Graphonomics and your Brain on Art, Creativity and Innovation: Proceedings of the 19th International Graphonomics Conference (IGS 2019 – Your Brain on Art)

Claudio De Stefano received the Laurea Degree cum laude in Electronic Engineering and the Ph.D. degree in in Electronic and Computer Engineering both from the University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy. He is currently Full Professor of Computer Science at the Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica e dell’Informazione (DIEI) of the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio. He has been invited as visiting professor in many international research centres and, over the years, has participated, as a speaker, in relevant national and international conferences, and has authored over 160 publications in international journals and congresses. The results of his research activity have been published in relevant international journals. He joined the Program Committees of many important international conferences on image analysis, pattern recognition, handwriting analyses and recognition and was chairman of international conferences. He also co-edited books as proceedings of international conferences and special issues of international journals. Since 2017 he is the President of the International Graphonomics Society (IGS). He is Associate Editor of the journals Pattern Recognition Letters and Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (section Cognitive Neuroscience). He is co-founder of an Enterprise, sponsored by the University of Salerno, called N.I.Te s.r.l. (Natural Intelligent Technologies) (2012). He is one of the owners of the patent: Process of Handwriting Recognition and Related Apparatus, Number: 0001416028 - Natural Intelligent Technologies s.r.l. The scientific interests of Claudio De Stefano include Artificial Vision, Image Processing, Pattern Recognition and Automatic Learning Systems. His current research interests include classifier combination paradigms and automatic learning methods based on the use of evolutionary algorithms and Neural Networks. Finally, handwriting analysis has recently been applied to the early detection of cognitive disorders.

Jose ‘Pepe’ Contreras-Vidal, PhD (Fellow IEEE, Fellow AIMBE) is Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the NSF Research Center for Building Reliable Advances and Innovations in Neurotechnology (IUCRC BRAIN) at the University of Houston. He has pioneered noninvasive brain-machine interfaces and wearable exoskeletons to restore motor function in individuals with disabilities. His work at the nexus of art and science is opening new windows to study the neural basis of human creativity while investigating the power of the arts as a modulator of brain activity to enhance wellbeing and health. His career development in biomedical engineering was highlighted by the journal Science. Dr. Contreras-Vidal is a member of the National Advisory Board for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NABMRR) at the National Institute of Health. His research has been supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, DARPA, Industry and Philanthropy. His research has been highlighted in The Economist, Nature, Science, Der Spiegel, and Wall Street Journal, among others.