Help in the hospital from a virtual human being, that’s the future, if the VIBE project will be a success. This project will start in January 2018 in three hospitals, including the Maxima Medical Centre and has received an investment of 7 million. The virtual people (avatars) are developed by the University of Tilburg, in collaboration with thirteen other partners.
Avatars communicate in virtual reality using speech, facial expressions and through interaction with human users. There are several applications for these avatars, such as in health care, where this interaction is important. They can, for example, help train nursing staff or clarify patient information.
Gedeputeerde Bert Pauli is pleased with the funding: “The European Union wants new scientific insights to be applied for a social purpose. Thanks to this European subsidy, VIBE is able to enable healthcare providers to take advantage of the possibilities offered by virtual reality. The province also contributes to this. The collaboration between scientists and entrepreneurs strengthens Brabant’s innovative power.” Alderman Berend de Vries of Tilburg is also pleased with the initiative: “The subsidy for VIBE offers a great basis for further shaping our newly started Mind Labs. Mind Labs starts flying thanks to VIBE.”
VIBE (Virtual Humans in the Brabant Economy) is Mind Labs’ first project, an initiative on interactive technologies and human behaviour in the Tilburg railway zone. The funding of the project comes from the European Union, OP South, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the province of North Brabant and the municipality of Tilburg.
