Applied research in action: Using AI, games, and immersive media to solve real-world challenges

Applied research in action: Using AI, games, and immersive media to solve real-world challenges

11/12/2025 - 11:18

Within the Academy for AI, Games and Media (AGM) at Breda University of Applied Sciences, research, development and innovation go hand in hand. The academy’s Research and Development department has recently been recognised with four excellence ratings across all evaluation categories in its national research accreditation, earning the prestigious ‘Excellent’ designation from the Netherlands Quality Agency (NQA). This makes Breda University of Applied Sciences the first Dutch university of applied sciences ever to achieve this distinction, a remarkable milestone that highlights the academy’s commitment and quality towards impact and innovation in applied research.
Games
  • Research

A leading force in applied research 

AGM’s research focuses on how artificial intelligence, game technology and immersive media can be used to address real-world challenges. Nick van Apeldoorn, Programme Leader of DIGIREAL and researcher within AGM, explains: 

 ‘Our academy has one of the strongest backgrounds in gaming, we are among the top in the world, and that is reflected in our research, where we explore how game technology and thinking can be applied to benefit society.’ 

With a team of more than 23 FTE researchers and a broad network of international partners, AGM is one of the largest applied research groups in the Netherlands. ‘Because half of the team are researchers and the other half are developers, we are able to do real research and development, which puts us in a competitive position and makes us an attractive partner to collaborate with.’ 

Six core research themes 

AGM’s research is organised around six key themes that reflect the academy’s interdisciplinary approach and future-focused mindset: 

  • Virtual Humans
  • Digital Twins
  • Serious and Simulation Games
  • Virtual Training and Therapy
  • Creative and Entertainment Games Industries
  • Content Creation for Games and Media 

‘These themes allow us to work across different domains, from healthcare and education to entertainment and data science,’ Nick notes. ‘It is a unique ecosystem where disciplines naturally blend and reinforce each other.’ 

Research that blends creativity and technology 

One of the academy’s standout research lines explores Virtual Humans, digital beings that can express emotion and interact naturally with people. Projects such as VHESPER investigate how humans perceive emotion and empathy in virtual characters, combining psychology, artificial intelligence and digital art. 

‘It is fascinating to study how we respond emotionally to virtual humans,’ says Nick. ‘These technologies let us explore human perception in completely new ways.’ 

Another project, part of the Regio Deal, focuses on the practical applications of this research in areas like education, healthcare and journalism. For example, AGM has developed virtual newsreaders to study how emotion and expression influence the way people perceive news and trust information sources. 

‘Virtual humans don’t need to be perfect copies of us,’ Nick adds. ‘They should find their own niche, not too real, but human enough to connect. That tension between realism and relatability is what makes this research so exciting.’ 

Looking ahead 

With more than half of its team and funding coming from international collaborations, AGM continues to push boundaries in applied digital research. ‘What we do here is genuinely unique,’ Nick concludes. ‘There is no other lab in Europe doing what we’re doing at this scale, and it’s great to see that recognised nationally and internationally.’ 

Stay tuned, we will soon share a series of in-depth articles showcasing the research projects from the Academy for AI, Games and Media.