BLANC & FISCHER Innovation Prize awarded at KIT

Computer scientist Dr. Tobias Röddiger receives the award for his outstanding dissertation in the field of earables. The aim of the work was to advance the applicability of earables and close the gap between basic research and practical use.

In cooperation with the KIT Freundeskreis und Fördergesellschaft e.V. (KFG), the BLANC & FISCHER Innovation Award was presented for the second time on Monday, November 27, 2023. "We are honoring forward-looking dissertations whose subject matter shows particular potential for successful transfer into practice," said Bernd Eckl, CEO of BLANC & FISCHER Familienholding, at the award ceremony on the South Campus of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). In addition to Dr. Tobias Röddiger, Dr. Sara Claramunt and Dr. Tobias Schlagenhauf each received €5,000 for their application-oriented research work.

Wearables are small computer systems that are worn directly on the body. They are already popular, for example, in the form of fitness trackers on the wrist. The integrated sensors can be used to measure various parameters such as heart rate. Röddiger's doctoral thesis focused on earables, i.e. wearables that are worn in the ear. By equipping headphones with various sensors, their functionality can be expanded. As the algorithms, statistical evaluations and empirical studies presented in the thesis show, it is possible to measure the breathing rate or detect an increased coughing frequency. As part of his dissertation, Röddiger developed the "OpenEarable" prototype, a headphone equipped with various sensors. This can serve as a platform for further research in the field of earables. Röddiger completed his doctorate under Prof. Dr. Michael Beigl in the Pervasive Computing Systems group (TECO), where he is continuing his work as a postdoctoral researcher.

From left to right: Dr. Jürgen Spitzer, Chairman of the KIT Freundeskreis und Fördergesellschaft e.V., Dr. Tobias Schlagenhauf, Dr. Sara Claramunt, Dr. Tobias Röddiger and Bernd Eckl, CEO of BLANC & FISCHER Familienholding (Photo: Chiara Bellamoli, KIT)

About the BLANC & FISCHER Innovation Award
Since 2022, the BLANC & FISCHER Innovation Prize has been awarded to the best dissertations from the engineering faculties of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The prize is awarded for outstanding research achievements in the context of a dissertation and its excellent communication in speech and writing as well as for a high innovation potential or a successful transfer into practice. The prize is endowed with 15,000 euros and is sponsored by the company Blanc & Fischer. The prize is awarded annually by the KIT Freundeskreis und Fördergesellschaft e. V. (KFG) in coordination with the KIT.