Data & AI

Your smartwatch knows how you sleep, how much you move – and even how stressed you are. But how accurate is that, really? Around 40% of people in the Netherlands use wearables to track their health. In this podcast by Universiteit van Nederland, we dive into the world of stress wearables with University of Twente professor Matthijs Noordzij. How do these devices measure stress? What do those scores do to your mind? And can they actually help us live healthier lives?

What if an algorithm could predict which beer you would enjoy? At the University of Twente, postdoctoral researcher Berry Gerrits studies how artificial intelligence is transforming the brewing process, from designing recipes to helping (smaller, local) breweries and bars make better decisions.

Students are increasingly using AI to write texts, create summaries and even solve complex problems. What was still experimental just a few years ago has now become part of everyday education. But this raises a fundamental question: what should students still be able to do themselves, and what do we leave to AI?

13 January, last 16 of the KNVB Cup. FC Twente are playing away at FC Utrecht. In the 59th minute, Twente are 1-0 down. Something has to change. Van den Brom makes a substitution and brings on Ricky van Wolfswinkel for Sam Lammers. Nine minutes later, it pays off. Van Wolfswinkel scores the equaliser. Late in the match, Mats Rots makes it 1-2 and turns the game around.
Every supporter recognises this moment. A substitution can change the course of a match. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. But what actually happens when a substitute comes on? And can you measure that impact?

A partner who always listens, never gets angry and does exactly what you want. What does that mean for how we think about intimacy? PhD researcher Maaike van der Horst investigates at the University of Twente how sex robots and digital AI partners are changing our ideas about relationships, desire and vulnerability.

With the Olympic Games approaching, wearables are once again in the spotlight. Elite athletes measure everything: heart rate, sleep, recovery and stress. In some cases, this goes so far that sports federations step in, as recently happened with tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who was no longer allowed to wear a wearable during the Australian Open. One thing is clear: data has become inseparable from elite sport. But what does all this mean for the average athlete, or for the average person in the Netherlands?

You raise an eyebrow and a cartoon crown pops onto your head. You hold up to fingers, and suddenly: flames! Snapchat filters might feel like magic, but they’re not. Behind every funny mask and smooth skin effect is a computer that has learned to ‘see’. At the University of Twente, student learn to do this themselves. Creative engineering!

As AI tools become inseparable from student essays, scientific writing, and data analysis, universities across the globe are scrambling to decide what counts as “ethical use.” Some draw the line at letting tools such as ChatGPT write for you; others simply ask that you be transparent and honest.

It’s almost 2026. As we prepare to ring in the new year, think back to the turn of the millennium in 2000. Remember? The world was gripped by the ‘millennium bug’. Computers were expected to go haywire, stock markets to crash, planes to fall from the sky. In the end, it wasn’t so bad. What people often forget is that this was thanks to billions spent on preparation.

Every year, Sinterklaas and his Pieten travel across the entire country to deliver presents. But last year, things did not go quite as planned. To keep an overview, Sinterklaas decided to visit all cities in alphabetical order. It sounded logical, but somewhere around the letter P he was already hopelessly behind schedule. Time was running out, and the route became increasingly illogical.

Imagine: it’s Secret Santa night. You nervously tap on your phone and ask ChatGPT to whip up a quick poem. The result is… um, well… not exactly gift-worthy. Why are AI models such as ChatGPT often unable to rhyme properly? Thijs van Ede, AI researcher at the University of Twente, knows why and explains AI and rhyming.

Imagine you are sitting in a self-driving car. Suddenly, someone runs across the street. In a fraction of a second, the car decides to brake. How does it do that so quickly? And could it do so even faster or with less energy, especially now that self-driving cars and autonomous vehicles rely heavily on cameras, smart sensors and AI systems?

When we talk about artificial intelligence, we often think of data, algorithms and efficiency. But what if we approached technology not just as something functional, but as something deeply human? Something that doesn’t replace us, but connects us?

Election programmes, debates, news, and campaigns. Almost everything related to elections now takes place online. But not everyone has equal access to that digital world. What does this mean for our democracy?

We Google everything: the FC Twente match schedule, the release date of GTA 6, or a recipe for pasta carbonara. And as the elections draw nearer, we also look up party manifestos, voting guides and fact checks of campaign promises. Our search for information usually begins with a search engine. But what if that very search behaviour fuels division instead of understanding?

It’s a thought that crosses many people’s minds as elections draw closer. The idea of tactical voting keeps resurfacing in conversations, campaigns and talk shows. Can your vote really influence the outcome? And is there such a thing as a mathematically ‘best choice’?

Migration. Every election year, it returns as one of the most discussed topics in the Netherlands. But why do people migrate in the first place? And to what extent is it even possible for the government to “gain more control” over migration?

