This PhD focuses on Living Labs in healthcare. The aim is to study and develop new tools and methods to increase the successful implementation of innovation in healthcare. By exploring emerging technologies and trends, the project develops and integrates these into new methods and tools that strengthen and support the Living Lab methodology in healthcare.

The PhD project investigates how technology innovation ecosystems can become more accessible and inclusive, enabling people with diverse needs to participate in shaping emerging technologies. Using participatory and inclusive design approaches, it studies and develops tools, methods, and environments that lower or prevent barriers to engagement in innovation processes.

CamoTEXTtreme is a European collaboration to develop Multifunctional Textiles for Camouflage and Resistance to Extreme Environmental Conditions.

The ASTRA project develops a research-grade experimentation platform for studying Agentic AI and conversational interfaces in real-world settings. By combining rapid prototyping across devices with a behavioral experimentation suite, it allows researchers to evaluate user trust, acceptance, and human-in-the-loop dynamics through rigorous "in-the-wild" testing.

Flanders is strengthening its position in stage technology. The Stagetech Flanders project develops an experimental hub in Boom to initiate innovative stagetech pilot projects with local stakeholders. Using foresight methods, we map trends, generate innovation ideas, and develop roadmaps. Our expertise in futures methods and Living Lab processes supports this trajectory.

As part of the European ENLIGHT program, we are co-developing a blended intensive program (BIP) on empathy for students. The “Empathy in Action” initiative aims to empower students to use empathy as a driver for innovation and social change through challenge-based learning methodologies. The program consist of 3 blocks: an online pre- and post-phase, and a one-week on-sight course.

Personal Data Stores (PDS) and Solid aim to restore user data control, yet adoption lags despite institutional interest. This thesis uses multi-sector research to prove that usage challenges are manageable, providing a practical design tool to help companies bridge the gap and drive PDS-driven innovation.

This project explored the boundaries between real-world and hybrid VR/XR prototyping and user testing.

Production processes face pressure from aging, climate change, and rapid technological change, complicating long-term workforce development in Flanders. Flanders Make and imec explored future scenarios with over 50 experts. We designed and facilitated the process through interviews, workshops, and iterative scenarios, including exploration of large language models in foresight.

This project explored the nature of participatory futures processes, and the interplay between actefacts and acors to generate knowlegde and collactively imagine.

Cocreative development of public interfaces to raise awareness aound air quality and mobility choices, focussed on school areas.

Unraveling the complexity of user interactions in the design process of smart products and emerging technologies. The development the HCCI (human-computer-context-interaction) framework.