Bruno Herbelin

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Papers

Total Citations

167

H-Index

About

Bruno Herbelin is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of virtual reality, cognitive neuroscience, and robotics, best known for his groundbreaking work on the neurological underpinnings of perception and hallucination. His key research areas include the use of immersive technologies to study bodily self-consciousness, social cognition, and the digital-robotic markers of neuropsychiatric symptoms. Herbelin’s major contribution is the development of innovative, technology-driven methods to induce and quantify anomalous perceptual experiences. His most cited work, "Neurological and Robot-Controlled Induction of an Apparition" (2014, 148 citations), demonstrated how robotic systems can reliably evoke the sensation of a presence, offering a powerful tool for investigating hallucinations. More recently, he has advanced the field with "Numerosity estimation of virtual humans as a digital-robotic marker for hallucinations in Parkinson’s disease" (2024, 16 citations), providing an objective, bias-free assessment of non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease—a condition linked to dementia and higher mortality. This work establishes digital-robotic markers as a novel diagnostic approach, moving beyond traditional verbal self-reports. Herbelin’s research not only deepens our understanding of consciousness and perception but also paves the way for clinical tools that could transform the assessment and management of hallucinations, making him a leading figure in translational neuroscience.