Reimagining Research: Using VR to Drive Inclusivity and Representation

As society becomes more diverse, research methodologies must evolve to represent everyone, ensuring inclusivity while addressing specific needs. The presentation will explore an innovative project that used Virtual Reality (VR) simulations of self-driving taxis to examine inclusivity in transport design. By incorporating participants with protected characteristics—including neurodivergent individuals—this research uncovered insights into creating adaptive, user-centred approaches.

Join us to find out how immersive technologies like VR can help simulate real-world experiences, empowering researchers to better understand the needs of underrepresented communities. We’ll discuss adapting research methodologies to accommodate diverse participants, ensuring inclusivity while capturing rich, actionable insights. If participants have a VR headset at home, they can join the VR environment in real time to gain first-hand experience and understanding into how to plan inclusive virtual research.

Whether you’re designing for neurodivergent users, addressing physical disabilities, or ensuring fair representation across race, gender, and age, this event will inspire you to reimagine inclusivity in research and product design.

What you’ll learn:

• Learn how VR technology can create realistic, accessible simulations for diverse user groups.
• Explore best practices for inclusive research design, particularly for people with protected characteristics.
• Gain actionable insights into adapting research for neurodivergent participants.
• Understand the value of inclusive research in shaping products that reflect societal diversity.

Presenter Bios

Dr Clare Mutzenich is founder of Anthrometric an independent agency who specialize in high-impact research and advisory work at the intersection of human factors, public policy, and emerging technologies. Clare has led projects that bridge technology and inclusivity, including her recent work using VR simulations to explore adaptive designs for self-driving taxis for the Department for Transport and in collaboration with Loughborough University. She is highly skilled at integrating diverse perspectives, including neurodivergence, into research to deliver impactful outcomes.

Professor Gary Burnett, Professor in Digital Creativity at the School of Design and Creative Arts, Loughborough University, has expertise in Human Factors and Human-Computer Interaction, with a strong focus on the application of immersive technologies in design and education. Previously, Gary was the Head of the Human Factors Research Group at the University of Nottingham, where he worked extensively on cutting-edge projects in Human Factors and the use of virtual and augmented reality.

Ahmed Ehab is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Digital Creativity at Loughborough University, with specialist expertise in virtual reality design, immersive environments, and stakeholder engagement. For the Automated Passenger Services emergency tasks study, Ehab led the creation of the virtual world and in-simulation scenarios, enabling participants to experience and respond to realistic AV emergency events in a safe and controlled setting. Ehab holds a PhD from the University of Nottingham, where his research focused on interactive VR co-design for public urban spaces. He has extensive experience in applying VR to transport, architecture, and public engagement contexts, with published work on immersive co-design, gamification, and cognitive experience in virtual environments. His contributions ensure technical fidelity and creative innovation in VR-based behavioural research.

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