Mobile, AI, & People Lab · UVA · Link Lab

We design and build research systems for the AI & Personal Sensing era.

We help UVA researchers design, build, and deploy human-centered research using mobile technologies, personal sensing, and AI.

A Research & Technology Partner

From research idea to real-world deployment

Whether you're exploring how wearables, IoT sensors, mobile technologies, or AI could advance your research or preparing to deploy a study, we can help. We work with research teams to turn ideas into reliable, human-centered systems for data collection, intervention, and evaluation.

CAPABILITIES

What we can build with you

Custom research apps, wearable and sensor integrations, secure cloud infrastructure, and systems that use AI tailored to your study.

Explore capabilities →

APPROACH

Built on shared research infrastructure

Our platforms and reusable infrastructure help us build and deploy research-grade systems faster without starting from scratch.

How it works →

AWARDS

Support for promising new ideas

MAP Lab Seed Awards help UVA researchers develop early-stage ideas, build initial prototypes, and position projects for larger external grants.

See award opportunities →

TEAM

Researchers, engineers, and designers

A multidisciplinary team embedded in UVA's Link Lab with expertise in mobile and wearable computing, ubiquitous sensing, intelligent systems, and human-centered AI.

Meet the team →

Selected Projects

Studies and tools we're building today.

A glimpse of the work happening on the platform — from mindfulness after ACL reconstruction to adolescent social connection.

Wearables · Digital Intervention

Mind in Motion

Mindfulness and movement after ACL reconstruction

Mind in Motion combines mindfulness with personalized movement goals informed by Oura Ring data to reduce injury-related fear and support recovery after ACL reconstruction. MAP Lab is designing and building the mobile intervention and integrating wearable data to enable personalization.

Project Lead: Christopher Kuenze, Associate Professor of Kinesiology
Seed Award Recipient

Human-Centered Design · Social Connection

Lumilink

Designing technology to support adolescent social connection

A digital intervention designed to promote face-to-face social connection among adolescents through shared activities and experiences. The platform was co-designed and developed by a UVA student team and adolescents from the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) collaborating with MAP Lab.

Student Team: UVA Psychology & Systems & Information Engineering Senior Capstone
Sponsor: Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment (TYDE)

View all projects →

Our Platforms

Infrastructure powering live UVA research.

Apps and platforms we maintain across studies. Each plugs into our shared backend — new capabilities added for one team become available to all.

MAP Lab App

Our mobile platform for sensing studies and interventions. Collects from wearables, surveys, and on-device sensors. iOS & Android.

MindTrails

Digital mental-health interventions for anxiety and well-being — delivered through the MAP Lab platform across multiple PI-led studies.

Sensing & Environmental

IoT, ambient, and environmental sensors plugged into studies — from indoor air to physical activity monitoring.

How MAP Lab uses AI

AI for human-centered research.

MAP Lab uses AI in participant-facing tools, researcher workflows, and the development and infrastructure work that makes studies possible.

Participant-facing AI

Conversational agents, personalized interventions, and on-device models can help participants receive timely support while contributing data to research studies.

AI for research teams

AI tools can help researchers monitor studies, interpret multimodal data, identify patterns, and work with dashboards and research workflows more efficiently.

AI-assisted infrastructure

We use AI-assisted development tools to help maintain secure Azure infrastructure, review code, improve developer workflows, and build shared services such as AI gateways that support research teams.

Have an idea for working with MAP Lab?

Bring us your research question or early-stage idea. We'll help explore how mobile technologies, sensing, or AI could move it forward.

Start a Conversation Explore Seed Awards