Applied Research for Trustworthy, Usable Digital Health & AI

SMIT (Studies on Media, Innovation & Technology) at VUB is a Social Sciences & Humanities research centre with a strong track record in digital health. We help health-tech SMEs and care providers turn ideas into trusted, usable solutions by combining user research, AI assurance, and policy/compliance expertise. Working with hospitals and industry partners, we provide evidence, requirements, and validation from concept to pilot and scale-up—so adoption is faster and safer.

**Trustworthy AI checks:
**Health AI must be safe, fair, and explainable. We start by clarifying your clinical risks and decision points, then run an independent audit for bias and safety, design robust test sets, and define when a human stays in the loop. We deliver model cards, monitoring plans, and clear mitigation actions. Result: documented risk controls and proof your buyers and regulators can trust—reducing surprises after deployment.

**User–technology interaction:
**Great tech fails if it fights the workflow. We observe real work (shadowing, interviews), map the journey of clinicians and patients, and co-design interactions that remove friction. You get a precise requirement spec that translates user needs into product changes. Result: fewer clicks, fewer errors, and faster onboarding—so usage sticks.

**Rapid user experience tests in realistic settings:
**Usability issues stall pilots and sales. In a 1–2-week sprint we simulate real scenarios (clinic, ward, home), measure time-to-task and error rates, and capture blockers. You receive a prioritized fix list with evidence. Result: improvements you can ship next sprint and measurable gains in speed, satisfaction, and adoption.

**Acceptance & trust by design:
**People trust tools they can understand and control. We define trust requirements (plain-language explanations, safe overrides, audit trails), create risk–benefit messages, and craft training that fits clinical routines. Result: confident users, smoother roll-outs, and a stronger procurement story.