Ágnes Karolina Bakk, Ph.D. is the Head and Lead Researcher of the Future Care Lab at the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design in Budapest. With a background in narrative design, her work centers around immersive theatrical formats, storytelling, and the science of magic. 

Her current research explores psychological restoration and life quality enhancement through virtual reality (VR) for elderly adults. For this groundbreaking work, she was recently awarded a Hu-rizon multiyear research grant for a clinical research trial with VR. Beside this she is also conducting research in virtual worlds and how users relate to each other in such environments. Dr. Bakk is the founder of Zip-Scene, and the co-founder of Random Error Studio and the Vektor VR section. She is also a proud member of ARDIN. An internationally recognized speaker and educator, she has shared her expertise around the globe. She is the co-editor of Designing Immersive Environments – Enchanting Spaces, published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2025. 

Design researcher, university lecturer, and disability rights activist. She is a 
doctoral researcher at the MOME Future Care Lab and a co-founder of Atelier 
Disability Design and CTRL+ALT+CRIP Magazine. Her doctoral research 
explores the intersections of disability, design, and social justice, and for many 
years she has led participatory projects working collaboratively with disabled 
people. She works closely with numerous civil society organizations and 
regularly delivers courses and workshops grounded in the practical application 
of the principle "Nothing About Us Without Us."

Pál Tamás Szabó, PhD has worked for a decade in the Hungarian healthcare system, providing care for oncology and neurology patients. His specialization includes the management of swallowing disorders and the adaptation and validation of bedside diagnostic tools for clinical use. He obtained his PhD in Health Sciences at Semmelweis University.

Samuel Chovanec is a researcher and digital artist working at the intersection of immersive technologies, environmental theory, and design. With a background in stage directing, his work explores human–non-human relations through XR design, game environments, and performative media. He holds a doctoral degree in Digital Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava. Currently, he is a researcher at MOME, where he focuses on the impact of immersive technologies on human well-being. 

MOME Future Care Lab coordinator overseeing operations, research, project work, and collaborations of the research team. As an economist and art manager, her work shapes creative, design- and tech-driven projects in practical contexts. She has led multiple technology- and design-focused initiatives in business and creative settings. Currently, she coordinates the Future Care Lab, bringing a practical and interdisciplinary perspective to its projects. 

Enikő Petz-Jarmaczki supports the implementation of the project as a colleague of the MOME Grant Directorate. She holds a degree in public policy management and economics and has over ten years of experience in managing publicly funded international projects.
Her work covers the entire project lifecycle, including project planning and proposal writing, coordination of project implementation and partners, monitoring progress, reporting, and change management. She also plays a key role in establishing and maintaining transparent and efficient project documentation systems to ensure smooth and compliant project delivery.

Zsófi Kérdy is a junior researcher at Future Care Lab in MOME and Interaction Design MA student with a multi-disciplinary background in sociology, marketing, and graphic design. Her work explores the intersection of social sciences and technology, specifically focusing on how digital tools can improve mental health support. She is currently conducting research titled "Anonymity and digital role-play in online therapy: interaction possibilities and challenges of AR technology and the chances of reducing stigma in Hungarian psychological practice," a project supported by the EKÖP scholarship and the DKK program. In addition to her research, she teaches at the Budai Rajziskola, where she combines her passion for design with a goal-oriented approach to education. 

Brigitta Tóth is a visual artist and trained art therapist with degrees in Art Therapy from the University of Pécs and in Economics from Corvinus University of Budapest. Her work focuses primarily on photography, especially dance photography, and explores how creative processes can be integrated into structured therapeutic practice to support self-reflection and emotional regulation. 

Dr. Máté Szondy is a clinical psychologist and university lecturer specializing in mental health, stress regulation, and psychological well-being. His research and professional work focus on resilience, emotion regulation, and the mechanisms of therapeutic change. He is the author of numerous scientific and public-facing publications and is committed to making evidence-based psychological knowledge more accessible. In the Zenctuary VR+ project, he contributes expert guidance to ensure the intervention is psychologically grounded, ethically responsible, and clinically relevant. 

Botond Tobai is a media artist and filmmaker, a graduate of the Animation program at Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, and currently a doctoral student at MOME’s Doctoral School. He is a member of the team at Code and Soda, contributing to the development of innovative media and creative technology projects. 

