Artist, Developer, Researcher
Software developer and dancer with a passion for human-computer interaction. My research focuses on how immersive design aids in human understanding.
About Me
Lauren is a pre-professionally trained dancer and software developer passionate about immersive design research. While she initially moved to NYC to pursue dance, she soon found herself at a crossroads. Pivoting to a Bachelor's in Computer Science opened up a world of new opportunities. Along this journey, she developed a keen interest in game development, which became her first dive into immersive storytelling and, eventually, AR/VR/XR design. She discovered that her unique blend of visual artistry and software development provided valuable insights and a distinct perspective in these development spaces.
Now, as she nears completion of her Master's degree in Computer Science, Lauren aims to contribute to projects where her diverse skill set can make a significant impact. Outside of her work, she enjoys exploring new coffee shops, traveling, and attending theater.
My Skills
Collection of technologies and tools that I am skilled in using and developing with.
Portfolio
Here are some of my favorite research, community, and game development projects that I have gotten the opportunity to create.
ORRUS by Team Oculus
Growing investment in space and affordable satellites have significantly increased launches over the past decade, risking a future where space is choked with defunct satellites and debris. To address this and promote sustainable use, we advocate for the International Coalition of Space Programs, uniting global stakeholders. Its cornerstone, ORRUS, will actively collect and track space debris, preserving our orbital environment.
GDG on Campus at Pace University
Founder of the GDG at Pace, connecting Pace to the greater GDG community. GDG NYC DevFest Volunteer 2024.
Adaptability of Reinforcement Learning Agent from Simple to Complex Environments
Reinforcement learning agents trained with raycast sensors outperformed those with visual input in navigating complex environments after simple environment training, with added benefits of smaller models and faster training.
Ruckus at Revolver Ridge
VR game made for Meta Quest 2 using Unity. Developed by Lauren DeMaio and Andrew Dinspechin.
Escape
Can you escape? Collect the jewels and avoid the fire or you will have to start from the beginning! Developed by Lauren DeMaio.
Bide && Sneak
Bide && Sneak is a 2nd-Person slasher - see only from the perspective of your enemies, but never yourself. Use their viewpoints to figure out your position, then vanish and strike from the shadows. The last man standing is NOT the winner. Cowardice will not be rewarded. Developed by Lauren DeMaio and Andrew Dinspechin.
ASMO
Game developed for BIP Game Jam with HdM in Stuttgart, Germany. The theme for the game jam was Fighting Misinformation. Our game ASMO is a conglomerate of misinformation as you enter the world as an alien who works his way up to President to tell his citizens their water is radioactive. Developed by Lauren, Fabian, Jesse, and Lauri.
Evaluating Observations vs. Training Duration in Reinforcement Learning
Reinforcement learning is a reward-based method where an AI agent learns by taking actions based on environmental observations. The agent receives positive or negative rewards for its actions towards a goal. This project evaluated how different levels of observations affect training time by comparing them to the episodes needed for an agent to achieve its goal consistently.
Yoga Pose Estimation Using BlazePose and Machine Learning
Yoga is a popular mind-body practice with many health benefits. This project uses BlazePose and machine learning to detect yoga poses, utilizing a dataset of seven different asanas. This application is particularly relevant for online physical education, given the growth of self-paced online courses.
Media Features
Dancing Through Algorithms: Transitioning from Dance to Tech
Lauren DeMaio (BS in Computer Science 2024) is a senior at the Seidenberg School, who mixes the art of dance with the science of computing. Join us as we walk through Laurens typical day on campus, her lattes, her algorithms, and the story of how her decisions have led to an adventure in learning and teaching, at Pace.
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Leveling Up: Pace Students Join International Game Jam
Students from Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems concluded the Spring 2025 semester with an international trip—by teaming up with peers from across Europe to take on disinformation through game design.
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Celebrating Innovation: highlights from the ATTRACT Pre-Final Conference
Lauren DeMaio got to present the project ORRUS by Team Oculus at the ATTRACT PreFinal Conference in Grenoble, France. Here she is featured in a video describing the impact of the ATTRACT Student Programs.
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Pace Students Attend Games for Change Festival
Finding ways to power up the impact of gaming on wellbeing has enduring appeal, so when a group of gaming and computer science students attended the Games for Change Festival, held at The New School in NYC, there was plenty to get excited about.
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Seidenberg’s Impact at Google’s DevFest: Responsible AI Takes Center Stage
Seidenbergs Lauren DeMaio, an MS in Computer Science student and leader of the Google Developer Student Club at Pace, introduced two of the events speakers, further showing her dedication to bridging academic learning with industry practice.
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New Club Alert: Pace’s Seidenberg School Launches Google Developer Student Club
Pace University’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems recently launched a Google Developer Student Club (GDG) on the New York City campus. The Google Developer Student Club at Pace is led by Seidenberg graduate student Lauren DeMaio and mentored by Seidenberg Professor, Associate Dean, and Co-Director of the Pace AI Lab, Dr. Christelle Scharff.
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Nespresso Retail Hiring Event Video
Lauren was asked what her favorite part of working at Nespresso is as a Team Leader.
Read MoreLet's Chat!
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