Human-Centered Innovation – Integrating Human Insight into Technological Excellence

To develop impactful, trustworthy, and future-proof digital and AI-based solutions, the participation and integration of social sciences and humanities (SSH) is a must within the EU Mission programs. From capturing stakeholder needs to ensuring societal acceptance and long-term trust, SSH research ensures that technological innovation is not only cutting-edge — but also meaningful, explainable, and adopted.

SMIT (Studies on Media, Innovation & Technology, VUB) is a leading SSH research center with a strong track record in interdisciplinary collaboration within Horizon Europe and other EU programs. We bring methodological and analytical expertise that complements engineering, data science, and industrial development teams, enabling your consortium to deliver solutions that meet real-world societal and ethical expectations.

We offer:

• Human-centered design expertise across all innovation phases – from idea to evaluation

• User- and stakeholder-driven development of digital tools and AI systems

• Trust and explainability frameworks to enhance transparency and accountability in AI

• Participatory validation and evaluation of technological impact in applied contexts

• Support in the development of data-driven decision support systems, including human-centered design of digital twins for complex environments (e.g., energy, mobility, public services)

• Data governance strategies for responsible and transparent handling of data in AI-based and multi-actor systems