History, Mission & Infrastructure

History

About GRVM

The Virtual Reality and Multimedia Research Group (GRVM) was founded in 1998 with the mission of training human resources in advanced topics related to Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Over the years, the group has played a key role in advancing these fields, securing research funding, and publishing in high-impact conferences and journals.

Since 2003, GRVM has successfully obtained funding through Productivity Scholarships, CT-Petro initiatives, and projects financed by MCT/FINEP. The group has also established impactful international collaborations, such as the Brazil-Europe cooperation (supported by CNPq and the FP7 European program) and participation in the Grand Challenges Explorations Brazil – Data Science call, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with CNPq support.

Our Focus: Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)

In recent years, GRVM has shifted its primary focus to Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), exploring how humans and robots collaborate and communicate effectively. Current research areas include:

Trust in social robots
AI-driven human-robot collaboration
User interfaces for robotic systems
Human perception in assistive and industrial robotics

Completed Projects

Previously, the group conducted significant research in Advanced Interaction and Device Interaction, as well as Computer Vision, with applications in the energy sector, including oil and gas. Among the completed projects, GRVM partnered with Petrobras and Seagems (formerly Sapura), as well as the Companhia Hidrelétrica do São Francisco (CHESF), which funded the project:

Specification of Maintenance Procedures for Electrical Equipment Using Augmented Reality – CHESF-RA.

International Collaborations

Some of the group’s most notable international collaborations include:

Human-Computer Interaction Recommendations for Complex and Adaptive AI, in partnership with Dr. Jutta Treviranus (OCADU, Canada).
Autonomous Robotic Platform for Orchard Navigation (ARPON), developed with Dr. Viviane Cadenat (LAAS/CNRS, France) and professors Adrien Durand-Petiteville and Aluízio Fausto Araújo (CIn-UFPE), funded by FACEPE.
The application of the Toy User Interface (ToyUI) framework for STEM education, in collaboration with Dr. Patrick Hung (OntarioTech Business and IT University, Canada).

Our Research Environment

As part of the Computer Science Center at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Brazil, GRVM provides a state-of-the-art research environment, including:

Two modern laboratories
A specialized library
A conference room

With a highly qualified team of 26 researchers, including undergraduate, master’s, and PhD students, as well as university professors, the group continues to drive innovation and generate real-world impact in Human-Robot Interaction.

Mission and objectives

The GRVM group continuously seeks to pioneer Virtual and Augmented Reality studies, providing an environment that embraces multidisciplinary collaborations from various scientific areas. Through an application-driven approach to Virtual and Augmented Reality, the developed projects are always generating relevant results in both academic and scientific areas, as well as in applied research for conceiving new technologies and products.

One of the main objectives of the group is to provide the scientific society and industrial partners with modern and advanced solutions for Virtual Reality problems. To achieve this goal, the group relies on a highly trained and engaged team.

Another prime goal the group strives to achieve – and at the same time one of the priorities of the University in which the GRVM is inserted – is to train and sharpen students’ capabilities, forming highly qualified human resources and preparing better scientists for tomorrow’s challenges.

Infrastructure