VANVITECHUB
Human-Centered Technological Innovation HUB
Interdepartmental Technological Innovation HUB
WHO WE ARE?
VANVITECHUB is the result of collaboration among three Departments of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” — Architecture and Industrial Design, Psychology, and Engineering — united by the belief that human beings must be at the center of innovation.
In this flexible space, technological progress engages in dialogue with knowledge of the mind and brain, with users’ needs, and with their cognitive, emotional, and social capabilities.
In this flexible space, technological progress engages in dialogue with knowledge of the mind and brain, with users’ needs, and with their cognitive, emotional, and social capabilities.
The HUB operates as a dynamic ecosystem in which scientific research, design, businesses, institutions, and local communities interact continuously. It offers up-to-date, multidisciplinary expertise in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Immersive and Augmented Virtual Reality, Robotics, and Big Data, with the aim of fostering efficient, inclusive, and sustainable innovation. The HUB promotes technology transfer, startup creation, and skills development.
WHY?
From knowledge to practice. From technology to people.
Emerging technologies — from Artificial Intelligence to Virtual Reality, from robotics to intelligent systems — are profoundly transforming the way we live, work, and learn. Our daily lives are now constantly intertwined with tools that enhance our cognitive capabilities: from social media to telemedicine, from immersive experiences to the new frontiers of Industry 5.0.
In this context, the key question is: how can we respond to the challenges of technological innovation?
The academic, economic, and social worlds increasingly recognize that the answer cannot come from a single discipline, but instead requires an integrated perspective rooted in a deep understanding of human beings. It is from this awareness that the Human-Centered Technological Innovation Hub was born.
WHAT WE DO
The HUB’s activities: what we offer to the territory, businesses, and society
- Research and Development
Research is the core of the HUB. The first step involves the creation of a database that collects and connects activities across the different departments of the University, linking complementary expertise and facilitating the development of new interdisciplinary projects.
Research conducted within the HUB is always oriented toward practical application. It investigates the reciprocal influence between technologies and cognitive functions such as attention, memory, risk perception, learning, and psychological well-being. These studies give rise to immersive simulations, operational models, and digital solutions designed to meet the real needs of users and organizations.
A significant part of the HUB’s work is also dedicated to entrepreneurial growth: the HUB promotes the development of innovative startups by offering methodological, scientific, and strategic support to those who wish to transform an idea into a project with high technological and human impact.
- Consultancy
To address the needs of the local territory, the HUB provides a dedicated help desk: Questo indirizzo email è protetto dagli spambots. È necessario abilitare JavaScript per vederlo.. This service makes it possible to receive external requests and identify, within the University, the most appropriate expertise to respond to the challenges posed by new technologies.
Consultancy activities always begin with an analysis of the context and the people involved. The goal is to support public and private organizations in designing suitable digital solutions, assessing the impact of innovation, and consciously addressing potential critical issues — from technostress and cognitive overload to phenomena of digital dependency.
- Training
The HUB promotes multidisciplinary training programs aimed at students, researchers, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Training focuses on developing profiles capable of understanding how digital technologies influence cognition, behavior, and human experience, and of using this knowledge to design effective and responsible solutions.
Alongside outreach initiatives — such as seminars, workshops, and thematic meetings — more structured programs are developed that integrate theory and practice. These programs are designed for those who wish to work in interface design, industry, services, or healthcare, developing skills that combine technology, cognitive sciences, and experience design.
- Establishment
On 09/06/2025, the VANVITECH – HUB, Human-Centered Technological Innovation HUB was officially inaugurated through an international workshop dedicated to human-centered innovation (inauguration poster).
The workshop, co-organized by the Departments of Architecture and Industrial Design, Engineering, and Psychology, was attended with great interest by internationally renowned researchers (Prof. Farné – ImpAct Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre; Prof. Olivier and Prof. Pettré – Inria, University of Rennes). They illustrated how new technologies can support and enhance scientific research, particularly in the fields of neuroscience, virtual reality, and computer simulation.
Subsequently, the round table “Education and Innovation in the World of Work” provided an important opportunity for discussion on educational and training challenges, as well as on the new skills required and promoted by the business sector. The stakeholders involved came from national and international companies such as Stellantis S.p.A., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Assing S.p.A., and Immensive s.r.l..
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