Dr. Yoones A. Sekhavat
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Mathematics & Computer Science
Yoones A. Sekhavat Ph.D., is an accomplished Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science at the Modern College of Business and Science in Muscat, Oman. With a profound commitment to advancing the fields of game design and human-computer interaction, Dr. Sekhavat has made significant contributions to the integration of immersive technologies (AR/VR/XR). In addition to his academic roles, he is the co-founder and CEO of Smart Reality, ranked as a “knowledge-based” company focusing on innovative solutions in immersive technologies.
He completed his postdoctoral research in Computer Science at the University of Alberta, Canada, in 2014 after earning his Ph.D. from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2013 in Canada. Throughout his career, Dr. Sekhavat has held various academic positions, including serving as a lecturer at Uppsala University in Sweden (2023-2024) and as an Associate Professor at Tabriz Islamic Art University (2014-2022), where he was also the Dean of the Faculty of Multimedia. His leadership extends to the Iranian Academy of the Arts, where he has been actively involved as the Vice Dean of the Multimedia Group. In addition to his academic roles, he is the co-founder and CEO of Smart Reality Cloud, a startup focused on innovative solutions in immersive technologies.
Dr. Yoones Sekhavat’s research interests encompass game design, serious games, and the application of human-computer interaction design principles. He has received multiple awards for his serious games, including the Best Serious Game Award for “KeepStep” at the GALA Competition in Laval, France, and the Best Game Award for “TizRun” and “Sardar” Games in Tehran. He is also noted for establishing the first Master’s program in computer games production in Iran. He has authored numerous journal papers and books, contributing significantly to the fields of serious games and immersive technologies. His research has been published in top-tier journals, and he has presented his findings at various international conferences. Notable publications include studies on emotion-aware gaming interactions and the development of adaptive exergames.
Education
- Post-doc: Computer Science, University of Alberta, Canada (2014)
- Ph.D.: Computer Science, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada (2013)
- M.Sc.: Information Technology, Iran University of Science and Technology, Iran (2009)
- B.Sc.: Computer Engineering, software engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Iran (2006)
Experience Summary
- Uppsala University: Game Design 1, C++ Game Programming
- Tabriz Islamic Art University: Introduction to Game Engines, Human-Computer Interaction, Artificial Intelligence and Creativity, System Modeling and Simulation, Information Visualization.
- University of Alberta, Canada: Big Data Mining
- Tabriz University, Iran: Database Security
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada: Object-Oriented Programming
Selected Publications
- Pirbabaei, E., Amiri, Z., Sekhavat, Y. A., & Goljaryan, S. (2023). Exergames for hand rehabilitation in elders using Leap Motion Controller: A feasibility pilot study. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 103099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2023.103099 (JCR Q1, IF: 5.4)
- Sekhavat, Y. A. (2016). Privacy preserving cloth try-on using mobile augmented reality. IEEE Transactions on Multimedia, 19(5), 1041-1049. https://doi.org/10.1109/TMM.2016.2639380. (JCR Q1, IF: 8.182)
- Khodakarami, F., Sekhavat, Y. A., & Alizadeh, F. (2024). Evergreen: An existential video game to increase the indices associated with existential thinking in the audience. Entertainment Computing, 50, 100679. (Scopus Q2)
- Zandi, A., & Sekhavat, Y. A. (2024). Gamification in Retail: Enhancing Grocery Customer Experience With Location-Based Strategies. International Journal of Serious Games, 11(2), 43. (JCR Q2)
- Poudratchi, S., Sekhavat, Y. A., Azadehfar, M. R., & Roohi, S. (2024). BatSight: A Navigation Game to Map Environmental Information into Audio Cues. International Journal of Serious Games, 11(1), 101-119. (JCR Q2)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Azadehfar, M. R., Zarei, H., & Roohi, S. (2022). Sonification and interaction design in computer games for visually impaired individuals. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 81(6), 7847-7871. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-022-11984-3), (JCR Q2, IF: 2.577)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., & Zarei, H. (2018). Sense of immersion in computer games using single and stereoscopic augmented reality. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 34(2), 187-194. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2017.1340229, (JCR Q1, IF: 4.533) .
- Amiri, Z., Sekhavat, Y. A., & Goljaryan, S. (2022). StepAR: A personalized exergame for people with multiple sclerosis based on video-mapping. Entertainment Computing 42, 100487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2022.100487, (JCR Q3, IF: 2.072).
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Jeffrey Parsons: SEDEX: Scalable Entity Preserving Data Exchange. IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering 07/2016; 28(7):1-1., https://doi.org/10.1109/TKDE.2016.253535, (JCR Q1, IF: 9.235) .
- Amiri, Z., Sekhavat, Y. A., Goljaryan, S., & Roohi, S. (2022). KeepStep: Accommodating user diversity through individualized, projection-mapping based exergames for rehabilitation in people with multiple sclerosis. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 1-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-022-12771-w, (JCR Q2, IF: 2.577)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Sisi, M. J., & Roohi, S. (2021). Affective interaction: Using emotions as a user interface in games. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 80(4), 5225-5253. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-020-10006-4, (JCR Q2, IF: 2.577)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Roohi, S., Mohammadi, H. S., & Yannakakis, G. N. (2020). Play with One’s Feelings: A Study on Emotion Awareness for Player Experience. IEEE Transactions on Games, https://doi.org/10.1109/TG.2020.3003324, (Scopus Q2).
