Ludus has begun to take the first steps in LUMINOUS, a project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe research and innovation (R&I) program. It is a groundbreaking and disruptive project that aims to set a new paradigm in the way we interact with extended reality technologies.
Over the next three years, LUMINOUS will be developed by an exclusive consortium formed by twelve European entities. Among them are several international leaders in R&D&I, such as the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.
Horizon Europe is the European Union's (EU) framework program for research and innovation (R&I) for the period 2021-2027. Horizon Europe, like its predecessor Horizon 2020, will be the main instrument for implementing the EU's R&D&I policies. Taking part in a project of this scope consolidates Ludus as a key player in the field of research and development with extended reality technologies.
LUMINOUS: Changing the way we interact with XR technologies
LUMINOUS starts from the premise that future Extended Reality (XR) systems must offer experiences tailored to the user's needs, behaviours, or interaction patterns. Taking this into account, the project will contribute to creating language augmented XR systems or applications.
The goal is to make natural language communication the vehicle for interacting with XR technology. The project's idea is to create a multimodal platform, powered by language, that adapts to individual user needs, not predefined and even unforeseen.
To achieve this, means such as "humanized avatars" will be developed, capable of interpreting language and responding, reacting with facial expressions or specific attitudes... This will facilitate communication for users in multiple use cases and sectors.
The LUMINOUS project is coordinated by the prestigious German research center DFKI. Among the 12 participating entities is Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (HHI), one of Europe's most important research organizations. In addition, entities such as Vicomtech, Ricoh International B.V. (RICOH), universities like University College London, University College Dublin, and the University of the Basque Country, and other companies like Mindesk and Mindmaze will participate.
Ludus' role will be to validate the technology developed during this project through a "Real-World" pilot.
Ludus’ pilot within the LUMINOUS project
Ludus will develop a pilot within LUMINOUS, integrating language-powered systems into its virtual reality-based health and safety training platform. This pilot will involve the creation and implementation of avatars capable of responding to user's personalized questions and needs thanks to Large Language Models (LLMs).
A 'personal trainer' that interacts through natural communication, an avatar that performs demonstration procedures, and the ability to execute actions through voice commands... These variables and others, applied through natural verbal language, will enhance the immersive training experience and further personalize it.
This pilot will be carried out in three selected use cases from Ludus' platform simulations. Validation will be conducted with 30 users, both internal and external, who will test these new functionalities.
Innovation and expected impact by Ludus
The work Ludus will carry out aims for innovation beyond the current technological forefront, what is known as 'State of Art'. One of the main focuses is to sustain Ludus' position as a pioneering entity in the field of XR technology applied to safety and health training.
The impact and expectations of this pilot, framed within the LUMINOUS project, will be reflected in several areas:
- Achieving a personalized, immersive, and interactive experience through language that responds to each user's needs and interaction.
- Reducing the technological barrier for Ludus’ platform users, as they can interact with their voice naturally instead of with controllers.
- Consolidating Ludus as a relevant actor in the field of research and development, reaching new collaborations and partnerships for technological innovation projects.
LUDUS is proud to participate in LUMINOUS, a project of great importance that marks a significant milestone in our consolidation process within the international R&D&I ecosystem. Collaboration with renowned research institutions and technological centers, distinguished by their excellence and track record, represents an inspiring adventure and a commitment that we approach with enthusiasm and dedication.
Over the next three years, Ludus will embark on a path marked by innovation with cutting-edge developments, co-leading major technological advances of extraordinary magnitude.
Do you want to know more about Ludus' VR platform and the benefits it offers to different companies that implement it in their training? Discover it in the following link.
- What is Horizon Europe? Horizon Europe is the European Union's framework program for research and innovation until the year 2027. It aims to promote research and development, address climate change, and boost the competitiveness and growth of the EU.
- What is Luminous? Luminous is a research and innovation project funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework. The project seeks to create a new way of interacting with extended reality technologies through natural language. This language-powered technology will be used to personalize and adapt user experiences to their needs and interactions.
