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project info
Start date: 1 September 2023
End date: 31 August 2026
funding
Fund: European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
Total budget: 1 600 000,00 €
EU contribution: 400 000,00 € (25%)
programme
Programming period: 2021-2027
European Commission Topic
European Commission Topic

MOVElab

This project aims at the realization of a high-tech movement and experience lab (MOVELab, TRL 9), which offers a demo, test and development environment, in which the creation and marketing of co-creations is stimulated. The lab will build a bridge between the completion of research, development and the roll-out of innovation in Flanders. Central to the intended lab is a high-tech step and balance platform surrounded by a motion recording system with a full dome for Virtual Reality (VR) environments, enabling real-world simulations. The MOVElab contains a large number of high-resolution cameras to record movements in three-dimensional detail. In addition, the movable platform, on which a treadmill is mounted, can give disturbances in any direction. As a result, a virtual environment, such as a hilly trail, is experienced as lifelike and additional challenges can be added to posture and movement tasks. The disturbances as well as the environments can be set and adjusted with high accuracy. Such a high-tech movement lab is not yet available in mainland Europe, and is currently only available in 8 places in the world (at world-class institutions such as MIT). The MOVElab is situated within the strategic, substantive expertise building and ecosystem of Health Campus Limburg._x000D_ The lab will serve as a demonstration center, where the high-tech environment facilitates the demonstration of new (rehabilitation) technologies and where co-creations can be developed with (inter)national companies that strive for innovation, research and development. In addition, the realization of the MOVElab is a strong asset in strengthening the economy and well-being. It can not only serve clinical institutions and practices in the demand for comprehensive individual indication of mobility-related help questions to optimize (personalized) healthcare in Flanders, but it also offers many opportunities to test products and technologies, develop or strengthen evidence-based therapies and treatments and accurately test the effects of footwear, or other (visual, physical, medicinal) changes on the movement pattern. The VR dome can be used in the (specialized) manufacturing industry, and a wide selection of companies can benefit from this system in the context of ergonomics, aimed at prevention of physical problems, and emotional / stress related complaints. Real-world simulations are also interesting for E-sports, gaming and entertainment industries, film and animation studios and visual computing industries. The top sport sector can evaluate sport performance and evaluate the evolution and treatment of injuries._x000D_ The uniqueness of the lab in Europe will stimulate collaborations with regional SMEs and also attract (international) companies to the region. This means that the intended project also fits within the Flemish policy and specialisation strategy. In addition to economic activity, the lab will also have a strong appeal to international universities and centres. With the realization of MOVElab, a network with (inter)national players can therefore be achieved, with which the research and innovation capacity of the region (and Flanders) will be significantly improved._x000D_

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