Benjamin Maus
Doctoral student

Presentation

My research is situated at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and health, focusing on scenarios in which self-tracking is, or could soon be, embedded in care processes for chronic conditions.

I aim to explore tracking activities that are meaningful for patients and family caregivers while also supporting healthcare professionals, paying particular attention to tensions across these roles. This work builds on design inquiries and empirical studies, including sensor-based active tests for symptom tracking in Parkinson’s disease and a screening tool that enables family caregivers of colorectal cancer patients to monitor their support needs. The research is conducted in collaboration with clinical partners and contributes to ongoing HCI conversations about patient-centred self-care.

I am especially interested in how patients, family caregivers, and clinicians interpret tracking activities and resulting data representations, and how these:

• (Re)shape perceptions of individual disease trajectories
• Influence existing and emerging coping practices
• Affect bodily awareness
• Influence what is discussed, prioritized, and acted upon in clinical encounters

In parallel, I teach undergraduate and graduate courses at Malmö University, am responsible for the master’s course in Prototyping Technologies, and supervise bachelor’s theses focused on the intersection of HCI and health.