Co-Creating Immersive Experiences: Where Research Meets Prototyping
일시 : October 13, 1:30PM (Mon)
장소 : X514 Immersive Hall
강사 : Prof. Kimberly Hieftje (Associate Prof. of e Yale School of Medicine / Co-director of XRPediatrics and the Yale Center for Immersive Technologies in Pediatrics ) and Bernard François (Founder of PreviewLabs)
Abstract
When researchers and game developers work together, their different approaches and priorities can create both challenges and opportunities. Building a shared language and process is essential for turning complex ideas into meaningful interactive experiences. Over the past several years, XRPediatrics at Yale and PreviewLabs have developed such a collaboration, blending research expertise with rapid prototyping to create health-focused VR projects. In this talk, Kimberly Hieftje, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Yale and co-director of XRPediatrics, and Bernard François, founder of PreviewLabs, will highlight two examples of games they created. Cutie, funded by the CDC, is a VR game designed for parents of high-risk infants in the NICU, giving them the chance to practice both infection prevention skills and communication with hospital staff. Year of the Cicadas is a grief-centered VR narrative that uses autoethnography, ambisonic audio, and digitized artifacts to explore parental loss and meaning making. Together, these projects show how close collaboration between researchers and developers can expand what VR can do for both clinical training and personal storytelling.
Bio
Kim’s Bio: Kimberly Hieftje, PhD is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine and co-director of XRPediatrics and the Yale Center for Immersive Technologies in Pediatrics. For more than 16 years, she has led the development of serious games and extended reality interventions designed to improve health and well-being among youth. Her work spans clinical research, game design, and narrative writing, with projects addressing topics such as substance use prevention, infection control, mental health promotion, alcohol harm reduction, and grief and loss. She has collaborated with industry partners, academic teams, and nonprofit organizations to bring evidence-based interactive experiences into both clinical and educational settings.
Bernard’s Bio: Bernard François is the founder of PreviewLabs, a company specializing in rapid prototyping of games and interactive applications. With more than a decade of experience in designing and testing new gameplay concepts, he has collaborated with universities, nonprofits, and industry partners worldwide. His work centers on using prototypes to explore ideas quickly, refine mechanics, and support creative teams in bringing innovative projects to life.
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