Seminar: Korpsound: Is It Possible to Democratize AI Models for the Performing Arts?
Speaker:Daniel Enrique Ariza GómezProfessor, Department of Performing Arts, Universidad de Caldas (Colombia) Date:Thursday, July 2, 2026 Time:11:00 Location:Aula 11.1.8 (Campus Getafe) Abstract This seminar presents Korpsound, a research and creative project exploring the possibilities of artificial intelligence as a collaborative tool for the performing arts. The talk focuses on the development of an application created in collaboration with Claude, designed to support the stage experience “Cuerpos Migrantes” (Migrant Bodies). The project is part of a broader research-creation initiative that investigates new forms of interaction between the human body and digital technologies. Through this case study, the seminar reflects on whether AI models can be democratized to become accessible creative tools for artists, fostering new forms of performance, experimentation, and embodied expression. About the Speaker Daniel Enrique Ariza Gómez is Associate Professor in the Department of Performing Arts at the Universidad de Caldas (Colombia) and an Associate Researcher recognized by Minciencias. He holds a PhD in Design and Creation from the Universidad de Caldas, a Master’s degree in Aesthetics and Creation from the Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira, a degree in Performing Arts from the Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, and a degree in Psychology from the Universidad de La Sabana. He coordinates the research group “Teatro, Cultura y Sociedad” (Category A, Minciencias), part of the C-Transmedia Research Center. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the International Association of University Theatre (AITU), a founding member of the Latin American Network for Creation and Research in University Theatre (CITU), and serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals in Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Costa Rica. His work has received numerous distinctions, including the Honorable Mention of the Colombian National Theatre Research Award (Ministry of Culture, 2017). He is also a frequent visiting professor at universities across Latin America and Europe. — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Seminar: Altered processing of self-produced sensations in psychosis at cortical and spinal levels
Speaker:Paula SalamoneLinköping University Date:Thursday, July 2, 2026 Time:14:00 Location:Aula 11.1.8 (Campus Getafe) Abstract Psychosis is often characterized by disturbances in the sense of self, with patients frequently misattributing self-produced sensations to external sources. While somatic hallucinations and misperceptions are common, the underlying disruptions in basic bodily self-processing remain unclear. In this seminar, Paula Salamone will present findings from a multimodal case–control study investigating the processing of self-evoked sensations, including touch and interoception, in individuals with psychotic disorders. The study involved 70 participants (35 patients diagnosed with psychotic disorders and 35 age- and sex-matched healthy controls) who completed self-/other-touch tasks and interoceptive assessments using functional MRI (fMRI), evoked potentials, and behavioral and psychophysical measures. Results revealed altered neural and behavioral responses to self-generated sensations in patients with psychosis, including: Increased activation of the right superior temporal gyrus during self-touch. Impaired tactile self–other distinction detectable at the spinal cord level. Reduced behavioral differentiation between self- and externally generated touch. Altered interoceptive processing, including diminished cortical responses to heartbeat signals, lower heartbeat detection accuracy, and reduced self-reported interoceptive sensitivity. These findings provide new evidence of pervasive disturbances in bodily self-processing in psychotic disorders. The results suggest that impairments in distinguishing between self-generated and external sensations emerge at very early stages of sensory processing and may contribute to the development of higher-order symptoms of psychosis. About the Speaker Paula Salamone is a researcher at Linköping University, where her work focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying bodily self-processing, interoception, and sensorimotor integration in psychiatric disorders. Her research combines neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and behavioral methods to better understand alterations in self-awareness and sensory processing associated with psychosis. — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Seminar: Inside–Outside Dynamics: Breathing as a Modulator of the Bodily Self
