Time
15.45 – 17.15
Room
Aria
Chaired by
Hee Dae Kim
Type of Session
Research Session
Description
Following the evaluation procedure the OLLD evaluation committee has accepted the research papers. All papers reflect on the theme of the conference “LIVING LABS FOR REGENERATIVE FUTURES: Connecting Local and Global Innovation Ecosystems ” and have been classified according to its sub-tracks. These are: TRACK 1: Living Labs for Grand Societal Challenges; TRACK 2: Living Labs for Policies, Governance, collaboration and innovation ecosystems; TRACK 3: LLs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement; TRACK 4: Living Labs for Business and Emerging Technology; TRACK 5: Living Labs Operation, Methods, Tools, and Impact.
Papers selected by the Evaluation Committee
- Leveraging technology to enhance workability in the healthcare & welfare sector: A participatory Living Lab approach
- Agile piloting for greener cities
- DEMO FARMS in Green Point Living Lab: A strategy for engaging farmers in sustainable innovation
- Connecting campus and region as a Living Lab for industrial symbiosis
- Evaluating the impact of Living Labs using an AI-augmented framework for enhanced value assessment
- Co-creating AI experimentation ecosystems: Designing business and governance models for Smart Cities
Leveraging technology to enhance workability in the healthcare & welfare sector: A participatory Living Lab approach
Abstract: Care demands are rising and putting additional pressure on healthcare and welfare workers. Innovative methods and technologies could be essential to address current challenges. This study explores the role of technology in alleviating the challenges in various care sectors, including elderly care, disability care, youth care, childcare, and social enterprises for supported employment in Flanders. Through a participatory living lab approach, we engaged workers of these sectors in interviews (n = 38), co-creation (n = 52) and a survey (n = 526). They identified key challenges related to mental strain, physical strain, and work organization. These challenges were mapped into six categories of care technologies: activating care technology, assistive care technology, relaxing care technology, ergonomic care technology, administrative support tools, and educational support tools. Our findings suggest that these technologies can address these challenges by reducing mental and physical strain and improving work organization. Despite a general openness to technology, barriers such as cost, training, time constraints, and resistance to change were mentioned as obstacles for successful implementation. The study highlights the importance of a collaborative approach involving healthcare professionals and managers to ensure acceptance and effective integration of technology.
Key words: Care technology, Workability, Healthcare, Welfare, Living lab approach
Femke Drijkoningen
Researcher at LiCalab
Femke Drijkoningen
Researcher at LiCalabFemke obtained her master's degree in Psychological Sciences at KU Leuven with distinction. Since 2024, she has been working as a researcher at the care research lab LiCalab at Thomas More University, where she conducts practice-oriented research with a focus on projects on care innovation and technology. Her experience in the healthcare sector adds valuable insights to the research and provides a practical perspective. Within LiCalab, Femke is involved in a variety of tasks, from drafting questionnaires and supporting co-creation sessions, to analysing research data and drafting (scientific) reports. In addition, she holds a Good Clinical Practice certificate and continues to continuously hone her knowledge through training in (qualitative) research.
Agile piloting for greener cities
Abstract: As climate change intensifies, cities face growing pressure to adopt nature-based solutions that enhance urban resilience. However, densifying urban environments often lack space for traditional greenery, requiring innovative approaches. Agile piloting programs offer a powerful method to co-create and test green infrastructure solutions in real-world settings. Forum Virium Helsinki has implemented this model to support the development of green infrastructure solutions, such as green walls, green roofs, and supporting digital solutions. This paper presents the methodology, outcomes, and insights gained from recent urban greenery pilots in Helsinki. Findings indicate that multi-actor coordination requires resources, even small-scale solutions benefit biodiversity, and digital tools are needed to enable scalable, measurable green infrastructure.
