The main objective of AIIS is to contribute to improving European HEIs’ offer in the field of medicine by providing a comprehensive programme for medical students where AI, innovation, intrapreneurship and soft skills will play a key role, and which will be largely disseminated for its integration into universities’ curricula. The project allowed the consortium to verify the importance of both areas, artificial intelligence and soft skills in the field of medicine, and to develop and test the AIIS EduVerse.

The Maritime Immersive Safe Oceans Technology (MarISOT) was a two-year R&D project at Turku University of Applied Sciences. The project developed a simulation training scenario using the state of the art VR technologies and researched the commercialization possibilities of the system being developed. The collision avoidance training scenario, the bridge with its equipment and environment, was implemented for Varjo XR3 glasses. Thanks to the advanced XR3 glasses, a high-definition view equivalent to human eye resolution, a user interface implemented with hand tracking, and eye tracking were made available. In addition to the actual training scenario, an AI-based background system was developed, the purpose of which is to analyze and provide feedback on performance. A special feature of the background system is the attempt to measure cognitive load during training and use it as part of the information offered for AI to analyze. According to the results of the project, the aim is to commercialize MarISOT.

The goal of the project is the development and utilization of new training, planning and operating environments in the industrial metaverse in shipbuilding industry. The project takes into account the work clusters and research topics set by the Meyer Turku NEcOLEAP program, through which shipyard and shipbuilding CO2 emissions are reduced. The target of the Necoverse project is a shipyard environment and the implementation takes place through three use cases: 1. training (people), 2. architecture and design (ship), and 3. remote inspections and remote operations (shipyard). Industrial metaverse environments offer opportunities to improve workers’ professional skills, develop shipbuilding change management systems and version control processes, and enable remote inspections and operations, which saves time, costs and energy.

Applied Research Platform for Autonomous Systems (ARPA) is a three-year RDI project of Turku University of Applied Sciences (Turku UAS) and Novia University of Applied Sciences. The project actions concentrate in creating an ambitious new platform for applied research focusing on autonomous systems, which enables different operators’ concrete RDI work in the field of smart operating environments. Applied research of remotely operated, automated, and autonomous systems is a globally important area for developmental work and innovation, and Finland has significant research in this field. However, vital testing infrastructures are still largely missing. ARPA will develop a research platform and digital services for testing the reliability and safety of autonomous systems before they are introduced in the market.

The VTC project aims to establish a light-weight framework for proving effectiveness in industry certification training, by utilizing virtual reality, augmented reality and multi-user collaborative environments. The project contains four experiments, each with their own iteration and research data collection. In these experiments, the project measures and compares VR, face-to-face, self-study, and theory and instructor-led training effectiveness. The new developed certification platform will allow to harmonize skill cards in the context of occupational training in industrial settings, provide qualifications regardless of location, and enable extensive cooperation exercises remotely and internationally in an environmentally friendly way. Overall, the harmonization of skill levels and qualifications may improve the safety and working conditions of employees internationally and facilitate the international movement of the workforce.

COACH project produces new knowledge on human technology co-agency in process control to help Finnish industry to be few steps ahead of international competition. Project is research oriented but with a collaborative approach. It aims to create a synthesis of the systemic transformations in the industry, but also aids industrial partners in coping with their concrete problems and develops the general methodology in working with these problems. Our FIT research group is responsible for constructing industrial digital twins models. The process will include the design and implementation of digital twin models in metaverse in various test-generate cycles where usability, user experience, and effectiveness of the designed and implemented solution will be studied. The aim is to create a collaborative multi-user environment of the selected industrial setting/s for training and data collection purposes in close collaboration with the industry partners.

EDGE is creating empowering game design education and innovation applied to Transformative Game Design. The target audience is life-long learners who use analog role-playing games (RPGs) as vehicles for change, e.g., educators, therapists, youth workers, spiritual directors. EDGE will infuse this curriculum with additional expertise on transformative game design praxis from specialists from two higher education institutions and three larp organizations in Europe, with both practical and academic specialties. Together, the members of the consortium bring knowledge of role-playing games designed for transformational impacts in leisure, educational, and therapeutic settings.

In Virpa I project we discovered with the use of a VR simulator that kids under 13 years old didn’t know how to effectively and safely exit a building on fire. In Virpa II project we created a digital and virtual learning environment for kids, a free-to-play and super fun mobile game! Virpa – Fire Expert game teaches and promotes the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that kids need to know in the context of fire safety. Innovatively, the game applies machine vision technology, to encourage the player to visit public buildings to scan fire safety related signs. The game was selected as finalist in the Best eLearning Solution in Finland. In Virpa III project we concentrate on dissemination activities, so the game reaches as many kids as possible.

During this project we develop algorithms and methods to automatically and autonomously improve the audio quality of digital audiovisual content broadcasted and streamed through the internet. Smartly combining machine vision and machine listening principles and processes, the mono and stereo audio of videos were converted to 3D-audio. The major outcome of the project were two US patents (US 10,998,006 and US 10,820,131) and the proof of concept which was verified via psychoacoustic research. The outcome of the project could be utilized by streaming platforms, recording systems like mobile phones, and video edition software to automatically improved the quality of the audio content with our proposed cost-efficient process.

The project mainly focused on tailoring sensor use to improve and optimize harbors and ports functioning, for instance passenger flows in terminals, truck traffic in port area and ship turn-around at the sea. Visualization is an essential component in the digitalization of harbors, and the FIT contribution was to implement the platform using AR and VR technologies. They helped to provide richer and immersive user experience, but also to visualize all phenomena like truck traffic, passenger flow, and ship turn-around. Our platform allowed professionals in harbors to collaborate in training sessions, design processes, and remote operations.

Operating culture of student entrepreneurial communities took a hit due to the pandemic.
Goals of this project are:
1) Find digital platforms and solutions that enable student entrepreneurial communities to create and maintain their operating culture.
2) Find solutions for the networking of Turun Yrittäjät using digital platforms and services.
3) Create a virtual reality environment, the functionality of which will be piloted to enable informal interaction and unplanned encounters.

The main objective of the VINCE project is to develop and improve public integration services for migrants. And more specifically, to transfer the communicative, active, and participative nature of individual and group-based integration services into the virtual, digital world.A joint virtual platform will be created, and different kinds of virtual integration services will be integrated into the platform. The project will use service design as a method, which means that the migrants themselves will be involved in creating content for the platform. As a result of the project, migrants will have access to cross-border, high-quality integration services that are provided on the virtual platform by the partner organizations.

The project tested the use of virtual reality in recognizing the skills of immigrants, as language barriers may hinder their ability to demonstrate their skills. The developed VR environments also taught and help immigrants to get familiar with the Finnish language and culture six work environments.

AidVerse introduces an innovative learning environment that enhances staff well-being and the appeal of safety-critical fields by supporting early career phases and transitions into working life. This project bolsters continuous learning and the evolution of digitalization, particularly in the social health and rescue sectors. As a novel initiative in Finland, AidVerse bolsters the reputation of regional organizations and all of South-West Finland as pioneers in innovation. The use of metaverse-based technology facilitates further systematic development of this project. Post-project plans include expanding the AidVerse training application nationwide, broadening its utility in healthcare and other sectors, with the ultimate goal of making it accessible to all Finns.