Date:Monday, May 4, 2026 Time:14:00 CET Location (In person):Room 11.2.23, Getafe (Campus Las Margaritas UC3M) Online:https://meet.google.com/tgg-pvbi-fsp Speaker:Francesca Ferri, G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy) Abstract This talk explores breathing as a fundamental neural and perceptual modulator of interoceptive and exteroceptive processing in the construction of the bodily self. Traditionally considered a physiological function supporting metabolism and gas exchange, respiration is increasingly recognized as a dynamic mechanism that structures brain–body interactions across multiple temporal scales. Breathing is proposed as a slow oscillatory system that temporally coordinates the balance between internal bodily signals (interoception) and external sensory information (exteroception), thereby shaping perception, self-awareness, and adaptive behavior. Converging evidence shows that both interoceptive and exteroceptive signals are rhythmically modulated by cardiac and respiratory cycles, influencing sensory detection, multisensory integration, and perceptual accuracy. In particular, different phases of the respiratory cycle—especially inhalation and exhalation—systematically bias the weighting of external versus internal information, suggesting a mechanism of rhythmic precision-weighting in predictive processing. Building on recent empirical findings, this talk argues that respiration not only reflects bodily state but actively organizes neural excitability and perceptual sampling, functioning as a “physiological metronome” for self-related inference. Within this framework, the bodily self emerges as a dynamically updated generative model that integrates interoceptive and exteroceptive signals under the principle of self-relevance. Finally, the talk will address how disruptions in respiratory modulation may contribute to altered intero–extero integration in mental disorders, offering new perspectives on psychopathology and embodied cognition. Biography Francesca Ferri is Associate Professor at the Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences (DNISC) at the G. d’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara (Italy), where she directs the Embodied Adaptive Mind (TEAM) Laboratory. She holds a PhD in Neuroscience (University of Parma) and a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology (University of Bologna). She completed postdoctoral training at the Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa (Canada), and held a Lecturer position at the University of Essex (UK). Since 2018, she holds the Italian National Scientific Habilitation as Full Professor in General Psychology, Psychobiology, and Psychometrics. Her research lies in cognitive and affective neuroscience, focusing on body perception, multisensory integration, interoception, and the neural mechanisms of bodily self-consciousness. She investigates how brain–body interactions contribute to self-awareness, perception, and adaptive behaviour, combining neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, EEG, TMS), psychophysiology, and computational approaches. She has coordinated and participated in multiple national and European research projects, including PRIN and Erasmus+ initiatives such as the INGENIUM European University Alliance. She is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed publications (H-index: 34, Scopus), with work published in leading journals such as NeuroImage, Journal of Neuroscience, Cognition, Biological Psychology, and Schizophrenia Bulletin. — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Seminar: Embodied assistance: communicating with users through movements
Date:Monday, April 20, 2026 Time:14:00 Location:Aula 11.1.8 (Campus Getafe) Presenter:Yun Ho Abstract Computing has been increasingly woven into people’s lives as a form of assistance. However, most assistance systems communicate with users through symbols. For example, GPS systems guide users using visual or textual instructions. In contrast, embodied assistance—such as systems implemented through electrical muscle stimulation—can support users physically via their own movements. This enables a new form of interaction in which users do not need to translate symbols into actions. In this talk, Yun will present her research on embodied assistance applied to physical multitasking, motor learning, procedural knowledge, and more. Bio Yun Ho is a second-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Chicago, advised by Professor Pedro Lopes (Human-Computer Integration Lab). Her work focuses on Human–Computer Interaction, exploring how people make sense of and build relationships with physical assistance systems that communicate through proprioception (users’ own movements). Website:https://www.yunho.org/ — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Seminar: Physiological and emotional vulnerability to social stress of suicidal patients
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2026, 15:00h-16:00h UTC+2 (CEST) Online Speaker: Adrián Alacreu Title: Physiological and emotional vulnerability to social stress of suicidal patientsAuthors: Adrián Alacreu-Crespo 1 , Emma Sebti 2 , Myriam Benramdame 2 , Emilie Olié 2 yPhilippe Courtet 21 Area of Personality, Assessment and Psychological Treatment, Department ofPsychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, Teruel, Spain email:aalacreu@unizar.es2 IGF, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France / Department ofEmergency Psychiatry and Acute Care, Lapeyronie Hospital, CHU Montpellier,Montpellier, France Abstract:Individuals with a history of suicide attempt (SA) exhibit a particular sensitivity to socialstress. The literature suggests that stress response, which can be influenced by