Living Models Lab

The Living Models Lab is a research incubator for Human-Centered Intelligence and Mindful Technologies where early-stage ideas are translated into feedback-enabled prototypes (living models). These models function as experiential platforms, enabling rethinking of knowledge and reimagining technological advancement through lived experience. Co-created with stakeholders and empirically grounded, they serve as proof-of-concept mechanisms for innovation in various domains guided by principles of eduation 5.0 and health 5.0. The Lab focuses on high-impact contexts including, among others, higher education, (inter-)organisational and lifelong learning, health and hospital education, as well as AI-enabled learning environments. The Living Models Lab supports:

1. Researchers and industry R&D efforts by connecting domain theory, data, and human practice within executable domain models and early-stage prototypes (“living models”). The Lab’s methodological distinctiveness lies in addressing a critical yet often overlooked layer: the translation of domain theory into technological implementation. This includes, among others, the integration of learning and behaviour change frameworks, to enable human-centered and sustainable technological advancement. While domain modelling, semantic technologies, interoperability mechanisms typically operate on already-defined representations, the Lab focuses on how abstract domain concepts are first rendered into operational forms (e.g. by identifying what data is needed, how it should be captured), that are also feedback-centric by design. A central component of this approach is the development of executable living models that make proposed operationalisations visible, testable, and revisable in real-world contexts. This enables iterative refinement, grounded innovation, empirical validation and ultimately real-world impact.

2. The next generation of talent through multidisciplinary mentorship and close collaboration with industry partners, enabling them to design and develop responsible AI solutions across diverse domains. The Lab provides a space where young talent can work in cross-domain teams (NextGenMinds) to co-design and build applications and interfaces that contribute to research-oriented solutions in high-impact societal domains. Its mission is to transform ideas into living models while cultivating a new generation of students equipped with true interdicsiplinary knowledge and applied AI skills to work on technologies / models that address complex societal challenges.

Originating from joint projects in the Low-Code Application Development course and value- and learning-driven design philosophy the Living Models Lab currently connects several methodological clusters such as (H)iCARE (responsible AI for digital health), Conversational AI for Education 5.0, and HUMANE.AI (human-in-the-loop hybrid intelligence), co-designed in collaboration with the CODE section (M. Amir Haeri, S. Borsci), OOST Simulation Center (HF-CODE & BMS Lab) to advance human-centered (and human-in-the-loop) intelligence.

Collaborations are warmly welcomed with industry partners, as well as with research projects and centres across the University of Twente and beyond, both nationally and internationally.
The Lab actively encourages collaboration around real-world use cases, data access, joint mentorship for early-stage prototyping, joint PhDs with a focus on industrial applications grounded in strong scientific principles, and the co-development of proposals for seed funding and external support.