Design meets technology: Hannah Friederike Fischer from DFKI Berlin in interview

What happens when a designer starts thinking about artificial intelligence? In the case of Hannah Friederike Fischer, the answer is a smart pair of trousers that helps children with gait disorders experience their physiotherapy as a video game. Fischer is a product designer and research associate at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) in Brain City Berlin, in the Design Research Explorations department led by Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost.

From fashion design to wearable computing

Her path into research was anything but straightforward, and that is precisely what shapes her work. Fischer first studied art and media studies, then fashion design at the Berlin University of the Arts, before completing a Master's in product design at FH Potsdam. Today her research sits at the intersection of design research, human-computer interaction and material design.

"I have always enjoyed connecting different disciplines," she says. "I understand design not just as the creation of products, but as a research process." In her work, she combines participatory methods, co-design processes and prototyping to develop solutions together with users that are both functional and compelling in their design.

The smart trousers: a practical example

A concrete example of this approach is the Space Explorer project (TexaS). Fischer and her team worked together with children with gait disorders, their parents, physiotherapists and other experts to develop a smart pair of trousers for children and young people. Sensors in the trousers detect movements such as steps, squats and kicks and translate them into a playful space world controlled by an avatar. "This means physiotherapy exercises are experienced not just as a therapeutic task, but as an interactive experience that can foster motivation and independence," explains Fischer.

A key question throughout was accessibility: how does a wearable need to be designed so that people with limited mobility can use it independently? The project is a good illustration of how design, technology and medicine can come together to enable new forms of participation in everyday life.

Human-centred technology at DFKI

What Fischer values most about DFKI is its interdisciplinarity. The institute works in research consortia with universities, clinics, companies and other research institutions, bringing very different perspectives into contact. In her Design Research Explorations department, the central question is not: what is technically possible? But rather: what do people actually need? "It is not the technology that is at the centre, but the people who use it," says Fischer. "For me, that is exactly what human-centred technology means."

Project-based research also means regularly immersing herself in entirely new subject areas, sometimes within a matter of weeks. "That makes the work incredibly varied," she says. "And in the end it is very meaningful work. When we develop technologies that support people in their everyday lives, design becomes a tool for me to translate research into real social impact."

Fischer sees an important connection here to the deep tech focus that is central to Brain City Berlin. Her work is concerned with the interface between complex technologies and their usability in everyday life. Her question is: "How can technological possibilities give rise to applications that are comprehensible, accessible and genuinely useful for people?"

Why Berlin?

The fact that Fischer conducts her research in Brain City Berlin is no coincidence. "Berlin brings together people from the most diverse disciplines and countries. In research especially, this gives rise to incredibly exciting collaborations, because different perspectives meet as a matter of course." She also values the city's cultural life, its openness and the ability to cycle to work. "Despite all the hustle, the city has a certain ease," says Fischer, which creates a unique blend of dynamism and calm.

For researchers considering a move to Berlin, she has clear advice: "Network early. Berlin offers an incredible range of opportunities, but you have to actively use them. And explore the city with curiosity: if you move through the city with open eyes, you often find exactly the people, projects or places that give your own work new impetus."

Disclaimer: Hannah Fischer has not been working at DFKI since spring 2026. This interview was conducted while she was still employed there.