UNSW’s Immersive Technology Ecosystem: Research, Innovation, and Impact

At the University of New South Wales (UNSW), researchers are harnessing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Extended Reality (XR) to address challenges across healthcare, education, industry, and the creative sectors.

 

As a member of the ARIVE research network, UNSW brings together expertise from computer science, engineering, psychology, neuroscience, medicine, and the arts to create immersive technologies that deliver meaningful real-world impact.

 

UNSW is home to a diverse community of researchers exploring the potential of immersive technologies through centres and laboratories including the Human-Centred Computing Group, the NeuroRecovery Research Hub, the Sensory Processes Research Laboratory, the Immersive Technology Laboratory, the Future Stories project, and the iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research.

 

Together, these groups investigate human-computer interaction, smart glasses, brain-computer interfaces, digital health, multisensory perception, industrial simulation, immersive learning environments, and AI-enhanced virtual experiences. By combining technical innovation with human-centred design, UNSW researchers are developing technologies that are both cutting-edge and practical.

 

 

A defining strength of UNSW’s immersive technology ecosystem is its focus on translating research into tangible outcomes.

 

Within the NeuroRecovery Research Hub, researchers are using immersive virtual reality to support chronic pain management and sensory rehabilitation for people living with spinal cord injuries. The Future Stories project is co-designing virtual reality experiences with young people experiencing serious illness, exploring how immersive storytelling can improve wellbeing, connection, and agency during hospital treatment.

 

In industrial settings, researchers are applying VR, AR, and holographic technologies to improve workforce training, operational planning, and safety within the mining and engineering sectors. At the same time, the iCinema Centre is pioneering AI-driven immersive visualisation systems, including the iFire program (pictured below), which enables researchers and decision-makers to explore complex wildfire scenarios in interactive virtual environments.

 

 

UNSW’s immersive technology research is supported by leading researchers, including Dr Benjamin Tag, Professor Juno Kim, Professor Sylvia Gustin, Associate Professor Chengguo Zhang, Professor Michael Balfour, Associate Professor Susann Beier, and ARC Laureate Fellow Professor Dennis Del Favero.

 

Their work is enabled by specialised facilities across the university, including advanced VR laboratories, immersive visualisation platforms, motion-tracking systems, rehabilitation facilities, and AI-driven interactive environments. Together, these resources provide researchers with the tools to develop and evaluate next-generation immersive technologies across a wide range of applications.

 

Shaping the Future of Immersive Technologies

 

From healthcare and rehabilitation to industrial training, human perception, and immersive storytelling, UNSW is helping define the future of virtual and immersive technologies.

 

By bringing together expertise across disciplines and fostering collaboration between researchers, industry, and communities, UNSW continues to advance immersive technologies that improve lives, expand human capabilities, and create lasting societal impact.