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Paul Torrens

Dr. Paul M. Torrens is a Program Director for the Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Program in the Directorate for Engineering at the U.S. National Science Foundation, and a Professor in Tandon's Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Center for Urban Science + Progress at New York University.

Paul's research focuses on modeling and simulation (especially the simulations that drive VR/AR) and location-aware technologies and Geographic Information Systems (especially next-generation systems for autonomy, edge computing, and spatial computing for mixed reality). Paul runs a large motion capture facility (the "Simspace") at NYU, where a lot of these technologies are put to work as engineered systems to support human-centered computing and urban computing. Currently, we are testing applications around shifting public behavior during the pandemic, behavioral simulation to make autonomous driving more responsive to pedestrians, and edge computing systems to help communities better understand their streetscapes.

Torrens was the recipient of a Faculty Early Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation in 2007, and in 2008 George W. Bush presented him with the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Physical simulation

AI model

Agent model

motion capture

VR lab

Research Interests
Simulation-based engineering and science (SBE&S); models underpinning VR/AR (virtual human behavior and virtual environments), Geographic Information Science

University College London 2004, Ph.D.


 

 


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