Research Vision

The BioAdaptive Interface Lab at Wilfrid Laurier University conducts research that spans areas such as serious games, virtual reality simulations, social robotics, and brain-computer interfaces employing human-computer interaction methodologies.

By integrating physiological data like heart rate, muscle activity, and neural signals, we develop interactive interfaces that adapt to users in real time, enhancing both user experience and outcomes in fields such as healthcare, rehabilitation, wellbeing and training.

Our work has been recognized through key publications and contributions to the fields of user-centered design and physiologically adaptive technologies.

News

March 2026. Article showcasing our work with local communities of older adults in Brantford (Ontario), spreading the use of virtual reality entitled "Gaming for Longevity. Laurier researchers design virtual reality games to keep seniors active" (link)

February 2026. Promotional video of the BioAdaptive Interface Lab is out! (link)

January 2026. New article showcasing our work on designing a tabletop social companion to promote active ageing in older adults RACHEL (link)

January 2026. An article entitled "Laurier UX students showcase smart-city solutions in partnership with Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie" was published in Laurier News (link).

November 2025. New journal paper published at the Digital Health (SagePub) around our work in Game Metrics using Virtual Reality in people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic (paper, video)

October 2025. New award from Age-Well called EPIC-AT fellowship to support our work in Active Ageing using Exergames (link)

September 2025. New publication presented at the ICSR - International Conference on Social Robotics (2025) in Italy entitled "Designing Interactive Robots for Active Ageing: Co-design Insights on Large Projection Interfaces with Older Adults" (link)

September 2025. New work published at the ACM GoodIT 2025 conference celebrated in Belgium entitled "Adaptive Immersive Virtual Reality Exergame for Post-Stroke Rehabilitation: Design and Implementation" (link)

September 2025. New research video showcasing the work doing in collaboration with the SickKids Children Hospital in Toronto (link)

August 27th 2025. The Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton provided funds to the lab to conduct research using VR (link)

August 5th, 2025. A new paper about Game Design in Social Robotics was published in the International Journal of Social Robotics (link)

July 15th, 2025. John will be at The Seventh International Conference on Law Enforcement & Public Health -LEPH 2025 in Ottawa (link)

June 26th, 2025. The BioAdaptive Interface Lab is present at VRTO 2025 in Toronto with a Keynote and demos of multiple developments (link.)

April 1st, 2025. New call for papers released having John as the Guest Editor: "Virtual Rehabilitation" in BMC Biomedical Engineering (link)

March 5th, 2025. BioAdaptive Interface Lab website is launched!

March 3rd, 2025. Psychology student Natalia Luciani completed her ACERS video submission of the research entitled "Immersive Virtual Reality Meditation and Acute Stress Regulation" (video).

February 12th, 2025. Biomedical Engineer student Aaron Jumarang completed his co-op term prototyping PhysioMario: A Biocybernetic Adaptive Game Using EEG-Based Engagement for Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment (video).

January 20th 2025. Welcome to the new Coop Student Yonhee Park, 3B student from Biomedical Engineering at the University of Waterloo who will be working on Multimodal Physiological Data Analysis (link).

January 6th, 2025. Welcome to the new Research Assistant Nahomi Ramirez, master's student in UXD at Laurier. She will be working on the "Active Aging Thorugh Play" initiative (link).

Research in Action