TH

Hello, I'm Tom Hempel

Research Associate focused on Human-Computer Interaction and Social Cognition.

Current work View resume

Current work

Development lead

BW Schützt! software

BW Schützt! is a state-funded program developing and evaluating low-threshold, stepped mental health support for refugees in Baden-Württemberg, run by the Development Research Group at the University of Konstanz under Prof. Dr. Anke Höffler.

Coaches trained in screening and narrative biography work carry out health interviews directly in shared accommodation. Cases get triaged on a green, yellow, or red scale: green cases are monitored, yellow cases receive biography-based counseling to build resilience, and red cases are referred to clinical diagnosis and treatment.

The software behind the program includes an admin dashboard for case and questionnaire management, a counselor app for structured interviews, a session app for scheduled measures, and a program dashboard for planning and oversight. Together they cover fieldwork and the data collection the evaluation relies on.

  • Piloted in Karlsruhe and Konstanz with vivo international and Freundeskreis Asyl Karlsruhe
  • Feasibility evaluation ahead of a potential statewide rollout
  • Featured on Deutschlandfunk, ZDF, and SWR

Concept sketches only. The production software is not public and in development.

Concept sketch of the admin dashboard, showing a sidebar with case management navigation and an overview with client stats and completion tracking Concept sketch of the admin dashboard, showing a sidebar with case management navigation and an overview with client stats and completion tracking
Admin dashboard sketch
Concept sketch of the counselor app on a tablet, showing a coach profile header, next-step guidance, and a questionnaire list Concept sketch of the counselor app on a tablet, showing a coach profile header, next-step guidance, and a questionnaire list
Counselor app sketch
Teaching

HCI courses with Prof. Dr. Stephan Streuber

Supporting bachelor's and master's HCI courses at Coburg University of Applied Sciences alongside Prof. Dr. Stephan Streuber.

  • Human Computer Interaction 2 (Bachelor)
  • Advanced Topics in Human Computer Interaction (Master)
HCI Teaching UX evaluation
Current Research Focus

Embodied AI tutoring study

Investigating how embodied AI tutors affect learning outcomes, comparing chat-based tutoring, video sessions, and virtual reality.

Virtual Reality ConvAI Learning sciences Unity
Concept sketch of the three tutoring modalities compared in the study: chat, video, and VR
Tutoring modalities sketch

Career

Education

Mar 2024 – Feb 2026

Master of Science in Computer Science

Coburg University of Applied Sciences

Focus on interactive technologies, AI, and advanced software development.

Apr 2025

MAGNET4Cardiac7T Spring School

German Centre for Heart Failure – Würzburg (on-site)

Courses and workshops on physics-informed machine learning (including a hackathon).

Machine Learning Physics-informed AI Medical imaging
Apr 2023 – Aug 2023

Bachelor's thesis (internship)

Pathology Nuremberg – hybrid

Development of a dataset and an AI-based proof-of-concept algorithm for classifying digitized whole-slide images of gastric mucosa biopsies.

AI Image classification Medical Imaging
Oct 2019 – Mar 2024

Bachelor of Science in Software Systems Science

Otto Friedrich University Bamberg

Emphasis on system architecture, web development, and interdisciplinary research.

Professional experience

Mar 2026 – Present

Research associate

Coburg University of Applied Sciences (hybrid)

Phd Student

  • Research and development in human-computer interaction and social cognition
  • Teaching support for bachelor's & master's modules and student projects
  • Development Lead for external projects
Research Virtual Reality HCI Social Cognition Teaching Development
Oct 2024 – Feb 2026

Student assistant

Coburg University of Applied Sciences (hybrid)

  • Teaching assistant for bachelor's modules “User Interface Evaluation” and “Game Design”
  • Teaching assistant for the master's module “Advanced Topics in Human Computer Interaction”
  • Development of tools for conducting studies
  • Research in human–computer interaction and social cognition
Unity Virtual Reality HCI
Apr 2022 – Jul 2024

Junior Software Developer (part-time)

tricoma AG – remote/hybrid

  • Implemented API integration for external marketplace services
  • Delivered customer projects and customizations
  • Improvements and bug fixes for existing systems
  • Refactored system architecture to PHP 8
PHP Scrum Fullstack

Expertise

🎮

Unity / C#

VR Development & Game Design

🌐

Angular

Modern Web Frameworks

🐍

Python

Machine Learning & Data Analysis

🔬

Medical Imaging

Computer Vision in Healthcare

🚀

Spring Boot

Backend & System Architecture

🐘

PHP

Fullstack Enterprise Solutions

Selected projects

01

Lab Recorder

Android app for recording physiological signals (HR & RR) via Polar H10 sensors for individuals or groups.

HTMLJSAndroidPolar H10
Gitea repository →
02

LSL Lab

Record and analyze LSL data in a lab environment. Built for Polar H10 sensors.

PythonLSL
Source code →
03

Charade Experiment

Research platform for multimodal communication in VR. Includes a Unity Quest Pro app with face/hand tracking and a web interface.

C#UnityVRMeta XR SDK
Gitea repository → Read blog post →
04

Master's thesis

Repository for my master's thesis in computer science / interactive technologies.

C#UnityResearch
Gitea repository →
05

Gastritis classification

AI-based classification of gastric mucosa biopsies in whole-slide images.

PythonMedical ImagingAI
Bachelor's thesis → Read blog post →
06

Virtual Tutor

Research project on virtual tutors (ConvAI) across three modalities: VR, AR, and desktop.

C#UnityVR/ARConvAI
Gitea repository → Read blog post →
07

UnityUDP

Simple tool for sending UDP packets over custom ports to drive logic in Unity projects.

DartUnityUDP
Gitea repository →
08

Camper Rental

Web application for camper rental, developed in cooperation with AraCom IT.

AngularSpring BootSQL
Industry partnership
09

Local PDF Chat

Chat app for discussing scientific paper content using local LLMs.

PythonAngularLLMAI
Source code →
10

Virtual Student

VR system for AI avatars in learning environments with ConvAI integration and LIV SDK support.

UnityConvAIVR
Internal project Read blog post →
11

Falling Rooms Stress Test

VR application for stress measurement, optimized for Meta Quest devices.

ASP.NETUnityVR
Gitea repository →
12

HRV evaluation

Data-driven analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) as part of a bachelor's thesis.

PythonData AnalysisHRV
Gitea repository →
13

RL Car Labyrinth

Reinforcement learning project controlling a car through a maze.

PythonRLAI
Academic project

Blog

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