This project aims to combat loneliness among young adults by investigating how technology use affects feelings of loneliness, cognitive/emotional responses, and neurological effects. Together with experts in mental health, e-health, and student wellbeing, we are developing a scientific knowledge base to understand loneliness, propose effective interventions, and break societal taboos.

Vehicles are increasingly being equipped with sensors. We will investigate how sensor data can be used to provide short-term and long-term feedback to young drivers, older drivers, and professional drivers. The aim is to improve data processing algorithms in order to facilitate a transition towards safe road traffic for everyone.

SafeVRU will develop sensing, intent recognition, and vehicle control strategies for the interaction of automated vehicles with vulnerable road users (VRU) such as pedestrians and cyclists. We will enhance VRU detection and classification by fusing vision and radar. We will furthermore examine the benefit of cooperative localization for added robustness especially in case of visibility obstructions. Novel VRU intent recognition and path prediction methods will be developed using kinematics, gestures, visual focus and scene context. Taking into account the complex interaction with multiple VRU, real time adaptive path planning strategies will be developed to minimize risk, with vehicle motion being intuitive and predictable for VRU. The SafeVRU technologies will be validated using real world data, virtual reality labs and fully automated vehicles (WEpods) in the province of Gelderland.