving simulators at Enversed, AI and workshops at MindLabs, a film studio with motion capture at BUas, a large LED screen at Fontys, research labs at Tilburg University, and mixed reality and digital twins at TU/e.

CGI Indoor Explorer

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

Consortium IX for Kids - The Immersive Circle of Play and Experience

The IX for Kids consortium wants to research the design of IX specifically for children, with a focus on inclusivity and ethics. In doing so, the consortium wants to explore how immersive experiences can stimulate imagination, curiosity and critical thinking in children of different ages. The proposed approach involves practice-based artistic research, for which the consortium is collaborating with, among others, libraries, hospitals and schools. The outcomes will be translated into a handbook, workshops and presentations of prototypes at international festiva

De Blikopener

A crisis reveals just how important a neighbourhood's social infrastructure really is. De Blikopener is a hybrid method that helps municipalities, safety regions and civil society organisations work with residents to strengthen local community resilience. The method uses digital tools, physical interventions and community activation to make residents, key figures, resources, safe spaces and informal networks visible. This helps residents and professionals find each other more quickly before, during and after an emergency, even when formal aid is limited. De Blikopener helps build stronger neighbourhoods, because a neighbourhood is stronger when you already know your neighbours before a crisis hits. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

De Drempel Over

De Drempel Over ('Crossing the Threshold') is a mobile escape experience housed in a converted caravan. In it, key professionals experience first-hand what it's like for vulnerable citizens to get stuck — for example due to low literacy, digital exclusion, or distrust of government. A debrief afterwards directly links this experience back to their own work. Key professionals often understand the problems facing their target group in theory, but don't really feel them. As a result, their approach doesn't always match what vulnerable citizens actually need. The experience is designed for neighbourhood teams, social workers and other professionals who bridge the gap between citizens and government. By making people experience these problems rather than just explaining them, De Drempel Over deepens understanding of vulnerable residents and encourages better-suited support and communication. Source: public summaries phase 1, RVO

De Sensorische Stad

The Sensory City is an immersive toolkit aimed at young people aged 12 to 16. Through IX, AR, VR, sensors and a digital twin, young people playfully engage with urban challenges around biodiversity, climate adaptation and quality of life. At a hybrid play location combining virtual and real urban nature, young people experience the value and role of nature in the city. They also discover how their choices affect the quality of their surroundings. The toolkit is scalable, suitable for educational use, and gives policymakers insight 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, designed to spark encounters and conversations about societal system transitions. The sculpture has a smooth, organic form. Visitors can lean against it, climb on it and move freely around it. They can experience the ‘hatching process’ of an unknown, fictional creature inside the egg through their senses. Through the use of 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 taking place in the neighbourhood. The project's implementation and research are guided by the Public Values Guideline for Immersive Experiences (CIIIC), which serves as a framework for the careful handling of visitors, data and societal impact. Art and performance can have profound effects on empathy, meaning-making and shifts in perspective (Brown & Novak-Leonard, 2011; Broadhead & Hooper, 2024; Norton, 2015). However, there is limited knowledge about how such experiences carry through into everyday behaviour, social relationships and neighbourhood-based transition practices (Spaas, 2024; Horvath et al., 2025). This research addresses the question: how does the installation and its development over time resonate with people and within neighbourhood-based transition processes (Vervoort et al., 2020)? And how can the effects of human–art interaction be interpreted in terms of values, relationships and community-building (scaling deep), as a basis for 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 behaviour, building on the data generated by the installation through qualitative research: • EGG as Canvas: visitors leave behind written, drawn and material traces; • EGG Radio: a participatory platform where young people in particular discuss their experiences; • AR and sensor data: which reveal interactions, attention and resonance patterns.

EmpathieSim: wandel in de schoenen van kwetsbare burgers

EmpathieSim is an interactive experience that lets key figures feel first-hand what it's like to get stuck in red tape with the government. Participants step into the shoes of a resident who, for example, receives a complicated letter or has to use a website with DigiD. Their choices affect both the outcome and the character's emotions. The solution is aimed at key figures, civil servants and policymakers, and is being developed for municipalities and implementing bodies. Key figures spend a lot of time explaining to the government how complex residents' problems really are, and there's no standard way to train new helpers. By experiencing residents' situations first-hand, users gain a better understanding of where people get stuck. This helps key figures support residents more effectively and helps policymakers create clearer, more understandable rules. During phase 1, Game Tailors is investigating whether EmpathieSim is feasible: which stories work best, which format fits best (screen or VR), and whether the experience genuinely changes how people think. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

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

Medical education also has high expectations of IX applications, especially given the staff shortages in healthcare. Students need IX to deliver a suitable and effective learning experience. That's why Maastricht University, together with two GP practices, is researching how IX can let students experience real patient consultations digitally and live.

Ervaren, uitleggen, beslissen

Experience, explain, decide: an IX stakeholder participation framework Good intentions sometimes get lost in translation, and positive ideas can end up framed negatively. The flexible IX stakeholder participation framework reinvents communication. This framework can serve as an AR model with projections that bring concepts to life, or as a 3D visualisation on a traditional screen in a community centre. It cuts through miscommunication, transforms the way ideas are shared, connects with others, and delivers real impact.

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.

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 medical advice alone rarely leads to lasting behavioural change. Tilburg University is investigating whether immersive experiences can create and reinforce so-called teachable moments in osteoarthritis patients: moments in which a patient becomes acutely aware of the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle. Through IX, patients experience the long-term effects of their behaviour in an emotionally compelling way, sparking the motivation to live more healthily.

