Hyperreality
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A student pointing at information on a screen with a rhythm stick.
Erik van der Spek behind a speakers box showing the TU/e logo.
A group of students in auditorium seating.

Keywords

Fantasy
Extended Reality
Learning, vitality, and empathy
Entertainment
Under the theme Hyperreality, Erik van der Spek will guide students to construct fantasy realities with modern physical, mixed, and virtual technologies that create impact in our own reality. The work aims to design for entertainment that stimulates learning, vitality, empathy in meaningful experiences. A special focus is on formal and informal learning settings (schools, museums, etc).

The theme Hyperreality integrates modern virtual reality and mixed reality technologies (TR) to create game worlds (MDC, CA) that stimulate learning and empathy in a motivating way (US).  

Technology: Game Engines, XR, VR
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Background: MDA model, juicy design, persuasive technology, multimedia learning theories

Previous Projects

A phone pointed at a abstract physical map, showing a building in AR.

MathBuilder

a collaborative XR game to learn mathematics

Illustrations of a duck with an apple head in three different postures.

Apple Duck

a game that brings warm fuzzy wholesomeness

A VR environment showing a keyboard, hands, and two characters in the distance.

Type Travel VR

a serious game to learn typing in VR

Who's  behind the theme?

Erik van der Spek is Assistant Professor of Game and Play Design. He is the secretary of the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Technical Committee on Entertainment Computing (TC14). He also leads the TU/e Game/Play Lab. His research interests are the design of games and play for entertainment, learning, vitality, and empathy. From playful interaction to immersive VR experiences, Van der Spek tries to discover the elements that engage us to construct imaginary magic circles, to have cathartic mediated presence experiences in fantasy environments, and that stimulate us to see the world in a newfound light. In addition to his TC14 work, Van der Spek has been the program chair of ICEC, student game competition chair for CHI Play and ICEC and supervises more than 60 student games per year, some of which have won national or international prizes and recognition.
A picture of Erik van der Spek smiling.
Erik van der Spek
Assistant Professor