Andreas Braun

Archive · Fraunhofer IGD & TU Darmstadt, 2009–2015

Research archive

From my years at Fraunhofer IGD and TU Darmstadt, working on smart environments that sense people unobtrusively, mostly without cameras or wearables.

Most of this work used capacitive proximity sensing: electrodes hidden in furniture, floors and objects that detect the presence, posture and gestures of nearby people. The same questions ran through all of it, and they matter again for AI today. What can a system infer about people? How reliably? And how do you keep it unobtrusive and respectful?

This archive is kept as a record and is no longer updated. Links go to the publishers' pages. For citations and the full list, see Google Scholar.

Highlights

  • OpenCapSense: an open-source rapid-prototyping toolkit for capacitive sensing (PerCom 2013)Used for many of the prototypes below
  • Swiss-cheese extended: recognising objects through capacitive sensing (CHI 2013)
  • AmbiTrack: marker-free indoor localisation of multiple people2nd place, EvAAL indoor localisation competition, 2013
  • CapFloor: a floor that localises peopleFinalist (6 of 83), TU Darmstadt innovation competition, 2012
  • Doctoral dissertation: application and validation of capacitive proximity sensing systems in smart environments (2014)Open access at TU Darmstadt

Publications

2014 ↑ years

A benchmarking model for sensors in smart environmentsBraun, A.; Wichert, R.; Kuijper, A.; Fellner, D. W.AmI 2014
Towards interactive car interiors: the Active ArmrestBraun, A.; Neumann, S.; Schmidt, S.; Wichert, R.; Kuijper, A.NordiCHI 2014Publisher
Application and validation of capacitive proximity sensing systems in smart environmentsDissertationBraun, A. (supervisors: Fellner, D. W.; Mühlhäuser, M.)Doctoral dissertation, TU DarmstadtFull text (open access)
A gesture-based door control using capacitive sensorsZeiß, S.; Marinc, A.; Braun, A.; Große-Puppendahl, T.; Beck, S.DAPI 2014Publisher
Robot-supported pointing interaction for intelligent environmentsPrediger, M.; Braun, A.; Marinc, A.; Kuijper, A.DAPI 2014Publisher
MoviBed: sleep analysis using capacitive sensorsDjakow, M.; Braun, A.; Marinc, A.UAHCI 2014Publisher
V2me: virtual coaching for seniorsBraun, A.; Cieslik, S.; Zmugg, R.; Wichert, R.; Klein, P.; Havemann, S.; Wagner, T.AAL Kongress 2014Publisher

2013 ↑ years

Personalized smart environments to increase inclusion of people with Down's syndromeAugusto, J. C.; Grimstad, T.; Wichert, R.; Schulze, E.; Braun, A.; Rødevand, G. M.; Ridley, V.AmI 2013Publisher
User requirements for navigation assistance in public transit for elderly peopleMüller, S.; Kamieth, F.; Braun, A.; Dutz, T.; Klein, P.PETRA 2013Publisher
AmbiTrack: marker-free indoor localization and tracking of multiple users in smart environments with a camera-based approach2nd place, EvAALBraun, A.; Dutz, T.EvAAL 2013Publisher
Marker-free indoor localization and tracking of multiple users in smart environments using a camera-based approachBraun, A.; Dutz, T.; Alekseew, M.; Schillinger, P.; Marinc, A.DAPI 2013Publisher
Unobtrusive recognition of working situationsGrosse-Puppendahl, T.; Benchea, S.; Kamieth, F.; Braun, A.; Schuster, C.DAPI 2013Publisher
Context-based bounding volume morphing in pointing gesture applicationsBraun, A.; Fischer, A.; Marinc, A.; Stocklöw, C.; Majewski, M.HCI International 2013Publisher
Building up virtual environments using gesturesMarinc, A.; Stocklöw, C.; Braun, A.UAHCI 2013Publisher
Capacitive sensor-based hand gesture recognition in ambient intelligence scenariosBraun, A.; Dutz, T.; Kamieth, F.PETRA 2013Publisher
Providing visual support for selecting reactive elements in intelligent environmentsMajewski, M.; Braun, A.; Marinc, A.; Kuijper, A.Transactions on Computational Science XVIII, 2013Publisher
Swiss-cheese extended: an object recognition method for ubiquitous interfaces based on capacitive proximity sensingGrosse-Puppendahl, T.; Braun, A.; Kamieth, F.; Kuijper, A.CHI 2013Publisher
OpenCapSense: a rapid prototyping toolkit for pervasive interaction using capacitive sensingGrosse-Puppendahl, T.; Berghoefer, Y.; Braun, A.; Wimmer, R.; Kuijper, A.PerCom 2013Publisher

2012 ↑ years

V2me: evaluating the first steps in mobile friendship coachingMuuraiskangas, S.; Leist, A. K.; Braun, A.; Klauß, K.; Roelofsma, P. H. M. P.; Wichert, R.; Klein, P.; Ferring, D.Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments 4(6), 2012
CapFloorBraun, A.; Heggen, H.EvAAL 2011 (published 2012)Publisher
Kontexterkennung über kapazitive Sensorarrays in Betten (context recognition with capacitive sensor arrays in beds)Braun, A.; Heggen, H.AAL Kongress 2012Publisher
Empowering and integrating senior citizens with virtual coaching: workshop summaryBraun, A.; Roelofsma, P. H. M. P.; Ferring, D.; Immonen, M.Workshop at AmI 2011Publisher
Dynamic user representation in video phone applicationsBraun, A.; Wichert, R.AmI 2011 workshopsPublisher
Honeyfish: a high-resolution gesture recognition system based on capacitive proximity sensingGroße-Puppendahl, T.; Braun, A.embedded world Conference 2012PDF
Visual support system for selecting reactive elements in intelligent environmentsMajewski, M.; Braun, A.; Marinc, A.; Kuijper, A.Cyberworlds 2012Publisher

2011 ↑ years

Designing a multi-purpose capacitive sensing input deviceBraun, A.; Hamisu, P.PETRA 2011Publisher
Passive identification and control of arbitrary devices in smart environmentsBraun, A.; Kamieth, F.HCI International 2011Publisher
Classification of user postures with capacitive proximity sensors in AAL environmentsHonourable mention, best paper awardGroße-Puppendahl, T.; Marinc, A.; Braun, A.AmI 2011Publisher
Adaptive implicit interaction for healthy nutrition and food intake supervisionKamieth, F.; Braun, A.; Schlehuber, C.HCI International 2011Publisher
Interactive personalization of ambient assisted living environmentsMarinc, A.; Stocklöw, C.; Braun, A.; Limberger, C.; Hofmann, C. E.; Kuijper, A.HCI International 2011Publisher

2010 ↑ years

Analyse des Schlafverhaltens durch kapazitive Sensorarrays zur Ermittlung der Wirbelsäulenbelastung (sleep behaviour analysis with capacitive sensor arrays)Hamisu, P.; Braun, A.AAL Kongress 2010Publisher

2009 ↑ years

Using the human body field as a medium for natural interactionBraun, A.; Hamisu, P.PETRA 2009
Modeling of input devices for natural interaction from low-level capacitive proximity sensor dataBest thesis award, Fraunhofer IGDBraun, A. (supervisor: Hamisu, P.)MSc thesis, TU DarmstadtPDF

Teaching & supervision

Teaching at TU Darmstadt

  • Lecture: Ambient Intelligence2013–2015
  • Seminar: Multimodal Interaction2011–2014

Supervised theses

  • Curved large-area surfaces for gestural interactionS. Zander-Walz · BSc TU Darmstadt 2014
  • Vehicle integration of person health managementS. Frank · MSc Hochschule RheinMain 2014
  • Unobtrusive surface touch recognition using acoustic trackingS. Krepp · MSc TU Darmstadt 2014
  • Automotive interfaces using an interactive armrestS. Neumann · BSc TU Darmstadt 2014
  • Human-machine interfaces in automotive environments using capacitive proximity sensorsY. Berghöfer · MSc TU Darmstadt 2013
  • Visual-aided selection of reactive elements in intelligent environmentsM. Majewski · BSc TU Darmstadt 2012
  • Multi-hand interaction using custom capacitive proximity sensorsT. Große-Puppendahl · MSc TU Darmstadt 2012 · Best thesis award, Fraunhofer IGD
  • Supporting goal-based interaction with gesture-recognising pointing devicesA. Fischer · BSc TU Darmstadt 2012 (in German)

Service & recognition

Organisation & review

  • Co-chair, EISVC 2011Workshop on empowering and integrating senior citizens with virtual coaching
  • Programme committee: FiCloud 2014, LISE 2013, EvAAL 2012 (indoor localisation track)
  • Reviewer: Automotive UI 2014 (WIP), Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Smart Environments

Awards

  • 2nd place, EvAAL indoor localisation competition (AmbiTrack), 2013
  • Finalist (10 of 77), Singapore Challenge at GYSS one-north, 2013
  • Finalist (6 of 83), TU Darmstadt innovation competition (CapFloor), 2012
  • Best thesis award, Fraunhofer IGD: as supervisor (2012) and as author (2009)
  • Honourable mention, best paper award, Fraunhofer IGD, 2011

Side project: AndroBird

A free Android app for recording bird and amphibian sightings, built with my brother, a keen birder. It placed each sighting by GPS and had a fast species search for German fauna. Released on Google Play in 2012.