``It Feels Like I am Invited to Communicate'': Mediating Ad-Hoc Bystander-VR User Interruptions Through Proactive Proxies

Paper Title

"It Feels Like I am Invited to Communicate": Mediating Ad-Hoc Bystander-VR User Interruptions Through Proactive Proxies

Publication Info

• Topic area: Interaction design for VR systems in shared spaces.
• Keywords: Virtual reality, bystander interaction, proactive proxy, interruption interfaces, public VR use, social dynamics, user experience, shared spaces, human-robot interaction, interface design.

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: Current VR systems overlook the social dynamics of bystander interactions, making it difficult for bystanders to interrupt VR users in shared spaces. Static interruption interfaces are often unnoticed, and physical interruptions can be socially uncomfortable or unsafe.
• Significance: As VR adoption in public and shared spaces grows, effective and socially appropriate interruption mechanisms are critical for enabling seamless interactions between VR users and bystanders.
• Motivation and related work: Prior research has focused on VR user awareness systems or static interruption tools, but these approaches either compromise immersion or assume bystander familiarity with the interface. Little is known about how spontaneous interruptions unfold between strangers in VR contexts, highlighting a gap in understanding and design.

Solution

• Proposed approach: A proactive proxy—a robot-based interruption interface that actively approaches bystanders when interruption intent is detected, providing an accessible and visible method for initiating contact with VR users.
• Novelty:
  1. Empirical evidence on bystander discomfort and hesitation during spontaneous interruptions of unfamiliar VR users.
  2. Identification of limitations in static interruption interfaces, including poor visibility and privacy concerns.
  3. Introduction of a proactive proxy interface that enhances bystander comfort and confidence by signaling social permission to interrupt.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • Conducted a deception-based study with 80 participants to simulate spontaneous interruptions of VR users.
  • Compared a static interface (e.g., a desk-mounted button) with a proactive proxy (a robot carrying the same interface).
  • Measured interruption outcomes, strategies, timing, and participant experiences using mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative analysis).

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • In the baseline condition, 60% of participants interrupted the VR user physically, while 40% timed out; none used the static interface.
  • In the proactive condition, 85% interrupted the VR user, with 72.5% using the proactive proxy and 12.5% resorting to physical interruption.
  • Proactive proxy users interrupted faster (Mean = 28.5s) than those using physical interruption (Mean = 35.1s).
  • Participants rated the proactive proxy as easier, more comfortable, and more confidence-boosting compared to physical interruption or timeout.
• Advantage over baselines:
  • The proactive proxy significantly increased interruption success rates (85% vs. 60% in the baseline) and reduced discomfort and hesitation.
  • Static interfaces were completely ignored, highlighting their ineffectiveness without proactive features.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Conducted in a controlled lab setting with two interface conditions (static vs. proactive) and two VR tasks (active vs. passive).
  • Used video analysis, Likert-scale surveys, and open-ended responses to evaluate interruption strategies, timing, and user experiences.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Limited to a university-aged sample, potentially underrepresenting older or less tech-savvy populations.
  • Conducted in a controlled lab environment, lacking the complexity of real-world public spaces.
  • Did not explore the influence of partial VR awareness features or varying levels of interruption urgency.
  • Future work should examine cultural differences, real-world settings, and integration with existing VR awareness systems.

Summary

This study addresses the challenge of bystander-VR user interactions in shared spaces by introducing a proactive proxy—a robot-based interface that actively engages bystanders to facilitate interruptions. The proactive proxy significantly improved interruption success rates, reduced discomfort, and increased confidence compared to static interfaces or physical interruptions. These findings highlight the importance of bystander-centric design in VR systems, emphasizing the need for interfaces that clearly signal availability and social permission. Future research should explore broader demographic and cultural contexts, real-world applications, and integration with existing VR awareness features to enhance shared VR experiences.