Research Team

Dr. Kopper’s research centers around extended reality (XR) user experience, Virtual Reality (VR) simulation and applied XR research. Specifically, he works on improving the usability of virtual and augmented reality systems by designing novel interaction techniques, mitigating visually induced motion sickness and integrating tangible devices onto XR user interfaces. On virtual reality simulation, Dr. Kopper works on the design, VR prototyping and evaluation of next generation user interfaces for the assessment of technology that is not yet available in the market, particularly in the public safety domain. His research is also transdisciplinary and collaborative, where he investigates the employment of XR interfaces in areas such as health care, neuroscience and the humanities.

Dr. Jeronimo Grandi is a postdoctoral associate in the Interactive Realities Lab at the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. His research interests revolve around Extended Reality (XR) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). He is deeply interested in understanding the human factors involved in Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) experiences, both in individual and collaborative interactions. Dr. Grandi has experience in the design of 3D User Interfaces for XR and planning and conducting user studies. He received his Bachelor's degree in Digital Technologies (2011) from the University of Caxias do Sul (UCS), Brazil, and his M.S. (2014) and Ph.D. (2018) in computer science from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

When not supporting the computing infrastructure at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering, Mark pursues his interest in Human Computer Interaction (HCI), along with software and hardware design. Many of his projects involve 3D printing and virtual reality. His fascination with computers and design started early, while programming sprites and piloting flight simulators with his father on the family’s Commodore 64.

He is currently a PhD student with research interests in interactive content production, Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality, and Human-Computer Interaction. He has experience of designing and evaluating virtual reality systems, UI design and human-computer interaction solutions and image processing. He received his Master degree (2017) in Mechanical Engineering from the Duke University.