Samy Rima

PhD

photo

 samy.rima@unifr.ch
 +41 26 300 8769
 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3598-3505

Neuroscientific Research Expertise.

Data Analysis.

Technological Integration.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration.

Communication and Public Outreach.

Senior Researcher
Department of Informatics

PER 09 bu. 2.138A
Ch. du Musée 5
1700 Fribourg
PER 09, 2.138A
+41 26 300 8769

Senior Researcher
Medicine Section

PER 09 bu. 2.138A
Ch. du Musée 5
1700 Fribourg
PER 09, 2.138A
+41 26 300 8769

Biography

Samy Rima is a Lecturer and Senior Researcher in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Fribourg, as well as Program Coordinator and Study Advisor for the Specialized Master’s in Digital Neuroscience. His career began with pioneering research on visual processing and perceptual asymmetries, exploring the cortical and thalamo-cortical circuits involved in visual perception and oculomotor behavior. Among his key contributions are the mapping of visual areas in the primate posterior parietal cortex and studies on visual asymmetries related to reading skills, paving the way for advances in the early diagnosis of reading disorders.

He also leads the MINDCRAFT platform, an interdisciplinary research environment that studies human behavior in simulated conditions. MINDCRAFT plays a central role in the Digital Neuroscience Master’s, providing students with direct access to cutting-edge technologies like eye-tracking, EEG, and immersive simulation for their research projects. Through its flagship project, MAP-Drive, MINDCRAFT integrates Markov decision processes and recurrent neural networks to model real-time cognitive states and anticipate actions in complex settings, with applications in road safety, aviation, and semi-autonomous systems.

As program coordinator, Samy Rima is dedicated to training the next generation of researchers in applied neuroscience, integrating collaborative projects with industry partners in key fields like automotive and aviation. His work on intelligent assistance systems and human-centered predictive interfaces provides students with hands-on experience and concrete opportunities for human-machine integration, contributing to enhanced well-being and safety in complex operational environments.

Research and publications