gezondheid – DigitalLife.nl

AI als leerpartner in de klas

Leontine Born — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:00:10 +0000

Digital Life sleept een van de laatste Promotiebeurzen voor Leraren binnen!

Hoe kunnen we AI inzetten om leerlingen beter te ondersteunen, terwijl de leraar in control blijft? De komende vijf jaar houdt Stephanie Kramer, docent-onderzoeker bij het lectoraat Digital Life (FDMCI) van de Hogeschool van Amsterdam, zich met deze vraag bezig. Zij heeft een NWO Promotiebeurs voor Leraren ontvangen voor het onderzoek ‘Hybride intelligentie in de klas: ontwerpgericht onderzoek naar AI als leerpartner voor hoogbegaafde leerlingen in inclusief basisonderwijs’. Vanwege bezuinigingen van het kabinet zijn nieuwe rondes geschrapt.

Oplossing voor hoogbegaafde thuiszitters

In Stephanie’s onderzoek, dat per 1 september dit jaar van start is gegaan, draait het om hoogbegaafde leerlingen in het basisonderwijs. Zij hebben vaak behoefte aan meer uitdaging en maatwerk, terwijl leraren simpelweg niet altijd de tijd en middelen hebben om dat iedere dag te bieden.

De urgentie is groot: in Nederland zijn naar schatting 70.000 kinderen die niet naar school gaan, en daarvan is 25 tot 40% hoogbegaafd. Passend onderwijs voor deze groep is daarmee niet alleen een uitdaging in de klas, maar ook een maatschappelijk vraagstuk. ‘Kan AI leraren helpen om hoogbegaafde leerlingen de uitdaging te bieden die zij nodig hebben? En hoe doen we dat op een verantwoorde manier?’

Hybride krachten bundelen in een living lab

Het uitgangspunt is hybride intelligentie: menselijke intelligentie versterkt door AI. De leraar, leerling en AI werken samen, ieder vanuit hun eigen kracht — en de leraar houdt de pedagogische regie. Samen met leraren en leerlingen gaat Stephanie onderzoeken hoe zo’n AI-leerpartner collaboratief, adaptief, verantwoord én uitlegbaar ontworpen kan worden.

En dat gebeurt niet alleen achter een bureau. Het onderzoek vindt plaats in en met basisscholen en binnen Digital Life wordt een Living Lab Hybrid Intelligence opgezet. Daar komen leerlingen, leraren, onderzoekers en HvA-studenten samen om ideeën te bedenken, prototypes te bouwen en deze in de praktijk uit te proberen.

Kortom, vijf jaar lang onderzoeken, ontwerpen, testen en bijschaven aan een spannende vraag: hoe zorgen we ervoor dat AI de menselijke intelligentie in het onderwijs versterkt in plaats van vervangt?

HvA actief betrokken bij nieuw lectoratenplatform VIVALDI

Leontine Born — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:13:26 +0000

‘Virtual human Innovation for a Value-Aligned Lectorate Development Infrastructure’

Virtuele mensen worden steeds zichtbaarder in het dagelijks leven. Ze lezen het nieuws, begeleiden patiënten, helpen met huiswerk en spelen hoofdrollen in films en games. Dankzij kunstmatige intelligentie en gametechnologie worden ze razendsnel overtuigender en zijn ze overal aanwezig. De vraag is niet meer óf ze ons leven binnenkomen, maar hoe we dat goed regelen.

Daar is de missie van VIVALDI. Als eerste nationale kennisplatform voor virtuele mensen brengt VIVALDI vijf hogescholen samen: Breda University of Applied Sciences, Fontys, Hogeschool Rotterdam, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht en Hogeschool van Amsterdam. Samen met partners uit zorg, onderwijs, media en industrie werken negen lectoraten aan de kennis die Nederland nodig heeft.

Dat klinkt als muziek in de oren

Want er liggen fundamentele vragen open. Hoe realistisch moet een virtuele mens zijn, en wanneer slaat dat door? Wat doen ze met ons gevoel van vertrouwen, identiteit en verbinding? Waarom blijven zoveel veelbelovende toepassingen steken als prototype? En wie bewaakt de normen en waarden die in elk virtueel mens worden ingebakken?