- Sekhavat, Y. A. (2020). Collaboration or battle between minds? An attention training game through collaborative and competitive reinforcement. Entertainment Computing, 34, 100360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2020.100360, (JCR Q3, IF: 2.072).
- Sekhavat, Y. A. (2020). Battle of minds: a new interaction approach in BCI games through competitive reinforcement. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 79(5), 3449-3464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-019-07963-w, (JCR Q2, IF: 2.577)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Mohammad S. Namani: Projection-Based AR: Effective Visual Feedback in Gait Rehabilitation. IEEE Transactions on Human-Machine Systems 08/2018; PP(99):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1109/THMS.2018.2860579, (JCR Q2, IF: 4.124)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Jeffrey Parsons: The effect of tracking technique on the quality of user experience for augmented reality mobile navigation. Multimedia Tools and Applications 05/2017; https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-017-4810-y, (JCR Q2, IF: 2.577)
- Sekhavat, Y. A.: KioskAR: An Augmented Reality Game as a New Business Model to Present Artworks. International Journal of Computer Games Technology 03/2016; 2016(4, article 4):1-12., https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/7690754 .(Scopus Q2)
- Toughi Shahriyar, Mohammad H. Fathi, Sekhavat, Y. A.: An Image Encryption Scheme Based on Elliptic Curve Pseudo Random and Advanced Encryption System. Signal Processing 06/2017; 141., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sigpro.2017.06.010. (Scopus Q1, JCR Q2)
- Sekhavat, Y. A.: Behavior Trees for Computer Games. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Tools 01/2017; 26(2)., https://doi.org/10.1142/S0218213017300010. (JCR Q4, IF: 1.059)
- Sekhavat, Y. A.: Nowcasting Mobile Games Ranking Using Web Search Query Data. International Journal of Computer Games Technology 01/2016; 2016(7):9., https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/9859813. (Scopus Q2)
- Sekhavat, Y., Alizadeh, F., & Roohi, S. (2021). Traffic-Sim: Investigating the effect of attending intelligent virtual instructor on the efficacy of learning traffic rules. Technology of Education Journal (TEJ), 15(2), 239-248. https://dx.doi.org/10.22061/tej.2020.6429.2396, (ISC)
- Sekhavat, Y., & Namani, M. S. (2020). Believable Visual Feedback in Motor Learning Using Occlusion-based Clipping in Video Mapping. Signal and Data Processing, 17(3), 87-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.29252/jsdp.17.3.87, (ISC, IF: 0.175)
- Jozi, M., Mahmoudiasl, K., & Sekhavat, Y. A. (2020). Interactive Visualization of Data on the Impact of Violent Games on the Behavior of Children and Adolescents: Action Research. Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences, 15(5), 273-279. http://dx.doi.org/10.22122/JRRS.V15I5.3488, (ISC, IF: 0.021)
- Soltani, T., Shahabi, N., Sekhavat, Y. A., & Movahedi, Y. (2020). Short-Term Effects of First Person Shooter Computer Game on Visual Focus Using Eye Tracking Tool: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Journal of Research in Rehabilitation Sciences, 15(6), 336-343. https://doi.org/10.22122/JRRS.V15I6.3460, (ISC, IF: 0.021)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., & Parsons, J. (2019). CDI: Configurable Data Integration Using Property Precedence Relations. Journal on Data Semantics, 8(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13740-019-00101-7, (Scopus Q3).
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Orland Hoeber: Visualizing Association Rules Using Linked Matrix, Graph, and Detail Views. International Journal of Intelligence Science 01/2013; 03(01):34-49., https://doi.org/10.4236/ijis.2013.31A005
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Poorya Nomani: A Comparison of Active and Passive Virtual Reality Exposure Scenarios to Elicit Social Anxiety. International journal of Serious games, 06/2017; 4(2)., https://doi.org/10.17083/ijsg.v4i2.154. (Scopus)
- Y.A. Sekhavat, M. Fathian: Mining frequent itemsets in the presence of malicious participants. IET Information Security 07/2010; 4(2-4):80 – 92., https://doi.org/10.1049/iet-ifs.2009.0128. (JCR Q3, IF: 1.287)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Mohammad Fathian, Mohammad Reza Gholamian, Somayeh Alizadeh: Mining important association rules based on the RFMD technique. International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies 01/2010; 2(1):1-21., https://doi.org/10.1504/IJDATS.2010.030008. (Scopus)
- Sekhavat, Y. A., Mohammad Fathian: Efficient anonymous secure auction schema (ASAS) without fully trustworthy auctioneer. Information Management & Computer Security 07/2008; 16(3):288-304., https://doi.org/10.1108/09685220810893225