impulsivity,is at the core of suicidal vulnerability. Particularly suicidal patients with high impulsivity havegreater cortisol response to social stress. However, emotional, cardiovascular (CV) andinflammatory response is remains understudied. We performed two studies to investigate thecomplete physiological and emotional response to social stress in individuals with a history ofSA or suicidal ideation. Participants were placed in a social stress situation using the virtualTrier Social Stress Test (v-TSST) or the classic TSST. CV response was measured usingimpedance cardiography throughout the TSST, and emotional response was assessed usingquestionnaires at different time points. We also obtain blood and saliva samples to measurecortisol, inflammatory markers and blood count. Impulsivity traits were evaluated using theBIS-10. SA subjects showed a significant decrease in pre-ejection period (PEP) before theTSST, suggesting an anticipation to stress. Cortisol response was blunted in SA patients.Moreover, inflammatory markers show great variability in SA and SI patients compared toaffective controls. Impulsivity was able to separate participants with high responsiveness tosocial stress vs low responsiveness in some of the studied variables. These results show apattern of vulnerability to stress in suicidal patients. Additionally, results with impulsivity showtwo patterns to respond to stress in suicidal patients. This fact may have clinical implicationsas it may help to create specific interventions to suicidal patients vulnerable to stress. — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Body Representations, Pain, and Opioids
Date: Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, 15:30h-16:30h UTC+2 (CEST) Speaker: Axel Vittersø, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences, Norway Title: Body representations, pain, and opioids Abstract: Body representations malleable; they adapt to accommodate tool-use, and they can become distorted after immobilization. Distorted body representations are common in for people with chronic pain conditions and is theorized to be a cause of pain. My research has looked at how body representations might function differently for people with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a type of chronic pain. I have also looked external factors that might contribute to distorting body representations, such as pain induction and opioid exposure. I have used a range of methods to measure body representations, including questionnaires, cognitive tasks, and psychophysics. The overarching aim of all this work has been to shed light on the role of body representations in chronic pain. Biography: Axel Vittersø is currently an associate professor at Kristiania University of Applied Sciences (Norway), a researcher at Ahus Clinical Research Center (ACR) at Akershus University Hospital (Norway), and a freelance researcher (Dr Vittersø). Dr Vittersø has a PhD from the University of Bath (UK), and he has worked with the AttentionLab at Utrecht University (Netherlands) and the Leknes Affective Brains (LAB) lab at the University of Oslo (Norway). — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Embodied Sketching as Inquiry: Research through Design for Multi-sensory, Movement-Based, Collocated Interaction
Date: Thursday, December 11th, 2025, 14:30h-15:30h UTC+2 (CEST) Speaker: Elena Márquez Segura, UC3M, Spain Title: Embodied Sketching as Inquiry: Research through Design for Multi-sensory, Movement-Based, Collocated Interaction Abstract: In Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), interactive systems increasingly reach beyond screens, engaging bodies, movement, and social presence as core materials of design. This seminar introduces Research through Design (RtD) and embodied design methods as productive approaches for investigating and designing future technologies in general, and in particular those that particularly relate to the body, e.g. multi sensory, and movement-based technologies, and immersive technologies. Drawing from my work at the intersection of HCI, Interaction Design (IxD), Games and Play Design, and several performative and movement-based practices, I will illustrate how designing with—and not merely for—the body can surface tacit knowledge, reveal novel interaction possibilities, and generate theoretically grounded design insights. A particular embodied design approach will be at focus: embodied sketching, a structured yet improvisational method for designing rich embodied interactive experiences. I will unpack three complementary modes of embodied sketching: sensitizing practices that attune designers to bodily perception and experiential qualities; bodystorming a physical implementation of the classical brainstorming for idea generation using collaborative enactment and iteration of design concepts through physical and social improvisation; and participatory embodied sketching approaches that engage stakeholders directly in embodied exploration of design prototypes. Through examples spanning social wearables, social robots, and immersive experiences, I will show how these approaches and techniques can be operationalized in practice, how they support computational design practice, and how they open new pathways for conceptualizing