VIVALDI onderzoekt deze vragen systematisch, over sectoren en toepassingen heen. Het platform ontwikkelt gedeelde onderzoeksmethoden, praktijkgerichte ontwerpstandaarden en concrete governance-kaders. Bovendien staan het organiseren van een tweejaarlijkse nationale conferentie, samenwerking met beleidsmakers en het delen van de resultaten met de sector op het programma.

Het resultaat: een platform dat Nederland in positie brengt om virtuele mensen niet alleen te begrijpen, maar ook verantwoord te ontwikkelen en in te zetten, nu en in de toekomst.

Expertise vanuit de hoofdstad

De Hogeschool van Amsterdam draagt via de faculteit Digitale Media en Creatieve Industrie bij met twee samenwerkende onderzoeksgroepen, die VIVALDI verankeren in mensgerichte en maatschappelijk ingebedde digitale innovatie.

Vanuit Digital Life is available for download associate lector Child Technology Interaction Simone de Droog betrokken. Zij leidt onderzoek naar de manier waarop sociale robots en digitale personages positief, duurzaam en ethisch kunnen bijdragen aan het welzijn en de ontwikkeling van kinderen in zorg- en onderwijscontexten.

The L.INT-lectoraat Hybrid Realities onder leiding van Esther Hammelburg levert aan dit consortium waardevol onderzoek naar het thema liveness, evenals expertise op het gebied van virtual humans (VH’s) in de context van deathtech. Aangezien dit lectoraat een samenwerking is met het Rathenau Instituut, brengt het bovendien expertise en een netwerk op het gebied van overheid en beleid in, evenals ervaring met de dialoog met burgers en een focus op publieke waarden.

REHABOT

Leontine Born — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:20:37 +0000

Developing an AI Assistant to Support Geriatric Rehabilitation at Home

An increasing number of older people are recovering at home following a stay in a geriatric rehabilitation centre. The REHABOT project is developing a smart AI assistant that supports older people during their recovery at home and helps healthcare professionals gain a better understanding of the recovery process.

Reason

Due to the ageing population, pressure on the healthcare system is rising rapidly. At the same time, older people are spending increasingly shorter periods in care facilities following a hospital or rehabilitation stay, meaning that a large proportion of their rehabilitation takes place at home.

Digital rehabilitation platforms and sensor technology make it possible to support patients at home and monitor their progress remotely. However, these systems also present challenges. Healthcare professionals often lack context regarding patients’ home situations, making it difficult to interpret sensor data. Digital feedback also frequently lacks the personal nuance of face-to-face support.

This creates a need for technology that not only collects data, but also helps to better understand it and to support patients in a way that is both clear and motivating.

Goal

REHABOT is developing an AI-supported rehabilitation system that helps older people recover at home and supports healthcare professionals with remote monitoring and guidance.

The project is investigating how artificial intelligence can contribute to more personalised, understandable and context-aware support during the rehabilitation process.

Expected outcomes

The project delivers:

An AI-powered home rehabilitation assistant for older people.

A digital platform for monitoring and support by healthcare professionals.

New insights into human-centred AI applications in healthcare.

Enhanced support for home rehabilitation and greater opportunities for personalised remote support.

In addition, REHABOT helps to reduce the pressure on geriatric care and supports independent recovery at home.

Image & Video

Publications

Project duration

from 01-09-2026 to 01-09-2028

Project manager

Bin Yu, associate lector, Digital Life, Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Researchers

Somaya Ben Allouch, lector, Digital Life, HvA

Michel Oey, docent-onderzoeker, Digital Life, HvA

Daniel Bossen, associate lector eHealth en Beweeggedrag, HvA

Margriet Pol. associate lector Technologie en Participatie, HvA

Shihan Wang, associate professor, Universiteit Utrecht

Marije Holwege, lector Geriatrische Revalidatie, Hogeschool Inholland & Omring

Funding

SIA RAAK Publiek

Partners

AI als schakel

Leontine Born — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 14:49:28 +0000

From heart health to action and support in the local community

In Amsterdam districts where many residents have a low socioeconomic position, people often face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and limited access to care. This creates a paradox: those most at risk often seek help only when symptoms have become severe.

