Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments

Positively changing the world by changing people's realities

As a world leader in Augmented (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) contains a unique collection of researchers in computer science, engineering, neuroscience, art, architecture, and design.

IVE is responding to the challenge of increased demand for AR and VR globally. Our researchers are leaders in many areas of AR and VR including wearable computing, interface design, empathic computing, 3D visualisation, perception, urban design, education, cultural heritage, and telepresence.

We lead the next wave of AR and VR technologies

IVE is the largest concentrations of AR and VR researchers in Australia. Our vast experience in advanced manufacturing, Internet of Things (IoT), interactive art, design for healthcare and defence allows us to work in collaboration with our external partners to transform industry and address large-scale societal challenges.

Explore our research

IVE is a world leader in AR and VR interactive and immersive technologies research.

Engage with us

We offer a variety of industry engagement and partnership options where you can explore how emerging technologies can address your current business challenges.

Explore the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments

Investigate, discover and deliver innovative and creative solutions that change people’s realities.

The Australian Research Centre for Virtual and Interactive Environment (IVE) is a world leading research centre focused on advancing the use of immersive technologies such as augmented, virtual and mixed reality.

IVE brings together a team of world leading researchers with a long and passionate history. Founded in 2019, IVE was created from specialised research groups and consolidated into a comprehensive centre focused on fundamentally improving how users interact with technological across aspects of their lives.

Combining computer science, engineering, neuroscience, industrial design, architecture, art and human factors, IVE applies a human-centred multidisciplinary approach to solving challenging problems that helps pave the way for the delivery of new products and services.

Research capabilities Research capabilities
Research impact Research impact
Our people Our people
Our partners Our partners

The rapid pace of global change is driving many new social, economic, and environmental challenges. IVE is achieving impactful outcomes through world-leading research, using cutting-edge technology to solve real-world problems, and educating the next generation of global leaders.

Discover our labs

IVE is home to the largest concentrations of Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality researchers in Australia and provides various resources and facilities for Mixed Reality research and development. IVE not only has over 140 researchers and the latest cutting-edge research facilities but also has close collaboration with various research groups and companies across Australia and around the world, especially in the Australasian region through the ARIVE research network.

Our research groups include:

Building and urban informatics

Building the future of architecture, construction and planning design.

Cognitive neuroscience

Conducting state-of-the-art research into the neurobiological underpinnings of cognition.

Creative computing studio

Supporting research projects at the nexus of the creative arts, design and human computer interaction.

Design for health and wellbeing

Merging design, healthcare, and immersive digital experiences in order to help tackle major health and wellbeing issues.

Empathic computing

Creating systems that share understanding and empathy.

Playful cultures

Exploring the intersections of play, culture, and immersive discovery.

Studio for complex human environment design

Developing processes, methods, and knowledge to design and develop complex human environments.

Wearable computing

Advancing visualisation, immersive analytics, and sensemaking through the design of complex, intelligent, and immersive systems.

Partnering with organisations worldwide, IVE brings together the unique alignment of computer science, engineering, neuroscience, art, architecture, and design to address challenges for people, society, and industry.

IVE is a world leader in AR/VR research, ranked number two in the world for research impact for AR on ScholarGPS, and number one for VR for academic institutions for VR. In addition, Adelaide University is the only institution in the world with two of the top 10 ranked AR researchers.

Our research is conducted across a wide variety of industry sectors, and we have an outstanding track record of successfully combining our research expertise and facilities in unique and custom ways that meet our partners' needs.

Previous impactful research outcomes include:

Artistic applications of imaging technologies lead to new discoveries and application

By pushing the boundaries of fabrication possibilities, the production process for a new artwork has uncovered new digital fabrication solutions with wide-ranging applications.

Advancing anthropometric design

Seamlessly incorporating applied anthropology and ergonomics to improve the design process.

Improving military training with cognitive neuroscience

Examining real-time brain signal information of military personnel to inform new training approaches.

Delivering world-class innovation to the Hunter Class Frigate Program

Using narrative visualisation and immersive technologies to inform data-driven decision making.

Revolutionising building inspections using augmented reality

Bridging the gap between design and outcome in building construction with a bold new approach to detecting defects.

The virtual reality community: Overcoming isolation for older Australians

Tackling social isolation and loneliness with ground-breaking VR experiences that allow people to feel like they are sharing the same environment.

Escape from the Gaol: AR game experience

Bridging the gap between imagination and reality to boost heritage tourism.

Empowering naval operations

The Evolution of Operator Combat Consoles: Visualising the future generation of surface ship console design.

Providing new platforms for cultural heritage

Preserving and re-presenting cultural heritage using immersive technologies that highlight how this important intergenerational knowledge can help tackle complex contemporary problems.

Sovereign space: Maximising Australian assets

Using our unique position at the intersection of design, psychology, perception, and computer science to apply a human-centered design approach to what is traditionally perceived as a data science problem.

Professor Mark Billinghurst

Director: Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments, Empathic Computing
Email: Mark.Billinghurst@unisa.edu.au

Leadership team

Deputy Director: IVE, Enterprise Fellow, Design for Health and Wellbeing: Associate Professor Fanke Peng
Deputy Director, Enterprise Fellow, Wearable Computing: Dr James Walsh
Professor: Cognitive Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience: Professor Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky
Enterprise Fellow, Playful Cultures: Associate Professor Erik Champion
Senior Lecturer, Wearable Computing: Dr Andrew Cunningham
Senior Lecturer: Contemporary Art, Creative Computing Studio: Dr Deirdre Feeney
Research Professor: Design, Design for Health and Wellbeing: Professor Ian Gwilt
Senior Lecturer, Empathic Computing: Dr Gun Lee
Senior Lecturer, Building & Urban Informatics: Dr Julie Nichols
Senior Lecturer, Building and Urban Informatics: Dr Jorge Ochoa Paniagua
Senior Lecturer, Studio for Complex Human Environment Design: Dr Peter Schumacher
Professor, Wearable Computing: Professor Bruce Thomas
Enterprise Fellow, Senior Lecturer (Architecture), Building and Urban Informatics: Dr Rongrong Yu
MCR Representative, Wearable Computing: Dr Jo Zucco
MCR Representative, Building and Urban Informatics: Dr Ben Stubbs
ECR Representative, Wearable Computing: Dr James Baumeister

We know how to combine our research expertise and facilities in unique and custom ways to ensure that the outcomes we deliver are focused on the needs of our partners. We invite you to reach out and explore the opportunities for your organisation by partnering with us.

We partner with many companies worldwide and we look forward to discussing how we can partner with you. Some of our partners include:

BAE Systems
CADwalk
Government of South Australia
Hames Sharley
Maritime Australia
SAAB
SA Power Networks
The Design Technology Co
Treasury Wine Estates

Contact us

Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments

Location
Building W at Mawson Lakes Campus
Building K at Adelaide City Campus West
Building H at Magill Campus
Adelaide University, Adelaide SA

Email: IVECentre@unisa.edu.au