Pedro Lopes Honored with 2025 IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Significant New Researcher Award
The University of Chicago’s Department of Computer Science is thrilled to announce that Associate Professor Pedro Lopes has been awarded the 2025 IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Significant New Researcher Award. The IEEE VGTC Virtual Reality Significant New Researcher Award was established in 2022 to recognize outstanding early-career researchers whose contributions have significantly advanced the field. This recognition celebrates Lopes’ innovative contributions to virtual reality (VR), particularly in the development of wearable hardware that enhances multimodal sensations and redefines human-computer interaction.
Lopes’ research is at the forefront of VR technology, focusing on integrating the human body directly into interactive systems. One of his most notable achievements is his pioneering work in electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) as a method to render physical sensations in virtual environments. By using computer-controlled electrical impulses to engage the user’s own muscles, his approach offers an alternative to traditional mechanical actuators. This research has continued with significant advancements in force feedback, haptics, and sensory experiences, including novel techniques for simulating touch through electrical brain stimulation and temperature perception via chemical stimulation.
His work challenges conventional approaches to VR haptics, moving beyond traditional gloves and exoskeletons to create lightweight, unobtrusive solutions that preserve dexterity and enhance immersion. In addition to his contributions to VR, his muscle-stimulation devices have broader applications, including enabling users to intuitively interact with unfamiliar tools, play musical instruments, and perform sign language gestures.
Since joining the University of Chicago in 2019, Lopes has rapidly made a name for himself as a leader in the field, earning early tenure in 2023. His research continues to push the boundaries of human-computer integration, demonstrating that interactive technology can be seamlessly embedded into the human body rather than simply worn. His recent projects, such as ThermalGrasp (lead by recent graduate Dr. Alex Mazursky, now at Apple), have explored novel haptic interactions like temperature sensation in VR, further expanding the possibilities for immersive experiences.
Beyond his research, Lopes is deeply involved in the virtual reality and human-computer interaction communities, serving on committees for top conferences like IEEE VR, ACM CHI, and ACM UIST. He has also taken on leadership roles, including Papers Chair for ACM SUI 2023, IEEE EuroHaptics 2024, and ACM UIST 2024, and he is currently the Technical Program Chair for ACM CHI 2026. As an educator, he is passionate about training the next generation of VR professionals, teaching VR programming to over 100 undergraduates each year.
Lopes’ work has garnered numerous accolades beyond this award, including a Sloan Fellowship, Sony’s Faculty Research Award, Google’s Research Award, and the NSF CAREER award. His research continues to influence not just virtual reality, but also broader fields such as neuroscience and human augmentation.
More information about the award and its nomination process can be found at the IEEE VGTC website.
