Björn Harmann

Research Expertise and Interest

human-computer interaction, user interfaces, end-user programming, design tools, prototyping, crowdsourcing, multitouch, sensing

Research Description

Professor Hartmann's research in Human-Computer Interaction lies at the intersections of three domains: crowdsourcing; design tools; and physical computing. Research systems center on tools for designers and programmers, with emphasis on amateurs and DIY groups. He holds the Paul and Judy Gray Alumni Presidential Chair in Engineering Excellence.

In the News

A Decade of Innovation and Inspiration at the CITRIS Invention Lab

The CITRIS Invention Lab is currently one of several UC Berkeley maker spaces where students and researchers can design and prototype interactive technologies. In the Invention Lab, these creations can be as simple as articulated plastic figurines and as complex as hydration-tracking smart cups. The carefully cultivated community of makers has helped thousands of UC Berkeley students and researchers develop creative skills and prototype novel products.

Key to good design? Start with the end user

An engineer working on a project to improve parks would do well to visit a nearby park to get “a fuller context of what visitors experience,” says mechanical engineering grad student Lora Oehlberg. Oehlberg instructs classes at Berkeley known as the human-centered design course thread, looking at incorporating the needs of the end user into the engineering of goods, products or services.

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