core team
Dr. Ir. Rens Brankaert
Co-founder of the ECDT
Rens Brankaert is Assistant Professor of “Active & Healthy Aging” within the Systemic Change research group at the Industrial Design department of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and lecturer at Fontys School of Allied Health. He works on designs for people with dementia through participatory methods and living labs. In this work he wants to bridge the gap between a design-oriented approach and current care practices with a specific focus on dementia.
Publications
Prof. Dr. Wijnand IJsselsteijn
Co-founder of the ECDT
Prof.dr. Wijnand IJsselsteijn has a background in artificial intelligence and cognitive neuropsychology. He received his PhD in 2004 on the subject of telepresence. Since 2012, he has been professor of Cognition and Affect in Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). He has an active research program on the impact of media technology on human psychology and the use of psychology to improve technology design.
Publications
Ir. Ans Tummers
Research & Support / PhD candidate
Ans Tummers has a rich history in administrative work in relation to dementia and the public domain. She is a board member of the Alzheimer Research Initiative Düsseldorf and a former member of the board of directors of the “International Alzheimer Research Foundation”. She is currently a PhD candidate at Human and Technology Interaction, on mediated touch for people with dementia.
Publications
Dr. Maarten Houben
Assistant Professor of Industrial Design
Maarten Houben is a Postdoc at TU/e at the Industrial Design faculty. His PhD research focused on the effects of everyday sounds and soundscapes in technologies for people with dementia. Maarten has a master's degree in engineering sciences: architecture and gained research experience in interactive media architecture at the Research[x]Design group at KU Leuven. He is interested in designing and researching ambient multisensory technologies for vulnerable user groups.
Publications
Karlijn van Rijen MSc.
Project manager & PhD Candidate Human-Technology Interaction
Karlijn van Rijen MSc. has a background in Industrial Design and Human-Technology Interaction. During her masters, she conducted various studies in the field of dementia and brain injury and has been applying this knowledge as a project manager for Luckt BV since 2022. In this capacity, she also works as a project manager for the ECDT. In addition, Karlijn has been working on a PhD since 2024, in which she conducts research into the implementation of technology for elderly care and the collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs and healthcare.
Renata Vis
Secretariat
Since October 2017, Renata has been working as a management/office assistant IE&IS for the Human-Technology Interaction research group at TU/e. She will also support the ECDT as secretary in mid-2021.
Dana Starmans
Student assistant
Dana Starmans has been a student assistant at the ECDT since November 2022. She is currently working on her Bachelor final project in Industrial Design at TU/e. In collaboration with the community center Ontmoet & Groet, she is designing a group activity for the elderly for her final project to improve their quality of life.
Research team
Dr. Giulia Perugia
Assistant Professor in Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Giulia Perugia, an expert in the field of ethical and inclusive HRI (Human-Robot Interaction) and Social Psychology. For the ECDT, she is interested in exploring how we can promote co-design of AI for people with dementia, how we can ensure these technologies are ethical and safe, and how we can use these technologies to engage marginalized people with dementia .
Dr. Minha Lee
Assistant professor of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Minha Lee completed her Ph.D. in interactional morality (Eindhoven University of Technology), has an MSc. in Information Science (University of Amsterdam), a BFA in digital art (Pratt Institute), and a BA in philosophy (University of Minnesota – Twin Cities). She has been an assistant professor at the Industrial Design faculty of TU/e since 2020. Her research area is conversational user interfaces, moral emotions such as compassion or gratitude and integrating technology to explore socio-moral growth.
Publications
Dr. Linghan Zhang
Assistant Professor in Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology
With a background in computer science and research experience in mobile and wearable sensors/computing, she uses sensors, sensor data processing and modeling, and artificial intelligence to enable personalized and precise human-computer interactions. Specifically, her research interests are in the areas of mobile/wearable sensors, affective computing and assistive technology.
Sanne Beijer MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Sanne Beijer has a background in Industrial Design and obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees at Eindhoven University of Technology. She is currently a PhD candidate in Industrial Design, with her project aimed at studying the implementation gap that arises after the introduction of technologies in dementia care.
Rucha Khot MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Rucha Khot is a designer and engineer. She has an MSc. in Integrated Product Design (specialization Medisign) from TU Delft and a BE in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University. She is currently a PhD candidate researching interactive and responsible products for dementia care using Warm technology.
Yvon Ruitenburg MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Yvon Ruitenburg has a background in Industrial Design and obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees at Delft University of Technology. She is currently a PhD candidate in Industrial Design Engineering, with her project aimed at improving communication for people with dementia.
Alicia Valencia MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Alicia Valencia is an object designer and researcher specialized in healthcare environments suitable for all ages. She holds a Masters in Design (MDes) from the Harvard Graduate School of Design and a Masters of Science (MSc) in Human-Environmental Relations from Cornell University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science (ScB) in Psychology from Brown University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Furniture Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. As a PhD candidate, Alicia is currently contributing to the HOMEDEM project, which explores warm technology opportunities and home experiences for people with dementia.
Teis Arets MSc.
PhD Candidate Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology
Teis Arets has a background in Human-Technology Interaction and obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees from Eindhoven University of Technology. He is currently a doctoral candidate at the Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) research group at Eindhoven University of Technology. He has joined the QoLEAD project and is investigating how artificial intelligence can enrich social contacts for a better quality of life for people with dementia.
Fan Wang MSc.
PhD Candidate Human-Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology
Fan Wang has a background in Industrial Design and received her master's and bachelor's degrees from Peking University and Northwestern Polytechnic University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the Human-Technology Interaction (HTI) group, where she focuses on deception problems in human-robot interaction for people with dementia.
Ellis Bartholomeus MSa.
PhD Candidate Human Technology Interaction at Eindhoven University of Technology
Ellis Bartholomeus graduated from the Design Academy in the direction of People & Information. As an information designer, she immersed herself in games and became serious about playing. She did her Master Education in arts at the St Joost Academy in Rotterdam, with a strong focus on autonomy and hierarchy avoidance. Now as a PhD candidate, she will delve into co-creation and participatory design with people with dementia and AI.
Adhityan Raja MSc.
EngD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technologyy
Adhityan Raja is an industrial designer and engineer. He holds an MSc in Integrated Product Design from Delft University of Technology and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is currently an EngD candidate investigating the role of conversational AI agents in dementia care, with a focus on cultural contexts.
Involved researchers and designers
Prof. Dr. Ir. Berry Eggen
Full Professor of Design for User Experience in Ambient Intelligent Systems at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Ir. Emilia Barakova
Assistant Professor of Socially Intelligent Systems at Eindhoven University of Technology
Prof. Dr. Helianthe Kort
Full Professor Built Environment, Building Performance at Eindhoven University of Technology
Prof. Dr. Ir. Masi Mohammadi
Full Professor Built Environment, Smart Architectural Technologies at Eindhoven University of Technology
Ir. Myrte Thoolen
PhD Candidate Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Yuan Lu
Associate Professor of Design for Healthy and Active Aging at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Jun Hu MEng, EngD.
Associate Professor of Social Computing, Systemic Change and EAISI Health at Eindhoven University of Technology
Dr. Francesca Toso
Assistant Professor in Stakeholder engagement and Co-Design at the Faculty of Engineering Technology at the University of Twente