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, 15:00h-16:00h 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.
i_mBody Lab at European Researchers’ Night 2025: Hacking the Senses with Wearable Technology
On Friday, September 26th, 2025, i_mBody Lab will once again participate in the European Researchers’ Night at UC3M as part of the “Noche Europea de las Investigadoras e Investigadores de Madrid” event in Spain. This year, our lab will present “Hackear los sentidos: Experiencias de transformación del cuerpo con wearables” (Hacking the Senses: Body Transformation Experiences with Wearables) at the UC3M Madrid Campus – Puerta de Toledo Auditorium from 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM. During this interactive session, we’ll explore how our body perception influences movement, environmental and social interactions, and health. Our team will demonstrate how we use wearable technologies to create Body Transformation Experiences that can change people’s perception of their body and subsequently impact their behavior, emotion, and health. Attendees will discover our interdisciplinary approach that combines neuroscience, human-computer interaction, engineering, and AI, alongside our innovative participatory design thinking and embodied methods inspired by theatrical techniques. Most importantly, participants will have hands-on opportunities to experiment with our latest prototypes and reflect on their potential applications in health, wellness, and design. Join us for an evening of sensory exploration and discover how technology can transform our understanding of the human body! European Researchers’ Night continues to be a vital scientific outreach initiative promoted by the European Commission as part of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions under the Horizon Europe program. Since 2005, this event has connected researchers with the public across nearly 400 European cities simultaneously, making science accessible and engaging for all.
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.
When the Body Speaks: Psychology and the Perception of Chronic Pain
On Wednesday, July 9, Talk from Guest Researcher Giulia Chirchio:
Interdisciplinary Creative Systems in the Post-Digital Era: Fusing 3D Audio, Intermedia Art, and Game Design
On Friday, July 18, Talk from Researcher Artist Dr. Juan Carlos Vasquez:
Sensory Augmentation to Support Presence in the Ordinary
The human mind often wanders, drifting to thoughts about the past or future that pull us away from the present moment. Modern technologies—such as social media and immersive platforms—further amplify this tendency, drawing our attention away from our immediate surroundings and into the digital world. How might interactive technologies reconnect us with ordinary, present-moment experience? In this talk, Yujie will share her research on sensory augmentation—systems that enhance human perception. She will showcase wearable devices designed to help users refocus their attention and spark curiosity about everyday objects. She will also highlight how sensory augmentation can enrich communication in face-to-face social interactions. About the speaker: Yujie Tao is a third-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science at Stanford University, part of the Stanford SHAPE Lab and Virtual Human Interaction Lab. Yujie works at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction and multisensory perception, exploring new ways to augment human senses for positive impact. Her website: http://yujietao.me/.
Improvisation and Science in “Lo que Viene”
On Thursday, February 20, the Auditorium of the Leganés campus at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid hosted “Lo Que Viene”, an innovative improvisation show about technology and science aimed at high school students.