INLIFE · Project

IoT-Powered Serious Games That Turn Real-Life Actions Into Educational Progress

digitalPilotedTRL 7

inlife-h2020.eu

Imagine a video game where what you do in the real world — like sorting recycling or completing a social task — actually moves you forward in the game. That's what INLIFE built: serious games connected to IoT sensors so that physical actions feed directly into game progress. They created two games — one teaching kids about environmental sustainability, another helping children with autism develop social skills. Four pilot tests proved the concept works in real classrooms and therapy settings.

By the numbers

EUR 1,002,400

EU contribution to develop IoT-connected serious games

Pilot sites validating the technology in real educational settings

Fully developed serious games (AKSION and ICEBERG) released to v2.0

Consortium partners across 5 countries

Total project deliverables including software, documentation, and pilots

SME partners in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Education technology companies and special needs service providers struggle to make digital learning tools that actually engage students in the real world, not just on-screen. Traditional e-learning has low retention because it stays disconnected from physical activity. There's a growing market for gamified education that bridges the gap between screen time and real-world learning outcomes, especially for children with autism spectrum disorders.

The solution

What was built

Two fully functional serious games — AKSION (environmental sustainability education) and ICEBERG (autism social inclusion support) — both released in v1.0 and v2.0. The project also delivered an open, layered software architecture that connects IoT devices to game engines in real time, enabling third parties to build their own IoT-connected educational games.

Audience

Who needs this

EdTech companies building gamified learning platformsSpecial education service providers and autism therapy centersSchool districts and education ministries investing in digital classroomsSerious game studios looking for IoT integration technologyCorporate training companies wanting real-world action tracking in learning programs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Education Technology

SME

Target: EdTech companies building digital learning platforms

If you are an EdTech company struggling with low student engagement in your online courses — this project developed an open architecture that connects IoT sensors to game engines in real time. The AKSION serious game demonstrated this for environmental sustainability education across 4 pilot sites. You could license the platform to add real-world activity tracking to your existing products, turning passive screen time into active learning.

Special Education & Therapy Services

any

Target: Autism therapy centers and special needs schools

If you are a special education provider looking for evidence-based digital tools for children with autism — this project built the ICEBERG serious game specifically for social inclusion therapy. It was piloted and released in two versions (v1.0 and v2.0), validating the approach with real users. The IoT connection means a child's real-world social actions are reflected in the game, reinforcing positive behavior.

Serious Games Development

SME

Target: Game studios producing training and simulation software

If you are a game studio wanting to enter the education or corporate training market but lack IoT integration expertise — this project created a modular, open-layered architecture that handles the bidirectional communication between physical sensors and game engines. With 7 consortium partners across 5 countries and 15 deliverables including full documentation, the technology stack is ready for third-party adoption and customization.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project was funded with EUR 1,002,400 in EU contribution across 7 partners. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the coordinator (EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON, Greece). The open architecture design suggests potential for accessible licensing, but specific pricing is not publicly available.

Can this scale beyond pilot classrooms to district-wide or national deployment?

The technology was validated in 4 pilot sites across the consortium's 5 countries. The open, layered architecture was specifically designed to enable third-party game development, which supports scalability. However, moving from 4 pilots to mass deployment would require further infrastructure investment and integration work.

Who owns the intellectual property and can I build on it?

IP is held by the consortium led by the Greek research institute coordinator. The architecture is described as open and layered, designed to enable third parties to create their own IoT-based serious games. Specific licensing terms for the AKSION and ICEBERG games and the underlying platform would need to be discussed with the consortium.

What concrete products came out of this project?

Two serious games were built and released in final versions: AKSION (environmental sustainability education for children and students) and ICEBERG (social inclusion support for children with autism). Both reached v2.0 as documented in the project deliverables, plus the underlying IoT-to-game integration platform.

How long would it take to integrate this into our existing platform?

The project ran for 24 months (November 2016 to October 2018) and produced 15 deliverables including the full software platform. The modular, layered architecture was designed for third-party adoption, but integration timelines would depend on your existing technology stack and the specific components you need.

Is there regulatory approval needed for using this with special needs children?

The ICEBERG game targets children with autism for social inclusion purposes. Based on available project data, the pilots validated educational efficacy but regulatory requirements for therapeutic or clinical use would depend on your jurisdiction. Educational use typically has fewer barriers than medical device classification.

What technical infrastructure do I need to run this?

The system requires IoT sensors or devices to capture real-world actions, plus the game platform itself. The architecture supports bidirectional real-time communication between the serious game and the surrounding environment. Based on available project data, the 4 pilot deployments demonstrated this works in educational settings with standard equipment.

Consortium

Who built it

The INLIFE consortium of 7 partners across 5 countries (Greece, Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy) has a strong commercial profile with 57% industry participation and 3 SMEs. The coordinator is a Greek university research institute, providing the scientific backbone, while 4 industry partners bring game development, IoT, and market expertise. This mix is well-suited for turning research into a product — the industry-heavy composition means the technology was built with commercial viability in mind, not just academic publication. For a business partner, this means you'd be working with teams that understand product development, not just research papers.

EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTONCoordinator · EL
SYNELIXIS LYSEIS PLIROFORIKIS AUTOMATISMOU & TILEPIKOINONION ANONIMI ETAIRIAparticipant · EL
SCUOLA UNIVERSITARIA PROFESSIONALE DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANAparticipant · CH
THALESparticipant · FR
IMAGINARY SRLparticipant · IT
AYUNTAMIENTO DE VALLADOLIDparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

The coordinator is EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON (Research Academic Computer Technology Institute) in Greece. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction.

Order a report on this consortium See EREVNITIKO PANEPISTIMIAKO INSTITOUTO SYSTIMATON EPIKOINONION KAI YPOLOGISTON profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the INLIFE platform or integrating IoT-connected serious games into your product? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the development team and help structure a technology transfer deal.

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