Research projects

In this project, we will explore the potential of utilizing the River Leie as a heat source to efficiently and intelligently warm future buildings of Howest and the city of Kortrijk.                                                                                                  

For cities, keeping the energy bill affordable is a challenge. Howest is assisting Kortrijk city in this regard. Through pilot projects in Kortrijk Weide and Transfo Zwevegem, the Smart Technology Energy lab is developing a data architecture for smart control of energy systems. 

During the Offshore for Sure (O4S) project, innovative energy solutions are being developed. Thanks to its expertise in cybersecurity, Howest contributes to the design of smart and secure maintenance systems. Additionally, Howest will serve as an educational partner.             

Reading comprehension is a crucial skill for students. The primary objective of this project is to enhance the reading proficiency and enjoyment of students in vocational-oriented programs. To encourage them to read more, the Close Reading methodology will be employed.           

It is well-known that the use of XR leads to better student outcomes and that the technology can better support the learning process. Thanks to XR, students can safely practice situations that would otherwise be difficult or impossible due to financial or safety reasons.         

This research explores two interconnected paths related to Artificial Intelligence (AI): interpreting results to provide better/individual guidance for students and investigating which AI applications could be beneficial for education.                                             

Can AI models engage in realistic conversations with people and perform complex tasks (behaving as a specific persona, such as a client in a psychologist's session)? And how can we combine generative AI tools to create a credible embodied conversational agent?