Aline Normoyle

Aline Normoyle is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Bryn Mawr College, where she leads the MOVR (Motion Capture and Virtual Reality) lab. Her research focuses on character animation, video game design, and analyzing human motion from video. She holds a B.Sc. from McGill University, and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to academia, she worked as a software engineer for 10 years, specializing in networking, graphics, and behavioral modeling. Her work bridges computational methods with experimental approaches to study non-player characters, avatars, and game mechanics. Normoyle’s contributions include open-source tools for sign language analysis and VR experiments, and she actively collaborates across disciplines including linguistics and psychology. She has been recognized with the Best Student Presentation Award at the 2013 Symposium on Applied Perception. Her teaching spans foundational computer science courses and specialized topics in game programming and animation.

Education:

• B.Sc. in Computer Science, McGill University (1999)
• M.Sc./Ph.D. in Computer Science, University of Pennsylvania (2015)

Research Interests:

• Procedural character animation and behavior
• Motion capture and analysis techniques
• Immersive VR/AR applications
• Game-based experimental platforms
• Accessibility in digital human modeling

Recent Work Trends:

Normoyle’s recent publications explore gesture-based user identification, controller effects in AR games, and the role of hand motions in virtual communication. Her work emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, combining AI with traditional animation techniques to create more expressive and interactive virtual characters.

Awards:

• Best Student Presentation Award, Symposium on Applied Perception (2013)

Advising & Grants:

Normoyle advises students in animation, VR, and game design, requiring foundational coursework in computer graphics and systems programming. She has received support for her research through collaborations with institutions like Clemson University and New York University.

Labs & Teams:

Director of the MOVR lab at Bryn Mawr, focusing on motion capture, VR experiments, and open-source tools for sign language analysis.