Louis-Philippe Demers

About

Louis-Philippe Demers is a pioneering figure at the intersection of robotics, performing arts, and human-machine interaction. His research fundamentally redefines the concept of "embodiment" for machines, exploring how robots function not merely as tools but as performers and agents on stage. Demers’ major contributions include developing the theoretical and practical frameworks for "machine performers," challenging anthropocentric views of robotics through works like *Anthropocentrism and the Staging of Robots* and *The Multiple Bodies of a Machine Performer*. He is also a leader in exoskeleton research, notably through the HEAT (Harmony Exoskeleton Self-Assessment Test) project and the interdisciplinary "Becoming Cyborg" initiative, which uses dance and choreography to study human augmentation. His most cited work, "The Effects of Exposure to Different Social Robots on Attitudes toward Preferences" (29 citations), demonstrates his empirical approach to understanding user perception. With a career spanning from early interactive robotic installations like *La Cour des Miracles* (1997) to recent explorations in participative robotics and motion capture, Demers’ work—cited over 100 times—bridges engineering, cognitive science, and performance art, offering a unique vision of our cyborg future.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   The Effects of Exposure to Different Social Robots on Attitudes toward Preferences

   29 citations · 2016
2. 2
   The Multiple Bodies of a Machine Performer

   14 citations · 2016
3. 3
   HEAT: The Harmony Exoskeleton Self - Assessment Test

   12 citations · 2018
4. 4
   Anthropocentrism and the Staging of Robots

   11 citations · 2008
5. 5
   Becoming Cyborg: Interdisciplinary Approaches for Exoskeleton Research

   10 citations · 2018
6. 6
   Machine Performers: Agents in a Multiple Ontological State

   6 citations · 2015
7. 7
   Machine performers: Neither agentic nor automatic

   5 citations · 2010
8. 8
   Real Artificial Life as an Immersive Media

   4 citations · 1995
9. 9
   La Cour des Miracles

   3 citations · 1997
10. 10
    Participative Robotics and The Spectacle of Motion Capture

    2 citations · 2024

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links