Core team
Dr. ir. Rens Brankaert
Co-initiator of the ECDT
Dr. ir. Rens Brankaert is Assistant Professor Active & Healthy Ageing within the Systemic Change research group at the Department of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the Netherlands and Lector at Fontys School of Allied Health. He works on design for people with dementia by applying participatory methods and living labs. In this work, he aimed to build a bridge between a design-based approach and current healthcare practices with a specific focus on dementia.
Publications
Prof. dr. Wijnand IJsselsteijn
Co-initiator of the ECDT
Prof.dr. Wijnand IJsselsteijn has a background in artificial intelligence and cognitive neuropsychology. He obtained his PhD in 2004 on the topic of telepresence. Since 2012, he is full 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 Alzheimer Forschung Initiative Dusseldorf, and former member of controlling board of “internationale stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek”. Currently she is a PhD Candidate at Human and Technology Interaction, on mediated touch for people with dementia.
Publications
Dr. Maarten Houben
Postdoc Industrial Design
Maarten Houben is a Postdoc at the Eindhoven University of Technology at the Department of Industrial Design. His PhD research focused on the beneficial effects of everyday sounds and soundscapes in technologies for dementia. Maarten holds 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
Karlijn van Rijen MSc. is a graduated designer and aspiring researcher with a master’s degree in Industrial Design and Human-Technology Interaction. She has carried out different studies in the dementia field and other care-related fields and has recently completed a study on user-centered information provision after mild stroke. On behalf of Luckt B.V., she is involved with the ECDT as a project manager.
Renata Vis
Secretary
Since October 2017, Renata has been working as management/office assistent IE&IS for the Human-Technology & Interaction research group. Since 2021 she has also been supporting the ECDT as office assistant.
Dana Starmans
Student Assistant
Dana Starmans has been the student assistant at ECDT since November 2022. She is currently working on her final Bachelor project Industrial Design at the TU/e. For this project, she is designing a group activity for older adults to improve their quality of life, in collaboration with the community center Ontmoet & Groet.
Research team
Dr. Francesca Toso
Postdoc Industrial Design
Dr. Francesca Toso is a product design researcher specialised in technologies for healthcare. She obtained a PhD in 2018 on the development of a robotic system for rehabilitation after stroke.
Since then, she participated in different conferences on design, healthcare and ergonomics and studied wearable devices to promote healthy lifestyle for elderly. She joined TU/e in 2020, where she is now working on Certification-D, a project on the involvement of SMEs for testing products for people with dementia living at home in Living Labs.
Publications
Dr. Minha Lee
Assistant professor Industrial Design
Dr. Minha Lee completed her Ph.D. on the topic of interactional morality (Eindhoven University of Technology – TU/e ), has an M.Sc. in Information Science (University of Amsterdam), a B.F.A. in digital arts (Pratt Institute), and a B.A. in philosophy (University of Minnesota – Twin Cities). She is an assistant professor since 2020 at the department of Industrial Design at TU/e. Her active area of research is on conversational user interfaces, moral emotions like compassion or gratitude, and if technology can be incorporated to explore our socio-moral growth.
Publications
Yvon Ruitenburg MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design
Yvon Ruitenburg has a background in Industrial Design and obtained her bachelor and master’s degree at Delft University of Technology. Currently, she is a PhD Candidate at Industrial design, with her project focussing on improving the communication for people with dementia.
Rucha Khot MSc.
PhD Candidate Industrial Design
Rucha Khot is a designer and an engineer. She holds an MSc. in Integrated Product Design (specialization Medisign) from TU Delft and a B.E in Electronics Engineering from Mumbai University. Currently, she is a PhD candidate researching on interactive agents and responsible engineering practices for dementia care using Warm Technology.
Associated researchers and designers
Prof. Dr. Ir. Berry Eggen
Full Professor of Design for User Experience in Ambient Intelligent Systems
Dr. Ir. Emilia Barakova
Assistant Professor of Socially Intelligent Systems
Prof. Dr. Helianthe Kort
Full Professor Built Environment, Building Performance
Prof. Dr. Ir. Masi Mohammadi
Full Professor Built Environment, Smart Architectural Technologies
Ir. Myrte Thoolen
PhD student Industrial Design, Systemic Change
Dr. Yuan Lu
Associate Professor of Design for Healthy and Active Ageing
Dr. Jun Hu MEng, EngD.
Associate Professor of Social Computing, Systemic Change and EAISI Health
Dr. Giulia Perugia
Assistant Professor in Human-Technology Interaction