The digital media lab has a new PostDoc among its members: Dr. Anke Reinschlüssel!

Anke successfully defended in June her thesis "Empowering Surgeons - A Multimodal Interaction Approach to Improve Computer-Assisted Surgical Planning and Interventions", which summarises her research efforts to support surgeons in their daily work.

For her thesis, Anke developed and tested various research prototypes to improve surgery planning and the execution of interventions. She used tangibles, 3D models, virtual reality, gesture control, electroluminescence displays, and new kinds of navigational feedback. In combination with methods from human-computer interaction, such as user-centered and participatory design, focus groups, and user studies, she integrates these technologies into applications to empower surgeons rather than restrict or replace them. One goal was to increase the surgeons' autonomy and thereby provide empowerment to the surgeons.

Congratulations, Anke, and great to have you with us!