Gerd Bruder, Ph.D.

Associate Research Professor

Lab:

Synthetic Reality Lab (SREAL)

Office:
Partnership 3: 111

Contact:
407-823-2281
bruder@ucf.edu

Gerd Bruder is a Research Associate Professor for Virtual and Augmented Reality at the Institute for Simulation and Training at the University of Central Florida. From 2016 to 2022 he worked as a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Central Florida. From 2014 to 2016 he was a Post-Doc for Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Hamburg. Between 2011 and 2014 he held the position of a Post-Doc at the Department of Computer Science at the University of Würzburg. He received his Habilitation in Computer Science from the University of Hamburg in 2017, his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Münster in 2011, and his M.Sc. in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics from the University of Münster in 2009.

Education

  • University of Hamburg, Germany, Habilitation, Computer Science, 2017

  • University of Münster, Germany, Ph.D. Computer Science, 2011

  • University of Münster, Germany, M.Sc., Computer Science with minor in Mathematics, 2009

Highlights

Research Activities

  • Virtual Experience Research Accelerator (VERA): Supported by five collaborative grants from the National Science Foundation, the Virtual Experience Research Accelerator (VERA) project will develop and operate CISE community research infrastructure in the form of a human-machine system for carrying out human-subjects research related to XR, including VR and AR.
  • Enhanced Information Comprehension via Augmented Reality (EICAR): In the scope of a 6.1 basic research grant from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), we investigate and leverage technological and human factors in AR for enhanced information comprehension as an integral part of AR-enhanced decision-making processes for warfighters. We develop new knowledge about human perception and cognition with AR display technologies as important parts of the human processes forming comprehension, and introduce new visualization and interaction methods for effective information presentation and interaction in AR.
  • Trust in Augmented Reality: We perform user evaluations with SA Photonics (now Vision Products) in the scope of an AFWERX Phase II to investigate trust, reliance, and human task performance in an AR three-dimensional experimental scenario. We leverage a methodology in which simulated real (complex) entities are supplemented by abstracted (basic) cues presented as overlays in an AR helmet mounted display (HMD) in a visual search and awareness task for warfighters. Results from our experiments will feed directly into USAF programs in AR and will help increase the efficacy and decrease the cost of Special Warfare Operators training.

  • “2021 Innovation Award” at TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2021, Washington (DC), USA
  • “Best Demo Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2021, Virtual Conference
  • “Best Demo Audience Choice Award” at the International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence (ICAT) & Eurographics Symposium on Virtual Environments (EGVE) 2020, Virtual Conference
  • “Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2019, New Orleans (LA), USA
  • “Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2018, Tokyo, Japan
  • “Best Paper Award” at the International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence (ICAT) & Eurographics Symposium on Virtual Environments (EGVE) 2018, Limassol, Cyprus
  • “Honorable Mention for Best Paper Award” at the International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence (ICAT) & Eurographics Symposium on Virtual Environments (EGVE) 2018, Limassol, Cyprus
  • “Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2018, Berlin, Germany
  • “Best Student Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2017, Gothenburg, Sweden
  • “Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2016, Tokyo, Japan
  • “Honorable Mention for Best Poster Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2016, Tokyo, Japan
  • “Best Poster Award” at the International Conference on Artificial Reality and Telexistence (ICAT) & Eurographics Symposium on Virtual Environments (EGVE) 2015, Kyoto, Japan
  • “Best Poster Audience Choice Award” at the ICAT-EGVE 2015, Kyoto, Japan
  • “Best Demo Award” at the GI VR/AR HMD App Contest, 2015, Bonn, Germany
  • “Honorable Mention for Best Paper Award” at the IEEE Virtual Reality (VR) 2015, Arles, France
  • “Best Short Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Spatial User Interaction (SUI) 2014, Honolulu (HA), USA
  • “Best Paper Award” at the GI VR/AR 2013, Würzburg, Germany
  • “Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2009, Kyoto, Japan
  • “Best Paper Award” at the IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI) 2009, Lafayette (LA), USA
  • “Honorable Mention for Best Paper Award” at the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (VRST) 2008, Bordeaux, France
  • “Best Paper Award” at the Virtual Reality International Conference (VRIC) 2008, Laval, France
  • “Honorable Mention for Best Poster Award” at the IEEE Virtual Reality (VR) 2008, Reno (NV), USA

Research Interests:

Enhanced Perception and Cognition
Human-computer Interaction (HCI)
Intelligent Virtual Agents
Metaverse
Social Presence

Areas of Expertise:

Augmented Reality (AR)
Extended Reality (XR)
Mixed Reality
Virtual Reality (VR)

Application Areas:

Academics
Architecture
Defense
Education
Healthcare
Medical
Modeling & Simulation
Scientific Visualization
Smart Homes
Training

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