ernst kruijff | research

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Positions

Research overview

My research focuses at the investigation, design and development of 3D User Interfaces (3DUIs). Initially, I performed studies on the usage of virtual reality (VR) technology for local and distributed engineering applications. Specifically, at [UU] [BUW] I explored cooperation aspects in the conceptual design process of architects. The research resulted at [BUW] in the development supervision of a VR aided design tool (initiated by Dr. Holger Regenbrecht), and the establishment of several experiments on distributed 3D design between premier architectural schools, the so called Virtual Design Studios. In addition, I performed several empirical studies on theoretical aspects of 3DUIs, notably on spatial knowledge effects of using virtual environments in architectural design processes. Followed up by my collaboration with several foreign researchers (Bowman, LaViola, Poupyrev, Mine), I formalized theoretical and practical knowledge on 3DUIs in a single source. I presented the material at some prominent conferences, which resulted into the authoring of what seems to have become the standard reference on 3DUIs, released in 2004 by Addison-Wesley. Through my work at the scientific institutions [GMD] [FHG] and [TUG], from 1999 on an additional main focus has been the design, development and evaluation of 3D user interface devices and displays, in close relation to studies on human factors and ergonomics. Over the years, I accomplished multiple input devices and display systems. Hereby, I did not only study purely 3D devices and techniques, but also the mixing of techniques through hybrid interfaces. I applied theoretical and practical knowledge on 3DUIs during scientific coordination of several large international projects managed under own direction, including the public funded projects ProViT, DHX and HYDROSYS.

Interests
3D User interfaces, Virtual / Mixed / Augmented Reality, creative / experimental applications, handheld devices, haptics and pseudo-haptics, human factors and ergonomics, multisensory integration, tangible interfaces, mechatronics and robotics.

Research and management skills

• Scientific coordination and management of research projects
• Managing small R&D teams
• Educational skills (university and conference tracks)
• Strong interdisciplinary background
• Large-scale scientific studies in the field of 3D user interfaces, virtual environments and augmented reality
• Formalization of theoretical issues of 3D user interfaces
• User and task analysis, system specification of complex systems
• Prototyping of I/O devices

Professional experience

• Programm Chair
  - ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST 2005, VRST 2008)
  - Winter Augmented Reality Meeting (WARM'010)
  - eCAADe2000
  
• Other chairs
  - Workshop chair, IEEE Virtual Reality 2010
  
• International Programm Committees:
  - IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI'07 - 3DUI'10)
  - International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics,
  Visualization and Computer Vision (WSCG 2004-2008 )
  - IEEE Mixed Reality User Interface Symposium (MRUI'07)
  
• Review activities conferences:
  - IEEE Virtual Reality (VR)
  - ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI)
  - ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST)
  - IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI)
  - Immersive Projection Technology Symposium (IPT)
  - Graphics Interface (GI)
  - Eurographics (EG)
  - Eurographics Workshop on Virtual Environments (EGVE)
  - ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Interactive 3D Graphics and Games (I3D)
  - ACM International conference on Advances in Computer Entertainment Industry (ACE)
  - IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR)
  - IEEE Visualization (VIS)
  - Laval Virtual
  - International Symposium on 3D Web Technology (Web3D)
  - International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics,
  Visualization and Computer Vision (WSCG)
• Review activities journals:
  - IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications
  - Springer Journal Virtual Reality
  - ASME Journal of Computing And Information Science In Engineering
  - Journal of Virtual Reality and Broadcasting
  - Elsevier International Journal of Human-Computer Studies // Interacting with Computers
• Editor activities journals:
  - Guest Editor IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (VRST 2008 special issue)
• Project reviews / committees
  -Project reviewer for the European Commission (EC)
  -Reviewer for the Dutch Government (NWO)
• Academical member of ACM, IEEE and igroup.
• Professional development courses at Fraunhofer and ACM (management tracks)
• Founder of the Collaborative Virtual Design Environments (CVDE) mailinglist and archive (mailinglist inactive). An older overview of virtual reality supported conceptual design tools can be found here.
• Marketing of Technology at [FHG] and [VS]
• Teaching experience in multiple Virtual Reality and visualisation courses

Successful project acquisitions and grants

• HYDROSYS project acquisition (EU FP7 project, grant 224416, DG INFSO)
• PhD Grant, the influence of virtual environments on the design of (digital) architectural expressions (DAAD-RGC, 2000)

Projects
For a detailed overview of some older projects, please go here!

Ph.D. (2007)
Unconventional 3D User Interfaces for Virtual Environments
Institute for Computer Graphics and Vision, Graz University of Technology

My Ph.D. focuses at the investigation and development of novel and partly truly unconventional spatial interaction techniques for virtual environments (VE). Based on the examination of the human potential of all psycho-physiological systems, it provides an overview of possibilities in which the human body can be used for interaction in a VE, ranging from eye-based input and pseudo-haptics, up to the usage of biosignals. The study is complemented by a series of studies specifically focusing at the development and testing of novel interaction techniques and devices.
Supervision: Prof. Dieter Schmalstieg, Prof. Steffi Beckhaus

Public-funded projects

Graz University of Technology

• HYDROSYS: Augmented Reality for environmental monitoring and management. EU FP7 Project. 2008 - ongoing. Link to website
  
• Liverplanner: Novel system for interactive visualization and manipulation of medical datasets for surgery planning. Austrian science fund FWF under grants P17066 and Y193. 2005.

Fraunhofer IMK (scientific coordinator):

• DHX: Digital Ecological and Artistic Heritage Exchange - transcontinental guidance and exploration in globally shared cultural heritage (EU IST - 2001 - 33476 ). 2002-2005.

• ProViT: Digital Product Development with Virtually Cooperating Teams using Optical Networks (BMBF). 2001-2004.

Bauhaus-University Weimar

• Participation in EU-funded projects AVOCAAD and ACCOLADE
  
• DAAD: Project coordination/participation DAAD-RGC funded project (PhD research grant) "the influence of virtual environments on the design of (digital) architectural expressions", with Hong Kong University (Dr. Marc Aurel Schnabel).

Internal projects at [FHG]
Development of interaction techniques and devices. More information under technology section.

• Tactylus - development of a multi-button vibrotactile pen input device, study in multisensory binding
  
• BioHaptics: using transcutaneuous neuroelectrical stimuli to create pseudo-haptic feedback
  
• AudioHaptics - using subsonic sounds and airwaves for pseudo-haptic feedback
  
• OfuturO: development of an immersive future office installation
  
• CubicMouse: studies with coordinate system prop-based input device

Internal projects at [BUW] / InfAR

• Emperical experiments and usability studies of three-dimensional user interfaces, input devices and interaction techniques, multiple requirement analysis studies.

• VDS: Co-organization of the cooperative work environment workshops Virtual Environment Design Studio 2001 (VeDS01) and VDS98.

• VRAM: Coordination of VR software platform development VRAM (1999-2001), as initiated by Dr.-Ing. Holger Regenbrecht.

Research
Positions
Research overview
Research skills
Professional

Projects
Ph.D.
Public funded projects
Internal projects