and prototyping multisensory and movement-based collocated social experiences. Biography: Elena Márquez Segura is a scholar in Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and Interaction Design (IxD) whose research examines how interactive technologies can support, choreograph, mediate, and enrich movement-based collocated social experiences. Her work bridges HCI, IxD, and Games and Play Design, drawing deeply on embodied, performative, and movement-based practices. She is recognized for advancing Research through Design (RtD) as a mode of inquiry and for developing embodied design methods that foreground the body as a primary site of knowledge production and creative exploration. Elena’s research spans domains including wearable technologies, social robots, immersive experiences, and play-oriented systems that foster rich physical and social experiences. Her projects and publications highlight the value of designing with the body to surface tacit experiential insights, generate new interaction vocabularies, and reimagine how computation can support and shape shared physical experiences. She has collaborated with interdisciplinary teams across engineering, design, social sciences, education and pedagogy, dance, and the performing arts, and her work has been featured in leading HCI and design venues worldwide. You can read more about Elena’s publications in GoogleScholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=es&user=EginuQIAAAAJ, and ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Elena-Marquez-Segura-2. You can also follow Elena in Twitter: @in_spiral ( https://twitter.com/in_spiral ) and Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-marquez-segura/ — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Stress, Relief and Social Support: the Role of Endogenous Opioids
Date: Monday, November 10th, 2025, 12:00h-13:00h UTC+2 (CEST) Speaker: Guro Løseth, University of Oslo, Norway Title: Stress, relief and social support: the Role of Endogenous Opioids Abstract: Human stress regulation is deeply embodied and often interpersonal: we calm through touch, synchrony, and shared emotion. The endogenous opioid system has been proposed as a key substrate of this co-regulation and the social bonding it fosters – based on animal evidence, yet the role of opioids in human social stress processing has remained uncertain. In this talk, I will present findings from a pre-registered, double-blind, placebo-controlled study testing a neurobiological model that frames social soothing as an opioid-driven “analgesic” process. Real-life friends (N = 258) received either 50 mg naltrexone (an opioid antagonist drug) or placebo before completing three paradigms designed to elicit stress and probe social regulation of emotional and physiological responses: a dyadic stress and support task, an effort-based social motivation task, and horror movie viewing. Across tasks, social support reliably enhanced recovery and buffered stress by increasing positive affect — and these effects were fully intact under opioid blockade. These results challenge the long-standing opioid hypothesis of social attachment and invite a broader view of interpersonal regulation as a dynamic, embodied process that extends beyond any single neurochemical system. Biography: A former science journalist who turned to psychology and cognitive neuroscience after realizing that the really interesting questions are better asked on the other side of the microphone. I started working together with Siri Leknes in 2011 whilst still a student at the clinical psychology program at the University of Oslo. In 2016 I graduated as a Cand.Psychol. In my current work, I investigate the neurochemistry of social reward processing through psychopharmacological studies and psychophysical investigations using self-report and autonomic measures. I have a special interest in the links between social support, positive affect and resilience, and in building bridges between the fields of social affective neuroscience and clinical psychology. Another of my passions is science communication, and you’ll find links to some of my media appearances and popular science talks below. Links: ResearchGate profile: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Guro_Loseth LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guro-engvig-l%C3%B8seth-21314872 Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.no/citations?user=tgETlHAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
The Neurochemical Basis of Subjective Experience: Insights from Opioid Drug Studies in Humans
