Eric Paulos


Eric Paulos is an American computer scientist, artist, and inventor, best known for his early work on internet robotic teleoperation and is considered a founder of the field of Urban Computing, coining the term "urban computing" in 2004. His current work is in the areas of emancipation fabrication, cosmetic computing, citizen science, New Making Renaissance, , Robotics, DIY Biology, DIY culture, Micro-volunteering, and the cultural critique of such technologies through New Media strategies.
Dr. Paulos is the founder and director of the , an Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering Computer Science Department at UC Berkeley, Director of the , Chief Learning Officer for the , and faculty within the .
Previously, Dr. Paulos held the Cooper-Siegel Associate Professor Chair in the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University where he was faculty within the Human-Computer Interaction Institute with courtesy faculty appointments in the Robotics Institute and in the Entertainment Technology Center. At CMU he was also Director of the Living Environments Lab. Prior to CMU, Eric was Senior Research Scientist at Intel Research at one of the Intel Research Lablets in Berkeley, California where he founded the Urban Atmospheres research group – challenged to employ innovative methods to explore urban life and the future fabric of emerging technologies across public urban landscapes. His areas of expertise span a deep body of research territory in urban computing, sustainability, green design, environmental awareness, social telepresence, robotics, physical computing, interaction design, persuasive technologies, and intimate media. Eric is a regular contributor, editorial board member, and reviewer for numerous professional journals and conferences. His published work is primarily in the areas of Robotics, Urban Computing, Human-Computer Interaction, Computer supported cooperative work, and Ubicomp. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley where he helped launch a new robotic industry by developing some of the first internet tele-operated robots including Space Browsing helium filled blimps and Personal Roving Presence devices.
Eric is also the founder and director of the and a frequent collaborator with Mark Pauline of Survival Research Laboratories. Eric's work has been exhibited at the InterCommunication Center in Japan, Ars Electronica, ISEA, SIGGRAPH, the Dutch Electronic Art Festival, SFMOMA, the Chelsea Art Museum, Art Interactive, LA MOCA, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the ZKM, Southern Exposure, and a performance for the opening of the Whitney Museum's 1997 Biennial Exhibition.
Born and raised in California, Eric received a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California, Berkeley, completing his Ph.D. in 2001. Eric has also collaborated with Mark Pauline of Survival Research Laboratories since 1994.

Notable Innovative Projects