My research aims at creating socially intelligent artificial agents and avatars to facilitate rich social encounters in immersive Virtual Reality. I focus on understanding and employing non-verbal behaviours related to gaze, pose and proxemics. This shall make simulations, serious games and mediated communication in virtual reality more believable and effective. Findings can also be applied to other artificial agents, such as social robots.
I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Technology and a cum laude Master’s degree in Human Media Interaction, both at the University of Twente.