More and more people are turning to chatbots for answers. Fast, convenient, and sometimes even with ready-made advice. But how wise is it to ask ChatGPT for guidance on what you should vote for on October 29 in the Dutch parliamentary elections? And if you do want to use it, what’s the best way to go about it? I asked Maurice van Keulen, adjunct professor of Data Science at the University of Twente.

Running is wonderful. Until an injury, such as a painful Achilles tendon, sidelines you. After struggling with an injury to my Achilles tendon, I want to know: how can I prevent future running injuries, and how can technology help? For my new Kees Study, I’m diving into the world of biomedical engineering and its connection to running.

How does the tendency to connect with people like yourself affect the spread of epidemics? Mathematician Clara Stegehuis shows in her research that these social patterns play a key role in how quickly and widely diseases spread.

Artificial Intelligence keeps growing more powerful and more energy-hungry. Could the human brain inspire a solution? In a “Universiteit van Nederland” podcast, Full Professor of Nano Electronics Wilfred van der Wiel explores whether brain-inspired hardware might change the game.

Entering a drug lab without knowing which gases are being released is life-threatening. “That risk needs to be reduced,” says University of Twente researcher Dimitar Rangelov. Together with Saxion University of Applied Sciences, the Police Academy and the Technical University of Sofia, he is developing an AI-driven forensic investigation system that makes crime scene work faster, safer and more accurate.

After surgery or treatment for cancer or obesity, the hospital bed is often exchanged for the comfort of home as soon as possible. While discharge marks the end of hospital-based care, it does not eliminate the risk of post-treatment complications.

It is well known that artificial intelligence can beat the best players in board games, but did you know that UT is using the same techniques to make logistics more efficient? So your groceries are delivered smarter while ASML saves millions.

The Mathematics of Imaging & AI (MIA) research group at the University of Twente investigates the use of AI in medical imaging and image analysis, as well as the potential to extract more information from existing data than is currently possible. According to Associate Professor Dr Jelmer Wolterink, developments in this field must be applicable in clinical practice. The fact that he is familiar with both the technical and medical worlds is a key factor in this.

You ask ChatGPT to rewrite a paragraph, get Spotify to generate a new playlist, or have Midjourney create an image for your presentation. Super convenient! In just a few seconds, you get exactly what you need. But behind these seemingly simple actions, massive data centres around the world are running at full capacity. Artificial Intelligence (AI) consumes a great deal of energy. But how much, exactly? And could it be done smarter? Researchers at the University of Twente believe it can.

AI helps clinicians quickly find the information they need, filtering hundreds of reports and documents, automating processes, and preventing something from being overlooked. But traditional AI isn't safe enough when it comes to high-level tasks, such as diagnosing. Here, explainability is crucial. Unlike non-explainable models that operate like black boxes, explainable AI follows a clinically acceptable reasoning and reveals how it arrives at a decision, so doctors can evaluate whether its output is trustworthy.

What happens when you let someone with no experience drive a rolling machine? In this episode of Kees Study, Kees explores how people learn new skills with technology.

Using geographic information and geospatial technologies to map and analyse diseases and health risks – that is what Professor Justine Blanford of the University of Twente does. She discusses her work.

Watching planes move across the world map in real time is fascinating – websites like Flightradar24 make it possible. You can daydream about far-off destinations, check which aircraft are flying over your house, or keep track of whether your friends have landed safely. But how does it actually work? How does a flight radar know exactly where all these planes are?

Propaganda used to be distributed through leaflets or broadcast over the radio. Today, it reaches us with a click on our smartphones, and it is tailored to our preferences. The way we consume information has changed - and with it, the way we form our beliefs about political and social institutions. Assistant professor Adam Heschke is worried about what comes next.

Wi-Fi is everywhere. From your phone to your laptop, from trains to restaurants—but did you know this world-changing technology has its roots in Twente? Cees Links, an alumnus of the University of Twente, played a key role in the invention of wireless internet. Yet, his idea was not initially taken seriously. It took years of perseverance, an unexpected phone call from Steve Jobs, and a pitch at Apple before Wi-Fi became a global success. How did he do it? This is the story of the inventor of Wi-Fi and how his breakthrough forever changed the world forever.

Processes and technology enable people to work more efficiently within an organization. However, these structures and processes evolve naturally over time, making them complicated or unfitting for the needs and ambitions of the organization. With Flawless Workflow, Geanny Amor dos Santos helps to align processes, software, and data within organizations so that the infrastructure supports the people.

The research project Stress in Action involves collaboration among seven Dutch universities and university medical centres (UMCs) in a long-term study on stress. The goal of this ten-year project is to develop methods for monitoring and reducing stress in daily life, ultimately aiming to prevent stress-related illnesses. Professor of Health Psychology Matthijs Noordzij (Faculty of BMS) from the University of Twente, who is also affiliated with the Technical Medical Centre (TechMed Centre), plays a crucial role in the project with his expertise in wearable technologies.

