Martin Tall
 
 
MSc. Cognitive Science (HCI), Lund University 2007-2008

The dream of touch free computer interaction was realized within the one year masters program at Lund University. After initial courses in Cognitive Science, Neuroscience and Eye Tracking Methodology I constructed the NeoVisus Gaze Interaction interface (demonstration video) that enables one to control a computer simply by looking at the screen. In addition to the research and development I published a wide range of relevant information on the Gaze Interaction Blog

  • MSc. Thesis : NeoVisus Gaze Interaction
    • Masters Thesis on Gaze Interaction

    This thesis investigates suitable interaction methods for gaze driven computer interfaces. The lack of input devices requires interface components that are especially designed to be driven by gaze input. A set of reusable and configurable interface components were developed to support various interaction styles. The components were then used to build a prototype application containing a game, a photo viewer and a music player. An evaluation of the interface components as well as the prototype application was performed. The use of dynamically appearing target areas for saccadic selection was found to be a suitable interaction method for gaze driven interfaces. The interaction methods helps to alleviate the previously found stress associated with gaze driven interfaces (the midas touch problem). Overall the prototype application received a positive response from the evaluation participants with appreciation for being intuitive to use.

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Eye Tracking Methodology



University of California, San Diego 2006-2007

Selected for a one year EAP exchange program for further specialization. Given my strong interest in user centred software development I choose to endeavor in Cognitive Science with focus on human-computer interaction, cognitive engineering / design. To further develop my technical skills I took the upper division Computer Science class "Enterprise-class web applications" where we developed the Web(e)lerts system using J2EE, Struts, AJAX and open source s/w.

  • Introduction to Cognitive Science
    • A team-taught course highlighting development of the field and the broad range of topics covered in the major. Example topics include addiction, analogy, animal cognition, artificial life, brain damage, cognitive development, distributed cognition, human-computer interaction, language, neuroimaging, neural networks, reasoning, robots, and real-world applications.
  • Minds and Brains
    • "How damaged and normal brains influence the way humans solve problems, remember or forget, pay attention to things; how they affect our emotions; and the way we use language in daily life". From the big questions to the small building blocks of our mind and consciousness.
  • T.A - Minds and Brains Instructional Apprentices (IA199)
    • Dr. Mary Boyle gave me the opportunity to become a teaching assistant for the COGS11 Minds and Brains class. This involved weekly section with 35 students. Writing quizzes and exams. Additionally, I gave a guest lecture on Brain-Computer Interfacing for ~120 undergraduate students. The associated powerpoint presentation for the lecture can be downloaded as pdf.
  • Neurobiology of Cognition
    • Introduction to the organization and functions of the nervous system. Topics include molecular, cellular, developmental, systems, and behavioral neurobiology. Specifically, structure and function of neurons, peripheral and central nervous systems, sensory, motor, and control systems, learning and memory mechanisms.
  • Cognitive Engineering
    • This is a project-based course focused on the process of cognitive design. Students work in teams to design and evaluate a prototype application or redesign an existing system. The purpose of projects is to provide exposure to all phases of cognitive design: understanding users and their tasks, exploring representational and technological opportunities, brainstorming design ideas, building scenarios of use, prototyping, and obtaining user feedback. The goal of the course is to help you develop a richer appreciation of user-centered system development by creating opportunities for you to practice the skills required for effective design.
  • Systems Neuroscience
    • This course is a rigorous introduction to the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical basis of human and animal cognition, covering cellular neurophysiology and circuit modeling, development, visual, somatosensory, auditory, motor, and limbic systems; neuroimaging and language.


