News

Workshop at INTERACT 2025

31. March 2025

This workshop is part of the INTERACT conference and will take place on September 8 and 9, 2025. It is a great opportunity for designers, researchers, and neurodivergent individuals to share the latest developments in designing technology for neurodivergence. Learn more about the submission guidelines and attend to discuss new ideas and increase access to technology for all: Workshop Interact Conference 2025

Further Training on Neurodiversity for Personal Managers at TU Dresden

25. March 2025

What does the concept of neurodiversity entail? What requirements and needs do neurodivergent employees face in the workplace, and how can managers support neurodivergent employees, such as people with ADHD or those on the autism spectrum? What are common challenges and barriers faced by neurodivergent employees and what special aspects arise in team interaction? These and other questions were the focus of the further training course at TU Dresden, which was run by Christin Engel from AutARK and specifically addresses the needs of managers. The workshop provided the basics and was designed to empower HR managers to deal profitably with diverse teams characterized by different neurological conditions.

Technology as a Key to Inclusion: Workshop on the Integration of Autistic Individuals at the Berufsbildungswerk Hamburg

4. March 2025

On March 4, 2025, Meinhardt Branig and David Gollasch conducted a workshop at the Berufsbildungswerk Hamburg as part of our AutARK project. Titled “Assistive Technologies as a Bridge: Professional Integration of Autistic Individuals,” we focused on how technological innovations can support the integration of autistic people into the workforce. The workshop began with an introduction to the development of assistance systems for autistic individuals. We presented our AutARK research project,…

AutARK at the Autism to Go podcast by BBW Hamburg

11. February 2025

Meinhardt Branig and David Gollasch had the opportunity to participate in an exciting episode of the podcast “Autismus to go.” This educational podcast from the Berufsbildungswerk Hamburg explores a specific topic related to autism in each episode—a subject that is also at the core of our research project. “Autismus to go” provides a platform for sharing knowledge from various perspectives—both external and internal. The podcast is primarily aimed at employees…

Workshop on “Neurodiversity and University” at TU Dresden

7. January 2025

On October 8, 2024, a workshop on “Neurodiversity and University” took place at TU Dresden, providing important insights into the study situation of neurodivergent students. The event, organized by the research project AutARK, the project Neuroqueer@TUD, and conducted by Lars Bönsch, attracted about 20 interested participants and was held parallel to the first-year introductory week in the computer science building. The workshop comprehensively highlighted the challenges and potentials of neurodivergent…

Call for Paper: Special Issue relating to Assistive Technologies for Neurodivergent People

12. November 2024

Invitation for submissions to the special issue of Interacting with Computers with the title “Designing Technology for Neurodivergent Self-Determination: Challenges and Opportunities”! The topic area covers the use and development as well as the design of assistive technologies for neurodivergent people. Personal experience reports are also welcome!
Submission Deadline for Extended Abstracts:
08.12.2024 (extended)

2nd meeting of the project advisory board successfully held

8. November 2024

On November 8, 2024, the AutARK research project held its second advisory board meeting at the Faculty of Computer Science. The all-day event was attended by participants from the advisory board as well as Dr. Prof. Weber and the AutARK team. The invited persons represent various areas of interest and institutions throughout Germany, such as autistic self-representations, representatives of the vocational training center, science and the employment agency. The advisory board meeting was held in hybrid mode with a total of 6 people invited on site and 2 people in online mode. The results and solutions presented were discussed with interest by all participants and activities for future work were derived.

Poster Presentation at the 9th Saxon Data Salon under the motto “We are becoming fewer and fewer! What next?”

1. October 2024

The Center for Demography and Diversity at TU Dresden (CDD) and the State Statistical Office of Saxony organized the Saxon Data Salon for the 9th time this year on October 1, 2024, at which current key topics and challenges in Saxony are highlighted and possible solutions are discussed with an audience of experts. Around 90 participants from politics, business and science discussed issues of increasing importance for the Free State of Saxony in particular. “Demography: Ideas. Perspectives. Potentials” – the title already reveals the focus of the event.