During our HARTstikke Gezond community health weeks, blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI are measured in local neighbourhoods. Yet the core problem is not the lack of measurements, but the absence of an effective mechanism that connects these biomedical values to personal, social and environmental context.

AI as a Bridge develops this missing link: an AI-triage system that translates measurements into clear advice, and a connected matchbot that converts this advice into concrete actions and suitable local activities. Together, these systems help residents
better understand their results, turn advice into action, and take earlier steps towards improving their health.

Image & Video

Publications

Project duration

from 10-10-2026 to 10-10-2029

Project manager

Dr. Bart Baselmans, hoofddocent Biomedische Technologie – Faculteit Techniek, Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Researchers

Somaya Ben Allouch, lector, Digital Life, HvA

Bin Yu, asscoiate lector, Digital Life, HvA

Wiek Dirks, Biomedische Technologie, HvA

Pim Kruijt, Biomedische Techonologie, HvA

Funding

ZonMw IMDI (Innovative Medical Devices Initiative) | Technologie voor Bemensbare Zorg – vraaggestuurde innovaties

Partners

Artsen bundelen krachten met AI in strijd tegen kanker

Leontine Born — Thu, 21 May 2026 14:27:20 +0000

The research team from the Digital Life research group and the Netherlands Cancer Institute have been selected for ZonMw funding. How can doctors and artificial intelligence (AI) work together more effectively to improve cancer care? With this question as its starting point, the research project ‘Collaborative Intelligence: Doctor-AI Collaborations for Oncological Treatment Planning and Monitoring’ will be carried out over the next four years. Professor Somaya Ben Allouch and Associate Professor Bin Yu from the Digital Life research group are working closely on this with the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI). The University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the ELSA Lab Health Inequity are also project partners.

Working together effectively

The project focuses on developing ‘collaborative intelligence’: effective collaboration between doctors and AI in the field of oncology. AI is already capable of quickly and accurately detecting, localising and monitoring tumours based on medical scans. However, this technology is still used only to a limited extent in clinical practice.

That is striking, particularly given that radiologists face high workloads, staff shortages and an increased risk of burnout. Many tasks in oncological imaging, such as preparing radiotherapy plans, are essential, but also repetitive and mentally taxing.

‘Through this research, we aim to improve collaboration between clinicians and AI in oncological imaging. To achieve this, it is important to make the collaboration between clinicians and AI more intuitive and effective. The aim of the research is ultimately to achieve better collaboration between humans and AI, enabling faster, safer and more reliable decisions, and thereby contributing to better patient care.’
Somaya Ben Allouch, professor Digital Life
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Relevance to everyday practice

A key objective of the project is therefore not only to develop smart AI, but also to design applications that are well suited to everyday practice in hospitals. The focus is on human-AI interaction: how can we ensure that technology actually supports doctors, rather than creating extra work or uncertainty?

The consortium, comprising the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) and the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), is one of 31 research teams to receive funding under the ZonMw Open Competition, from a total budget of over 26 million euros. The competition is known for its fierce competition, which makes the award and high rating of this project all the more remarkable.

Collaboratieve Intelligentie

Leontine Born — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:03:14 +0000

Doctor-AI Collaborations for Cancer Treatment Planning and Monitoring

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we interpret cancer scans. Research shows that AI can detect cancer faster and often more accurately, delineate tumours and monitor treatment outcomes, sometimes better than doctors. Yet AI is still only used to a limited extent in hospitals, both in the Netherlands and worldwide. This is worrying, as radiologists face high workloads, staff shortages and the risk of burnout.