Key words: Care technology, Workability, Healthcare, Welfare, Living lab approach
Mirka Råberg
Project Manager, Forum Virium Helsinki
Mirka Råberg
Project Manager, Forum Virium HelsinkiMirka Råberg is a Project Manager at Forum Virium Helsinki, the innovation company of the City of Helsinki. With an interdisciplinary background in sustainability science and social sciences, she brings a versatile and human-centric perspective to urban development. She currently leads the PilotGreen project, which focuses on co-developing and piloting innovative green infrastructure solutions. Through the agile piloting method, Mirka works to create climate-resilient cities by addressing challenges like heatwaves and biodiversity loss. Her work emphasizes collaboration between cities, companies, and residents, ensuring that solutions are not only effective but also co-created with the communities they serve. Mirka is passionate about leveraging innovation to build more livable and sustainable urban environments.
DEMO FARMS in Green Point Living Lab: A strategy for engaging farmers in sustainable innovation
Abstract: European agriculture is at a crossroads, balancing rising food demands with sustainability targets outlined in the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, and Digital Europe Programme. Despite the potential of digital technologies, adoption on farms remains limited due to infrastructural gaps, digital illiteracy, and lack of tailored solutions. The DEMO FARMS initiative, embedded in the Green Point Living Lab, offers a structured, place-based methodology for co-developing and scaling regenerative and digital agricultural practices. DEMO FARMS foster real-life experimentation, stakeholder co-creation, and open innovation. The model is built on five pillars: sustainable practice deployment with AI integration, use of digital tools, stakeholder data integration via the DIH AGRIFOOD Data Space, capacity building, and strategic support through digital maturity assessments. The outcome is a scalable, transferable innovation framework that strengthens resilience, digital readiness, and sustainability across diverse regional farming contexts.
Key words: Agriculture; Digital Transformation; Farmers; Engagement; Co-creation
Tamara Kozic
Social Science Expert & Project Manager, Innovation Technology Cluster Slovenia (ITC)
Tamara Kozic
Social Science Expert & Project Manager, Innovation Technology Cluster Slovenia (ITC)Tamara Kozic is a social science expert and project manager at the Innovation Technology Cluster Slovenia (ITC), specializing in Living Lab development, multi-actor collaboration, and innovation-driven projects in sustainable food systems, agriculture, and environmental resilience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology, with a focus on empirical research, analysis, and statistics, and a Master’s degree in Global Studies from the University of Graz, where she specialized in society, culture, global development. Tamara particularly enjoys conducting empirical research and working with new data collected directly from the field — from farmers to consumers — to better understand challenges and opportunities within food systems. Currently, she is expanding her expertise in the agrifood sector, exploring sustainable practices with a strong emphasis on the Multi-Actor Approach. She has contributed to several EU projects, focusing on co-creation, capacity building, and empirical research.
Connecting campus and region as a Living Lab for industrial symbiosis
Abstract: The Research Triangle region of North Carolina, anchored by the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill and a vibrant university, life sciences, pharmaceutical, and advanced manufacturing ecosystem, is in the midst of unprecedented growth. Since 2020, the population of the Triangle region has grown nearly six percent, making it one of the fastest growing regions in the United States.1 Amidst this growth, attention is turning to opportunities to reduce industrial resource consumption and environmental impact, while also improving resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In particular, principles of circularity are emerging as key strategies for North Carolina to foster more sustainable and resilient regional economies—especially in areas like the Research Triangle, where agriculture, biotechnology, and manufacturing intersect. Industrial Symbiosis, such as typified in Denmark’s Kalundborg industrial park, presents one model for how circularity might address such resource consumption and efficiency challenges.
Key words: Industrial symbiosis, circular economy, high impact experiential learning, interdisciplinary education, campus operations, living lab.
