In this interview, we meet Emanuele Paragallo, a PhD candidate in Teaching and Learning Sciences at the University of Macerata and collaborator with the University of Siena, to explore the role of immersive technologies in education, accessibility, and participatory design.
Starting from the European EMPAIRED project, Emanuele reflects on the opportunities and challenges of XR technologies for workplace safety, experiential learning, and inclusion. The interview also highlights the value of co-design, the importance of accessibility as an integral part of educational experiences, and the contribution that people with different abilities can bring to the development of more inclusive and effective digital environments.
A conversation focused on innovation, research, and participation, showing how technology can become a powerful tool for creating learning experiences that are more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for everyone.
Interviewer: To begin with, could you tell us about your work and your main research interests?
Emanuele Paragallo: I am a PhD candidate in Teaching and Learning Sciences at the University of Macerata, and I also collaborate with the University of Siena under the supervision of Professor Mario Giampaolo.
My research focuses on digital technologies for education and training, with a particular emphasis on immersive technologies, namely XR (Extended Reality).
My interest in this field stems from my professional background as a filmmaker. I initially worked on cinematic content produced using virtual reality, and later I explored the educational and training potential of these technologies in greater depth.
Interviewer: Could you tell us more about your PhD research project?
Emanuele Paragallo: My research project focuses on the co-design of an accessible immersive video game, developed through collaboration among different types of stakeholders, including third-sector organizations, accessibility and inclusion experts, universities, and XR environment designers.
The goal is to investigate the potential of multidisciplinary co-design in creating highly technological and inclusive educational content.
Interviewer: Today we are here to talk with you about the EMPAIRED project, a project that we coordinate and are developing together with two other partners: Moebius and Deep Reality. EMPAIRED is one of the projects selected in the second Open Call of Master XR, a European project that promotes the adoption of extended reality technologies in industrial training and manufacturing robotics through an open and collaborative platform.
More specifically, the EMPAIRED project aims to develop an empathetic ecosystem based on the integration of virtual reality and supported by a virtual assistant called Algho, while the ErgonXR platform — developed during the first Open Call of the Master XR project — focuses on the real-time monitoring of physical ergonomics data.
We will now show you a very short video of the scenario we are currently developing.
Video demo
After watching the demo, what do you think are the main strengths and limitations of XR technologies for safety training?
Emanuele Paragallo: One of the main strengths is the possibility of recreating realistic environments in which procedures and best practices for risk prevention can be simulated. This makes learning much more practical and experiential compared to traditional methods.
On the other hand, a limitation concerns the naturalness of interaction. For example, using controllers such as joysticks allows users to learn procedures, but it does not always replicate them with full realism.
Introducing more natural, hand-based interactions could improve accuracy—for instance, by better capturing reaction times and enabling more precise assessment of risks related to human error.
Interviewer: We know you are also involved in a interesting project promoted by Save the Children. Could you briefly describe it?
Emanuele Paragallo: Certainly. Save the Children’s project is called Feel Safe VR. It is an immersive educational game designed for young people aged 13 and over, developed in collaboration with the LINKS Foundation and the startup BYF – Build Your Future. Its aim is to help users understand and manage risk in three main emergency scenarios: floods, earthquakes and wildfires.
The game recreates hazardous environments, and—thanks to collaboration with the Civil Protection—integrates useful information on how to prevent risks and stay safe during such events.
The learning experience is gamified, making it more engaging, intuitive, and natural.
Interviewer: You are also working extensively on accessibility within this project. What insights can you share?
Emanuele Paragallo: We approached accessibility on two main levels.
First, we introduced a range of settings to make the game interfaces more accessible. Second, we integrated accessibility directly into the gameplay experience. In some scenarios, users interact with characters with different disabilities and learn how to take care of others in emergency situations.
In this sense, accessibility is not only a technical feature but becomes an integral part of the experience itself.
Interviewer: You mentioned co-design earlier. How important was it in this project?
Emanuele Paragallo: It was fundamental. We conducted several beta testing sessions involving users with disabilities, who provided valuable feedback both on user experience and game design.
These contributions directly shaped the design process, helping us identify more inclusive solutions.
For example, users with visual impairments suggested implementing adjustable interfaces that could move closer or farther away, leveraging the depth offered by XR technologies. This significantly improved accessibility compared to traditional 2D interfaces.
Interviewer: Based on your experience, to what extent are ergonomics and cognitive ergonomics considered in the design of these technologies?
Emanuele Paragallo: At present, not sufficiently. There is still a lot of work to be done in developing devices that are fully ergonomic and accessible to everyone.
That said, research is moving in this direction, although it requires substantial investment. A key aspect is the direct involvement of users, particularly people with disabilities. Their input improves the experience for all users.
It is essential to adopt a different design paradigm: designing with users, rather than for users.
Interviewer: Thank you very much for your time and for sharing your insights with us.
Emanuele Paragallo: Thank you, it was a pleasure.
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