Software Developer
CurrentApplication development and digitalization, building on multiple co-op rotations with Schaeffler’s Digital team.
Nicholas Berns.
Software developer. Human-centered researcher.
Always a little curious.
Software developmentHuman–AI interactionDigital twinsExtended reality
FEATURED RESEARCH · ACM CHI 2026What makes a digital human feel human?
A bit about me
01 / ABOUTI’m interested in the space where technology meets the people who use it.
I work in software development at Schaeffler and study computer science at Clemson. My research with the Human-AI Empowerment Lab explores digital twins and extended reality. Outside of technology, I make room for photography and music.
Thoughtful softwareHuman-centered researchA creative perspective
Experience
Schaeffler
Undergraduate Researcher
Human-AI Empowerment Lab · ClemsonExplored AI and VR interfaces, followed by research on digital twin instructors in remote learning. Co-author of a CHI 2026 extended abstract.
Explore the researchMore professional history on LinkedIn
Research, with people at the center
FEATURED
A research concept, illustratedCHI 2026BARCELONA, SPAINHUMAN–COMPUTER INTERACTIONACM · Extended abstract
Digital twin instructors.
Real human connections.
How do students respond when an instructor is represented by a live animated avatar? Our formative study examined perceptions of digital twin instructors during remote lectures.
24student survey responses
Warmth & enjoyment
associated with receptivity
associated with receptivity
Natural movement
and perceived humanity
and perceived humanity
These exploratory associations point to future research; they do not establish causation or improved learning outcomes.
Publication details & collaborators
A Formative Investigation of Student Perceptions of Digital Twin Instructors in Remote Lecture Environments
Matias Volonte · Nicholas Joseph Berns · Carlos Toxtli-Hernández
Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems · pp. 1–4
Things I’ve been building
GitHubCOMPUTER SCIENCE · CPSC 8740
Movie recommender
A movie recommendation project. Explore the source and project notes on GitHub.
Explore the repositoryJAVA · GAME DEVELOPMENT
Connect Four
A Java recreation of the classic strategy game. A familiar game, built from code.
Explore the repositoryAlways learning
Clemson University
Master’s studies · Computer Science
Bachelor’s degree · Computer Science
A little beyond the screen
STAY CURIOUSA different lens
Photography, perspective, and noticing the details.
Explore photographyOff the keyboard
A different kind of practice. Listen to my tuba recordings.
Listen to recordingsEagle Scout
October 2019 · Led an outdoor classroom service project.
GOOD THINGS START WITH A CONVERSATION
Connect on LinkedIn Let’s compare notes.
Software, research, or a shared curiosity.