The Institute for Future Technologies (IFT) at ESILV announces the creation of its Advisory Board. Jean-Baptiste Guignard, researcher, entrepreneur and technology executive, becomes its first member.
Through this new Advisory Board, the Institute for Future Technologies strengthens its dialogue with professionals working at the intersection of research, engineering, industry and creative practice.
An Advisory Board to support the Institute for Future Technologies
The Institute for Future Technologies (IFT) expands its activities by launching an Advisory Board that brings together professionals whose work connects advanced technology, research, and creative experimentation.
This body contributes strategic perspectives on emerging technological fields explored by the institute, including artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, immersive technologies and embodied cognition. The Advisory Board also provides external viewpoints on how these domains evolve in industry and research environments.
Jean-Baptiste Guignard becomes the first member of this new board. His career spans entrepreneurship, academic research and leadership roles in global technology companies. This combination of experiences offers a multidisciplinary perspective aligned with the research and educational approach developed within IFT.
A career bridging research, entrepreneurship and industry
Jean-Baptiste Guignard currently serves as Managing Director at Qualcomm, where he leads teams working on perception algorithms and digital interaction technologies. His work focuses on low-power eye-tracking, hand-tracking systems and machine-learning models designed for new forms of interaction in extended reality environments.
Earlier at Qualcomm, he directed engineering teams responsible for XR input technologies across several international sites. His work contributed to the development of perception systems used in emerging XR platforms. He is also listed as an inventor on multiple patents related to computer vision and interaction technologies.
Before joining Qualcomm, Jean-Baptiste Guignard founded Clay AIR, a company specialising in gesture-recognition technologies based on computer vision. The startup developed hardware-agnostic software solutions enabling natural interaction through hand tracking and motion recognition. Clay AIR was later acquired by Qualcomm Technologies.
Alongside his entrepreneurial activities, he conducted academic research at Université PSL as a tenured researcher. His work addressed topics such as cognitive science, machine learning epistemology, dataset generation and gesture recognition systems.
Artistic practice at the origin of technological research
Art occupies a central position in Jean-Baptiste Guignard’s trajectory. Composer and producer of electro-acoustic music, he has presented performances at venues such as Palais de Tokyo and Centquatre-Paris. One of his albums was released with the classical label Harmonia Mundi.
His artistic practice informed the technological developments that later became the foundation of his startup. Gesture-recognition systems initially emerged from software tools designed for his own live performances. These experiments explored how physical movement and perception interact in digital environments.
This work connects artistic exploration with research in cognitive science, particularly the study of embodiment and skill acquisition. Such perspectives contribute to understanding how humans interact with intelligent systems and immersive technologies.
Exchanges with students through IFT Trailblazer Chats
Jean-Baptiste Guignard previously participated in the first edition of IFT Trailblazer Chats, a series of informal conversations organised by the Institute for Future Technologies with professionals working in creative technology.
During this event, students engaged in discussions on topics such as entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary research and the challenges encountered when developing emerging technologies. The dialogue addressed both technical aspects and personal trajectories within fields combining engineering, research and artistic practice.
These exchanges provide students with insight into career paths where engineering knowledge intersects with fields such as design, music, perception science and artificial intelligence.
AI, embodiment and future interaction technologies
The presence of Jean-Baptiste Guignard on the Advisory Board supports the institute’s exploration of topics linking artificial intelligence, embodiment and human-machine interaction.
Research at IFT examines how perception, movement and cognition influence the design of future technologies. These themes connect areas such as XR interfaces, creative technologies, machine learning and cognitive science.
Advisory Board members contribute expertise from industry, research and creative practice. Their input helps identify emerging technological directions and new questions shaping the relationship between humans and intelligent systems.
Learn more about ESILV’s MSc Innovation & Creative Technology and artificial intelligence pathways within the ESILV engineering programme.