Dr. Johanna Lorenz is a Researcher at the University of Hamburg Business School, affiliated with the Professorship for Information Systems and Digital Innovation led by Prof. Dr. Recker. Her work focuses on digital innovation, experiential consumer offerings, and the intersection of technology with human bodies. She holds a postdoctoral position and contributes to academic discourse through peer-reviewed publications. Her research interests include value creation strategies in digitalized experiential offerings, somatic information systems artifacts, and the entanglements between digital innovation and the human body. She has collaborated on studies published in the Journal of Management Information Systems and prominent conference proceedings such as ECIS and PACIS. Dr. Lorenz’s articles explore cutting-edge topics like physical-digital consumer experiences, digitalized service models, and the embodiment of technology. Her work bridges theoretical frameworks with practical business applications, emphasizing sustainable digital innovation in modern economies.
Brenna Argall is an Associate Professor at Northwestern University with joint appointments in the Departments of Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation . She is also a Faculty Research Scientist at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab , the nation’s premier rehabilitation hospital. Her research focuses on robotics autonomy, machine learning, and human rehabilitation , particularly in developing assistive and rehabilitation robotics that utilize shared control and interface-aware intelligence to enhance user autonomy. Education: Ph.D. in Robotics (2009), Carnegie Mellon University M.S. in Robotics (2006), Carnegie Mellon University B.S. in Mathematics (2002), Carnegie Mellon University Research Interests: Argall's work sits at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, and rehabilitation . Key themes include trust-based control systems, dynamic autonomy allocation, and human-in-the-loop machine learning . Her lab, the Assistive & Rehabilitation Robotics Laboratory (argallab) , develops semi-autonomous wheelchairs, robotic arms, and adaptive control systems tailored to users’ physical and cognitive abilities. Projects emphasize customizable shared control, intent inference, and human-robot collaboration . Article Trends: Recent publications highlight advancements in shared autonomy, interface-aware robotics, and human-robot co-adaptation . Key areas include 7-DoF robot arm teleoperation, eye gaze tracking for control, high-dimensional body-machine interfaces, and trust-based dynamic control allocation , reflecting her lab’s focus on user-centric AI and rehabilitation technology . Scientific Awards: NSF CAREER Award (2016) Crain's Chicago Business 40 under 40 (2016) NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase 1 & 2 Awards (2022, 2024) AIMBE College of Fellows (2023) Office of Naval Research (ONR) Grant Advising & Grants: Argall advises students in the Masters of Science in Robotics program and has secured significant funding from NSF, NIH, and ONR for projects on self-driving wheelchairs, intent disambiguation, and trust-aware autonomy . Labs & Teams: As founder and director of the argallab , she leads a multidisciplinary team at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab . The lab’s mission is to advance human ability through robotics autonomy , focusing on motor-impaired users and human-robot co-adaptation .
Troy McDaniel is an Assistant Professor at Arizona State University's School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks, specializing in haptic interfaces and assistive technologies for people with disabilities. With over 50 peer-reviewed publications and two authored books, his work bridges engineering, computer science, and healthcare to develop innovative rehabilitation solutions. Ph.D. from Arizona State University His research focuses on haptic perception and human augmentation through wearable technologies, with emphasis on assistive devices for motor and cognitive rehabilitation. Key areas include vibrotactile communication systems, social robotics for elderly care, and machine learning applications for activity recognition. His work prioritizes user-centered design for real-world disability challenges. Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate strong trends in haptic neuro-spatial rehabilitation, executive function therapy apps, and social robot companionship systems. His research increasingly integrates privacy-preserving AI for smart city health applications while maintaining clinical validity through partnerships with institutions like Mayo Clinic. Multiple Top 5% teaching awards for faculty at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Dr. McDaniel advises graduate students in manufacturing systems and robotics through dissertation committees (MFG 799, CSE 799), with recent projects spanning haptic training simulations to PERACTIV activity monitoring systems. His research funding includes significant NSF grants like the IGERT program on person-centered technologies for disabilities and collaborations with Intel Corp on smart stadium applications. He contributes to ASU's Smart Living Research initiative, developing haptic neuro-spatial rehabilitation devices and social robotics frameworks within interdisciplinary teams focused on translating lab innovations to community health solutions.