There are many ways to predict the mole. Mole spotters often talk about body language, intrigue, granted screen time or social behaviour. Nice, vague and exciting, of course, and good for a heated discussion but could it be more exact? What about mathematics, can it help us here too?

Imagine your next medical treatment being faster, more precise, and better tailored to your personal needs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making this possible. At the labs of the University of Twente, researchers are working daily on innovative solutions that are transforming healthcare. From faster diagnoses to supporting doctors with complex procedures, AI is paving the way for a more efficient and future-proof healthcare system.

Imagine a digital flower that blooms when you hit your daily excercise goal or wilts when you miss a medication dose. Creative technology like this, designed by students and researchers at the University of Twente, is part of the network of the expertise Centre for Remote Monitoring & Coaching (eCMC), an initiative of TechMed Centre of University of Twente.

Imagine: you’re at a festival, and your phone always has full signal. No more slow internet or apps that won’t load. Sounds like a dream, right? Lotte Weedage, a PhD candidate at the University of Twente, is researching ways to improve the mobile network in the Netherlands, so this could become a reality.

Most people know that spending too much time on your phone can negatively affect your mental health. Yet here we are – often chronically online and spending most of our (free) time on screens, with all its consequences. That’s why student Creative Technology Nina and her project group decided to create an interactive installation for people to reflect on their screen time and happiness. In this article, she talks all about their work and its importance in today’s society.

In any project using images acquired by satellite sensors or from drones, you will frequently display images to look at. Before even diving into technical issues that have an effect on the display, let’s first focus on what we think we have in common and under control: our own visual system.

The Universitent at Zwarte Cross, the biggest festival in the Netherlands, has been a successful concept for years. In this summer series, you can revisit the mini-lectures. In episode 1, Dr Ton Spil talks about beer and IT.

Mass evictions, daily power outages, and pitch-black streets at night: the challenges that people in the Global South face remain largely overlooked. How can satellite imagery uncover the hidden realities of urbanisation? Prof. Dr. Monika Kuffer’s research strives to spotlight urban inequalities and prompt policymakers to take action.

Unsustainable development leads to resource scarcity and endangers our future. The traditional take-make-use-dispose in linear economy causes pressure on supply chains. The only way forward according to Devrim Yazan? A sustainable circular economy. But how do you educate students about the complexity of this sustainability approach?

Most of us have done it, walking through familiar streets or looking at your own house with a street view service. Now imagine doing this with a complete virtual replica. Every street, every car, every person walking to their work is meticulously simulated. This is a city digital twin. Discover how researchers at the Digital Twin Geohub of the University of Twente are transforming urban planning – one virtual city at a time.

By 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population will live in cities. Urban planning decisions made today have a critical impact on the future, which means there is less room for trial and error. How can we address the increase in urban populations and make future cities more sustainable?

Every resident of Twente knows them: the trucks of waste collector Twente Milieu driving through the streets to empty the green, orange or grey minicontainer. To ensure that the rubbish trucks empty the five million minicontainers annually as efficiently as possible, perfect route planning is needed.

Bitcoin, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other popular blockchain innovations represent our shift to a digital society. But this transition comes at a cost. The emissions generated by these blockchain technologies from the year 2021 alone are responsible for around 19,000 future deaths. This alarming statistic raises many questions: How is this possible and what can we do about it?

Smartwatches that map loneliness among students with specific needs, such as autism. Thanks to UT professor Carolien Rieffe and her team, this will soon be a reality. Carolien received a substantial sum of money from science financier NWO for the Building 4 Belonging project.

If a family member has an inherited heart condition, there is a chance that you have it too. Usually, you will then receive a letter with information and an invitation for an interview about possible DNA testing. Researchers at the University of Twente are now testing whether they can approach people via a virtual doctor.

In a world where technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are developing rapidly, the question arises: will AI be our next teacher? Imagine lecture halls filled with chatbots, robots and holograms giving lectures. Sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, right? Yet this scenario is less far-fetched than it seems, given the speed at which AI is developing. But according to Kim Schildkamp, professor at the University of Twente's ELAN teacher training programme, these technologies will never completely replace our teachers because human relationships are far too important in the classroom.

Explore the future in our podcast series, "My Future Dream Job," where Anic van Damme guides you to the year 2030. Our scientists explore prospective careers in cybersecurity, climate adaptation, and energy transition. Listen in to gain insights into the professions taking shape at the University of Twente.

Explore the future in our podcast series, "My Future Dream Job," where Anic van Damme guides you to the year 2030. Our scientists explore prospective careers in cybersecurity, climate adaptation, and energy transition. Listen in to gain insights into the professions taking shape at the University of Twente.