FeedbackReady: Ontwikkeling en validatie van VR-scenario's voor het versterken van feedbackvaardigheden van werkplekbegeleiders verpleegkunde

FeedbackReady develops and validates a VR-based Immersive Experience (IX) to strengthen workplace supervisors' confidence in giving feedback to nursing students across three hospitals. Workplace supervisors have sufficient knowledge of feedback methods, but experience uncertainty and hesitation to act in emotionally charged situations: when a student reacts defensively, when professional behaviour needs to be addressed, or when previous feedback has had little effect. Existing training offers too little room to practise precisely these kinds of situations. VR provides a safe environment to rehearse them repeatedly, without direct consequences for care practice. In FeedbackReady, Inholland and Windesheim Universities of Applied Sciences, together with OLVG, Spaarne Gasthuis, Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep and The Simulation Crew, are researching how a VR-based intervention can be effectively designed and sustainably implemented to strengthen the self-efficacy of nursing workplace supervisors in giving feedback. The project runs for 24 months and comprises three work packages: iteratively designing and testing three VR scenarios, selected on the basis of survey results and context-analysis interviews, co-created with workplace supervisors (WP1); applying and evaluating the intervention in everyday practice at three hospitals (WP2); and securing and sharing knowledge through an open-access implementation guide, regional workshops and a closing conference (WP3). FeedbackReady investigates whether hospitals can effectively use immersive experiences for emotionally charged learning situations, thereby validating SME-developed conversational avatar technology within the complex care context. The results will be shared with more than 80 Dutch hospitals via Sigra, LOOV and DUTCH. In doing so, the project contributes to CIIIC objective 1 (knowledge and methods for designing and developing responsible IX) and objective 3 (a strong IX ecosystem that innovates, develops, applies and scales up together), with the societal impact of improving the quality of placement supervision — at a time when nursing education is under growing pressure from persistent staff shortages.

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, deepening our understanding of the world and addressing societal challenges such as inclusivity and environmental issues. At the same time, it aims to firmly establish spatial sound as an artistic and technological discipline within the wider IX sector, improve the quality of spatial sound experiences, encourage new forms of listening and knowledge transfer, and strengthen international positioning and accessibility. The activity programme consists of a series of activities delivered through a community-driven approach involving makers and researchers. At its core is a residency programme in which makers - both invited and selected through open calls - collaborate with researchers and developers. Together, they work on developing prototypes for immersive creations and sensory storytelling, exploring 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 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.

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

GrondGids is an interactive tool developed by Studio Metaform and Bright that playfully connects residents with what lies beneath their neighbourhood. Climate change, the energy transition and grid congestion are putting growing pressure on (underground) public space. GrondGids makes underground systems such as energy, water, data and green infrastructure visible and easy to understand. It shows how choices made within households are linked to developments in public space. GrondGids supports an integrated approach that helps people make informed decisions, understand their living environment, and work together towards 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 with investigation, scenario thinking and administrative tasks at a crime scene. The application combines MR and artificial intelligence, giving investigators a "thinking room" where they can visualise, mark and analyse evidence. This reduces the administrative burden and improves the quality and speed of investigative processes, contributing 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 using artistic research to overcome systemic challenges – limited scalability, inaccessible public spaces, low discoverability. The consortium focuses on developing artistic methodologies that embrace the embodied qualities of IX, foster collective engagement, and enable scalable preservation and version control (heritage) for long-term access. The project operationalises five core objectives ('reimagine', 'unite', 'sustain', 'empower' and 'safeguard'). The consortium's main contribution is generating fundamental, sector-wide and transferable knowledge and tools. The activity programme is carried out through five interconnected work packages, with a focus on artistic research through design using IX prototypes created by makers. Key outcomes include a 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 ensures long-term impact and the continued application of the results.

HoloCollab

HoloCollab is a concept for a mixed reality co-planning tool that speeds up and improves integrated urban planning. Instead of stacks of separate drawings and static 2D maps, everyone involved gets one shared 'holographic' project environment. Wearing a mixed reality headset, policymakers, designers and contractors view a virtual 3D model of the project area right in the middle of the meeting table. Together, they explore different design options, add 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 visible to stakeholders through 3D environments This project is developing an accessible, immersive platform that lets even non-technical users experience future spatial plans before they're built. The platform makes it possible to involve everyone concerned, from residents to policymakers, in urban development processes digitally, right from an early stage. The immersive tools being developed actively guide stakeholders through the process. This builds broader support and leads to more efficient decision-making, saving both time and costs.

ImmersiveValidMovement: Validatie van consumenten-XR voor verantwoorde fysiotherapie oefeningen

In physiotherapy, there is growing interest in using immersive experiences (IX), such as XR serious games, to motivate patients and 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 track patients' movements. However, it remains unclear how reliable and valid this data is for assessing 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 are developing and validating methods to derive head, neck, shoulder and elbow movements from XR sensor data (headset and hand controllers) and to assess their reliability. We are not developing new IX software or hardware, but working with existing VerseUS games and consumer XR headsets. The focus 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 are relevant for correctly performing the prescribed exercise (position, velocity, acceleration; within a global coordinate system and/or relative to body segments). VerseUS Games provides the XR environment and handles the technical work of exporting time-synchronised data collected from the headset. UMCG oversees the research protocol, arranges ethical approval, and provides the research labs needed to carry out the study. In work package 2, we then carry out the validation study, comparing the XR measurements against the gold standard (such as Vicon or Optotrak) available at UMCG. Reliability and validity are determined using methods including 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 commercial headsets. This report will form the basis for further development.

In Their World: neurodivergentie ervaren met Immersive Technology

In Their World is an immersive technology that lets key contacts and government staff experience what contact with the government can feel like for neurodivergent residents, such as people with autism or ADHD. Through realistic VR scenarios, users experience the impact of sensory stimuli, language, time pressure and social situations. They then practise communication and adjustments that make these interactions more accessible. The solution helps professionals recognise neurodivergent needs earlier and connect better with residents. In doing so, In Their World strengthens empathy and inclusive communication, and contributes to a stronger connection between government and citizens. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

Inside Out Outside In (IOOI)

Inside Out Outside In is a consortium at the intersection of artistic research, mental healthcare and neuroscience. The basic premise is that human consciousness is not confined to the brain, but is a physical process that is influenced by external factors and other organisms. The consortium wants to research how medical technologies and scientific insights in this area can contribute to embodied, multi-user immersive experiences. The programme to be developed consists of artistic research trajectories and an incubator programme for new talent, with the aim of building greater understanding of mental health and new working methods for the broader IX field.

Interactiemechanismen voor verantwoorde XR-gesprekstraining

This practice-oriented research project aims to develop and empirically validate cross-sector design and didactic principles for immersive (XR/IX) learning environments in which professionals practise complex and (publicly) sensitive conversations. The core challenge: many XR simulations are convincing, but there is still insufficient evidence on which concrete design choices demonstrably help professionals to spot issues early in an interaction, adapt accordingly, act responsibly, and make that action explainable — with explicit attention to public values such as privacy, inclusion and transparency. The project draws on Discursive Psychology (DP) and Conversation Analysis (CA): professional conduct is understood as something "done" in real time through interaction (via timing, phrasing, turn-taking and repair), and is therefore observable and trainable. Feedback in IX should not "score" individuals, but instead reflect what actually happened in the interaction and what effect it had on the other person's response (next-turn evidence). To make this concrete, the project operationalises generic, adjustable IX design variables ("design dials"): sequential design of conversational action (from opening to closing), turn design, timing and participation (speaking space, silences, interruptions), positioning and accountability (boundaries, responsibility, weighing of norms), and repair and alignment — making "breakdowns" learnable through replay and debrief. The approach involves two pilot rounds in which IX variants are compared under controlled design conditions (for example, with or without interactional cues, in real time or via replay). Interactional indicators from logging and annotations are combined with learning outcomes from replay and debrief sessions, where possible supported by pre- and post-measurements and inter-coder reliability checks. The intended outputs are reusable resources for SME creators and public organisations, including a toolkit and design guide, a practical protocol for deployment and evaluation (including logging, replay and debrief), a rubric or checklist for quality assurance, and a scenario library with reuse conditions. The project is organised into work packages covering public values and governance, measurement and debrief, phrasing and cues, patterns, rubric and transfer, and critical moments with replay and debrief, with iterative milestones over 24 months and oversight from a steering group.

Intergenerationeel en spelenderwijs naar een weerbare samenleving

HackShield is exploring an immersive game experience in which children practise crisis situations — such as cyber incidents, disinformation and power outages — together with parents and grandparents. Game-based learning, board game elements and escape-room mechanics are being explored as ways to encourage conversation, collaboration and mutual resilience across generations. The contribution to social cohesion starts small: with the cross-generational conversation that so often doesn't happen today. The experience can build on the existing HackShield programme, so these themes carry through at school and at home. Delivered through schools, municipalities and libraries, the approach has the potential to reach multiple generations. Practising together doesn't just build resilience — it also strengthens the bond between families, neighbours and communities. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

IX3

CIIIC is launching a nationwide network of five IX Labs: physical workshops spread across the Netherlands, where anyone with an interest in immersive technology can access facilities, knowledge and equipment. Together, they're shortening the distance between experimentation and real-world application — open, accessible and low-threshold for everyone. IX3 is a new lab in Amsterdam bringing together Amaze, ARTIS-Planetarium, ENTR and Nxt Museum. They support creators through the entire process: from first idea and testing to showing work to an audience and distributing it. Everything can be booked through a single portal, with open days for anyone to drop in. Each partner brings its own expertise: from dome projections to music, VR and 3D recording. Universities of applied sciences and researchers, including the HvA and the CWI, are also involved. IX3 is open to creators, museums, schools, civil society organisations and businesses alike — anyone looking to develop their ideas, test them with a real audience, and bring them out into the world.

IXcel-BAZ: Ontwikkeling en validatie van immersieve leeromgevingen voor schaalbaar en overdraagbaar opleiden in de regionale Basis Acute Zorg

Training within Basic Acute Care (BAZ) is under pressure from rising demand for care, staff shortages and high workloads. At the same time, comparable competencies are currently taught and assessed differently across departments (ICU, A&E, CCU, AOA), leading to inefficiency and limited transferability of skills. There is therefore a need for a scalable, transferable training approach that systematically structures generic and context-specific competencies. The IXcel-BAZ project develops and validates a modular training model for regional acute care, in which EPA-based competencies are divided into generic and context-specific components. This model is supported by immersive learning environments (IX), which allow skills to be trained safely, consistently and repeatedly. The project follows a practice-oriented, iterative approach: analysing existing training practices, co-designing the training model with stakeholders, implementing it in a real-life training setting, and systematically evaluating its effectiveness and applicability. This looks not only at learning outcomes, but also at implementation, adoption and scalability. The expected results are a validated methodology for structuring EPA competencies, a transferable training model, and an implementation approach for IX in acute care. These results will be applied directly within the region and actively shared through existing healthcare networks. The project contributes to more efficient, safer and more scalable training for healthcare professionals, and delivers practical knowledge for the wider implementation of immersive technology in the public sector.

LifeSwap XR: ervaar de wereld achter de voordeur

LifeSwap XR is an immersive learning and reflection experience for key figures and professionals in the social domain. Users work through realistic XR scenarios covering topics such as debt assistance and financial security, experience different perspectives, and make choices. Guided reflection then translates the experience into concrete action points and working agreements. The innovation is not a standalone VR experience, but a scalable learning and reflection approach that can be deployed locally and later expanded to other municipal domains, such as the Social Support Act (Wmo), participation, youth care and civic integration. The solution is aimed at, among others, neighbourhood team professionals, social workers, and customer contact and policy staff. LifeSwap XR helps professionals better understand residents' everyday reality, communicate more thoughtfully, and make more suitable referrals. In doing so, it aims to help build trust and reduce drop-out in public services. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

Lost in Immersion

This research project examines how interaction design affects cognitive overload in virtual reality (VR). The aim is to transform tacit design knowledge into practical, evidence-based guidelines for creating VR experiences that engage users without overwhelming them. For this study, we will use the existing VR experience Lacuna (2025) as a test case to investigate the impact of cognitive (over)load in VR, addressing a knowledge gap in user-centered immersive interaction design. Our research design will be informed by roundtable sessions with consortium partners, AIA and CIIIC networks, and interviewed producers to shape experiments, and capture implicit design knowledge from other projects. In our study, we aim to compare different versions of selected Lacuna fragments, varying the degree to which interactions are subtle or explicit. Around 100 participants will be randomly assigned to conditions, and the team will measure cognitive load, engagement, attitude, and content recall through surveys and a memory test. An additional interview study will be set up to deepen our insights. Thus, by validating how interactions balance cognitive load, attitude, engagement, and content recall, the findings will offer generalizable and theoretically substantiated design principles that may benefit a wide range of producers within the XR industry. In wider terms, the project aims to help designers, educators, and cultural organizations build immersive experiences that are clearer, more accessible, and more effective. Our output will include integration of our findings in educational programs, industry presentations and conference papers.

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 healthcare, but a shortage of well-trained professionals is looming. Wageningen University & Research is therefore investigating an immersive digital dietitian: in VR, patients learn about portion sizes, 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.

MIX

CIIIC is launching a nationwide network of five IX Labs: physical workshops spread across the Netherlands, offering facilities, knowledge and equipment to anyone with an interest in immersive technology. Together, they're shortening the path from experiment to real-world application — open, accessible and low-threshold for everyone. The MIX Lab in Hilversum helps creators bridge the gap between experimentation and professional production. Think virtual production, motion capture, AI, spatial audio and VR. Working with partners such as Beeld & Geluid, Media Campus NL, HU, HKU and UU, the lab provides a single place where research, education and production come together: from initial idea to a finished, working product. The lab features a large studio with LED screens, motion capture, 3D scanning, spatial audio and mobile recording sets. This lets creators test their ideas under real working conditions and develop them further for the market straight away.

Mosaic

Mosaic is an interactive VR film in which participants literally step into each other's shoes: the civil servant experiences the citizen's life, and vice versa. In the second part, both perspectives meet in a confrontation scene where participants jointly respond to dilemmas. The key contact person selects themes relevant to their own community and guides the follow-up discussion. In phase 1, Scopic Labs investigates which themes, scenarios, ethical frameworks and guidance protocols deliver the greatest impact. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

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 officer's field of vision. This makes the system particularly well suited for use within the TBB, TBP and forensic investigation domains. Officers can also use the system for operational tasks on the street, where real-time recognition adds crucial operational value. Information is projected directly into the glasses, allowing officers to work hands-free. The system is controlled through subtle hand and eye movements or app integrations, enabling rapid recognition and decision-making during surveillance, incidents and traffic checks — all while maintaining continuous situational awareness.

Onzichtbare Helden: immersive buurttraining voor collectief handelen in crises

Invisible Heroes is a mixed reality neighbourhood training in which residents experience a crisis in their own area together. Using a VR headset, they see digital crisis information about their own street, for example during a prolonged power outage, flooding or a heatwave. Together, they practise the role they and their neighbours can play. The training is designed for municipalities and safety regions to prepare residents for situations where emergency services cannot be everywhere at once. Its contribution to social inclusion and cohesion lies here: neighbours who barely knew each other experience something meaningful together and discover each other's strengths, regardless of language, background or education. Everyone has something to offer. This builds trust in the street, even outside crisis situations. The first customers are municipalities and safety regions. In phase 1, Inner Group is researching feasibility in 2 pilot sites, together with the fire service, Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region, immersive designers (Framespace) and welfare organisations. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

Participate-360

Participate-360: participation, data and visualisation in the living environment ReGreeny is developing a digital 3D platform that lets residents, designers and municipalities plan together for their street or neighbourhood. In many neighbourhoods, it's hard to make good decisions about things like greening, traffic and water storage, because these issues are complex and interconnected. With this platform, users can immediately see the effect of their choices, helping plans come together faster and better aligned. This helps prevent misunderstandings and delays, and builds greater support among residents.

PerspectiveXR

PerspectiveXR is developing a new approach to citizen participation in urban development. Through an immersive XR experience, residents literally step into each other's perspectives on building plans in their neighbourhood. This reduces conflict and polarisation around new developments. The project builds on earlier successful research in Sweden, adapted to the Dutch context. Over 6 months, Future of Now will build a working prototype and test it with municipalities and residents. The goal is to make participation more accessible and effective, so that urban development can happen faster and with less resistance.

Placemaking Immersive

Stipo and Orb Amsterdam are exploring how to turn physical participation tools for urban development into a digital, immersive application. Using virtual and mixed reality, they're investigating how citizens, policymakers and developers can gain better insight into the coherence and impact of spatial planning decisions. The envisioned IX solution makes participation more accessible and allows different stakeholders to give feedback from their own perspective and engage in co-creation. This helps improve decision-making, prevent unwanted side effects and build broader public support for complex urban challenges — think housing, sustainability and accessibility.

PLAN Configurator

PLAN is a digital tool that helps municipalities and property developers present spatial plans to residents in a way everyone can understand. During public participation sessions, it visualises changes in real time within a photorealistic 3D environment built from scanned data. This lets residents see the impact of their input straight away, building more trust and engagement. PLAN supports the participation requirements under the Environment and Planning Act (Omgevingswet). It enables authorities and project initiators to communicate plans transparently and involve residents in spatial decision-making from an early stage.

Planning & Real-time IX Scenario Maker

PRISM is an AI-supported VR scenario builder that lets police officers with no technical background build and adapt realistic environments and scenarios. Using voice commands and simple building blocks, they can recreate past incidents and prepare for new situations, for example crowd control or threat scenarios. The tool drastically cuts the development time for XR training and makes it possible to share and reuse scenarios nationwide. In phase 1, the team is investigating the technical feasibility, user acceptance and economic viability 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 different sources, interprets it, and translates it into clear visual signals. These signals are then displayed on various devices, including desktops, mobile devices and, in particular, AR devices. This gives officers immediate insight into what's happening around them, such as changes in threat level or relevant control room information. Polaris helps officers act faster and more safely, reduces cognitive load, and makes it possible to deploy immersive technology responsibly and sustainably — not just in training, but in real operations too.

POLice Augmented Reality Intelligence System (POLARIS)

By applying Augmented Reality (AR) interfaces, Embedded Acoustics B.V. is enhancing the “situational awareness” of intervention units. The proposed solution combines a visual interface (AR glasses or helmet) with 3D audio. Information is projected onto the real environment both visually and audibly. Embedded Engineering develops robust interfaces of this kind, to date mainly for military applications. This work has shown how the right interface design can present information in a highly intuitive and effective way. Situational awareness increases significantly, while cognitive load is reduced. They are adapting the existing system to meet the requirements of relevant teams at the Netherlands Police.

Police Rapid Environment & Scenario Platform

PREP is developing a system that allows police officers to create and run a realistic training or operational scenario in an immersive 3D environment within an hour. Using 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.

Precision exposure therapy: Personalisation strategies and implementation of VR-based exposure therapy in mental health services

Fear-related symptoms are highly prevalent and central to mental health disorders, contributing to reduced wellbeing, increased healthcare costs, and substantial losses in productivity. Exposure therapy is widely recognised as an effective treatment for these conditions. Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) offers advantages over traditional approaches by enabling controlled and precise exposure, i.e., personalised to individual patients' needs. Personalised VRET also holds the promise to be flexibly integrated across treatment phases, including early intervention, ambulatory therapy, and at-home use. Two key challenges limit full realisation of these developments. First, there is a lack of systematic knowledge on how to effectively personalise VRET, particularly given the wide range of available content and the need to optimise treatment precision while minimising adverse effects, such as cybersickness. Second, there is insufficient knowledge on how to implement personalised VRET effectively in clinical practice, especially its ambulatory and home-based care, and of which factors influence sustainable integration. This project aims to first develop an evidence- and practice-based personalisation framework for VRET, and second, to develop, test, and evaluate a tailored implementation strategy. To accomplish this, Work Package 1 focuses on identifying personalisation parameters through a systematic literature review and iterative development using usability and user experience studies. Work Package 2 focuses on implementation, using qualitative methods including interviews to identify the organisational, technical, and clinical conditions necessary for an optimised implementation. This project extends an established multidisciplinary consortium connected through the Academic Collaborative Centre Digital Health and Mental Wellbeing, consisting of academic (Tilburg University), clinical (GGz Breburg), and industry (Psylaris) partners, supported by a sounding board with (inter)national partners with leading roles in VRET research and implementation. Embedded in (inter)national networks, the consortium will disseminate knowledge through academic, professional, and educational channels, thereby impacting patient wellbeing and reducing the burden on mental healthcare systems.

PRIME

CIIIC is launching a nationwide network of five IX Labs: physical workshops spread across the Netherlands, offering anyone interested in immersive technology access to facilities, knowledge and equipment. Together, they're shortening the distance between experimenting and applying — open, accessible and low-threshold for everyone. PRIME Lab at the KNVB Campus in Zeist investigates how brain, body and environment work together to sustainably improve performance. Developed by CoVince, the lab focuses on 'staying in your prime for longer' — relevant for elite athletes, firefighters, surgeons, pilots and anyone who needs to perform under pressure. With immersive technology, neurotech and spatial computing, PRIME offers a unique space for training, research and innovation. Startups, students, researchers and professionals can develop, test and apply ideas there in realistic scenarios. The current facilities include an Immersive Room with 270° LED screens for groups, plus VR and AR systems for individual and team training.

PublicTwin

PublicTwin is a hybrid platform that gives professionals, civil servants and residents relevant insight into the spatial planning process and the public support behind it, both online and on location. By involving residents at an early stage, the risk of setbacks is prevented or reduced. This avoids costly delays in planning processes. Visitors to PublicTwin can 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 community support and also gathers 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-world locations, generated from photos or videos of the site. Once a location has been captured, the resulting scenes can be viewed and used in a VR headset within minutes. RapidScan builds on earlier work by Leiden University with 3D Gaussian Splatting, which demonstrated that complex urban areas can be reproduced in remarkable detail. By focusing on speed and ease of use, the tool offers a practical way to explore or rehearse situations, opening up opportunities for the Netherlands Police, municipalities and others with an interest in simulating physical environments.

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.

SamenSterk

SamenSterk is a collective crisis role-play in Mixed Reality. Teams of 4 participants experience a crisis situation together, such as 72 hours without tap water. During the game, they need to come up with solutions and weigh different interests against each other, such as health, social wellbeing and safety. The experience makes crisis preparedness active and collaborative. By making decisions together and experiencing their consequences, participants discover what a crisis demands of themselves and those around them. Source: public summaries phase 1, RVO

Scenebrook Haalbaarheidsonderzoek Interactieve XR-Trainingsscenario’s

The project explores whether Scenebrook can be extended with features that let the Netherlands Police develop VR training scenarios faster and more accurately. We're testing three things: automatically converting geo-data into realistic 3D environments, building complex, police-specific scenarios without requiring technical expertise, and measuring learning outcomes in VR. The aim is to determine whether this would allow the Netherlands Police to create realistic, up-to-date and easily 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, 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 develop this emerging practice further and generate knowledge through an interconnected process. The activities are organised around overlapping tracks – 'creation and prototyping', 'reflection and interpretation', 'documentation and dissemination' – developing applicable knowledge, encouraging sustainable exhibition practices, and raising the international profile of Dutch immersive artists (both artists who are part of the consortium and artists selected through an open call). These tracks build up to the annual International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam.

SHIFT

SHIFT is an interactive conversation experience for key workers and people seeking support. During the conversation, they work together to build a visual picture of the future around themes such as housing, work, relationships and leisure time. Physical objects, cards and short interactive mini-games make the conversation more tangible and less dependent on words. SHIFT supports key workers without replacing human contact. The method offers an alternative to the classic intake interview and can help build trust more quickly and tailor support more effectively. Potential users include municipalities, welfare, youth and participation organisations, and educational institutions. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

SHINE

CIIIC is launching a nationwide network of five IX Labs: physical workshops spread across the Netherlands, open to anyone with an interest in immersive technology, offering facilities, knowledge and equipment. Together, they shorten the distance between experimentation and real-world application — open, accessible and low-threshold for everyone. SHINE Lab in Rotterdam brings together technical validation and societal testing. The lab focuses on three regional core domains: Life Sciences & Health, Maritime & Industry, and the Digital Built Environment. SHINE combines high-end facilities — telepresence, haptics, spatial audio and dome visualisation — with a publicly accessible exhibition space. This means IX applications aren't just tested technically, but also examined for usability, ethics and impact. Public values, open source, and collaboration with partners such as SAT Montréal are at the heart of it. The lab will grow in phases: starting with 265 m² within the Katoenhuis, later expanding to around 950 m², including a 360° dome and an experience room for shared, collective experiences.

SimCityScope

SimCityScope: virtual experience and coordination of urban disruption and construction phasing SimCityScope is an interactive process, including a tool, that lets residents, business owners and policymakers experience building projects and other neighbourhood changes virtually before they happen. Through VR, AR or a screen, you see not just the end result but also the planning, temporary closures and possible disruption. This creates more understanding, engagement and better collaboration before construction begins. The project helps municipalities and other parties make better decisions on urban development together with residents.

SIMplify-XR, een AI-gestuurde VR-trainingsomgeving

Improvive wants to help the Netherlands Police create training scenarios more quickly for approaching suspicious individuals at large-scale events. This should result in a training in VR or Mixed Reality. Until now, 3D environments and scenarios have been designed by specialists. Improvive wants 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. This way, the police can build scenarios that match real-world situations simply and independently.

Simulation Operations

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

Situational Awareness op elk moment, door iedereen

With Imagem NL B.V.'s innovation, 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. Within this 3D virtual world, users can analyse, simulate and coordinate situations — think of line-of-fire and line-of-sight analysis, or working through 'what if' scenarios. This new information position enables them to create a realistic digital environment for preparation, coordination and action in both ad-hoc and planned situations. The result: faster decision-making, greater situational awareness, more efficient use of resources, and a safer working environment for officers on the street.

SPOT - Simultaan Plaats Onderzoek Tool

CoVince Innovations B.V.'s solution turns simple video recordings into collaborative 3D environments. This lets multiple experts visit crime scenes simultaneously within two hours, from any location.

Stad in Beeld

Stad in Beeld – A 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 clear and to give residents an accessible way to get involved. In this phase, Webbio is working with the municipality of Nijmegen and two specialised technology partners to build a working proof of concept focused on one specific neighbourhood. This will validate technical feasibility, user interaction, data connections and policy integration.

Stad op het Spel

Stad op het Spel lets decision-makers in urban development experience the impact of their choices and collaboration first-hand. 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 actually mean for everyday life. Playing the game opens up space for empathy, reflection and better conversations. In doing so, it contributes - in an accessible and thought-provoking way - to more human-centred policy, more effective ways of working, and cross-disciplinary thinking about the city of tomorrow. In short: a conversation starter that opens up new perspectives.

Stage IX

Stage IX 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 pathways, and reclaims imagination by challenging technology-driven paradigms. The programme works through intensive residencies built around practice-based research with emerging and established artists and collectives, recruited via 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 strands: '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 part of an optimal user experience, remain key challenges for the IX community. How can museums onboard visitors more effectively so that more of them can experience a functional IX? And how can they create a shared VR experience in the process? That's what the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences will be researching, together with a museum and an IX developer.

T.O.A.R.

This project explores the feasibility of an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) solution that makes police work 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, helping officers stay better informed and respond faster. The feasibility study validates the technical design, the user experience with the Netherlands 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 overlays, officers on the street can communicate live with the control room and specialists. This allows crucial information to be shared faster and visually. It cuts response times, makes expertise available anywhere, 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 needed for widespread deployment of TactiCall within the Netherlands Police.

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

Public values are a key priority of the CIIIC funding programme. How do we ensure IX applications are developed, deployed and used responsibly? This theme runs through every funded project like a common thread. The project led by Inholland University of Applied Sciences (with partners including the National Archives and the National Library of the Netherlands) focuses entirely on public values. Its central question: how can scriptwriters responsibly develop cinematic VR stories about colonial histories and their continuing impact on society today?

The hybrid stage: Assessing the enhancement of live performances through volumetrically captured video

Live music is increasingly intersecting with immersive technology. Pre-recorded volumetric video is an emerging immersive experience technology with significant creative potential for the live music and events sector. In this setting, a real artist performs on stage alongside digitally 3D-video captured content. High-profile cases (Madonna's Billboard Music Awards performance, ABBA Voyage) demonstrate its creative potential, but no scientific research has examined how audiences actually experience it. SME producers increasingly encounter the technology yet lack the empirical knowledge and validated methods to deploy it effectively. This project addresses that gap through demand-driven, practice-oriented research conducted in close collaboration with SME partners across the full live music production chain. The project explores to what extent concert attendees experience and accept pre-recorded volumetric video elements in a live performance, and under what conditions this enhances their experience. The project employs a mixed-methods design across six work packages. A co-design phase develops a hybrid performance concept with artists and production partners. Two volumetric video prototypes (2D LED presentation and 3D cylindrical projection) are implemented and tested in a controlled experiment at BUas' XR stage, using psychophysiological measurement (bodily emotion measures), quantitative self-report, and qualitative interviews. Public values considerations, including transparency toward audiences and responsible use of performers' likenesses, are treated as design criteria throughout. Findings inform an evidence-based design revision, subsequently validated at the TURF Event in Breda. The consortium unites Breda University of Applied Sciences, volumetric production specialist 4DR Productions, creative studio Live Legends, business developer Angle of Impact and music rights technology company Copyright Delta. Beyond generating empirical knowledge about audience experience, the project produces practical production guidelines and validated measurement methods designed to make volumetric concert enrichment accessible and scalable for SME producers, with findings being largely transferable to any organization seeking to evaluate the experiential impact of immersive experience applications.

The Key

The Key is a mobile immersive simulation game in which key figures and partner organisations practise handling realistic support requests within a neighbourhood. Players gather around a shared dashboard, discuss their approach as the game unfolds, choose routes and see immediately how their choices affect trust, progress, workload and collaboration. In phase 1, Hub Creations is investigating the content-related, technical, usability and market feasibility. They are developing a proof of concept featuring a pilot storyline, a dashboard mock-up and a focus group test with key figures, the municipality and chain partners. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

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.

The SHIFT

How can the IX production process create more room for the working methods of IX makers, so that they can experiment more freely with technology? This is the question The SHIFT consortium wants to address. The consortium aims to map out artistic working processes, build a shared knowledge base and community, and develop new production standards. Makers form the core of the consortium and explore these topics through new artistic work. The expected outcomes are an iterative practice model and recommendations for structural improvements to production conditions in the Benelux.

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 wants to strengthen the Dutch IX field by offering body-centred design principles that challenge our reliance on hardware, and by sharing knowledge on how to create accessible, inclusive IX as a form of 'social infrastructure' that fosters social cohesion and a collective sense of belonging. The research explores how the body can take on a more central role in immersive experiences, and how a sense of home can be fostered among participants. It is structured 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 together with communities in public spaces. This methodology will result in two artistic pilots (one outdoors, 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 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.

Togetherness - alternate spaces for shared realities

By developing prototypes, the Togetherness consortium aims to research how the collective immersive experience of live music can be shaped. The activities programme to be developed will consist of long-term residencies and shorter trajectories for IX makers and mid-career artists, selected through an open call. The aim is to develop design methods that are accessible and applicable for makers, venues and festivals within and beyond the consortium, and that demonstrably contribute to the audience's sense of togetherness.

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

How are IX effects measured? And do different sectors even mean the same thing when they use IX concepts and measurement methods? These questions keep evolving alongside developments in the IX field. For Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, this is reason enough to take a fresh, critical look at how existing concepts and methods are perceived — together with other research groups and IX creators from the creative industries.

Training Sandbox

The Training Sandbox is a hybrid IX platform that lets operational police officers independently create, adapt and share realistic scenarios within hours. A web editor makes it possible to quickly recreate ad-hoc situations and large-scale events, while a Unity package gives in-house development teams room to customise and expand the platform. It supports real-time intervention, learning analytics and multi-user collaboration within a single simulation. Built on a privacy-conscious architecture and guided by public values, the Sandbox aims to strengthen officers' practical skills, professional competence and mental resilience, cutting turnaround time from weeks to hours.

TransitieTwin3D

Dutch cities are facing an unprecedented pile-up of spatial challenges: housing construction, grid reinforcement, heat network installation, greening and climate adaptation. These challenges collide at street level, and designs and communication are often developed in isolation from one another. The result is fragmentation, delays and confusion among residents. TransitieTwin3D offers an integrated IX solution: a virtual, interactive environment where policymakers, contractors and residents can get to grips with spatial projects, influence them and align them more effectively. 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 needing VR headsets or specialist hardware.

Tussen straat en systeem

Robin de Lange is developing immersive training for key professionals who deal with homeless people in their daily work. Participants experience just how complex everyday life on the streets can be, and practise handling situations where people react with distrust, confusion, anger or withdrawal. Language and cultural differences add a further layer of challenge. The training is aimed at neighbourhood police officers, library staff, youth workers and community coaches, among others. For this group, dealing effectively with homeless people is part of everyday practice. Source: public summaries phase 1, RVO

Urban Prototype Station

Urban Prototype Station: Through Our Eyes Urban Prototype Station: Through Our Eyes is a mixed reality platform that reduces the negative effects of urban development by combining 3D city models, storytelling through volumetric video of local residents, and open data. The platform visualises the impact of construction projects at 3 functional scale levels: • bird's-eye view (1:500) for tabletop project discussions; • neighbourhood scale (1:50) for Madurodam-style area visualisation; • street level (1:1) for real-size viewing in the actual environment. It brings personal stories, such as residents' experiences of nuisance, directly into the design process through lifelike holograms. The platform provides a communication channel between decision-makers and residents, allowing plans to be visualised, residents to give direct feedback, and alternative implementation scenarios to be simulated in order to minimise nuisance.

Urban Remix

Urban Remix: AI-driven citizen participation through visual storytelling Urban Remix is an AI-powered platform that helps residents visually communicate their ideas for their own neighbourhood. Through a chatbot, map interface, and image and animation tools, citizen participation becomes more accessible, more persuasive and more visually engaging. The feasibility study examines the technical, societal and economic conditions needed for successful implementation, building a bridge between residents and policymakers. It also gives students the chance to work on a pressing 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 realistic visualisations of cityscapes. This gives residents insight into the consequences of different scenarios. Residents view the visuals through XR visualisations, and can also 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, and lets them 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 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.

Virtual Reality en Neurofeedback

Virtual reality and neurofeedback: towards a more inclusive city The Olifantenpad Consortium believes the era of well-intentioned drawing-board plans and the unplanned desire paths people carve out afterwards is over. The Olifantenpad Consortium is developing a participation tool that reveals people's conscious and unconscious responses to a spatial environment or design, using VR, AI and neurofeedback grounded in environmental psychology. The tool provides broad insight into how different groups of people experience a spatial environment, helping to prevent urban planning mistakes, costly changes after the fact, and delays in the construction process.

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 work together to build a realistic tactical situation map, explore scenarios and train directly in VR or Mixed Reality, even from different locations. This feasibility study identifies the workflow needed to let operational staff create and use scenarios independently, taking into account the relevant conditions for responsible and safe use within the Netherlands Police context.

Wijkmakers

Wijkmakers is a physical, interactive scale model that lets residents practise mutual self-reliance during disruptions and crisis situations in their neighbourhood. Around the model, participants make joint decisions under time pressure about requests for help, resources, roles and priorities. Light, sound and other changes immediately show what their choices mean for the neighbourhood. In phase 1, Hub Creations is developing a proof of concept and examining its content-related, technical, and usage and market feasibility. Residents, municipalities and neighbourhood partners are testing the experience together. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

WijkWijs

WijkWijs is a mobile app that helps residents prepare for a crisis at neighbourhood level. Under normal circumstances, users follow a playful AR trail past emergency facilities and key locations in their own neighbourhood, complete with immersive explanations and an AI assistant. When the internet goes down, the app switches to an offline crisis mode featuring a local map, and the on-device AI assistant remains available. The feasibility study is being carried out by Dutch Rose Media/4DR Studios in Eindhoven, with Magic Trailz and Mear Fryslân as operational partners and the municipality of Eindhoven serving as the test site. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

WijZijnWaterproof

WijZijnWaterproof helps residents prepare for large-scale flooding. Climate and water data are translated into realistic VR/3D scenarios, allowing residents to see what flooding could mean for their own street and home. They are then supported in working together to make concrete preparations and agreements with one another. The approach pays particular attention to vulnerable residents, aiming to strengthen the resilience and mutual self-reliance of neighbourhoods. In phase 1, Witteveen+Bos and C4Real are investigating technical and social feasibility, data linkages, privacy, and opportunities for scaling up through municipalities, among other things. Source: public phase 1 summaries, RVO

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