Some tasks in oncological imaging, such as measuring tumours or marking them for radiotherapy, are crucial but also repetitive and mentally exhausting. AI can take over a large part of this routine work. This leaves doctors with more time and energy for what really matters: complex decisions and collaboration with other specialists to plan the best care.

The challenge is not only to build smart AI, but also to ensure that this technology fits seamlessly into hospital processes and actually supports doctors in their daily work.

Project duration

1 Sep 2026 -1 Sep 2030

Project manager

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

Researchers

dr Bin Yu

Dr. Kevin Groot Lipman, Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut

Dr. Doenja Lambregts, Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut

Funding

ZonMw Open Competition

Partners

Health-Data-Design-Playground

Leontine Born — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:21:59 +0000

Innovating Data-Driven Everyday Health Interventions

‘Wat als gezondheidsgegevens niet alleen in spreadsheets zouden staan, maar tot leven zouden komen via interactieve objecten en immersieve ruimtes om ons heen?’

De Health-Data-Design-Playground (HDDP) maakt deze visie werkelijkheid door ontwerpers in staat te stellen ruwe sensorgegevens om te zetten in boeiende, data-gestuurde dagelijkse gezondheidsinterventies door middel van praktische experimenten met gezondheidssensoren en persoonlijke gegevens.

Hoewel sensoren en technologieën voor gezondheidsmonitoring steeds nauwkeurigere inzichten opleveren, slagen veel huidige gezondheidsinterventies er niet in om een lange termijn effect te bereiken vanwege een slechte integratie in het dagelijks leven en een gebrek aan boeiende interactie en ervaringsgericht ontwerp. HDDP overbrugt de kloof tussen ontwerp-intentie en technische implementatie.

Door toegankelijke sensorkits, gedeelde datasets en ontwerpgerichte softwarebronnen aan te bieden, verlaagt het platform de drempel om met complexe biosensoren en datapijplijnen te werken. Hierdoor kunnen ontwerpers verder gaan dan speculatieve concepten en snel prototypes maken voor de praktijk, wat de ontwikkeling van haalbare, ervaringsgerichte en mensgerichte gezondheidsoplossingen ondersteunt.

Als gedeelde onderwijs- en innovatie-infrastructuur binnen de HvA ondersteunt HDDP interdisciplinair onderwijs en samenwerking tussen opleidingen op het gebied van ontwerp, gezondheid en technologie. Op de lange termijn streeft HDDP naar het bevorderen van zinvolle, boeiende en duurzame gezondheidsinterventies die persoonlijke reflectie stimuleren, gedragsverandering ondersteunen en participatieve gezondheidszorg versterken naast traditionele klinische zorg.

Project duration

1 maart 2026 – 1 februari 2027

Project manager

Bin Yu

Funding

Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation

Partners

Digi-doen

admin — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:17:12 +0000

Older adults with care needs are staying at home longer. This increases the pressure on home care due to more older people needing care combined with fewer professionals available to support them. Therefore, there is a focus on more self-management, informal care, and digital solutions. However, many older adults require professional support to maintain their daily functioning and social participation, where a social network is crucial.

A digital platform offers opportunities to support older adults in their daily functioning and social participation, in collaboration with (informal) care. The platform has features to encourage daily activities at home and participation in community activities, as well as support the network.

Although care and welfare professionals are increasingly open to digitally supported care, digital tools and interventions remain underutilized. Professionals are uncertain about how to integrate these into care while maintaining quality. Additionally, they have little confidence that older adults, especially those with fewer digital skills, will use the digital platform.

This project aims to support older adults with care needs and their networks in sustainably optimizing and maintaining daily functioning and social participation at home with the help of a network of professionals and informal care supported by digitalization. We do this by further developing, integrating, and evaluating an existing digital platform in collaboration with older adults, their social network, and professionals.

Image & Video

Project duration

Feb 2026 -1 Feb 2030

Project manager

dr Margriet Pol

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch

dr Michel Oey

Stephanie Kramer MSc

Daniël Bossen, Faculteit Gezondheid, HvA

Jesse Aarden, Faculteit Gezondheid, HvA

Rick Kwekkeboom, Faculteit Maatschappij en Recht, HvA

Merel van Schravendijk, Faculteit Maatschappij en Recht, HvA

Funding

SIA RAAK-PRO

Partners

Let’s play!

