Lab
Ciberimaginario Research Group
Institution: Rey Juan Carlos University
Department: Departamento de Comunicación y Sociología
About the lab
Ciberimaginario is a research group formed by more than 25 experts and professionals from the Rey Juan Carlos University, the University of Castilla La Mancha and the Complutense University of Madrid.
It is a team of researchers, with more than 15 years of experience, dedicated to research, innovate and develop solutions and products that improve communication processes and efficient training in digital environments, for different sectors and projects.
It is a team of researchers, with more than 15 years of experience, dedicated to research, innovate and develop solutions and products that improve communication processes and efficient training in digital environments, for different sectors and projects.
Featured research (18)
La desinformación impacta negativamente en el desarrollo democrático y el progreso social, afectando especialmente a los jóvenes, expuestos principalmente a información local y de proximidad. En un contexto mediático cambiante resulta esencial desarrollar productos educomunicativos específicos que promuevan el pensamiento crítico. El objetivo de esta investigación es desarrollar un producto de comunicación inmersivo, basado en vídeo volumétrico, orientado a mejorar la alfabetización mediática e informacional de la Generación Z en estos entornos. La metodología, basada en un enfoque de Investigación Basada en el Diseño (IBD), explora, mediante el diseño, desarrollo y análisis de un prototipo inmersivo centrado en el sesgo de anclaje, las posibilidades de este tipo de producto para ayudar a los jóvenes a comprender cómo operan los sesgos cognitivos y aumentar su resiliencia frente a la desinformación. Los resultados proponen un plan de producción para el desarrollo ágil de productos inmersivos empleando la tecnología volumétrica, y un entorno virtual que capacite a los jóvenes en técnicas de pre-bunking, especialmente eficaces contra la desinformación de proximidad que circular en contextos locales. Se concluye que las tecnologías inmersivas fortalecen la alfabetización mediática e informacional y la resiliencia de los jóvenes frente a la desinformación.
In the ecosystem of artificial intelligence (AI), generative models enable the creation of hyper-realistic manipulations that are extremely plausible due to the precision of the audiovisual objects. These deepfakes are undetectable thanks to their components, which heightens concerns about the distortion of reality in the information ecosystem and how the ability to distinguish between real and fake audiovisual content affects public trust and democratic systems. This is a major challenge for media and information literacy if it is to combat misinformation effectively. In this context, this study presents the results of a quasi-experiment conducted with 80 young people from the Community of Madrid (Spain) to assess their ability to detect deepfakes in immersive environments and to establish whether the context-identifying elements that enable detection of the reputation of the media source shape the credibility of the images. The results show that the images take precedence over the context identifiers, preventing a critical reading of the information that would make it possible to detect visual forgeries, something that is reinforced by their exceptional verisimilitude. It is concluded that the new post-humanist biome of virtual reality and artificial intelligence requires a reorientation of media and information literacy to raise the public’s awareness and educate them to make them less susceptible to disinformation based on deepfakes created with generative models.
The development of digital platforms is critical for the success of Citizen Science initiatives, as it facilitates the effective engagement of diverse participant profiles. To ensure these platforms are effective, efficient, and satisfactory for users, a strategic development approach is necessary. This research proposes a design and development model for a Citizen Science platform at the European level, grounded in User Experience (UX) principles. The methodology involved benchmarking existing platforms, developing user stories to identify necessary functionalities, and assessing user engagement and satisfaction through focus groups, UX research using Hotjar, and web analytics via Matomo. The findings reveal a set of principles—such as the STP model, user-centered design, content marketing, and digital analytics—that are instrumental in optimizing the development of Citizen Science platforms.
Lab head

Department
- Departamento de Comunicación y Sociología
About Manuel Gértrudix
- The Cyberimaginary Group specializes in research on: - Multimedia and Interactive Communication - Efficient scientific communication - 360 and omnichannel communication - Education in digital environments - Immersive education - eLearning, Ludification - Data communication - Audiovisual Heritage - Digital postproduction - Sociology of digital media
Members (52)
daniel barrera
Fernanda De Sales
Raúl Fabelo González
Ruth Franco Rodríguez
Cynthia Soto
Miguel Baños Fernández