Research Group Human Experience & Media Design

Our research group develops tools, methods and models to optimise the user experience of digital media. We achieve this by measuring interactions between people and media in order to continuously improve this user experience. We call this the 'data feedback loop'.

How can we make the interaction between the user and smart technologies such as recommendation systems and chatbots as pleasant as possible?

Technology is getting closer. We keep track of our hormone cycle with 'period trackers', count our steps, record our mood and share it with others. How does technology affect how we see ourselves? And how can we take this into account in the design?

New technologies such as chatbots and social robots are often designed not as tools but as partners. How does this relationship with technology work and is it helpful in designing it?

Dreamrobot

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This project explores how a social robot can use 'guided imagery' to reduce anxiety and pain in children in hospitals. The goal is to develop a widely applicable robot that supports children during various medical procedures.

Rethinking Shadow IT and Cybersecurity: A Study on Employees Behaviour in Storing Data on Company-Approved Software

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Broken Connection

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Citizens’ perspectives on science communication
- Ionica Smeets, Charlotte B. C. M. Egger, Sicco de Knecht, Anne M. Land-Zandstra, Aletta L. Meinsma, Ward Peeters, Sanne Romp, Julie Schoor, Winnifred Wijnker, Alex Verkade
- Research.Lectorate: Human Experience & Media Design
- Article
- 2025
Off the charts: A comparative analysis of data visualisations in online science news from South Africa and the USA
- Marnell Kirsten, Marina Jouber, Ionica Smeets, Winnifred Wijnker
- Research.Lectorate: Human Experience & Media Design
- Article
- 2025
Applied Design Research in Living Labs and Other Experimental Learning and Innovation Environments
- Peter Joore, Anja Overdiek, Wina` Smeenk, Koen van Turnhout
- Research.Lectorate: Human Experience & Media Design
- Book
- 2024

Students are structurally involved in our research projects, to which they provide a significant contribution. In addition, we regularly deliver guest lectures, workshops and inspirational sessions for degree programmes at the HU and elsewhere.

We work together with various partners from the creative industry, other knowledge institutions, the public sector and business services, such as:

GGD Hart voor Brabant, Media Perspectives, Dutch Game Garden, OBI4wan, the Municipality of Utrecht and U Create.