• Training in the development of a complete software solution and support in the design of a scientific project as part of the University Diploma: “Virtual Reality and Areas of Psychology”
• Teaching of the clinical interview in neuropsychology to third-year Bachelor’s students using a novel digital teaching method: simulation of the clinical interview in virtual reality, as part of “Professional Methods and Practices in Neuropsychology”
• Teaching on the use of virtual reality in clinical research as part of “Advanced Research Methodology” in the Master’s program in Neuropsychology
• Teaching software development and supporting students in their degree projects as part of “Virtual Reality and Cognition” in the second year of the Master’s program in Cognitive Science
• Teaching “Science Communication” in the second year of the Master’s program: presentation of a case study to explore differences in usability and ergonomics across specific populations

• Virtual Reality
• 3D Development
• Software Development

Clinical Research

• Jeu Mathurin: development of a software solution for cognitive rehabilitation (action planning and prospective memory) in patients with schizophrenia. A PHRC is currently underway to validate the protocol.
• REVALZ: development of a tablet-based software application focusing on episodic memory for individuals with suspected Alzheimer’s disease.
• FalseMem: development of a virtual reality software solution designed to induce false memories.
• Embodiment: development of a virtual reality software solution designed to fully immerse participants in a virtual environment, including whole-body perception (body, arms, hands, and feet). The environment is a complex urban setting featuring multiple events, such as interactions between different 3D characters with positive and negative emotional valence. Each participant has a personalized avatar modeled from an image.
• JePlaNif: development of a virtual reality-based software application for assessing prospective memory, with collection of assessment results and physiological data.
• TOM: development of a software solution focusing on social cognition in children. The software presents short, immersive social scenes designed to assess different levels of acquisition of social norms in children. It includes both an assessment component and a training component.
• Forensic Police: development of an immersive virtual reality module designed to prevent stress associated with forensic autopsies and reduce the risk of trauma related to an individual’s first autopsy among forensic police personnel.
• POEM-SET: development of a software and hardware solution as part of a European project focusing on soft skills in obstetric emergency situations.

Fundamental Research

• SpaceForce: development of a virtual reality software solution to validate a mathematically formalized theory concerning how affective processes regulate human perception, decision-making, and behaviour in urban environments.
• SNCF: development of a virtual reality software solution to assess the dynamics of cognitive load during information processing in the digital twin of the SNCF Saint-Michel station.
• Cyberball: development of a virtual reality adaptation of Cyberball, a ball-tossing game used by researchers to assess responses to social rejection.

Connectivity

• Unity / BIOPAC (physiology) / Empatica E4 (physiology) / Brain Products (EEG) / SMI (eye tracking) / Tobii (eye tracking with HTC Vive Pro Eye)

• Head of the VR-PSY Platform (since 2018 – Université Paris Cité)

  Consulting and expert advisory services for European and national research projects
  Development of customized virtual reality software solutions, including clinical applications for patients, such as people with schizophrenia, patients with mild-stage dementia, and children with attention disorders, etc.
  Development of software solutions for studying brain functioning, including studies of episodic memory, embodiment, post-traumatic stress prevention, emotions, social cognition, and soft skills. Studies are conducted in collaboration with other research laboratories and institutions (Collège de France, IMMA, Sainte-Anne, C3RP, AP-HP), as well as industrial partners (SNCF, Forensic Police, Dassault Systèmes, IHEMI, France Alzheimer).
  Teaching: development of innovative educational content and advanced training in virtual reality as part of the University Diploma “Virtual Reality and Areas of Psychology”. Further information available here. Teaching at Bachelor’s and research Master’s levels in cognition and neuropsychology.
  Virtual Reality Research Engineer (Université Paris Cité – LMC2 Laboratory)

  Development of software for researchers’ experimental and clinical studies: more than twenty software applications developed, including ten that have supported or will support the completion of a doctoral thesis.
  Participation in the development of research projects.
  Project management.
  Supervision of interns.
  Technology and scientific monitoring.
  IT management and equipment maintenance.
  Negotiations with suppliers and service providers.
  Translation of scientific projects into commercial products.
  Neuropsychologist
  Private-practice neuropsychologist since 2018
  Neuropsychological assessments of children and adults.
  Cognitive training for children and adults using innovative tools (virtual reality, serious games, metacognition, heart rate variability biofeedback, mindfulness meditation, etc.).
  Areas of specialization: intellectual assessment, neuropsychological assessment, attention and executive function assessment, and neurovisual assessment.
  Neuropsychologist at the Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild from 2014 to 2018
  Neuropsychological assessment and diagnosis of children and adults.
  Development of cognitive and psychoeducational intervention and rehabilitation plans.
  Development of tailored cognitive rehabilitation programs.

• Key Strengths
  Project management
  Five years of experience, with strong skills in managing and organizing complex virtual reality projects
  Advanced technical skills
  Advanced proficiency in virtual reality development technologies, with extensive knowledge of Unity 3D
  Scene Design // Pipeline (Standard/URP/HDRP)
  Optimization // Testing and debugging of virtual reality applications
  Strong knowledge of C# // Use of APIs and frameworks
  Advanced proficiency in integrating Unity 3D with physiological sensors (ECG, EDA, EEG, eye tracking)
  3D creation
  Use of avatar modeling software (Character Creator 4, iClone, Mixamo, Microsoft Rocketbox) // 3D model creation
  Point-cloud processing // Creation of photogrammetry assets

• Ministry of the Interior Research Grant

Scientific Publications

• • J-C Girardeau, R Ledru, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, P Blondé, M Sperduti, et al.. The benefits of mind wandering on a naturalistic prospective memory task. Scientific Reports, 2023, 13, ⟨10.1038/s41598-023-37996-z⟩.
  • Valeria Lucarini, Anaëlle Alouit, Delphine Yeh, Jeanne Le Coq, Romane Savatte, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde et al.. Neurophysiological explorations across the spectrum of psychosis, autism, and depression, during wakefulness and sleep: protocol of a prospective case–control transdiagnostic multimodal study (DEMETER). BMC Psychiatry, 2023, 23 (1), pp.860.
  • Sylvain Penaud, Delphine Yeh, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, Pascale Piolino. The role of bodily self-consciousness in episodic memory of naturalistic events: an immersive virtual reality study. Scientific Reports, 2023, 13 (1), pp.17013. ⟨10.1038/s41598-023-43823-2⟩.
  • Eva-Flore Msika, Nathalie Ehrlé, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, Eric Orriols, Pascale Piolino, et al.. Using a Computer-Based Virtual Environment to Assess Social Cognition in Aging: An Exploratory Study of the REALSoCog Task. Frontiers in Psychology, 2022, 13.
  • Drai-Zerbib, V., Bernigaud, L., Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde., Boucheix, J. M., &Baccino, T. (2022).Eye MovementsDuring Comprehension in Virtual Reality:The Influence of a Change in Point ofView Between Auditory and VisualInformation in the Activation of a MentalModel. Front. In book/conferenceFrontiers in Virtual Reality, sectionTechnologies for VR.
  • Kouloud Abichou, Valentina La Corte, Alexandre Gaston- Bellegarde, Serge Nicolas, Pascale Piolino. How rich are false memories in a naturalistic context in healthy aging?. Memory, 2022, 30 (3), pp.262-278.
  • Kouloud Abichou, Valentina La Corte, Marco Sperduti, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, Serge Nicolas, et al.. The production of false recognition and the associated state of consciousness following encoding in a naturalistic context in aging. Consciousness and Cognition, 2021, 90, pp.103097.
  • A. Armougum, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, C. Joie-La Marle, P. Piolino. Expertise reversal effect: Cost of generating new schemas. Computers in Human Behavior, 2020, 111, pp.106406.
  • A. Armougum, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, C. Joie-La Marle, P. Piolino. Physiological investigation of cognitive load in real-life train travelers during information processing. Applied Ergonomics, 2020, 89, pp.103180.
  • A. Armougum, E. Orriols, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, C. Joie-La Marle, P. Piolino. Virtual reality: A new method to investigate cognitive load during navigation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2019, 65, pp.101338 -.
  • Kouloud Abichou, Valentina La Corte, Nicolas Hubert, Eric Orriols, Alexandre Gaston-Bellegarde, et al.. Young and Older Adults Benefit From Sleep, but Not From Active Wakefulness for Memory Consolidation of What-Where-When Naturalistic Events. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2019, 11.