Date: Tuesday, October 14th, 2025, 14:00h-15:00h UTC+2 (CEST) Speaker: Siri Leknes, University of Oslo, Norway Title: The neurochemical basis of subjective experience – insights from opioid drug studies in humans Abstract: The Leknes Affective Brains lab (affectivebrains.com) typically uses drug administration in humans to study the neurochemical basis of experiences such as pain, stress, and reward. In this talk, I will report results from some recent laboratory-based investigations in healthy volunteers as well as showcase subjective experiences induced by opioid drugs given to surgery patients on the operating table right before surgery. I will show that contrary to much preclinical evidence and related theories, human subjective experience is only modestly impacted by endogenous opioids, as uncovered by pharmacological blockade of opioid receptors. Our findings challenge the commonly held belief that opioids are the most powerful painkillers, as well as Panksepp’s long-standing theory that opioids are so addictive because they hijack neural circuits underpinning social bonds. Finally, although the evidence points to a minor role for endogenous opioid regulation of mood and affective state, opioid drugs powerfully alter subjective experience, e.g. by inducing strong sedation and dizziness that could preclude mobility during acute recovery after e.g. surgery. Biography: Siri Leknes is a Professor of Social and Affective Neuroscience at the University of Oslo, Norway, and Senior Researcher at Oslo University Hospital. She completed her D.Phil. at Oxford, UK, and postdoctoral research at Gothenburg University, Sweden. Leknes’ work on the benefits of acute pain was awarded The Daniel M. Wegner Theoretical Innovation Prize in Social/Personality Psychology. Leknes has served as associate editor for Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience and is now associate editor for Pain. She is past-President of the Society for Social Neuroscience.The overarching aim of Leknes’ Affective Brain lab (LAB lab) is to understand how the brain and body give rise to pleasurable and painful feelings. LAB lab specialises in drug studies, charting how the brain’s neurochemical systems shape hedonic feelings, decisions and behaviour. In addition, LAB lab conducts clinical research, studying mood, stress and pain in groups treated with opioid agonists and antagonists. Leknes was awarded an ERC Starting grant to study of state-dependent effects of opioids and their relation to stress and social support. Her recently awarded ERC Consolidator grant will explore variability in responses to endogenous and exogenous opioids, targeting the reasons why people respond so differently to the same thing. You can learn more about Siri’s work at: https://affectivebrains.com — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.
Animating Virtual Humans to improve trust, co-presence and embodiment
Date: Monday, Septrember 22nd, 2025, 11:00h-12:00h UTC+2 (CEST) Speaker: Nuria Pelechano, Associate Professor at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain Title: Animating Virtual Humans to improve trust, co-presence and embodiment Abstract: The metaverse is rapidly evolving as a new playground for interacting and collaborating with other autonomous agents or avatars controlled by other users. In the real world, there are many aspects of nonverbal behavior and appearance, that influence the way we communicate and build trust with others. Since most communication in the metaverse will be through virtual humans, there is a need to understand how different aspects of these virtual avatars can affect the quality of such interactions and allow us to build trust and enhance co-presence. In this talk, I will focus on simulation and animation aspects that play a critical role in creating engaging virtual humans in VR. I will cover both simulation and animation of groups of autonomous agents interacting with the user, as well as self-avatars representing the user. When interacting with with a group of agents, I will show how incorporating collision beliefs, audio, or vibro-tactile feedback can enhance co-presence and the overall plausibility of the virtual experience. When it comes to our self-avatar, animation quality and multi-sensory feedback can affect embodiment, task performance, and even change our own body image. Finally, I will present some motion reconstruction techniques that can take advantage of current AI trends to provide high quality animation even with few tracking sensors. Biography: Nuria Pelechano is an Associate Professor at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Spain, where she is a member of the Research Center for Visualization, Virtual Reality and Graphics Interaction (ViRVIG). She is the president of the Eurographics Spanish Chapter, and member of the Sociedad Científica Española de Informática (SCIE). She has co-authored two books on Crowd Simulation and has published in journals and conferences on computer graphics and animation. She has participated in projects funded by the EU (MSCA ITN-ETN CLIPE, and HORIZON-101093159-XR4ED), Spanish Government (currently SENDA: TED2021-129761B-I00, and PID2021-122136OB-C21), and USA institutions, and also worked on technology transfer projects regarding crowd evacuation, and applications of Virtual Reality for architecture design. Her research interests include simulation, animation and rendering of crowds, generation of navigation meshes, and studying human-avatar interaction in Virtual Reality. You can learn more about Nuria’s work on her personal page: https://www.cs.upc.edu/~npelechano/ Image: Exploring the Role of Expected Collision Feedback in Crowded Virtual Environments H. Yun, J.L. Ponton, A. Beacco, C. Andujar, N. Pelechano, IEEE Conference Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (IEEE VR). Orlando, USA, March 2024. — If you are interested in giving a talk please write an email to: lab.imbody@gmail.com.