XR BioSim Lab
At the XR BioSim Lab (Extended Reality, Biosensing, and Simulation Lab), we study how extended reality, multimodal biosensing, computational modeling, and AI driven adaptive systems can be combined to improve training, human performance, and well-being across complex, high-stakes domains. Our work integrates immersive VR/AR environments with physiological signal streams (e.g., EEG, fNIRS, EDA, HRV, pupillometry) using mathematical modeling, simulation, and machine learning to build digital twins that sense, predict, and respond to human state in real time. Much of our applied work focuses on clinical training and healthcare workforce challenges, but the underlying methods extend to any domain where humans must learn, adapt, and perform under pressure.
Current Students
Sayed Mohammad (Dariush) Sajjadi
Doctoral student · 2025–present
Dariush is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Central Florida, specializing in Modeling and Simulation. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Manufacturing and Production, alongside a Master of Science in Engineering Technology for Strategy and Security (Strategos) from the University of Genoa. His research interests center on integrating Agent-Based Modeling, System Dynamics, and optimization methodologies to analyze complex systems. Currently, his work leverages Virtual Reality (VR) environments integrated with wearable devices and biosensing technologies to advance health forecasting and healthcare simulation.
Siddharth Abrol
Doctoral student · 2025–present
Siddharth Vipankumar Abrol is a Ph.D. student in Modeling and Simulation at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He holds a master's degree in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Florida. His academic and research interests focus on applying quantitative and qualitative methods to improve healthcare systems, with particular emphasis on emergency department workforce well-being and scheduling. His work explores how techniques such as simulation, data analytics, and systems thinking can be used to better understand complex operational challenges in emergency departments.
Franklin Castillo
Doctoral student · 2024–present
Franklin Castillo is a PhD student of Modeling and Simulation at the University of Central Florida, where his research applies macroeconomic agent-based models to the detection of trade-based money laundering. He is a data science and computer programming faculty member at St. Petersburg College and an adjunct instructor of economics at Hillsborough College. His professional background spans over a decade in anti-money laundering operations and technology roles for various financial institutions. He holds certifications as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and is a Marine Corps veteran with nine years of service.
Deepa Fernandes Prabhu
Doctoral student · 2024–present
Deepa Fernandes Prabhu is a Ph.D. candidate in Modeling and Simulation at the University of Central Florida. She holds graduate degrees from Harvard University and MIT and has a multidisciplinary background spanning engineering, data science, healthcare, and artificial intelligence. Her research focuses on trustworthy healthcare AI, particularly data completeness, generative reconstruction, predictive modeling, uncertainty, and human-centered design. Her current dissertation research develops and evaluates a completeness-aware framework for improving the reliability of predictive AI in healthcare.
Ishita Pathuri
Master's student · 2026–present
Ishita Pathuri is a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida and a Research Assistant in the XR BioSim Lab. Her research interests include artificial intelligence, machine learning, augmented reality, computer vision, and healthcare-focused AI applications. She is currently contributing to the SMART project, which explores AI-enhanced adaptive pediatric emergency training using AR, multimodal biosensing, and real-time personalized feedback. Her broader experience includes generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation, deep learning, and medical imaging applications.
Vihaan Gangupanthulu
High school student · 2026–present
Vihaan Gangupanthulu is a rising junior at Orlando Science High School with three years of competitive robotics experience through FTC and FRC, where he serves as the mechanical design lead. His team has competed at State championships and qualified for the FRC World Championship. He joined the XR BioSim Lab in the summer of 2026 to deepen his research experience in robotics and simulation and is excited to contribute to the lab's ongoing projects.
As Committee Member
Md Zahidul Islam — Doctoral student in Industrial Engineering
Scheduling models for emergency department clinicians that account for fatigue, burnout, and preferences, integrating empirical evidence with optimization and simulation.
Jamila Carpentieri — Honors Undergraduate Thesis
Examining Differences in Gaze Behaviors between Pediatric Residents with Varying Levels of Clinical Experience During Pediatric Emergency Simulations.
Lab Alumni
As Primary Advisor
Renita Washburn
Ph.D. Dissertation Advisor, Spring 2026 — Dynamics of Household Food Insecurity Vulnerability: Examining Health, Functional Limitations, and Income Stability.
Ankit Prasad
M.S. Thesis Advisor, Summer 2024 — Unveiling Neurophysiological Signatures of Interaction in Immersive Worlds: A Multimodal Study.
Shweta Prasad
M.S. Thesis Advisor, Spring 2024 — Investigating the Impact of Pandemic Scenarios on Anesthesiology Department Healthcare Worker Availability: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach.
Shaghayegh Mashinkarjavan
M.S. Thesis Advisor, Spring 2024 — Hourly Forecasting of Emergency Department Arrivals for Different ESI Levels.
Michael Gonzalez, Charlie Haller, Amber Mossembekker, Jonah Shuda, Madeline Umscheid
B.S. Senior Design, Spring 2024 — VR Integrated Biofeedback for Improving Health.
As Committee Member
Annamarie Brosnihan
M.S. Thesis committee member, Spring 2026 — Examining Team Leader Visual Dynamics and Team Performance in Pediatric Emergency Simulations.
Shivani Gurunath
M.S. Thesis committee member, Spring 2023 — Managing Warehouse Resource and Transportation Plan Stability Using the Flexible Requirements Profile Technique.
Mariana Ramirez, Brett Labo, Daniel Bakos, William Bland
B.S. Senior Design committee member, Summer 2026 — Design and Implementation of a Wearable Haptic Glove for Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) Training Simulation.
M.S. Capstone
Sai Shravan — Spring 2024
Jamiyah C. Castleberry — Spring 2024
Jason R. Easterling — Spring 2024
Aptheeri Chakradhar Reddy — Spring 2024
Abhishek Gowda Lokesh — Spring 2024
Kriti Kumari — Spring 2024
Adwait Girish Nehete — Spring 2024
Supriya Pandita — Spring 2024
Raphel Rajkumar — Spring 2024
Geethika Uppara — Spring 2024
Pochi Reddy Veerannagari — Spring 2024
Silviya Antony — Fall 2023
Pradeep Narayan — Fall 2023
Avinash Vankudoth — Spring 2023
Pooja Gambhire — Spring 2023