Akito van TroyerView profile
Associate Professor
Akito van Troyer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electronic Production and Design (EPD) at Berklee College of Music, where he teaches sound design, audio programming, machine learning, digital musical instrument design, and multimedia performance. He holds a Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab (2018), a master's from the MIT Media Lab (2012), and another master's from the Georgia Tech Center for Music Technology (2010), reflecting his interdisciplinary background in media arts, music technology, and interactive systems. His research lies at the intersection of music, technology, and human expression, focusing on developing new musical interfaces and systems that enhance audience participation and creative exploration. His work spans human-computer interaction, digital signal processing, tangible interfaces, machine learning, and assistive technologies. Projects such as DrumTop, FATkit, KinéPhone, and Tactiloscope demonstrate his innovative approach to redefining musical interaction through physical and digital integration. His recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory in exploring novel forms of musical engagement, from GAN-based interface design to sensory augmentation for food perception and interspecies communication. These works reflect a deep commitment to pushing the boundaries of how music is created, experienced, and shared across diverse contexts and communities. People's Choice Awards for Most Unusual Musical Instrument, Guthman Musical Instrument Competition (2017) Best Artwork Award, the ACM Creativity and Cognition Conference (2011) Dr. van Troyer’s professional experience includes roles as a senior research engineer at Sonos and founder/lead technologist at AVTLab, enriching his academic teaching with real-world industry insights. He has taught at MIT and Colorado College, and his collaborative projects emphasize teamwork, communication, and interdisciplinary innovation. He mentors students through hands-on learning and has led numerous workshops and creative projects that bridge theory and practice. His research has been supported by grants such as the Boston Foundation grant for the Digital Split-Keyboard project. He leads AVTLab, a research and development lab focused on creating new musical instruments and interactive experiences. His future work continues to explore sensory translation, inclusive design, and AI-driven creativity in music.










