COMPUTER SCIENCE

DigitalWell Arena is now taking the next step in its long-term commitment to digital health innovation in Värmland. After several years focused on establishing a platform for research and collaboration, the work is now shifting towards the large-scale implementation and practical use of digital solutions.

Research at Karlstad University has been a central driving force behind DigitalWell Arena since its launch in 2019. By bringing together around 60 researchers from six research groups and disciplines such as computer science, nursing, psychology, service research and gender studies, the university has built an interdisciplinary research environment for digital health innovation.

Karlstad University (KAU) and Softcode AB successfully completed their participation in IMAGINE-B5G Open Call 2, testing an immersive remote-education solution (SIMONE) at the Norwegian SINLAB facility over a 12-month period. The trials demonstrated the feasibility of real-time 360° video streaming and immersive learning over operational 5G/B5G infrastructure, showcasing the potential of immersive education for the broader education sector.

IMAGINE-B5G is a Horizon Europe / SNS JU initiative that provides an advanced end-to-end 5G/B5G platform enabling large-scale trials and pilots across Europe. The project federates experimental facilities in Norway, Spain, Portugal, and France, offering SMEs, start-ups, academia, and industry access to test innovative vertical applications and platform extensions. SIMONE was one of the 15 projects selected in Open Call 2.

The 6G-PATH project (6G-Pilots and Trials Through Europe), involving both Computer Science and Nursing recently presented its technology to an audience during a fully attended seminar.

The aim of the project is to advance education in health and medical care by using communication technologies such as 5G and 6G, combined with Extended Reality (XR) and Virtual Reality (VR).

The goal is to make healthcare education more realistic and flexible, for example through VR and remote training where simulators and equipment can be used outside traditional classrooms. The technology can also support healthcare personnel in acute situations by allowing experts to join remotely.

Since last year, the subject of computer science has had its own Hackerspace – a specially equipped room that has quickly become a natural meeting place for students interested in programming, cybersecurity, and technology. The space is also home to KAUotic Hacking Club, the university’s own community for ethical hacking.

The club was started to fill a void, as many computer science students lacked a natural gathering place where they could deepen their interest in cybersecurity and hacking outside of regular coursework. Today, KAUotic arranges everything from workshops and lectures to hacker evenings, and it has quickly become an appreciated part of student life in computer science.

This year’s DRIVE Annual Workshop brought together researchers, industry partners, and interested participants for two intensive days filled with presentations, discussions, and demonstrations.

New for this year was that the first part of the workshop was open to a broader audience, with the goal of spreading research results and creating new connections between academia and industry.

Open session focusing on current research

The open session began with welcome remarks from Karlstad University and Telia, followed by an introduction to the DRIVE project. After that, several current research contributions in networking, security, and artificial intelligence were presented.

Recent studies show that risks related to security, privacy, and transparency are among the main concerns that could slow down the future development of AI. The project TRUMAN (Trustworthy Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence), in which the subject of Computer Science at Karlstad University participates as a partner, aims to support trustworthy AI solutions that contribute to more human-centric AI.

Within the TRUMAN project, Karlstad University is responsible for developing methods to explain the underlying technologies and risks to users, examining how AI solutions affect people, and involving them in improving the models.