  • Cognitive Neuroscience
    • This course studies brain systems implicated in attention, language, object recognition, and memory. Neurobiological evidence for functional subsystems within these processes and the way specialized systems develop are considered using findings from animal studies, human development, and behavioral and brain imaging.
  • Human Computer Interaction
    • The course provides an introduction to the field of human-computer interaction (HCI). Rather than attempt to cover the whole field, we focus (1) on specific areas that have been particularly significant in its evolution or promise to be influential in the future and (2) on the process of design. The goal is to introduce you to the challenge and joy of designing effective user-centered systems and provide you with an initial foundation for becoming creative competent designers.
  • Enterprise-Class Web Applications
    • This course is designed to familiarize you with current industry practices and professional tools used to design, develop and maintain n-Tiered, Enterprise-class, World Wide Web applications. This is a very demanding, lab-oriented, survey-course. The primary emphasis will be placed upon practical skills development, not abstract theory. You will be expected to read a significant amount of technical material and write a great deal of code and associated documentation.
    Course project "Web(e)lerts" utilizes the following:
    J2EE on Apache Geronimo, Web 2.0 AJAX interfacing, Struts, Quartz Enterprise Scheduling, Rome and Aquaduct with the Prevlayer implementation.
  • Spanish Conversation
    • Basic conversation in the Spanish language.


BSc. System Analysis and Design, Lund University 2004-2006

Strong focus on strategic management, business analysis, process analysis and design, and change management. Project management. Extensive project based courses. Techniques used include ER+UML modeling, Java programming, RDBMS (SQL) databases. Distributed systems & networking. Human Computer Interaction. J2EE. etc.

  • 610 Informatics (Software Design)
    • INF 610 is the first term in the Informatics Program as well as the first term for those studying Informatics as menu courses. In the first part, the student is introduced to IS (Information Systems) from a technical, human and societal perspective. The second and third part of the course put emphasis on systems development and programming. The first term ends with an Information Systems project, where students apply and present their acquired skills in a practical project.
    • Program construction A - Objectoriented programming
    • Program construction B - Java programming
    • System Development
    • Computers and Networks
  • 615 Informatics (Management)
    • Project Management
    • Group Dynamics (Pschycology)
    • Organization,business and IT
    • Legislation aspects on Information Technology
  • 620 Informatics (Software Development)
    • The aim of the course is to give the student a deeper knowledge of theories and methods in informatics as well as providing the necessary comprehension in order to independently and critically be able to participate in the development of information and computer systems.
    • Program construction
    • System Development
    • Human-Computer Interaction
    • SQL Databases
  • 053 Informatics (Distributed Systems)
    • Advance relational databases
    • Distributed systems
    • Software Development
      • Development of a J2EE based web application running on Tomcat and MySQL. Using Java Server Faces.
  • 630 Informatics Bachelor Thesis
    • Bachelor thesis and courses in scientific methods

    Thesis topic and abstract The purpose of this study is to explore the area surrounding computer energy consumption. After reviewing general background on related fields we measured energy consumption among different computers and monitors. Based on the results we constructed a survey aimed at Swedish schools. Using a quantitative approach we draw some conclusions, a majority of the respondents lacked someone responsible of shutting down computers after hours; even more lacked a tool to do so. With the help of our survey result we demonstrate how organization could reduce energy waste and receive financial benefits, with a minimal effort. To enhance the power management in an environment with computer networks we introduced related techniques and describe how they operate. We then suggest a centralized solution based on open source. Our intention is to provide references and discuss several of the open source implementations that freely exist.



Oracle Database Administration (1/4 DBA) 2005
  • Oracle 10g RDMS Database
  • Methods of backup
  • Various levels of restoration




Practical programming (6 months, 1999)
  • C programing
  • C++ programing
  • Java
  • Technical English
  • Project Management




IT/IS 9000 Advanced field communication system (1998)

Drafted to serve for one year as a squad leader (corporal) for a five men unit in the PB8 mechanized brigade providing field communications for command and staff. Establishing ad-hoc IT/IS9000 tele/data communication networks in the wild using fiber and radio link over vast rural areas.

Specialized training
  • Leadership / Group Psychology
  • Alcatel Fiberopics
  • Ericsson Radio Link Switches
  • SCO Unix/NT server
  • Encryption Hardware


Other, non-related education/training/certification:
  • Swedish B-Class Driving License
  • 3 Year Arts & Music Programme at Nicolaiskolan, Helsingborg (1997)
  • PADI Advanced Diving Certificate