Primary activity
Postdoctoral researcher in Computer Science
INU Champollion — SGRL Albi, France
Secondary activity
Computer Science specialist
Operational Reserve — National Gendarmerie Melun, France
Skills
Area of interest
Projects
Academic research
Postdoctoral researcher in Computer Science
March 2025 - March 2026
INU Champollion - Serious Game Research Lab (Albi, France)
Development of an immersive learning prototype integrating a large language model (LLM) to guide the training of a digital twin in VR.
This postdoctoral research is a logical continuation of my thesis work, which led to the launch of two new theses (in computer science and education science). In addition to participating in the supervision of these two doctoral students, my role is to develop a POC integrating an LLM while making it environment-aware so that it is capable of understanding and manipulating the immersive VR environment in order to guide the teaching of the digital twin to the learner.
PhD in computer science
January 2022 - March 2025
INU Champollion - Serious Game Research Lab (Albi, France)
Thesis title : "Immersive Learning and Virtual Mentoring for Technical Training."
Thesis Video : https://youtu.be/0tJbn1AjgBg
Thesis manuscript : https://theses.hal.science/tel-05266720
This thesis, carried out in partnership with the company Alfi Technologies, explores the use of Embodied Conversational Agents (ECA) in immersive virtual environments for technical training. The question addressed aims to measure the impact of an emotional feedback loop on learner engagement.By extending the concept of smart objects to the scope of ECA pedagogy, we increase its adaptability to the learner and, consequently, its propensity to create a closer relationship with them. A comparative experiment was conducted with two versions of an ECA named Emily: one with emotional behaviors and one without. The results show that the addition of emotional behaviors improves the perceived intimacy and attention paid to the ECA, but does not significantly influence overall levels of attention or situational interest. These findings highlight the potential of emotions in educational interactions, while also pointing out the limitations and prospects for better integration into immersive training. In parallel with this research work, I participated in several science outreach activities and taught courses during my doctoral and postdoctoral studies. In particular, I supervised, from 2022 to 2025, practical work on data structures (36 hours/year) for students in the second year of a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science in Java and Python, as well as virtual reality courses (17 hours/year) with Unity3D and C# for the AMINJ GAME Master's degree and the ISIS engineering school.
Research Engineer
September 2021 - December 2021
INU Champollion - Serious Game Research Lab (Albi, France)
Development of a generic virtual crowd for immersive training simulations (CRITS).
CRITS aims to populate 3D environments with autonomous virtual agents capable of simulating realistic behaviors while having a low computational impact on the application. Thanks to the use of informed environments, through Smart Objects, these virtual agents are able to manipulate the objects around them, adapt to dynamic changes in the environment, and respond to scripted events. CRITS technology has been the subject of several collaborations, scientific publications, and technology transfers :
Le projet, funded by Toulouse Tech Transfer (lien), has been the subject of a preliminary invention disclosure form.
Research Engineer
April 2021 - June 2021
INU Champollion - Serious Game Research Lab (Albi, France)
Serious Game : Clone
Url : Clone
Development on the serious game Clone
- • Refactoring & Documentation
- • Adding new features
- • Supervision of a third-year computer science intern
Research Engineer
October 2020 - March 2021
INU Champollion - Serious Game Research Lab (Albi, France)
Exergame : Play'n Ride
Url : Scientific paper
Development on the exergame Play'n Ride (2D and Virtual Reality)
- • Adding new features in 2D and VR
- • Refactoring et architecture modification
- • Biometric sensor integration (heart rate)
- • Game and biometric data analysis
- • Supervision of a tutored project
Industry projects
RecyclageVR
2018 - 2020
Vrai Studio (Cambon, France)
Website : https://recyclagevr.com/
During my work-study program at Vrai Studio, I participated in the development of RecyclageVR, an immersive virtual reality game designed to raise awareness about waste sorting. Developed in Unity 3D and compatible with several VR headsets (Meta Quest, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Vive Focus Plus), this experience allowed me to acquire skills in Unity, client-server programming, VR-specific optimization, and to better understand the requirements and expectations of a product intended for commercialization, while discovering applied R&D work.
Private projects
Global Game Jam
2019 - 2025
48 hours to make a video game
Profile : https://globalgamejam.org/users/tekilla
Whether working alone or as part of a team, and enjoying challenges, the Global Game Jam (GGJ) represents an opportunity for me to test and improve my skills by developing a game in 48 hours. Some of these games are in 3D, others in VR, playable solo or multiplayer online. During each GGJ, I set myself a challenge : to use a technology that I have never used before.
Scientific publications
STICEF (French Journal - Extended Reality for Education and Training)
[Accepted - Publication "as events unfold" during 2026]Url : https://sticef.org/STICEF/announcement/view/4
J.-B. Culié, D. Panzoli, and M. Galaup, “Agents Conversationnels Incarnés et Engagement Émotionnel en Formation Immersive”
PhD manuscript
2025Url : https://theses.hal.science/tel-05266720
Immersive Learning and Virtual Mentoring for Technical Training
Immersive Learning Research Network (iLRN)
2025Url : https://hal.science/hal-05329649
Lieu : Chicago, USA
J.-B. Culié, D. Panzoli, and M. Galaup, "Pedagogical extension of the smart object concept for embodied conversational agents," 11th International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network, pp. 272–279, 2025.
CLIPE Workshop (EUROGRAPHICS)
2024Url : https://hal.science/hal-05279593
Lieu : Limassol, Chipre
J.-B. Culié et al., "A Crits Foray into Cultural Heritage: Background Characters for fhe SHELeadersVR Project," CLIPE 2024-Creating Lively Interactive Populated Environments, p. 6, 2024.
Workshop Affects, Compagnons Artificiels et Interactions (WACAI)
2024Url : https://hal.science/hal-04820722
Lieu : Bordeaux, France
J.-B. Culié, D. Panzoli, and M. Galaup, "Extension Pédagogique du Concept de Smart Object pour Les Agents Conversationnels Incarnés," in Workshop Affects, Compagnons Artificiels et Interactions (WACAI), Bordeaux, France, Jun. 2024.
XRSalento
2023Url : https://hal.science/hal-04750549
Lieu : Lecce, Italie
J.-B. Culié, S. Sanchez, and D. Panzoli, "Effortlessly Populating Immersive Training Simulations sith Background Characters," in International Conference on Extended Reality, Springer, 2023, pp. 172–183.
Groupe de travail "Affects, Compagnons Artificiels et Interactions" (ACAI) (PFIA)
2023Url : Poster scientifique
Lieu : Strasbourg, France
J.-B. Culié, D. Panzoli, and M. Galaup, “Requirements for Efficient Virtual Mentorship,” Groupe de travail “Affects, Compagnons Artificiels et Interactions” (ACAI), Jul. 2023