Gerhard Weber Receives the Roland Wagner Award for His Lifetime Achievement

On August 5, Prof. Gerhard Weber was honored with the 2026 Roland Wagner Award for his lifetime achievements. His many years of research in the field of accessibility and human-computer interaction for blind and visually impaired people have set new standards.

Weber’s work includes innovative developments such as tactile pin-matrix displays, Braille graphics, collaborative sign systems, adaptive user interfaces, and audio-haptic map exploration systems. His contributions have been recognized internationally, including with “Honorable Mention” awards at the CHI and MobileHCI conferences.

Since 2007, Prof. Weber—who entered well-deserved retirement on April 1 of this year—has led the “Services for Students with Disabilities” (AG SBS) working group with great dedication and has played a decisive role in expanding it. As the Commissioner for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses, he has advocated for accessible education and equal participation since 2019. In addition, as a member of the Inclusion Advisory Board, he played a key role in shaping TU Dresden’s strategic development toward greater inclusion.

The Roland Wagner Award is sponsored by the Austrian Computer Society (OCG) and presented every two years at the ICCHP (International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs).