Konstantinos Vasilakos
Lecturer in Digital Animation
Background
Dr Konstantinos Vasilakos is a multidisciplinary researcher specialising in the intersections of technology, arts, and cultural innovation. His practice spans animation, immersive multimedia installations, sound design, and creative AI. He explores how emerging technologies enhance artistic expression in cross-cultural contexts, focusing on the creative potential of technology and on immersive interactive systems that bridge traditional culture with digital innovation. Using practice-based methodologies, he integrates theoretical inquiry with hands-on creation and collaboration. He is currently investigating AI as a creative collaborator, examining the technical and cultural implications of human–AI partnerships. His recent work includes AI-assisted cultural storytelling and responsive multimedia installations. He also supervises doctoral candidates exploring AI in the arts, immersive media, digital heritage, and cross-cultural artistic communication through practice-based research.
Specialist Subjects
- His research interests include AI technology in the arts, immersive media development, spatial sound design, animation and visual storytelling, and cross-cultural digital arts.
- He employs practice-based methodologies that combine theoretical inquiry with hands-on creation and collaborative art-making.
Professional and/or Research Experience
He brings extensive experience in technology-mediated artistic practice and interdisciplinary research, with significant collaboration with Chinese cultural institutions on cross-cultural digital arts. His practice-based research explores AI in artistic collaboration, human–AI creative partnerships, and immersive VR/AR for cultural heritage. He creates responsive multimedia installations that combine spatial sound, interactive visuals, and real-time engagement. His animation and 3D storytelling projects support cultural exchange, while his music work explores spatial audio and technology-mediated creativity. He mentors graduate researchers in arts–technology intersections, guiding practice-based methodologies that fuse theory and experimentation. He teaches in both UK and international contexts, co-developing curricula with Chinese institutions on creative technology integration, and regularly presents at global conferences on digital arts, cultural innovation, and AI in creative practice.
Qualifications
- PhD
- MMus
- BA(Hons)
- National Accreditation & Diploma in Music Technology
- Diploma in Computing Numerical Control Machinery
Languages Spoken
English and Greek
Professional Membership or Roles
Association of Computing Machinery
Academic Teaching
External Recognition or Rewards
PhD Research Funding
Research Institute for the Humanities, Keele University - Full PhD funding for "An evaluation of digital interfaces for music composition and improvisation" (2012-2016)
Research Funding
Research Development Fund by the Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University 2023 - 2024
Major Commissions
art@CMS, CERN & University of Birmingham - Commission for IPSOS (Interactive Physics Sonification System) development (2017-2018)
Research Institute for the Humanities, Keele University - Full PhD funding for "An evaluation of digital interfaces for music composition and improvisation" (2012-2016)
Research Funding
Research Development Fund by the Xi'an Jiaotong - Liverpool University 2023 - 2024
Major Commissions
art@CMS, CERN & University of Birmingham - Commission for IPSOS (Interactive Physics Sonification System) development (2017-2018)
Link to Orcid Profile
Professional Publications
- Books
- Vasilakos, K. (2024). Alternative IDEs for SuperCollider. In S. Wilson, D. Cottle & N. Collins (eds.), The SuperCollider Book (2nd ed.). MIT Press.
- PhD Thesis
- Vasilakos, K. (2016). An evaluation of digital interfaces for music composition and improvisation. PhD thesis, Keele University, UK.
- Journal Articles
- Wilson, S., Lorway, N., Coull, R., Vasilakos, K. and Moyers, T. (2014). Free as in BEER: Some Explorations into Structured Improvisation Using Networked Live-Coding Systems. Computer Music Journal, 38(1), 54–64.
- Conference Papers
- Vasilakos, K. (2021). Konstantinos Vasilakos Showcase Lick The Toad NIME 2021. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression.
- Vasilakos, K., Wilson, S., McCauley, T., Yeung, T. W., Margetson, E. and Khosravi Mardakheh, M. (2020). Sonification of High Energy Physics Data Using Live Coding and Web Based Interfaces. In R. Michon & F. Schroeder (eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression (pp. 388–393). Birmingham City University.
- Vasilakos, K. (2019). Emerging Dark Matter Through Diverse Sonification Practices. Proceedings of the International Music and Sciences Symposium. Istanbul Technical University.
- Vasilakos, K. (2018). GREAP: an Interactive System for Gestural Manipulation of Sonic Material Using a Leap Motion Device. 17, 61–75.
- Wilson, S., Lorway, N., Coull, R., Vasilakos, K. and Moyers, T. (2013). Free as in BEER: Some Explorations into Structured Improvisation Using Networked Live-Coding Systems. Paper presented at Live Code Symposium, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany.
- Vasilakos, K. (2013). Live Coding Chunks Into Gestural Improvisation. Paper presented at Embracing rhythm … welcoming abstraction, Salford University, UK.
- Vasilakos, K. (2013). From Code to Tape. Paper presented at SoundThought conference, Glasgow University.
- Vasilakos, K. (2012). Humanising Technology: interacting with sonic material using haptic controllers at Live Interfaces. Paper presented at Live Interfaces conference, Leeds University.
- Major Projects
- Dark Matter - Live coding project using particle collision data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, developed with Birmingham Ensemble for Electroacoustic Research (BEER)
- IPSOS (Interactive Physics Sonification System) - Web-based application for real-time sonification of high-energy physics data from LHC, commissioned by art@CMS, CERN and University of Birmingham.
- Collaborations
- CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), Switzerland - art@CMS project
- University of Grenoble - ACROE-ICA laboratory collaboration
- University of Birmingham - BEER ensemble collaboration
- Academic Engagement
- ICLC (International Conference on Live Coding) - Peer reviewer
- NIME (International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression) - Peer reviewer
- EAI ArtsIT (Arts and Technology, Interactivity & Game Creation) - Peer reviewer
- International Conference on Live Coding (ICLC), [Chairing & reviewer] Shanghai, China (May 30 - June 1, 2024)
- Live Coding Vol.2, Daily Vinyl, Suzhou, China (June 29, 2024) - Organized and performed as "Chunk No_reace" with students from XJTLU
Available to Supervise Doctoral Students
Yes