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home, type, featured, project, thing, note, design, interaction, experience, data, product, tech, hardware, software, sound, praqma, research, cognitive-science, cognitive science, design-research, design research, teaching, publication

Hi There! I’m Jakob.

I am a creative technologist, designer and (re-)searcher. I shape human-machine interactions through programming and physical prototyping.

The nature of this website reflects the diversity of my projects and interests. Below you’ll find a showcase of my most significant projects. Use the navigation bar or the filters at the top to customize your view and explore them all!

tech

Most of my work lies at the intersection and interconnection between design and engineering. I develop software in common programming languages, am experienced in modeling and prototyping tools, and am familiar with the design of electronic circuits and PCBs.

design

I believe in a holistic approach to design. Through my work and my studies in »Integrated Design« at KISD (Cologne, Germany), I have gained extensive experience in traditional fields such as communication, industrial, service, and interface. My core competencies, however, remain:

  • interaction: (inter-)action possibilities between humans and machines /computers.
  • experience: the aesthetic and sensory reception of audio/visual installations.
  • data: making raw data accessible and processable through multimodal and interactive (re-)presentations.
  • product: usable physical »things«, electronic hardware and the like.

research

In this section, I present my academic work undertaken during my studies, as well as findings from my work as a research assistant at KISD from 2022 to 2025.

My publications can also be found at researchgate.net:

  • Kilian, J., Neugebauer, A., Scherffig, L., & Wahl, S. (2022). The unfolding space glove: A wearable spatio-visual to haptic sensory substitution device for blind people. Sensors, 22(5), 1859. https://doi.org/10.3390/s22051859
  • Flechtner, R., & Kilian, J. (2024). Making (non-)sense—A playful and explorative approach to teaching AI intuition for the design of sensor-based interactions. In Proceedings of the 6th Annual Symposium on HCI Education (EduCHI ’24)(Article 9, pp. 1–9). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3658619.3658643
  • Kilian, J. (2025). AI literacy for the long haul: Teaching lasting competencies in an ever-changing field. In M. Grund, J. T. Wallenborn, L. Scherffig, & F. Jenett (Eds.), Un/learn AI: Integrating AI in aesthetic practices. Hochschule Mainz. https://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-13020

blog

Blogs are outdated. That’s why I started writing one.
All too often, I find myself down a rabbit hole, researching topics that haven’t received enough coverage on the internet yet, or simply stumbling upon ideas that are too valuable to keep to myself.
I’m passionate about sharing, which is why I started this blog. I hope you enjoy it!

music

Praqma is a producer and DJ of electronic music, blending diverse house and techno elements, a temporary utopia to escape the world’s imperfection.

Some of my early work is available on streaming and purchase platforms. Since 2023, I have focused solely on developing new hardware and software for techno live performances. See the »Modulator« and »Clipdeck« projects below, for example. In October 2025, I uploaded the first one-hour live set from this project.

Unfolding Space

A close-up shot of the glove in use. The electronics are visible on the outside, and a cable extends from the right side of the image.

Modulator

Making (Non-)Sense Workshop

Students working around a table with a lot of electronics and prototyping material.

Praqma Live 2025

An almost black and white architectural photo of a staircase with big windows in the back. A person performing live music in the middle.

Clipdeck

BinAIRy Talk

Two electronic devices emit visible smoke rings in a dark environment, showcasing a demonstration of vortex ring generation and airflow dynamics with technical apparatus.

Exhibition System for KISD

Brochures on a sleek, organized stand are displayed in the exhibition system. Professional spot lighting gives the scene a professional touch

Work for Allroundteam GmbH

a cluster interface in a car showing gauges and a 3d view on the surroundings of the car

Pavanc EP

Ral EP

A vinyl record in a sleeve with cover art in dark greytones

Where to Live in Cologne

A side view of the installation with the projection visible on top if the map made of foam.

Counting the Dead

Further Study Projects

a person wearing the drop-me-a-line hat. a construction made of acrylic glass, allowing to pin notes to, that the waring person can read through mirrors

Tergo EP

A vinyl record in its sleeve, featuring a geometric shape in red on a black background.