New Course Release: Designing Digital Humans

We’re thrilled to announce that the four-part rollout of our latest course Designing Digital Humans will commence on Wednesday, 14 May 2025.

Digital humans are revolutionizing how we interact with technology—bringing lifelike, emotionally responsive interfaces to sectors from healthcare to customer service. This course will teach you how to create these next-generation interfaces with rigour, responsibility, and real-world impact.

The course has been co-created through a collaboration between CDI with Hogeschool Rotterdam and Virtually Human, and will see modules released on:

• Wednesday 14th May: Design Principle 1 - Visual Realism
  
• Wednesday 21st May: Design Principle 2 - Modality Mix
• Wednesday 28th May: Design Principle 3 - Mind Matters (Experience, Emotion, Personality and Perception) 
• Wednesday 4th June: Design Principle 4 - Ethical Design

Upon releasing the final module and course in its entirety on June 4th, we will also have a quiz and certificate available for those that complete the entire course.

Finally will also be hosting an open course launch webinar with the course presenters on Thursday 5th of June titled Digital Humans: Today and Tomorrow which is open to all with limited spots.

This course provides students with a deep dive into designing digital humans that feel real, act responsibly, and serve a meaningful purpose.

Students will learn from top researchers and practitioners blending communication science, UX, and AI to help master the human side of artificial intelligence.

• What digital humans are and why they matter now
  
• How to design for visual realism, emotional resonance, and interactive richness
  
• Best practices for multimodal communication and personality design
  
• How to apply ethical design principles to build trust and inclusivity

Guido Jongen, Founder, Virtually Human

Guido Jongen is a seasoned professional with a robust background in applied artificial intelligence and customer service. Through his company, Virtually Human, he leverages extensive expertise in chatbot and speech recognition technologies to focus on the next evolution in human-computer interaction: Digital Humans.

Guido is dedicated to advancing the adoption of lifelike Digital Human technologies across sectors such as healthcare, hospitality, and customer service. He collaborates closely with various universities to bridge the gap between research and market applications.

Additionally, Guido serves on the AI Committee of the Dutch Direct Marketing Association and is a board member of Another Kind of Blue, an innovative dance company integrating immersive technology into their performances.

Dr. Lotte Willemsen, Professor of Strategic Communication, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Dr. Lotte Willemsen is a distinguished communication scientist specializing in the intersection of technology and human interaction. As a professor at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, she leads research on how society and organizations can maintain human-centric communication in an increasingly digital world.

Her work emphasizes the importance of empathy and ethical considerations in digital communication strategies. Dr. Willemsen has contributed extensively to academic literature and has been instrumental in fostering collaborations between academia and industry to promote meaningful digital interactions.

Marije Brom, AI Researcher and Innovation Lead, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Marije Brom is a senior researcher and program manager at Creating 010, part of Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her work focuses on making artificial intelligence accessible and applicable within the communication field.

Marije has a background in digital consultancy and strategy, having worked with agencies like Jungle Minds and DPDK. She is passionate about exploring the role of virtual humans and influencers in enhancing human-computer interactions and has been recognized for her efforts in bridging the gap between technology and communication practices. 

Iris Withuis, Researcher in Media, Communication & Technology, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences

Iris Withuis is a lecturer and researcher at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, specializing in media, communication, and technology. Iris' research interests include virtual influencers and the societal impact of AI-generated media.

Iris is committed to examining how emerging technologies can be integrated responsibly into communication strategies and has contributed to various interdisciplinary projects aimed at understanding the ethical implications of digital media innovations.

You can join CDI along with the Digital Humans presenters and co-creators of the latest course to get a feel for what this course is all about and more on June 5th at 4pm CET time.

Digital Humans: Today and Tomorrow will see the Marije, Guido, Lotte and Iris covering:

• What digital humans are, and why they’re rising now
  
• Their role within conversational AI systems
  
• Navigating the uncanny valley through visual realism
  
• Designing multimodal, emotionally rich interactions
  
• Applying ethical frameworks for diversity and transparency

To secure your spot, follow the registration link below: