Research projects 2022

In this project, VU and UT colleagues are working together to develop wearable robotics. By combining knowledge of movement sciences at the VU and engineering sciences at the UT, the researchers aim to develop controllers for exoskeletons that cooperate with human movement in an optimal way. They have now succeeded in designing an exoskeleton controller that makes it easier for healthy young people to maintain balance when walking with less muscle activity. In the future, they aim to improve the regulator so that people at high risk of falling or those with a powered lower leg prosthesis can walk more robustly and efficiently. The project is closely aligned with the objectives of the collaboration between the VU and the UT on the subject of Smart Health Society. The first results have been published in the Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.

Research title

‘Integrative methodology for human movement analysis and exoskeleton control’

Researchers involved

Maarten Afschrift, 
Koen Lemaire, 
Edwin van Asseldonk, 
Nicola Strisciuglio

Publication  

Journal of NeuroEngineering en Rehabilitation

Information

Maarten Afschrift, m.a.afschrift@vu.nl

Food packaging accounted for 5.4% of global food system emissions in 2015. At least 1/3 of food packaging consists of single-use plastic and about 1/5 of the emissions come from fruits and vegetables. The key to sustainable development is changing consumer behaviour. This project brings together knowledge from different disciplines in spatial analysis, behaviour and economics. The central question here is how the use of plastic material can be improved. To do so, the researchers look at the access to shops, the knowledge and behaviour on packaging and the level of food waste at home. This will include analyses at neighbourhood and city level and consumer-level surveys. The proposal fits well with the VU-UT collaboration on Responsible Societies and with the sustainability plans of the Netherlands, the EU and the UN.

Research title 

‘Plastic-free: a spatial-precision behavioral analysis to scale up consumers’ zero-plastic usage in vegetables and fruits groceries’

Researchers involved

Meike Morren, 
Yue Dou, 

Publication

Choosing a cucumber without plastic?

Information

Yue Dou, yue.dou@utwente.nl

In this project researchers of the VU and the UT in collaboration with people from the RP3 Rowing company, are investigating the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) to support rowing practice. A first-ever VR multi-person rowing simulator was created for the project, enabling rowers from all over the world to row together. The Rowing Reimagined platform system opens opportunities for rowing practice. It also enables researchers to investigate research questions in the realm of human performance and in the realm of human-technology relations. The platform has been showcased in June 2023 during a symposium at the Amsterdam Institute of Sports Sciences for an international crowd from the industry, academic institutes and the rowing practice. The platform is permanently setup at the Interaction Lab at the UT and the Human Movement Science lab at the VU, enabling future students and fellow researchers to work on rowing in VR.

Research title

‘Rowing Reimagined: The Design and Development of a Mixed Reality Joint Rowing Simulator’

Researchers involved

Mathijs Hofmijster, 
Dees Postma, 
Armagan Karahanoğlu, 
Robby van Delden, 
Dennis Reidsma

Information

Dees Postma, d.b.w.postma@utwente.nl

In this project, the researchers are looking at the potential of Digital Twins for developing sustainable, climate-resilient urban development strategies. A digital twin is a virtual representation of the real world, including physical objects, processes, relationships and behaviour and realistically represents the environment based on different spatial data sources. Combined with explicit models that simulate systems or processes, digital twins  hold great promise for supporting urban planning and design. In this project, researchers look at them from a socio-spatial, administrative and technical perspective. They are also developing tools and methods to describe, explain and simulate urban development and its effects. All this was used to map changes in urban green space and climate adaptation, among other things.

Research title 

‘Twinning for climate-resilient urban solutions’

Researchers involved 

Eric Koomen
Lynn Bouwknegt
Karin Pfeffer
Funda Atun
Mila Koeva
Eduardo Dias

Publications

Mapping Urban Green Space
Digital Twins for Physiological Equivalent Temperature Calculation Guide

Information

Eric Koomen, e.koomen@vu.nl