Federico Becattini is a Tenure-Track Assistant Professor at the Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics (DIISM), University of Siena, Italy. He is an active member of the Siena Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAILab), where he contributes to cutting-edge research in computer vision, deep learning, and artificial intelligence. His work spans multiple interdisciplinary domains, including autonomous driving, human behavior understanding, cultural heritage, neuromorphic vision, and fashion recommendation. His research interests center on memory-based neural networks , which he has applied in numerous publications at top-tier venues such as CVPR, ECCV, IEEE TPAMI, and ACM TOMM. He has also delivered tutorials on this topic at international conferences including ICIAP 2022 and ACM MM 2022, and taught a Ph.D. course at the University of Florence. His recent work is aligned with the Collectionless AI paradigm, which emphasizes continual learning and interaction with dynamic environments. The recent publications highlight a strong trend in human-centric AI , focusing on understanding people through multimodal analysis of face, body, and clothing, as well as generating 3D virtual avatars. There is also a clear emphasis on memory-augmented architectures for temporal reasoning, explainability, and adaptive learning. His editorial role as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval further underscores his standing in the research community. Associate Editor, International Journal of Multimedia Information Retrieval (IJMIR) Organizer, Workshop on Facial and Body Expressions (ICPR2020) Co-organizer, T-CAP Workshop (ICIAP2021, ICPR2022) Co-organizer, MCFR Workshop (ACM MM 2022) Co-organizer, WCPA Workshop and Challenge (ECCV 2022) Federico Becattini actively advises students and researchers within SAILab, particularly in the context of Ph.D. theses and research projects related to Collectionless AI and memory-based models. While specific grants are not mentioned, his extensive publication record and leadership in workshops and editorial roles suggest involvement in funded research initiatives. He collaborates with both academic and international research communities, serving as a reviewer for top-tier conferences and journals. He is a core member of the SAILab research group, which is pioneering the Collectionless AI initiative—a framework for continual learning over time, interacting with humans and agents without relying on pre-built static datasets. This lab serves as a hub for innovation in adaptive and sustainable AI systems.
Max Schleser is Associate Professor in Film and Television at Swinburne University of Technology, where he also conducts research with the Centre for Transformative Media Technologies (CTMT). He is an Adobe Creative Educator Innovator, Founder of the Mobile Innovation Network & Association (MINA), and Screening Director of the International Mobile Innovation Screening & Festival. His work spans academic, artistic, and community domains, with a focus on innovative screen practices. Max holds a PhD in Creative Arts from the University of Westminster, an MA in Art and Media Practice with Distinction, and a BA Hons. His research centers on immersive media, documentary film, and creative arts 4.0, particularly cinematic VR and interactive filmmaking. He investigates screen production, emerging media, and smartphone filmmaking as tools for community engagement, creative transformation, and transmedia storytelling. His recent publications reveal a strong trend toward integrating Generative AI into documentary and city film genres, exploring the 'AI eye' and computational non-fiction. He also investigates novel immersive production methods in VR, HyFlex pedagogies in film education, and collaborative mobile storytelling through workshops. His work consistently bridges creative practice with theoretical inquiry. Best Cinematography, International Cell Phone Cinema - Cannes (2025) Best Mobile Film, Nitiin International Film Festival (2024) Dean's Award for Teaching and Research, Swinburne University (2023) International Visiting Research Scholar, Auckland University of Technology (2024) Early Career Award - Research, Massey University (2012) Max leads multiple research grants focused on health storytelling, intergenerational connection, AI in screen industries, and sustainability education. He supervises creative projects and has conducted digital storytelling workshops for cultural institutes and government bodies worldwide. As founder of MINA and director of major festivals, he leads international networks in mobile media innovation. He also serves on the editorial board of the Media Practice and Education journal and has co-edited several key volumes on mobile media and storytelling.
Yan Zhang is a scientific leader at Meshcapade and a guest lecturer at ETH Zurich's Computer Vision and Learning Group (VLG). He previously served as a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich (2020-2023) and research intern at Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (2018-2020). His research focuses on generative human foundation models, human motion and behavior synthesis, 3D human perception, and applications in AR/VR, embodied AI, and interactive avatars. He has pioneered methods for scene-conditioned motion generation, contact-aware reconstruction, and egocentric interaction modeling. His recent publications (2025-2020) span Real-time motor models for avatars (PRIMAL, ICCV'25) Diffusion architectures for motion (RoHM, CVPR'24) Scene-population algorithms (Odysseus, CVPR'22) Physics-aware reconstruction (EgoHMR, ICCV'23) Whole-body grasping models (SAGA, ECCV'22) Multi-modal datasets (EgoBody, ECCV'22) Scientific recognition includes the Qualcomm Innovative Fellowship Europe 2023 . He organized workshops at CVPR'25, ECCV'24, and ECCV'22, and served on senior program committees (AAAI'26) and area chairs (CVPR'25). As co-supervisor, he mentored student projects on diffusion-based hand motion capture, 3D pose estimation, body-scene interaction, and mixed reality navigation at ETH Zurich (2020-2023). His work bridges computer vision, machine learning, and computer graphics to advance human-centric AI systems.
