Exploring Human Experience Through Interactive Technologies

A research-driven environment dedicated to exploring human experience, interaction, and behaviour through user studies, playtesting, and physiological sensing.

Research

At the Realities Lab, our research centres on understanding how humans interact with digital systems, games, and emerging technologies in ways that are meaningful, measurable, and grounded in real human experience. We investigate the subtle interplay between players, interfaces, and interactive environments, using rigorous user research methodologies to reveal how design decisions shape behaviour, engagement, and emotional response.

Our work explores how physiological sensing—including heart rate, skin conductance, and other biometric signals—can deepen our understanding of user experience. By combining these data with behavioural observation, we develop insights into affective responses, cognitive load, and attention during play or interaction.

Our research emphasizes the social and experiential dimensions of interactive systems. We examine how people collaborate, play, and learn together, and how environments—both physical and digital—can be shaped to support these experiences. Through these efforts, the Realities Lab aims to set new standards for empirical research in games, interaction design, and human-centred innovation.

Latest papers

Authors, “excellent paper”, in great journal
Authors, “excellent paper”, in great journal
Authors, “excellent paper”, in great journal
Authors, “excellent paper”, in great journal
Authors, “excellent paper”, in great journal

Partners

Education

What can you do here?

The Realities Lab supports a wide range of courses and student projects within Game Design, Interaction Design, Learning Technologies, and the broader fields of Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), User Research, and User Studies.
This is the place where you investigate how people play, learn, feel, and interact.

Students commonly use the lab to:

Conduct observational studies of players interacting with games or prototypes.
Run multiple user research experiments in parallel using dedicated workstations.
Measure human responses using physiological sensors and eye-tracking devices.
Playtest game concepts in a comfortable, living‑room‑style environment.
Collaborate on HCI and UX-focused projects in a flexible project-space setting.

Whether you’re testing a new interaction concept, running an affective computing experiment, or analysing player behavior, the Realities Lab gives you the tools and environment to work professionally and efficiently.

Key info

Purpose-built for User Research: run controlled studies or casual playtests.
Flexible, Configurable Space: rearrange the room to match your research setup.
Observation Capabilities: a one-way mirror room supports recorded or live observation.
Advanced Equipment: access physiological sensors and eye trackers for HCI experiments.

How to Access

Access is by arrangement with your professor or through specific courses. It is generally available as a space for project work, playtesting activities, and observational studies.

Sensors and specialized equipment can be requested and may require a quick training session. Students are typically introduced to these facilities during their courses; otherwise, a crash‑course can be scheduled when requesting equipment.

The lab is intended to be accessible whenever it is not reserved for the connected courses, following the general access conditions of the building/department. (Check local information or timetables for exact building opening hours.)