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:40:32 +0000

Developing a Scalable Playbot to Foster Offline Social Play Among Children

With increasing digitalization, children are engaging in offline play with others less frequently, resulting in heightened risks of loneliness, obesity, and underdeveloped social skills. Across Europe, this trend has contributed to the rise of an “anxious generation,” with mental health challenges linked to excessive social media exposure and declining face-to-face interactions.

While banning digital tools is not a viable solution – given their strong appeal and role in fostering digital literacy – emerging technologies offer an alternative approach. Robots, for instance, are increasingly recognized as effective mediators of interaction and play. Research highlights that children respond positively to robots, following their instructions and interacting with them as engaging, human-like playmates.

This project aims to develop a small, scalable, and autonomous ‘Playbot’ designed to inspire and facilitate play among children. Tailored to the weather, environment, personal preferences, and developmental needs, the Playbot will encourage children to engage in diverse offline activities together, fostering social connection and active play.

As a seed money initiative, this project will focus on creating and testing an initial prototype. The findings will identify critical knowledge gaps, key research and practical questions, and establish partnerships with European collaborators, laying the groundwork for a compelling and competitive Horizon grant application.

Project duration

1 Mar 2025 -31 Dec 2025

Project manager

dr Simone de Droog

Researchers

prof. dr Somaya Ben Allouch
Yuri Westplat MA, tutor at CMD and researcher at the lectorate Responsible IT (HvA)
Pabo, Faculteit Onderwijs & Opvoeding | FOO (HvA)

Funding

Seedmoney of the Centre of Expertise Creative Innovation (CoECI)

Spirit

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:06:00 +0000

Collaborating on person-centred care, with integrated, robust innovative technology

Within SPIRIT, research groups from universities of applied sciences are actively involved in the use of technology for manageable care. They are organised in a so-called “SPRONG group” to form a strong research basis for and with practice.

The basis of this SPRONG group consists of eleven research groups engaged in the development and deployment of care technology. They have been working together for several years in the national research platform Platform for the Deployment of Technology for Health and Wellbeing (PIT).

More spirit for healthcare professionals

SPIRIT focuses on the development, implementation and evaluation of technology for Manpower-Friendly Care (TvBZ). “Manpower-friendly” refers to anything that helps healthcare personnel to do their work to a high standard and to their satisfaction. Reducing work pressure and deploying (scarce) healthcare personnel more intelligently contributes to this.

The aim of bringing together the relevant research groups in this SPIRIT consortium is to make the necessary technological innovation more effective and faster. Innovative projects and pilots are currently taking place throughout the Netherlands.

National collaboration with nine universities of applied sciences

Healthcare and knowledge institutions and entrepreneurs often do this at regional level in their own way, while elsewhere in the country there is often already knowledge available about how to approach this (better): How do you design something together with a specific target group? How do you implement a particular technology effectively? What are the appropriate methods for evaluating the added value?

By engaging in more intensive knowledge exchange at the national level in the areas of healthcare content, technology and methodology, we can learn to tackle these innovative processes more quickly, whether we are healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, teachers or practical researchers. But just as important: there will be more uniformity and coordination in methodological approach and less fragmentation/overlap in innovative projects. This ultimately puts less pressure on the healthcare workplace and helps entrepreneurs develop their innovations more quickly.

Better manageable care

The activities of the SPRONG group (and the underlying projects) focus on all phases of technological innovation. In addition to incorporating current activities related to evaluation/uniform valuation into SPRONG, the same approach is being taken with regard to research activities related to product development and the implementation and upscaling of healthcare technology. A technological innovation must – in all likelihood – lead to (better) manageable care.

All areas of care fall within the activities of the SPRONG group: participating healthcare parties come from elderly care, disabled care, hospital care, rehabilitation, but also mental healthcare.