Michael Wessely is a Tenure Track Assistant Professor at the Department of Computer Science, Aarhus University (AU), Denmark. His research focuses on innovative human-computer interaction technologies, particularly in oral user interfaces and multi-material fabrication. Research Highlights: Development of intraoral pH sensors (BIOral), customizable oral interfaces (MouthIO), and programmable light sources (PortaChrome). Key Collaborations: Works with interdisciplinary teams including biomedical engineers (Y. Song, H. Xu) and HCI experts (S. Mueller, E. Hoggan). Recent Impact: 2024 publications demonstrate expertise in 3D printing and integrated sensing systems. In 2023, he received recognition for ChromaNails - a reprogrammable nail polish interface technology.
Marc Sánchez Artigas is an Associate Professor at Rovira i Virgili University, Department of Computer Engineering and Mathematics. He holds a PhD from Pompeu Fabra University (2009) and conducted postdoctoral research at EPFL (Switzerland). His research focuses on distributed computing, cloud storage systems, and serverless architectures. He leads the CloudLab research group and coordinates major EU projects like Horizon Europe's CloudSkin and H2020's IOStack. Education: PhD in Computer Science (2009), Pompeu Fabra University MSc in Computer Engineering (2004), Universitat Rovira i Virgili BSc in Computer Engineering (2002), Universitat Rovira i Virgili Research Interests: Distributed systems, cloud computing, software-defined storage, serverless computing, and privacy-preserving storage solutions. His work emphasizes scalable architectures, data management in heterogeneous environments, and optimizing cloud storage efficiency through novel algorithms and frameworks. Awards: Best Paper (IEEE LCN 2007), Best Dataset (ACM IMC 2015), Serra-Hunter Excellence Professorship, and multiple grants from EU and Spanish funding bodies. Grants & Projects: Coordinated over €5 million in projects including H2020 CloudButton (serverless analytics), FP7 CloudSpaces (personal clouds), and national initiatives like Software-Defined Edge Clouds. Active in coordinating IPCEI-CIS for cloud infrastructure. Teaching: Courses on distributed systems, parallel architectures, and cloud computing. Taught at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
Michael Neumayr is an Adjunct Associate Professor in Spatial Experience Design at ArtCenter College of Design’s Graduate Environmental Design program, where he contributes to the education of future design innovators. His professional practice, Neumayr Design, is based in Los Angeles and specializes in high-end residential, product, furniture, commercial, and exhibition design. His research and creative interests span spatial experience design, wellness environments, sustainable design, interactive furniture systems, and the integration of technology in living and public spaces. He emphasizes user-centered, sensory-rich environments that blend classical aesthetics with modern innovation. The body of his work, as seen in projects like the Villa Munich and Aquamoon shower system, reflects a consistent trend toward holistic, immersive experiences that engage all senses. His designs often incorporate advanced technology, sustainable materials, and meticulous craftsmanship, particularly evident in wellness architecture and smart furniture. Good Design 2019 NYC-x Design 2018 | Best Product of the Year Stylepark 2018 | Most Innovative Product Good Design 2008 Permanent Collection | Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design Gute Gestaltung 2009 DDC Award Nominated for Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland 2010 Finalist IDEA International Design Excellence Award 2009 Nominated for Designpreis Deutschland 2009 iF Design Award 2007 Michael Neumayr has led significant design projects and collaborations, including with Hiller Gruppe and Atelier Schneeweiss, resulting in award-winning products and installations. While no formal advising or grant history is documented, his academic role suggests mentorship of graduate students in design innovation and spatial storytelling. His studio functions as a design lab, integrating research, prototyping, and real-world application across residential, commercial, and exhibition domains. Projects like the i-tech chair and Villa Munich spa illustrate a team-based, interdisciplinary approach to solving complex spatial and functional challenges.
