Collaborative Research Center

SFB-TRR 161

Quantitative Methods for Visual Computing

We are living in a data society in which data is generated at amazing speed; individuals, companies, organizations, and governments are on the brink of being drawn into a massive deluge of data. The great challenge is to extract the relevant information from vast amounts of data and communicate it effectively.

Typical scenarios include decision and policy making for urban and environmental planning or understanding relationships and dependencies in complex networks, e.g., social networks or networks from the field of bioinformatics. These scenarios are not only of interest to specialized experts; in fact, there is a trend toward including the broad public, which requires the information to be presented in a reliable, faithful, and easy-to-understand fashion.

Visual computing can play a key role in extracting and presenting the relevant information.

In visual computing research the aspect of quantification is often neglected. The SFB-TRR 161 seeks to close this gap.

The long-term goal is to strengthen the research field by establishing the paradigm of quantitative science in visual computing.

About the SFB-TRR 161

News

All SFB-TRR 161 News

SFB-TRR 161 Events

Jan 26th, 2026, 4 pm - 6 pm

LMU Munich

Lecture | The Virtual Body as Interface: Motor Learning Foundations for Interaction in Virtual Reality

Held by:  

Joanna Bergström, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Abstract:

Virtual reality is primarily a visual medium, with research and practice focusing on rendering increasingly realistic environments and objects. In this talk, I shift the focus from graphics to people: how a VR user senses and acts in the virtual world. I begin by arguing that the virtual body—how it is represented and controlled—is a central but under-theorized element of VR interaction. Drawing on a synthesis of research on virtual bodies, I show how design choices of virtual bodies and their movement systematically shape VR interaction and user experience of VR. I then introduce motor learning as a unifying scientific perspective for understanding human-computer interaction in VR. Interacting through a virtual body always requires a user to learn new sensorimotor mappings, yet this learning process has rarely been treated as a first-class concern in HCI. By reframing VR interaction techniques as motor learning problems, we gain conceptual models to reason about design choices, principled methods to evaluate interaction quality, and predictive tools to design feedback technologies beyond trial and error. I conclude by illustrating how this perspective can fundamentally increase the effectiveness of VR across application domains such as medical training and exposure therapy, unlocking experiences that go beyond replicating reality.

Bio:

Joanna Bergström is an Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Her research is in human–computer interaction, in particular on interaction techniques, such as pointing and travel techniques for various user interfaces from the computer mouse to mobile devices and virtual reality. She is interested on human motor control and learning of the techniques, the role of feedback modalities such as vision and haptics, and diverse qualities of interaction such as task performance and sense of agency. She received an ERC Consolidator Grant for a project that establishes motor learning as a scientific foundation for interaction in VR.

Location:

LMU Munich, Frauenlobstr. 7A, Raum 357
University of Stuttgart: The lecture will be transmitted to VISUS, room 00.012
University of Konstanz: The lecture will be transmitted to room ZT 1201

The talks are available via Zoom.

Meeting ID: 646 9184 3953
Passcode: SFB

For participants via Zoom: The transmission will kindly be managed by Kathrin Schnizer. She will be on site and monitor/manage the Zoom-Session incl. Q&A during and after the talk as well. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with Kathrin in case of questions or problems regarding the transmission/your online participation: kathrin.schnizer@um.ifi.lmu.de

Feb 2nd, 2026, 4 pm - 6 pm

University of Stuttgart

Lecture | Title tba

Held by:

Michael Doggett, Lund University, Sweden

Abstract:

tba

Bio:

tba

Location:

tba

Mar 12th - 13st, 2026

University of Konstanz, Room ZT 1204 (Data Theatre)

Hackathon DR4ET

Organized by:

 Patrick Paetzold, Michael Stroh, Ying Zhang

Proposal Submission:

Given the success of past Hackathons, we encourage you to submit a proposal to recruit talented individuals for your project at this year’s event. Please email your PDF to Ying Zhang.

Proposal Deadline: Dec 1st, 2025.

Once we've collected all the proposals and given the authors their feedback, you'll be asked to vote on a topic to get involved. 

Location:

University of Konstanz, Room ZT 1204 (Data Theatre)

Apr 23rd, 2026, 9 am - 4 pm

Visualization Research Center, University of Stuttgart

Angebot zum Girls'Day 2026
Creative Coding: Von Musikvisualisierung bis Virtual Reality

Beim Girls'Day am Visualisierungsinstitut der Universität Stuttgart hast du nicht nur die Gelegenheit, faszinierende digitale Umgebungen und farbenfrohe Visualisierungen zu erkunden — sondern auch, sie selbst zu programmieren und nach deinen eigenen Vorstellungen zu gestalten! Tauche mit uns ein in die Welt der Visualisierungsforschung und entdecke, wie kreativ Informatik sein kann.

Mehr zum Anbebot und zur Anmeldung

Jun 16th - 17th, 2026, full days

Berghotel Jägerhof, Isny

Internal Status Seminar of the SFB-TRR 161

Past Events