Introducing IVE: Shaping the Future of Immersive Technology

Immersive and interactive technology is changing the way we learn, work, communicate, and experience the world around us — and helping lead that transformation is the Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE), a proud consortium member of the ARIVE research network.

Based in Adelaide, Australia, IVE is one of the world’s leading research centres focused on Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (XR), and interactive technology. It is a place where researchers, technologists, designers, and creatives come together to explore how immersive technology can create meaningful real-world impact.

Bringing together expertise across computer science, engineering, neuroscience, architecture, design, art, and human-centred interaction, IVE takes a multidisciplinary approach to solving complex challenges through emerging technology. At its core, IVE is driven by a simple but powerful vision: Positively changing the world by changing people’s realities.

A Global Leader in XR Research and Innovation

IVE is home to one of the largest concentrations of AR and VR researchers in Australia, with more than 150 researchers working across a broad range of immersive technology disciplines. The centre combines deep academic expertise with industry collaboration to create solutions that are practical, impactful, and future-focused.

The work being undertaken at IVE spans industries including:

Healthcare and wellbeing
Defence and military training
Education and learning
Cultural heritage and tourism
Architecture and urban design
Human-computer interaction
Wearable computing
Artificial intelligence and interactive systems
Remote collaboration and telepresence

IVE thrives with a multidisciplinary approach. Researchers collaborate across technical, creative, and human-focused fields to ensure immersive technologies are not only innovative, but meaningful and usable in the real world.

Led by One of the World’s Most Influential XR Researchers

IVE is led by Professor Mark Billinghurst, internationally recognised as one of the pioneers of Augmented Reality and Human-Computer Interaction. For three decades, Professor Billinghurst has helped shape the global XR landscape through groundbreaking research in AR, VR, wearable computing, and collaborative interfaces. With more than 900 published research papers and an extraordinary international career, his work has influenced both academia and industry around the world. His contributions to immersive technology have earned major international recognition, including the prestigious IEEE ISMAR Career Impact Award in 2029, and he is currently ranked first on the ScholarGPS list of over 46,000 AR researchers globally.

Bridging Research and Real-World Impact

One of the things that sets IVE apart is its focus on real-world application. The centre isn’t just exploring immersive technologies in theory — it’s actively working with industry and community partners to develop solutions that create measurable impact. Through collaborations across Australia and internationally, IVE designs, prototypes, and evaluates immersive experiences that address real challenges in areas such as healthcare, education, defence, communication, accessibility, and cultural preservation.

This includes:

Developing immersive medical and defence training simulations
Creating AR and VR experiences for education and workforce development
Designing interactive environments that improve accessibility and wellbeing
Using immersive technologies to preserve and experience cultural heritage
Exploring AI-enhanced interactive systems and adaptive virtual environments
Advancing collaborative XR tools for remote communication and teamwork

IVE’s work demonstrates how immersive technologies can move beyond novelty and become essential tools for communication, learning, decision-making, and human connection.

For more information, please email IVE@adelaide.edu.au