WYOMISSING, Pa. — The Penn State Berks AIMS (Artificial Intelligence, Modeling and Simulation) Lab will host a lecture titled “Revolutionizing immersive experiences: The synergy of AI, virtual reality and gamification in learning and user engagement,” delivered by Christian Lopez Bencosme, assistant professor of computer science at Lafayette College, at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19, in Room 121 of the Gaige Technology and Business Innovation Building. This event is free and open to the public but advanced registration is required.

According to the abstract: This seminar aims to provide some insights into how AI is transforming the creation and enhancement of immersive, interactive experiences. The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and gamification represents a frontier where technology reshapes user experiences and learning environments. This seminar will introduce some foundational concepts of AI, VR, and gamification, providing a conceptual framework for understanding their synergy. It will then explore research that leverages AI to automatically generate content for VR environments and gamified applications. Reinforcement learning for procedural content generation, the development of spatial visualization skills through VR, and the design of adaptive VR exergames to promote physical activity. The lecture will also delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by AI-driven content generation, particularly in shaping complex 3D models for spatial visualization tasks, and comparing human and generative model perceptions of complexity.

Bencosme is an assistant professor of computer science, with an affiliation in mechanical engineering at Lafayette College. He earned his doctorate from Penn State’s Harold and Inge Marcus Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering and holds a master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the design and optimization of intelligent decision support systems and persuasive technologies by integrating technologies and methods from science and engineering, such as machine learning and virtual reality.

For more information on this event, contact Abdullah Konak, distinguished professor of information sciences and technology, at auk3@psu.edu.