Martin Kaltenbrunner is Professor for Tangible Interaction Design at the University of Art and Design Linz, where he heads the Tangible Music Lab and directs the Postdigital Lutherie master program. His academic career spans over two decades, with previous roles including Professor at the Interface Cultures department (2011-2018) and Director of the Web Sciences master program (2015-2021). He maintains strong international connections through visiting researcher positions, most recently at Bauhaus University Weimar during a 2017 sabbatical. Kaltenbrunner's research focuses on experimental tangible user interfaces and postdigital musical instruments, bridging human-computer interaction, music technology, and media art. His work emphasizes embodied interaction and physical engagement with digital systems, particularly through tangible tabletop interfaces and novel musical controllers. His publication record shows consistent output in areas of tangible interaction, musical interface design, and animal-computer interaction, with notable contributions including the TUIO protocol framework and research on musical instruments for grey parrots. The 15 most recent publications reveal an evolving focus from foundational tangible interface frameworks toward more specialized applications in musical expression and cross-species interaction. Prix Ars Electronica 2008 Golden Nica in 'Digital Musics' for the Reactable Two D&AD yellow pencil awards in 2008 for the Reactable Cuitat Barcelona Award 2007 for Reactable's contribution to Barcelona's international arts profile TEI 2016 Lasting Impact Award for reacTIVision research As an educator, Kaltenbrunner directs the Postdigital Lutherie master program and teaches courses on tangible interfaces across multiple European institutions. His academic service includes leadership roles in major conferences like TEI and ICMC, where he has served as General Chair, Program Chair, and committee member. His lab maintains an open design philosophy, with several projects released as open-source frameworks that have been widely adopted in the research and creative communities. The Tangible Music Lab under Kaltenbrunner's direction explores the intersection of physical interaction and musical expression through projects like Tquencer (a tangible sequencer), Metamusic (instruments for grey parrots), and Embodied Gestures (sculptural musical interfaces), emphasizing how physical engagement can enhance musical creativity beyond traditional digital interfaces.
