Research

Current research focus, funded projects, and peer-reviewed publications.

Current Focus

Digital Twins

Building high-fidelity digital twins across NASA mission contexts, concentrated solar power plants, and data centers — primarily in NVIDIA Omniverse and USD.

Physics-Based Simulation

Coupling simulation with interactive 3D so that engineers and scientists can explore, validate, and steer real-world systems virtually.

Physics-Informed Neural Networks

Bringing physics-aware machine learning into the loop — recently built a PINN for a thermal receiver tube; expanding into more PINN work in the coming months.

Extended Reality for Aerospace

Shared, multi-user XR experiences for high-stakes environments, including extravehicular activity (EVA) surface operations.

Holographic Interfaces for Medical Imaging

Continued interest in the dissertation thread: interactive 3D systems that let clinicians inspect, plan, and interact with medical imaging data.

Funded Research & Projects

Shared Immersive XR Hyper-Realistic Environment for Extravehicular Activity Surface Operations

Principal Investigator NASA · STTR

Phase II complete · awaiting decision on Phase II-E

Shared, multi-user extended reality for astronaut EVA surface operations — bringing high-fidelity simulation, training, and procedural support into the same immersive environment.

Collaborators: NASA · University of Houston

Publications

17 publications · 9 as first author · 8 journal · 8 conference · 2016–2025

Digital Twins & Cloud-Scale XR (4)

Cloud, multi-user, USD-based pipelines for immersive interaction with large-scale 3D data.

A Real-Time Immersive Augmented Reality Interface for Large-Scale USD-Based Digital Twins

K.Q. Tran, E.L. Leiss, N.V. Tsekos, J.D. Velazco-Garcia

Virtual Worlds 4(4), 50, 2025

Journal

A Multiuser, Multisite, and Platform-Independent On-the-Cloud Framework for Interactive Immersion in Holographic XR

H. Neeli, K.Q. Tran, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Tsekos

Applied Sciences 14(5), 2070, 2024

Journal

Immersion into 3D Biomedical Data via Holographic AR Interfaces Based on the Universal Scene Description (USD) Standard

K.Q. Tran, H. Neeli, N.V. Tsekos, J.D. Velazco-Garcia

IEEE 23rd International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), 2023

Conference

A Multiuser Teleradiology Paradigm that Merges On-the-Fly Remote Control of the MRI Scanner and Immersive Data Visualization with Multi-Platform Holographic Augmented Reality

J. Velazco-Garcia, K. Koolstra, A. Webb, I. Seimenis, C. Loukas, E. Leiss, et al.

Physica Medica 104, S54, 2022

Conference

AR & Holographic Interfaces for Medical Imaging (7)

Augmented and mixed reality frameworks for inspecting, planning, and interacting with medical imaging studies.

A Framework for Interactive Immersion into Imaging Data Using Augmented Reality

J.D. Velazco-Garcia

University of Houston — Doctoral Dissertation, 2022

Doctoral Thesis
Figure from Evaluation of How Users Interface with Holographic Augmented Reality Surgical Scenes: Interactive Planning MR-Guided Prostate Biopsies

Evaluation of How Users Interface with Holographic Augmented Reality Surgical Scenes: Interactive Planning MR-Guided Prostate Biopsies

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, S. Balakrishnan, G. Younes, J. Abi-Nahed, et al.

International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery (IJMRCAS), 2021

Journal
Figure from A Holographic Augmented Reality Interface for Visualizing of MRI Data and Planning of Neurosurgical Procedures

A Holographic Augmented Reality Interface for Visualizing of MRI Data and Planning of Neurosurgical Procedures

C.M. Morales Mojica, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, E.P. Pappas, T.A. Birbilis, A. Becker, et al.

Journal of Digital Imaging 34(4), 1014–1025, 2021

Journal
Figure from A Modular and Scalable Computational Framework for Interactive Immersion into Imaging Data with a Holographic Augmented Reality Interface

A Modular and Scalable Computational Framework for Interactive Immersion into Imaging Data with a Holographic Augmented Reality Interface

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, D.J. Shah, E.L. Leiss, N.V. Tsekos

Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine 198, 105779, 2021

Journal
Figure from Interactive and Immersive Image-Guided Control of Interventional Manipulators with a Prototype Holographic Interface

Interactive and Immersive Image-Guided Control of Interventional Manipulators with a Prototype Holographic Interface

C.M. Morales Mojica, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, H. Zhao, I. Seimenis, E.L. Leiss, D. Shah, et al.

IEEE 19th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), 2019

Conference · Presenter
Figure from A Platform Integrating Acquisition, Reconstruction, Visualization, and Manipulator Control Modules for MRI-Guided Interventions

A Platform Integrating Acquisition, Reconstruction, Visualization, and Manipulator Control Modules for MRI-Guided Interventions

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, D. Gui, C.M. Morales, E.G. Christoforou, et al.

Journal of Digital Imaging 32(3), 420–432, 2019

Journal
Figure from A Prototype Holographic Augmented Reality Interface for Image-Guided Prostate Cancer Interventions

A Prototype Holographic Augmented Reality Interface for Image-Guided Prostate Cancer Interventions

C.M. Morales Mojica, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, et al.

Eurographics Workshop on Visual Computing for Biomedicine (VCBM), 2018

Conference

Image-Guided & Robot-Assisted Interventions (4)

Software, planning environments, and evaluation studies for image-guided clinical procedures.

Figure from End-User Evaluation of Software-Generated Intervention Planning Environment for Transrectal Magnetic Resonance-Guided Prostate Biopsies

End-User Evaluation of Software-Generated Intervention Planning Environment for Transrectal Magnetic Resonance-Guided Prostate Biopsies

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, S. Balakrishnan, J. Abi-Nahed, et al.

International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery (IJMRCAS), 2021

Journal
Figure from Evaluation of Interventional Planning Software Features for MR-Guided Transrectal Prostate Biopsies

Evaluation of Interventional Planning Software Features for MR-Guided Transrectal Prostate Biopsies

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, S. Balakrishnan, J. Abinahed, A. Al-Ansari, et al.

IEEE 20th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), 2020

Conference · Presenter
Figure from Preliminary Evaluation of Robotic Transrectal Biopsy System on an Interventional Planning Software

Preliminary Evaluation of Robotic Transrectal Biopsy System on an Interventional Planning Software

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, N.V. Navkar, S. Balakrishnan, J. Abinahed, A. Al-Ansari, et al.

IEEE 19th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), 2019

Conference · Presenter
Figure from Automated Segmentation and 4D Reconstruction of the Heart Left Ventricle from CINE MRI

Automated Segmentation and 4D Reconstruction of the Heart Left Ventricle from CINE MRI

G. Molina, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, D. Shah, A.T. Becker, I. Seimenis, et al.

IEEE 19th International Conference on Bioinformatics and Bioengineering (BIBE), 2019

Conference · Presenter

Computer Science Theory (1)

Statistical and algorithmic work.

Figure from Randomization of Statistical Queries of Type Median: A Simulation Approach

Randomization of Statistical Queries of Type Median: A Simulation Approach

J.D. Velazco-Garcia, M. Awad, E.L. Leiss

Journal of Computer Science 14(1), 67–80, 2018

Journal

STEM Education & Outreach (1)

Mentoring, outreach, and pedagogical perspectives on STEM pathways.

Bridges to STEM Careers: A Student Mentor Perspective

C.E. Early, J.D. Velazco-Garcia, M. Rosales, E. Cantu

American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), 2016

Conference · Presenter