Dynamic Data Physicalisation Professors and Supervisors

Matthew ButlerView profile

Associate Professor

Monash UniversityAustralia

Matthew Butler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human-Centred Computing at Monash University's Faculty of Information Technology. His research focuses on Inclusive Technologies , particularly improving access to visual information for people who are blind or have low vision (BLV) through innovations like 3D printing, conversational agents, and multisensory interfaces. He has over 20 years of academic experience and held leadership roles including Deputy Dean (Education) and Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching). Education: PhD in Computing Education (Monash University, 2010) Graduate Certificate of Higher Education (Monash University, 2006) Bachelor of Engineering (Electronic and Computer Engineering, Monash University, 1996) Research Interests: Matthew’s work emphasizes participatory design with the BLV community, addressing challenges in data exploration, orientation/mobility, arts/culture access, and education . Key projects include accessible data visualization systems, inclusive museum experiences, and tactile navigation tools. His contributions align with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education and disability inclusion. Grants & Projects: Accessible Data Exploration and Analysis for Blind People (Australian Research Council, 2023–2027) Inclusive Gallery Experiences: Bendigo Art Gallery Project (Helen Macpherson Smith Trust, 2019–2022) Co-leads the Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre’s Education Pillar Awards: Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy Labs/Teams: Active contributor to Monash’s Assistive Technology and Society research initiatives, focusing on multisensory design for disability inclusion.

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Beat SignerView profile

Professor

Vrije Universiteit BrusselBelgium

Beat Signer is Professor of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Director of the Web & Information System Engineering (WISE) laboratory. His research focuses on cross-media information spaces and architectures (CISA) spanning interactive paper, dynamic data physicalisation, and tangible holograms. His educational background includes a Computer Science degree from ETH Zurich, where he completed his PhD thesis on fundamental concepts for interactive paper and cross-media information spaces in 2005. Key research areas include: Cross-media document formats and resource-selector-link (RSL) hypermedia metamodel Context-sensitive adaptation and cross-media transclusion Multimodal interfaces (Mudra, iGesture) and tangible computing Internet of Things interoperability and semantic middleware Recent publications (2023-2025) reveal strong trends in dynamic data physicalisation hardware, FAIR positioning systems (OpenHPS), end-user IoT development (eSPACE), and next-generation human-information interaction paradigms. His work increasingly integrates Solid protocols for decentralized data and explores thermal dimensions in tangible holograms. As Principal Investigator, he leads multiple EU-funded projects including OpenHPS, TangHo, and eSPACE. His team has developed influential frameworks like MindXpres for cross-media presentations and CMT for context modeling. He supervises 13 doctoral researchers including Dr. Maxim Van de Wynckel and Dr. Audrey Sanctorum, focusing on cross-media applications in education, IoT, and data visualization. His WISE laboratory develops innovative solutions bridging digital and physical information spaces through projects like ArtVis for collaborative data exploration and TangHo for physically augmented virtual objects.

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Loraine ClarkeView profile

Lecturer

University of St AndrewsUnited Kingdom

Loraine Clarke is a Lecturer in the School of Computer Science Institute of Engineering at the University of St Andrews. Her research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), design research, and tangible interaction, with an emphasis on sustainable technologies and community empowerment. She holds a PhD in HCI from the University of Strathclyde, where she studied social interaction at museum exhibits. Key research interests include tangible physical interaction, decentralised digital futures, and participatory design. She leads projects like Decentralising Digital , co-creating narratives for rural Indian communities to challenge dominant tech narratives, and Our Friends Electric , advocating for ethical voice-enabled internet practices with Superflux and Mozilla. Her teaching includes CS5041: Interactive Software and Hardware (prototype development) and CS5042: User-Centred Interaction Design . She actively collaborates with global institutions and invites PhD applications in sustainable design and tangible interaction. Loraine’s work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing equitable technology and environmental stewardship through design research.

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Beat SignerView profile

Professor

Vrije Universiteit BrusselBelgium

Beat Signer is a Professor of Informatics and Applied Informatics at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium. He holds a PhD and has held senior research roles at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) between 2005 and 2009. His expertise spans cross-media technologies, human-information interaction, data physicalisation, and next-generation user interfaces. He leads several research projects focusing on end-user development, IoT applications, and FAIR positioning systems. Signer's educational background includes postdoctoral research at ETH Zurich (2005–2007) and a Senior Researcher role (2007–2009). His research interests emphasize bridging gaps in information management across media boundaries, with a focus on tangible computing and ubiquitous systems. He has supervised 203 theses, including a notable work on augmented reality applications. His recent research outputs (2023–2025) explore modular frameworks for positioning systems, interactive educational tools, and hardware platforms for data visualization. He has been awarded multiple Best Paper Awards at conferences like CSEDU, ICALT, and MobiWIS. Signer actively engages in academic activities, including editorial roles, peer reviews, and international conferences. His work on datasets like the 'Survey on Privacy of Location Data' and 'OpenHPS Framework' highlights a commitment to ethical data practices and open science.

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Jörn HurtienneView profile

Professor

Julius-Maximilians-Universität WürzburgGermany

Prof. Dr. Jörn Hurtienne leads the Chair of Psychological Ergonomics at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg within the Faculty of Human Sciences. His work focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), psychological ergonomics, and inclusive design. Current research explores AI roles in healthcare teams, multispecies co-creation with honeybees, and tangible interaction for spiritual practices. He oversees a multidisciplinary team including Dr. Tobias Grundgeiger and Dr. Stephan Huber, with active student researchers contributing to projects like clinical decision support systems and ethical participant experience frameworks. Research interests span healthcare AI integration, tangible user interfaces, and technology's role in religious/spiritual contexts. Notable recent work includes studies on AI team dynamics in anesthesiology, AR cue reliability for task resumption, and data physicalization design tools. His lab collaborates internationally on projects like the 'Resound Sphere' for tech-mediated faith practices and 'Wax Arts With Honeybees' exploring bio-art collaboration. Advising focuses on fostering students in HCI and medical informatics, with over 20 team members contributing to peer-reviewed publications. Ongoing projects include developing inclusive documentation tools for clinicians and exploring sensory heritage preservation through multimodal experiences.

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