Dr. Tom Luyten, born on May 17th, 1987, in Belgium, is a media artist, educator and entrepreneur. He currently teaches research, physical interface prototyping and creative coding at the Maastricht Institute of Arts and co-founded RipperDocs, a company specializing in stage masks and custom interactive hardware for the music industry.

Tom’s artist journey is driven by his fascination with the transformative, creative and aesthetic potential of digital technology. This passion led him to pursue a Master’s in Communication- and Multimedia Design at LUCA School of Arts, where his thesis “The interactive Multi-Sensory Room”, explored the intersection of art, design, technology and healthcare.

in 2010, Tom graduated cum laude and founded his own studio Fiftylab, while becoming a lecturer the Maastricht Institute of Arts. His commitment to blending art and technology culminated in his 2019 PhD at Maastricht University with his Thesis, “The Art of Feeling Connected”, which focused on interactive art in elderly care.

Tom believes in working side by side with machines, challenging traditional boundaries between tool and creator and unlocking the hidden warmth and beauty within technology.

Full resumé on Linkedin
List of publications at Researchgate