Welcome to my website!
Hello, my name is Phil Lopes! I am an Assistant Professor at the Lusófona University, and researcher at the Human-Environment Interaction Lab (HEI-Lab). My research focus lies at the crossroads of Digital Game AI, Affective Computing, Human Computer Interfaces, Virtual Cinematic Productions and Game Design. I am currently developing autonomous technologies capable of autonomously adapting virtual environments through human-based emotional inputs. My studies has led to the development of several systems exploring the influence of different digital games facets (e.g. Audio, Lighting and 3D Environments) and its relation to human biofeedback data such as: Electrocardiogram (ECG), Electrodermal Activity (EDA) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI).
I was also a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the Immersive Interaction Group of the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), where I developed research, tools and games for the purpose of neuroscience and virtual reality research. I was also a Post-Doc at the Computer Vision and Multimedia Lab of the University of Geneva, where I developed several tools for emotion research in games for e-sports.
I graduated with a PhD in Artificial Intelligence in Digital Games from the Institute of Digital Games of the University of Malta. My main interest is in the development of new tools and algorithms for Procedural Content Generation (PCG) and Digital Game blending. My most developed system at the time was Sonancia, a multi-faceted generator for horror, which can be downloaded here!
I studied at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where I got both my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Computer Science, with a specialization in AI systems. There I developed a mixed-initiative musical tool called the Traveling Percussionist. I also worked for a year at the GAIPS INESC-ID laboratory, where I developed the Geometry Friends framework and NPC agent behavior algorithms.
I am very passionate about games (board-games, digital and pen & paper) and music (sound design, recording and playing), also cookies! 🙂
Contacts
Email: phil [dot] lopes [at] ulusofona [dot] pt