Jeyeon Jo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors at the University of Georgia's College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Her research focuses on wearable sensors, assistive technology, and ergonomic design, with an emphasis on sustainable materials and healthcare applications. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Centered Design from Cornell University (2023), an M.S. in Fashion Design (2017), and a B.S. in Clothing and Textiles (2014), both from Seoul National University. **Education:** Ph.D. Human Centered Design, Cornell University (2023) M.S. Fashion Design, Seoul National University (2017) B.S. Clothing and Textiles, Seoul National University (2014) **Research Interests:** Jeyeon develops wearable healthcare solutions using stretchable fiber optics and passive RFID, with a focus on optimizing user comfort and performance. Her work spans assistive technologies, firefighting gear ergonomics, and cross-cultural studies of clothing's sociocultural role. Recent projects include sustainable textile prototyping (LeatherBoard) and gait-monitoring systems (RFInsole). **Awards:** Human Service Studies Graduate Fellowship (Cornell, 2022) Best Brief at ISWC 2021 (2021) Roberta G. & John B. De Vries Graduate Award (Cornell, 2020) **Grants & Advising:** Currently no grants explicitly listed; actively advising students in wearable tech and textile engineering. Editorial roles include Fashion and Textiles (2024–present) and Korean Fashion & Textile Research Journal (2025–2026).
Professor Alistair McEwan, affiliated with the University of Sydney's School of Biomedical Engineering, specializes in biomedical devices and instrumentation for neurological and cardiovascular diagnostics. As the Cerebral Palsy Chair of Technology and Engineering and Associate Head (External Engagement), he focuses on low-cost medical solutions for resource-limited settings, including neonatal care and stroke detection. His research bridges biophysics and clinical translation, with applications in electrical impedance tomography, wearable sensors, and neuroprosthetics. PhD from University of Oxford Member of the Sydney Nano Institute, Brain and Mind Centre, and Charles Perkins Centre His work explores how tissue electrical properties can enhance understanding of neural signaling and implant design. Clinical collaborators include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for newborn nutrition monitoring. Recent projects involve AI-assisted critical care modeling, bionic devices for stress measurement, and adaptive control systems for neonatal resuscitation equipment.
David Ribeiro Lamas is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Tallinn University's School of Digital Technologies, where he heads the Human-Computer Interaction group. He also serves as the chair of the Estonian chapter of ACM's SIGCHI and as an expert member of IFIP's TC13. With an extensive international career spanning the USA, UK, Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Afghanistan, and Estonia, he has developed deep expertise in designing organizations, communities, and human technologies. His educational background includes a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from Portsmouth University (1998), an MSc in Computer Science from Minho University (1994), and an Honours BSc in Informatics/Applied Mathematics from Portucalense University (1989). He also completed specialized studies in Strategic Management at the Polytechnic University of Catalunya and a postdoc in Augmented and Virtual Environments at Michigan State University. Lamas' research primarily focuses on design theory and methodologies, with recent work emphasizing trust in technology, facial recognition systems, and vibrotactile interfaces. He has pioneered academic programs including the Master in Human-Computer Interaction and the Masters in Interaction Design (run online with Cyprus University of Technology). His approach combines theoretical rigor with practical application, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. His publication record shows a strong trend toward understanding human trust in technology systems, with significant work on facial recognition, vibrotactile feedback systems, and trust frameworks. His research spans both theoretical contributions to HCI methodology and practical applications addressing real-world challenges in digital accessibility and user experience. 2025 HCI Pioneer Award from IFIP TC13 2025 Tallinn Conference Ambassador 2024 IFIP Service Award 2015 Badge of Merit from Tallinn University 2011 Best Paper Award for work on Estonia's M-Government Services 2000 Best Paper Award for research on Web navigation guidance Lamas has successfully supervised forty-eight master students, seven doctoral students, and two post-doc researchers, and currently supervises twelve doctoral students. His leadership extends to numerous research projects including COST Actions on Interactive Narrative Design and Human-Computer Interaction methodologies. He founded and leads STARTS.EE, Tallinn University's initiative promoting encounters between science, technology, and the arts. He has been instrumental in building the Estonian HCI community through seasonal courses on Experimental Interaction Design, Research Methods in HCI, and the Design of Human Technologies since 2010. His World Usability Day events bring together over 600 researchers and practitioners annually from the Baltics, Nordic countries, and beyond. Lamas has chaired major international conferences including INTERACT 2019, NordiCHI 2020, AfriCHI 2021, and ICIDIS 2021.