Network meeting: Project exchange of the BMAS in Berlin

24. September 2024

On 24.09.2024, the network meeting of funded projects for professional participation with a focus on digitalization initiated by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs took place in Berlin. The meeting provided insights into the diverse approaches to support inclusion as well as related discussions, knowledge exchange, and networking.

Scientific Talk at the ICCHP Conference

22. July 2024

The international conference ICCHP this year took place from July 8-12 in Linz (Austria) where Mr. Weber presented the successfully accepted full paper contribution of the AutARK project entitled “Open Sesame! Use of Headphones at Work Considering Social Acceptance”. The paper shows the results of the context analysis on the use of ANC headphones at the workplace to support concentration, identifies challenges and proposes an adaptive system that allows social interaction while wearing ANC headphones depending on current contextual factors.

Full Paper Contribution Relating to Assistive Technologies for Autists

1. July 2024

AutARK presents a full paper contribution at this year’s international conference “HCI International” in Washington DC. The paper entitled “Unlocking Opportunities: Empowering Autistic Adults in Vocational Training and Employment Through Assistive Technologies” presents current research results and outlines requirements for assistive technologies to support autistic people in vocational training and at the workplace.

Results of Mensch und Computer 2023

12. March 2024

The results of the practical part of the workshop “Designing Accessible Extended Reality”, organised by the AutARK team as part of the Mensch und Computer 2023 conference, include insightful ideas and suggestions developed by various participants on challenges and solutions for different target groups in different contexts. In addition, requirements as well as ethical and social aspects relating to the use of assistive technologies were discussed.

1st Advisory Board Meeting: Networking with various stakeholders

6. December 2023

The project successfully conducted its inaugural advisory board meeting on November 17, 2023. Our advisory board consists of 10 institutions and individuals engaged in the field of autism in the workplace through various professional, voluntary, or personal capacities. The meeting also included representation from two individuals on the autism spectrum, who offered valuable personal insights into the workplace challenges faced from an autistic perspective, drawing from their own experiences.

AutARK at the careers fair vocatium Dresden II

5. December 2023

AutARK was represented at this year’s vocatium trade fair for training and studies in Dresden with an information and hands-on booth as well as a presentation to inform trade fair visitors about inclusive studies, digital accessibility and the various needs of people with disabilities or disorders in the context of training and studies.

Workshop at INTERACT 2023

28. September 2023

The mutual exchange in the scientific community is always the basis as well as the guarantee for excellent research. This becomes especially exciting when new fields of research are jointly initiated and innovative projects and initiatives emerge from it. In this context, a full-day workshop took place on August 29, 2023 as part of this year’s INTERACT conference in York (United Kingdom), with the theme: Technology Design to Promote Self-Determination…

Workshop at Mensch und Computer 2023

27. September 2023

The AutARK team successfully conducted a workshop on accessibility and design of extended reality for neurodivergent people with over 20 participants at this year’s Mensch und Computer.

New project launched – “Neurodivergent @ TU Dresden”

20. September 2023

The “Neurodivergent @ TU Dresden” project, running from September to December 2023, aims to understand and support the university experience of neurodivergent students.

First regulars’ table: “Neurodivergent Round” at Traumtänzer on 20.09.2023

20. September 2023

The Traumtänzer is a refuge for TU Dresden’s diverse neurodivergent students; join us for an evening of discussion, support, and brainstorming to enhance accessibility and well-being in studies.

We need your support – your experience matters!

27. July 2023

Are you on the autistic spectrum or closely related? Then you have the opportunity to actively contribute to research by sharing your experiences with us! Help us to advance human-centred and needs-based development and support people on the autism spectrum!

Training by Autism Outpatient Clinic on June 06, 2023

10. July 2023

On July 6, 2023, the AutARK research team attended a training session at the Autism Outpatient Clinic in Dresden to gather knowledge about autism and develop assistive technologies to meet needs.