Lecturer: Marius Klug, Michael Bressler
Fields: Neuroscience, Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Biology, Human-Computer Interaction
Content
This is a hands-on course to get to know physiological user interfaces from a practical perspective. First, a quick theoretical introduction to the body and brain signals that can be measured—heart rate, muscle activity, and brain activity—plus a short tutorial on the provided Unity game engine prefabs will get you up to speed. Equipped with this, the course will be a series of supervised hands-on hackathon-style practical sessions where you will explore how various body signals can be used to create innovative applications. We provide the Polar H10 (ECG), Myo Armband (EMG), and Muse S (EEG) devices and software to capture and process their signals. A maximum of five teams of three to five participants will then ideate, design, and prototype interactive experiences that use the provided body and mind signals as input for applications in the Unity game engine. The focus is on fostering creativity and collaboration while gaining deeper insights into how our bodies can interact with technology. Finally, teams will pitch their ideas and demo applications to a jury and IK participants.
Aspiring participants are encouraged to visit the Unity tutorials at https://learn.unity.com/pathway/unity-essentials
Not a coder? You can still join! There will be tasks for ideation and conceptualization, UX/UI design & testing, art design (visual / audio), and pitch creation (with video) and presentation.
Course Learning Goals:
- Physiology Basics: Understand key aspects of EMG, ECG, and EEG origins and measurement.
- Sensor Integration: Gain practical skills connecting physiological devices (Myo, Muse, Polar) with Unity applications.
- Collaborative Prototyping: Practice teamwork, rapid idea development, and hands-on prototyping.
- Have fun with game development!
Literature
- https://github.com/MariusKlug/mind-and-body-UIs-hackathon
- https://learn.unity.com/pathway/unity-essentials
- Gramann, K. & Schandry, R. (2009). Psychophysiologie (4. Auflage). Basel, Switzerland: Beltz
- Andreassi, J. (2007). Psychophysiology: Human Behavior and Physiological Response (5th Edition). New York, NY, USA: Psychology Press
Lecturer
Marius Klug studied cognitive science in Tübingen and was already in contact with EEG as a measurement method and brain-computer interface during that time. He subsequently earned his doctorate in the field of mobile brain research under Prof. Klaus Gramann at TU Berlin. There, he extensively dealt with EEG analysis methods and virtual reality as an experimental method. Specifically, the application of EEG in a mobile context, the cleaning of data, and their interpretation in conjunction with other measurements, such as body and eye movements, were the focus of the research. The continuation of this research can now be found at BTU in the form of the practical use of psychophysiological measurement methods as an interface for real-time applications.
Affiliation: BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Homepage: https://discord.gg/7MJjQ3f
Michael Bressler finished his Master’s degree in Information Technology at the Vienna University of Technology with a focus on human-computer interfaces and user interface design. In his research, he mainly focuses on computer-assisted rehabilitation, virtual and augmented reality, and serious games for health.
Affiliation: BG Klinik Tuebingen, Clinic for Hand, Plastic, Reconstructive and Burn Surgery, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
Homepage: https://michaelbressler.at/