Kolos Bolla holds an MA degree in Media Design from Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) and previously earned a degree from the Department of Film Studies at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE). 
His professional focus is primarily on game development and 3D visualisation. His work is characterised by a broad interest in both artistic and technological practices, with ongoing experimentation across different media, including music and visual arts. 

Bence Pápai is a technical artist with over 15 years of experience in video game and visual software development. He primarily programs in C++ and C#, and his specializations include real-time rendering, shader development, custom framework creation, procedural environment generation, gameplay mechanics implementation, physics simulations, and web-based communication systems. His experience spans multiple platforms—mobile, PC, web, VR, and AR—and he has contributed to several released video games. 
For the past six years, he has been teaching Game Design at Budapest Metropolitan University, where he shares hands-on industry experience to prepare the next generation for the challenges of game development. In his free time, Bence writes and paints, experiments with generative AI, and explores vibe coding—activities that fuel his creativity and help him bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to his technical work. 

A computer scientist and entrepreneur, managing director of code and soda ltd, a Budapest-based software development house, and co-founder of random error studio, a Budapest-based immersive production studio. Co-curator of Vektor VR, a Hungarian VR event in cooperation with Verzio Human Rights Film Festival, Budapest. Since 2016 he has worked on various immersive projects as a producer, consultant, project manager, and creative technologist. 

Beáta Réka Vásárhelyi is an economist and clinical psychologist. She has several years of experience as a psychologist at the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Unit of the Rehabilitation Clinic at Semmelweis University. Her professional interests focus on the psychological support of long-term rehabilitation and adaptation to severe physical condition changes, as well as experience-based and digital interventions supporting reintegration. Working within multidisciplinary clinical and rehabilitation contexts, she applies clinical and health psychology perspectives, integrative and altered states of consciousness–based approaches, and participates in research on the clinical adaptation and psychological effects of innovative technological tools. 

Patrícia Lajkó is a psychologist and doctoral researcher working at the intersection of clinical psychology, gerontology, and immersive technologies. She is affiliated with the Geriatrics Clinic and Nursing Science Center at Semmelweis University, where she is involved in clinical care and research with hospitalized older adults. She is currently a PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Mental Health Sciences at Semmelweis University. Her research focuses on the therapeutic and diagnostic applications of virtual reality in geriatric and chronic care, with particular emphasis on cognitive functioning, emotional well-being, stress regulation, and quality of life. She is especially interested in comparing immersive VR-based interventions with guided imagery and other mind–body approaches in hospital settings. Her work combines psychological assessment with neurocognitive and physiological measures to better understand the effects of immersive interventions on patient well-being. 

Dr. Michael Reber (PhD) is a senior scientist at INSERM UMR-S1329 in Strasbourg, France. He graduated from University Paris Cité (Paris) and performed his postdoc at the Salk Institute (San Diego, CA). He is a neurobiologist focusing of the neuronal substrate and underlying mechanisms of visual detection using computational and experimental neuroscience. Recent translational work involves the use of virtual reality in normal and low-vision individuals to explore adaptation mechanisms and develop rehabilitation strategies. 

Elaine Gravel (MSc) is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Inserm UMR-S 1329 in Strasbourg, France. She graduated from the University of Strasbourg with a Master's degree in Cognitive Neuroscience. She has experience working as a clinical research associate and coordinator in several hospital units, as well as for pharmaceutical companies. 

Dr. Lora Appel is an Associate Professor of Health Informatics at the Faculty of Health at York University, Toronto, Canada. She is Adjunct Researcher at Michael Garron Hospital and an Affiliate Scientist at University Health Network, the largest medical research organization in Canada. Dr. Appel heads the Prescribing Virtual Reality (VRx) lab which designs and conducts studies that introduce and evaluate XR interventions for patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers in different settings, ranging from acute-care hospitals, long-term care homes, to community centres and private residences. Lora is passionate about creating technological interventions that are preventative, holistic, and tailored to the individual, with a special focus on aging. 

Samantha Lewis-Fung is a Research Coordinator at OpenLab’s Prescribing VRx Lab and the NORC Innovation Centre in Toronto, supporting projects designed to transform the way healthcare is delivered and experienced. She holds a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology and brings clinical experience spanning the lifespan to designing and evaluating complex behavioural interventions, including virtual reality–based therapies. Samantha is interested in advancing research methodologies that better incorporate end users’ experiences support care that is effective, practical, and meaningful.