Margrit Betke, professor of computer science at Boston University, passed away on August 13. She was 58 years old.
A native of Germany, Dr. Betke earned her bachelor’s degree in computer science from the RFW University of Bonn before receiving a scholarship to pursue graduate studies in the United States. She went on to earn her master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer science and electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
After completing a postdoc at the University of Maryland and teaching at Boston College, Dr. Betke joined the faculty at Boston University in 2000. In addition to her primary appointment in computer science, she was a member of the faculty of computing and data sciences, an affiliate of the department of electrical and computer engineering, a core faculty member in the Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, and co-director of the Computer Science Image and Video Computing Research Group.
Dr. Betke’s research centered on artificial intelligence, computer vision, and human-computer interaction. Her work led to innovative applications in both STEM and the arts. One of her most notable inventions was Camera Mouse, an assistive technology that enables people with severe motion impairments to communicate. The tool, which utilizes a webcam to link a person’s head movements to a cursor on a computer screen, is used by children and adults worldwide who live with conditions such as cerebral palsy, spinal muscular atrophy, ALS, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury.