The advances in computer graphics, sensors and screen technology have now enabled us to produce artificial stimuli that “trick” our senses into believing that they are real. With virtual reality technology we can simulate environments, artifacts and social situations with a high degree of realism and control.

We study how people react and interact with virtual environments both behaviorally and physiologically. Much of the research takes place in the Virtual Reality Lab (link to external website). Some typical research question that we work with are:

• How should the interaction with a virtual environment be designed for a certain task?
• What can a person learn by practicing or training in a virtual environment?
• How are people affected psychologically and physiologically by interacting with different virtual environments?

Research in focus

Research in focus in the area of People in Virtual Environments:

• VR as a health intervention in care of the elderly
• VR in cancer rehabilitation
• VR as a teaching tool in elementary school
• VR for city planning
• VR for the analysis of complex data sets
• Augmented reality (AR) for industrial operators