Thomas Pederson

Research interest

I design systems that change the way we perceive, think, and act in our immediate surroundings. As active researcher in Human-Computer Interaction for 25+ years I am particularly interested in digital systems which connect to unconscious cognitive processes in our minds. Our most recent research combines Augmented Reality, eye tracking, and Artificial Intelligence for guiding or influencing human behaviour, without having users noticing it – Subtle Guidance. Naturally, ethical aspects of such persuasive technologies are also part of my research agenda.

How my research can make a difference

Information overflow and stress makes well-grounded decision-making hard for many of us, both professionally and in private life. Also, the human brain is not really set up for enforcing the achievement of long-term goals (personal or organizational) and instead tends to prioritize actions that give advantages now or very soon. Unconscious Human-Computer Interaction solutions could potentially help us human change behaviour towards achieving long-term goals rather than short-term rewards, both as individuals and as collectives. Example application areas: Healthcare, Climate Change, Emergency Management.

External assignments 

• Scientific commissioner, National Swedish Ethical Review Authority (2024 –).
• Steering committee member, NordiCHI bi-annual conference on Human-Computer Interaction (2012 –).
• External advisor (2024) and review panel member (2021 chair, 2020 vice chair, 2019, 2017, and 2016) for the Human Factors and Technology calls of Academy of Finland.
• External PhD defense committee member or opponent at Lund University (2018, 2017), Tromsø University (2013), Tampere University (2012), Oerebro University (2011).

Teaching/supervision

I teach PhD, MSc and BSc-level computer science students at the Dept. of Engineering Science, and information systems students in the School of Business, Economics and IT, about Human-Computer Interaction and User Experience Design, often bringing examples from case studies we perform in Open Lab on interactive platforms relying on Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, eye tracking, and Artificial Intelligence.

Keywords

Human-Computer Interaction, Augmented Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Perception, Cognition.

Research gate/LinkedIn

• Google Scholar
• ResearchGate
• LinkedIn

Media

Professor installation at University West in 2022.