Christopher Stephen Galik
Professor in the Department of Public Administration & Deputy Executive Director of the Climate and Sustainability Academy, North Carolina State University
Christopher Stephen Galik
Professor in the Department of Public Administration & Deputy Executive Director of the Climate and Sustainability Academy, North Carolina State UniversityDr. Christopher Stephen Galik is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration and the Deputy Executive Director of the Climate and Sustainability Academy at North Carolina State University. With a Ph.D. in Forestry and Environmental Resources from North Carolina State University, a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, and a B.A. in Biology from Vassar College, Dr. Galik has a rich background in both academia and professional practice. His research, recognized in journals such as Nature Climate Change and Global Environmental Change, explores the intersection of policy and real-world environmental challenges with a focus on the role of formal and informal institutions in responding to pressing global challenges like climate change. He has received numerous accolades for his teaching and research, including University- and Departmental-Level Outstanding Teaching Awards, as well as recognition as a 2024-2025 University Faculty Scholar.
Evaluating the impact of Living Labs using an AI-augmented framework for enhanced value assessment
Abstract: Living Labs are increasingly recognized as complex ecosystems where value is co-created across diverse stakeholder constellations. Yet, prevailing assessment frameworks often struggle to capture this multidimensionality without resorting to reductionist or interpretative shortcuts. This paper introduces a hybrid methodology that integrates deductive value mapping with the affordances of large language models (LLMs), aiming to reallocate analytical resources toward deeper engagement with raw data. The approach combines structured frameworks with LLM-supported workshops, enabling iterative reflection and dialogical sense-making. Rather than automating interpretation, LLMs are positioned as epistemic partners that scaffold critical inquiry. The methodology was validated in a Living Lab context, revealing both its potential to enhance analytical granularity and its limitations in terms of interpretive ambiguity. Hence, this approach offers a reflexive and operationally grounded approach to understanding value creation in Living Labs. It invites further discussion on how emerging tools can be responsibly embedded in participatory research without compromising epistemological integrity.
Key words: Living Labs, Impact Assessment, Value Creation, Methodology, Large Language Models
Bastiaan Baccarne
Professor at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent University
Bastiaan Baccarne
Professor at the research group for Media, Innovation and Contemporary Technologies, Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Product Design, Ghent UniversityProf. Dr. Bas Baccarne is a socio-technologist and professor of design methodology at imec-mict-UGent and design.nexus. His work focuses on inclusive design, futures thinking, and societal impact through Living Labs, employing participatory design and research-through-design methodologies.
Co-creating AI experimentation ecosystems: Designing business and governance models for Smart Cities
Abstract: As the European Union advances its AI regulatory agenda, cities are becoming critical arenas for testing and validating emerging technologies under real-life conditions. This paper examines how AI Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs), a hybrid form between testbeds, sandboxes and Living Labs, can be organized as distributed, node-based ecosystems to support responsible innovation in urban environments. Drawing on insights from the Digital Europe project CitCom.AI, spanning over a dozen TEF nodes across Europe, we explore how cities and regional actors can implement shared experimentation infrastructures while retaining local autonomy and regulatory alignment. The paper builds on a dual theoretical framework combining Multi-Level Governance and Business Ecosystem Theory. Through mixed methods, we investigate how governance structures, business models, and service specializations are evolving across the network. Preliminary findings suggest a set of core design principles for TEFs; role complementarity over service replication, distributed governance with aligned ethical standards, service interoperability across nodes, stakeholder-anchored validation, and regulatory readiness as a built-in service. These principles offer a blueprint for structuring TEFs that are adaptable to different urban contexts yet coordinated through a shared European vision. Our contribution supports the development of scalable, trusted, and citizen-centered AI innovation frameworks across smart cities in Europe. We also contribute to the literature on sustainable business models for Living Labs and to the literature on Living Labs for emerging technologies.
Key words: Smart cities, multi-level governance, business ecosystems, testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs), business models, sustainability, Living Labs for emerging technologies
Mirte Brouwers
Researcher, imec-SMIT
Mirte Brouwers
Researcher, imec-SMITMirte Brouwers is a researcher at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, affiliated with the Data, Governance and Communities unit. She earned her Master’s degree in Communication Sciences with great distinction, focusing her thesis on greenwashing practices and consumer perceptions. Her research topics are twofold, and center around behavioral change and stakeholder decision-making, as well as governance within smart city contexts.