Birgit Nierula

Birgit Nierula is a Researcher at the Fraunhofer HHI within the Interactive & Cognitive Systems Group, part of the Vision and Imaging Technologies department. Her work focuses on human-computer interaction, emotion recognition, electrophysiology, and brain-machine interfaces. She explores non-invasive electrophysiological methods to study spinal cord activity, somatosensory processing, and neural dynamics across the central nervous system. Her research also delves into the psychological and physiological aspects of agency, responsibility, and pain perception in virtual environments and neurorehabilitation contexts.

Her research interests include:

• Development of brain-computer interface (BCI) paradigms for movement control and neurorehabilitation
• Analysis of somatosensory and cardiac signals through electrophysiological techniques
• Investigation of body ownership and agency in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments
• Impact of expectation and sensory modulation on pain perception and neural responses

Her publications emphasize methodological advancements in artifact removal for spinal-cord electrophysiology and interdisciplinary research at the intersection of neuroscience, biomedical engineering, and human-computer interaction. Current projects address the ethical and perceptual implications of BCI technologies and the translation of neurophysiological insights into clinical applications.