If you peer through the windows of the BioAdaptive Interface Lab at Wilfrid Laurier University's Brantford campus, you might think you've stumbled upon a high-tech student lounge. Coloured lights illuminate Wii gaming consoles, virtual reality (VR) headsets and an omnidirectional treadmill. Hours of videogaming happens in this room, but it's not just for fun. Lab director John E. Muñoz and his students are designing interactive technologies to improve health and well-being.
Muñoz, an assistant professor of User Experience Design, oversees a wide range of research activity in the BioAdaptive Interface Lab, ranging from crisis response training for police officers to self-regulation games for children. By incorporating adaptive biofeedback systems into his games, he is creating responsive, user-specific digital experiences. Built-in sensors respond to physiological data, such as heart rate, muscle activity and brain signals, adapting the content to individual users as they play.
Muñoz's work is deeply technical, but he describes it as "community driven." He is focused on human-centred design.
"I build technology for people, so I include people in the design process," says Muñoz. "My background is in physics engineering, where we study instruments and how to use them. We don't typically work with human participants. But in User Experience Design, rather than deciding what will be good for users, we actually ask people and co-design solutions that they find beneficial."
One of Muñoz's longtime passions is designing "exergames:" videogames that empower people to stay active while having fun. As a child, he remembers his grandmother recovering from a stroke and noting that her rehabilitation exercises were monotonous. She struggled to stay engaged and committed to her recovery.
Inspired by his grandma, Muñoz's "Active Aging Through Play" project uses VR headsets to transport players to scenic locations, enabling people with physical challenges or dementia to row a boat, fish or do tai chi from the comfort of their chair. Exergames offer caregivers and physiotherapists a new tool for working toward therapeutic outcomes.
The BioAdaptive Interface Lab is equipped with Wii gaming consoles, VR headsets and an omnidirectional treadmill
Testing and learning are essential pieces of the exergames design process and Muñoz sought local collaborators when he joined Laurier in 2024. Since he was new to Brantford, the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions connected him with potential partners.
"I reached out to organizations and invited therapists and managers to come visit my lab," says Muñoz. "I had them play our games and we discussed how a program using these technologies could look in their facilities."
Muñoz found common goals with the Adult Recreation Therapy Centre (ARTC), a community support agency in Brantford that provides day programming for adults with cognitive and physical impairments. With funding from the Alzheimer Society of Brant, Haldimand Norfolk, Hamilton Halton, Muñoz is studying how to support physical activity, cognitive engagement and well-being for older adults living with dementia.
