Externally Funded Projects

Developing Experience-Centric Accessible Immersive Virtual Reality Technology (AccessVR)

Contact: Kathrin Gerling Funding Agency: European Research Council Start: January 1st, 2024 End: December 31st, 2028 Link: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101115807

Virtual reality (VR) has promise to improve access to leisure activities, education, and work, but most VR systems are designed for non-disabled persons. Within AccessVR, we will address the physical, digital and experiential accessibility of VR for people with limited mobility, and will contribute a theoretical framework and research platform for accessible VR.

Detailed project description: More information on AccessVR

Real-World Lab Accessibility

Contact: Anna-Lena Meiners Start: December 1st, 2022 End: November 30th, 2028 Link: https://accessibility.kit.edu/

The Real-World Lab “Accessibility” is a cross-disciplinary and participatory research effort that is concerned with the design, development and evaluation of novel technologies that can be leveraged by disabled people. Within the real-world lab, our aim is to build technology that facilitates equitable participation in society, that contributes to individual safety and comfort in spaces, and that facilitates access to enriching and engaging experiences. At the same time, we also want to make visible the limitations of technology, and contribute to conversation about when societal change and removal of structural barriers rather than individual intervention is required.

Real-World Lab Robotic AI

Contact: Jan Rixen, Tamim Asfour (coordinator) Start: 2023 End: 2025 Link: https://www.robotics-ai.kit.edu/index.php

In the KIT Real-World Lab "Robotic Artificial Intelligence", humanoid robots meet their potential future users as embodied artificial intelligence (AI). Humanoid robots in various public spaces - from daycare centers and schools to museums, city libraries and hospitals - are intended to make artificial intelligence tangible for people. A wide range of experiments will be conducted to raise awareness of AI technology and gain new insights for the research and development of future AI robots.