Marco Rozendaal is a researcher at Delft University of Technology's Industrial Design Engineering department, specializing in Human-Centered Design and Human Technology Relations. He focuses on ethical dimensions of technology, human-robot interaction, wearable health solutions, and critical design philosophies. His work bridges theoretical research and practical applications, such as designing embodied coaches for stroke rehabilitation and exploring moral stress in technical practice. Research Interests: Rozendaal investigates how technology impacts human behavior and ethics, emphasizing embodied interaction, friction in digital systems, and healthcare innovations. Notable areas include AI ethics, wearable technologies for body awareness, and the sociotechnical implications of robotics in workplaces and healthcare settings. His projects often involve interdisciplinary collaborations with theater professionals, medical practitioners, and farmers. Publications Trends: His recent work highlights themes like moral stress in technical fields, human-robot collaboration in mixed-reality environments, and ethical design frameworks. Key contributions include guidelines for robot communication in dairy farming and critical analyses of seamless technology's societal impacts. Awards: He received the 2018 Best Paper Award for exploring ambiguity in behavioral design, recognizing his contributions to design theory and ethics. Teaching & Projects: Rozendaal teaches courses like Design in Robotics and Videography . He leads research initiatives such as Wearable Technology for Increased Body Awareness and MUG CUP , which support parents of hospitalized children. His work also addresses the 'New Normal' in post-pandemic design practices. Labs & Teams: His research is conducted within TU Delft's Human-Centered Design group, collaborating with industry partners and academic networks to advance ethical and human-centric technological solutions.
Per Lynggaard is a Professor of Electronics at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) , leading the B.Eng. program in Electronics. Previously, he held an Associate Professor role at Aalborg University, combining academic excellence with a robust industrial career in technical-scientific research and development. Education: M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (EE and IT) Ph.D. in Electronics from Aalborg University Research Interests: Focus on Integrated Circuit Design, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), Machine Learning, IoT, and Smart City Technologies . His work emphasizes energy-efficient systems, cybersecurity in IoT, AI-driven interference mitigation, and sustainable energy harvesting solutions. He has contributed to UN Sustainable Development Goals through projects addressing smart infrastructure and environmental monitoring. Projects & Collaborations: Leads and participates in EU-funded initiatives such as InnoTech (2023–2025) for green transition solutions and TransportTech (2023–2026) for Industry 4.0 logistics. Active in cybersecurity research via projects like Jamming Against Critical Wireless Communication , aiming to protect critical infrastructure. Awards: Recognized with multiple honors and rewards during his industrial career, though specific names are not listed. His work has been cited widely, with notable impact in IoT security and energy-efficient systems. Advising & Grants: Supervises Turnip T.N. in a PhD project on 6G security protocols. Engaged in securing funding for projects like F2D2: The Community for Dynamic Data (2021–2030), focusing on dynamic data systems and cybersecurity. Labs & Teams: Collaborates in interdisciplinary teams such as the InnoTech TaskForce and F2D2 Community , advancing IoT and AI integration. His research bridges academia and industry, with outputs spanning smart cities, healthcare IoT, and sustainable energy systems.
Flora Salim is a Professor in the School of Computing Technologies at RMIT University. She serves as co-Deputy Director of the RMIT Centre for Information Discovery and Data Analytics (CIDDA) and an Associate Investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Automated Decision Making and Society. Her research focuses on human behavior modeling, machine learning with time-series and spatio-temporal data, and edge AI applications in IoT and wearables. Flora has secured over $10M in research funding from ARC, industry partners, and government bodies. Notable awards include the 2021 PACM IMWUT Distinguished Paper Award, 2019 Humboldt-Bayer Fellowship, and RMIT's 2018 Research Impact Award. She leads the CRUISE research group and has held visiting professorships at the University of Kassel and University of Cambridge. Editorial roles: Associate Editor of PACM on IMWUT, Area Editor of Pervasive and Mobile Computing Steering Committee member of ACM UbiComp Her work bridges ubiquitous computing and machine learning, with applications in urban analytics, mobility, and health monitoring. Recent projects include self-supervised learning for multimodal data and forecasting with heterogeneous time-series. Supervision areas: Deep learning for sensor data, explainable AI, and wearable-based emotion sensing Teaching programs: Master of Artificial Intelligence and Master of Data Science
