PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Kasper Hornbæk

Kasper Hornbæk is a computer scientist whose research on usability and human-computer interaction now links extended reality with AI. He earned computer science degrees at the University of Copenhagen in 1998 and 2002, and published his first CHI paper in 2000. His research examined usability measurement, and he published “Current Practice in Measuring Usability” in 2006; his work received the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies’ most-cited paper award for 2006–2008. He became a professor in 2014, received an ERC Consolidator Grant for body-based user interfaces in 2015, headed DIKU’s Human-Centred Computing section by 2020, and received the SIGCHI Academy Award in 2020. In 2025, he received a VILLUM Investigator grant to establish a centre for HCI theory; as of October 2026, he is a professor in Human-Centred Computing at Copenhagen and co-leads the Pioneer Centre for AI’s Extended Reality collaboratory, where the team develops XR systems that connect people with AI and augment perception and cognition.

Born
1972
Works
348
Citations
13,263
h-index
56
Badges

Years link to their sources. Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1998–2002

    Degrees and first CHI paper

    He earns an M.Sc. in computer science at the University of Copenhagen in 1998 and a Ph.D. there in 2002. His first CHI paper appears in 2000.

  2. 2006

    Current Practice in Measuring Usability

    In 2006, he publishes “Current Practice in Measuring Usability: Challenges to Usability Studies and Research” in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. His research examines how HCI measures usability.

  3. 2006–2008

    An IJHCS most-cited paper award

    He receives the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies’ most-cited paper award for 2006–2008.

  4. 2014–2015

    Professor and ERC Consolidator Grant

    He becomes a professor at the University of Copenhagen in 2014. In 2015, he receives an ERC Consolidator Grant to work on body-based user interfaces.

  5. By 2020

    Head of Human-Centred Computing

    He heads DIKU’s Human-Centred Computing research section, which aims to understand and improve the interaction between people and technology.

  6. 2020

    A SIGCHI Academy Award

    He receives the SIGCHI Academy Award in 2020 for research on usability and user experience and for his contribution to defining HCI as a science.

  7. 2025

    A VILLUM Investigator grant

    In 2025, the VILLUM Foundation awards him an Investigator grant to establish a centre dedicated to the development and application of HCI theory.

  8. As of October 2026

    Professor and XR collaboratory co-lead

    He is a professor in Human-Centred Computing at the University of Copenhagen and co-leads the Pioneer Centre for AI’s Extended Reality collaboratory. The collaboratory develops XR systems that connect humans with AI and augment human perception and cognition.

Career

  1. Since 2014University of CopenhagenProfessor
  2. NowPioneer Centre for AILead
  3. Department of Computer Science, University of CopenhagenHead of Human-Centred Computing

Education

  1. 2002University of CopenhagenPh.D.
  2. 1998University of CopenhagenM.Sc.

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Most-cited works

  1. Current practice in measuring usability: Challenges to usability studies and research2005 · International Journal of Human-Computer Studies · 1,123 citations
  2. Old wine in new bottles or novel challenges2011 · ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) · 653 citations
  3. Measuring usability2000 · ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) · 650 citations
  4. Opportunities and Challenges for Data Physicalization2015 · 575 citations
  5. Shape-changing interfaces2012 · ACM SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) · 445 citations

From OpenAlex, as of 21 October 2026.

  1. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  2. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  3. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes University of Copenhagen. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Copenhagen. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Kasper Hornbæk yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Kasper Hornbæk – Human-computer interaction researcher @ Uni. Copenhagen kasperhornbaek.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Professor Kasper Hornbæk receives international award and membership of prestigious academy – University of Copenhagen di.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Current Practice in Measuring Usability: Challenges to Usability Studies and Research – University of Copenhagen Research Portal researchprofiles.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Key building block missing to develop successful computer systems: Professor receives major grant to create it – University of Copenhagen di.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Employees in the Human-Centred Computing Section – University of Copenhagen di.ku.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. eXtended Reality | Collaboratories | Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence aicentre.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Kasper Hornbæk | Pioneer Centre for Artificial Intelligence aicentre.dk. Checked 21 October 2026.