Distributed & Interactive Systems Group
Our research group focuses on facilitating and improving the way people use interactive systems and how people communicate with each other. We combine data science with a strong human-centric, empirical approach to understand the experience of users. This enables us to design and develop next generation intelligent and empathic systems. We base our results on realistic testing grounds and data sets, and embrace areas such as ubiquitous computing, human-centered multimedia systems, and languages.
The group addresses key problems for society and science, following a multi-disciplinary approach. This results in a full-stack methodology that enables us to bridge socio-technical gaps in society and science by instrumenting the appropriate infrastructures and communication protocols using realistic testing grounds.
Distributed and Interactive Systems is an outward-looking research group, that enjoys a number of fruitful partnerships with companies and organizations in the areas of creative industries, smart cities, automotive industry and wellbeing. Our group transfers knowledge through scientific publications, standards bodies, open-source implementations and consultancy. We pride ourselves on pushing boundaries, leading the way for others to follow.
Pinned Items
Master's Thesis Topics at CWI DIS
Publication date: 2025-05-06
The Distributed & Interactive Systems group at CWI has new open positions for motivated students who would like to work on their Master’s thesis as an internship in the group. Topics include human computer interaction, artificial intelligence, cognitive (neuro-)science and/or interaction design. Keep reading for more information about research topics, requirements and contact information.
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Spring School on Social XR Designated for the First Time as an ACM Seasonal School
Publication date: 2025-07-22
The Spring School on Social XR achieved a significant milestone: for the very first time, it has been officially recognized as an ACM Europe Seasonal School.
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"Fashion Beneath the Skin" - Unique Collaborative Social Virtual Reality Installation
Publication date: 2024-06-18
Thanks to the volumetric video setup by CWI’s DIS group, two remote visitors can simultaneously explore the virtual exhibition.
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SURF Tech Trends: How CWI Contributes to the Use of XR for Education and Research
Publication date: 2025-10-08
The new SURF Tech Trends report was published today. This bi-annual trend report helps CIO’s, policymakers, teachers, researchers and IT architects by providing them with insight into the most important digital trends to help them make the right innovation choices in a complex world. The trend report covers ten important topics, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, Web3 and quantum computing, and outlines the five most important trends for each topic. Immersive technology – or eXtended Reality – was one of those topics. CWI collaborated with experts from universities, universities of applied sciences, vocational colleges, and university medical centers to identify the most important trends for the coming years in the field of Immersive Technology.
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TRACTION, one of the Top Success Stories in 40 Year of EU Innovation
Publication date: 2025-05-14
A set of tools to foster the creation of opera in community, using technology to reach new audiences and connect artists.
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DIS at CHI 2025
Publication date: 2025-04-23
Research carried out by the Distributed and Interactive Systems (DIS) group from Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI) has resulted in contributions to this year’s ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025), to be held in Yokohama, Japan.
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DIS Organizes 3rd Edition of Spring School on Social XR
Publication date: 2025-04-17
The Distributed and Interactive Systems group (DIS) organized the third edition of the Spring School on Social XR. The event took place from 7 to 10 April 2025 and attracted 30 students from various disciplines, including technology, the social sciences, and the humanities.
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