Peter Kiefer

Senior Scientist

Geoinformation Engineering ETH Zurich
See my research

Research

My research focuses on how to support humans in spatial decision situations by the use of eye tracking technology, often combined with other interaction modalities. I'm interested in people's attention and intentions while using information technology in spatial decision situations, including digital interactive maps and mobile location-based services. The aim is to make these systems cognition-aware by inferring the users' cognitive state and utilizing it for adequate adaptation.

This research is also mirrored in the activities and projects of the geoGAZElab at ETH Zurich, a research group which I am leading since 2011.

Other research activities at ETH Zurich, which are not in the scope of the geoGAZElab, have included a platform for location-based mobile learning (OMLETH) and formal models for wayfinding. During my time as a PhD student at the University of Bamberg, Germany, my research was concerned with intention recognition from spatio-temporal trajectories, and with location-based games (Geogames).

Projects at ETH Zurich

The Expanded Flight Deck – Improving the Weather Situation Awareness of Pilots (EFDISA)
2021-2023, Federal Office of Civil Aviation
Substitute Project Lead
Website, News
Optimizing strategies for communicating predicted disruptions to stakeholders (Future Resilient Systems 2)
2020-2023, National Research Foundation Singapore
Co-Principal Investigator
Website, FRS 2, News
Pilot Eye Gaze and Gesture tracking for Avionics Systems using Unobtrusive Solutions (PEGGASUS)
2019-2021, Clean Sky 2, EU Horizon 2020
Substitute Project Lead
Website, News
MobileHCI4GIS: Competence development mobile user interfaces in GIS
2018-2020, Innovedum
Principal Investigator
Learning and Teaching Fair, Innovedum database
Intention-Aware Gaze-Based Assistance on Maps (IGAMaps)
2016-2019, Swiss National Science Foundation
Principal Investigator
Website, News, SNSF database
OMLETH II: Development of a broader application for the platform for location-based mobile learning at ETH
2016-2017, Innovedum
Project Manager
Website (German), Innovedum database
Location-Aware Mobile Eye Tracking for Tourist Assistance (LAMETTA)
2015-2019, ETH Zurich Research Grant
Principal Investigator
Website, News
Enhanced flight training program for monitoring aircraft automation
2015-2017, Federal Office of Civil Aviation
Substitute Project Lead
Website, News
A platform for location-based mobile learning at ETH Zurich (OMLETH)
2014-2015, Innovedum
Project Manager
Website (German), Innovedum database

Conference and Workshop Organization, Chairing, Editorship

Teaching

I'm lecturing the course Mobile GIS and Location-Based Services (spring, Geomatics Master), as well as GIS I for Environmental Engineers (autumn, Bachelor Environmental Engineering).

My further teaching activities at the Chair of Geoinformation Engineering include lectures and labs on Mobile GIS and Human Computer Interaction in GIS II (Bachelor) and GIS III (Master), and the supervision of theses and student projects.

I'm further involved in two study programs for continuing education: the Certificate of Advanced Studies on Spatial Information Systems, and the Master of Advanced Studies on Mobility of the Future.

Our Institute is an Esri Development Center, whose activities I am coordinating.

Previously, I have been a research and teaching assistant at the Chair of Computing in the Cultural Sciences, University of Bamberg, Germany. There I was involved in courses for the Bachelor and Master programs on Applied Computer Science, including "Introduction to Applied Computer Science", "Mobile Assistance Systems" and programming projects.