Understanding Social Interactions in Reality Versus VirtualityImmersive realities enable social interactions that are radically different from traditional communication technologies, but how we experience immersion together is not yet indistinguishable from face-to-face interactions. Some social signals are not stable across realities, may change in semantics, or are missing all together. Understanding how social signals impact behaviours and experiences of social connection in immersive environments is key to creating experiences that are meaningful, satisfying, and productive. We completed a lab study where 6 groups of 6 participants (N=36) completed co-located social tasks in an instrumented face-to-face environment and its digital twin, creating a rich open dataset of 1.8 million rows across 45 columns. Our quantitative results demonstrate the stability of position as a social signal, measure lower social synchronisation in XR compared to face-to-face, and propose a method for bench marking XR against face-to-face interactions. This enables direct quantitative comparisons between experiences of co-located physical and virtual interactions for the first time.2025ALAurélien Léchappé et al.IMT Atlantique, LS2N-CNRSSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
Understanding User Acceptance of Electrical Muscle Stimulation in Human-Computer InteractionElectrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) has unique capabilities that can manipulate users' actions or perceptions, such as actuating user movement while walking, changing the perceived texture of food, and guiding movements for a user learning an instrument. These applications highlight the potential utility of EMS, but such benefits may be lost if users reject EMS. To investigate user acceptance of EMS, we conducted an online survey (N=101). We compared eight scenarios, six from HCI research applications and two from the sports and health domain. To gain further insights, we conducted in-depth interviews with a subset of the survey respondents (N=10). The results point to the challenges and potential of EMS regarding social and technological acceptance, showing that there is greater acceptance of applications that manipulate action than those that manipulate perception. The interviews revealed safety concerns and user expectations for the design and functionality of future EMS applications.2024SFSarah Faltaous et al.University Duisburg-EssenElectrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)CHI
Surveying the Social Comfort of Body, Device, and Environment-Based Augmented Reality Interactions in Confined Passenger Spaces Using Mixed Reality Composite Videos"Augmented Reality (AR) headsets could significantly improve the passenger experience, freeing users from the restrictions of physical smartphones, tablets and seatback displays. However, the confined space of public transport and the varying proximity to other passengers may restrict what interaction techniques are deemed socially acceptable for AR users - particularly considering current reliance on mid-air interactions in consumer headsets. We contribute and utilize a novel approach to social acceptability video surveys, employing mixed reality composited videos to present a real user performing interactions across different virtual transport environments. This approach allows for controlled evaluation of perceived social acceptability whilst freeing researchers to present interactions in any simulated context. Our resulting survey (N=131) explores the social comfort of body, device, and environment-based interactions across seven transit seating arrangements. We reflect on the advantages of discreet inputs over mid-air and the unique challenges of face-to-face seating for passenger AR." https://doi.org/10.1145/36109232023DMDaniel Medeiros et al.AR Navigation & Context AwarenessMixed Reality WorkspacesImmersion & Presence ResearchUbiComp
Reality Anchors: Bringing Cues from Reality to Increase Acceptance of Immersive Technologies in TransitImmersive technologies allow us to control and customise how we experience reality, but are not widely used in transit due to safety, social acceptability, and comfort barriers. We propose that cues from reality can create reference points in virtuality, which we call Reality Anchors, will reduce these barriers. We used simulated public transportation journeys in a lab setting to explore Reality Anchors using speculative methods in two studies. Our first study (N=20) explored how elements of reality like objects, furniture, and people could be used as anchors, demonstrating that visibility of other passengers and personal belongings could reduce barriers. Our second study (N=19) focused on journey types that emerged from the first study - self-managed vs. externally managed journeys - revealing that self-managed journeys increased the need for anchors. We conclude that Reality Anchors can reduce concerns associated with immersive technology use in transit, especially for self-managed journeys.2023LBLaura Bajorunaite et al.Social & Collaborative VRPublic Transit & Trip PlanningMobileHCI
Re-Evaluating VR User Awareness Needs During Bystander InteractionsVirtual reality (VR) users are often around bystanders, i.e. people in the real world the VR user may want to interact with. To facilitate bystander-VR user interactions, technology-mediated awareness systems have been introduced to increase a user’s awareness of bystanders. However, while prior works have found effective means of facilitating bystander-VR user interactions, it is unclear when and why one awareness system should be used over another. We reviewed, and selected, a breadth of bystander awareness systems from the literature and investigated their usability, and how they could be holistically used together to support varying awareness needs across 14 bystander-VR user interactions. Our results demonstrate VR users do not manage bystander awareness based solely on the usability of awareness systems but rather on the demands of social context weighted against desired immersion in VR (something existing evaluations fail to capture) and show the need for socially intelligent bystander awareness systems.2023JOJoseph O'Hagan et al.University of GlasgowSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
Digital Proxemics: Designing Social and Collaborative Interaction in Virtual EnvironmentsBehaviour in virtual environments might be informed by our experiences in physical environments, but virtual environments are not constrained by the same physical, perceptual, or social cues. Instead of replicating the properties of physical spaces, one can create virtual experiences that diverge from reality by dynamically manipulating environmental, aural, and social properties. This paper explores digital proxemics, which describe how we use space in virtual environments and how the presence of others influences our behaviours, interactions, and movements. First, we frame the open challenges of digital proxemics in terms of activity, social signals, audio design, and environment. We explore a subset of these challenges through an evaluation that compares two audio designs and two displays with different social signal affordances: head-mounted display (HMD) versus desktop PC. We use quantitative methods using instrumented tracking to analyse behaviour, demonstrating how personal space, proximity, and attention compare between desktop PC and HMDs.2022JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
First Steps Towards Designing Electrotactons: Investigating Intensity and Pulse Frequency as Parameters for Electrotactile Cues.Electrotactile stimulation is a novel form of haptic feedback. There is little work investigating its basic design parameters and how they create effective tactile cues. This paper describes two experiments that extend our knowledge of two key parameters. The first investigated the combination of pulse width and amplitude Intensity on sensations of urgency, annoyance, valence and arousal. Results showed significant effects: increasing Intensity caused higher ratings of urgency, annoyance and arousal but reduced valence. We established clear levels for differentiating each sensation. A second study then investigated Intensity and Pulse Frequency to find out how many distinguishable levels could be perceived. Results showed that both Intensity and Pulse Frequency significantly affected perception, with four distinguishable levels of Intensity and two of Pulse Frequency. These results add significant new knowledge about the parameter space of electrotactile cue design and help designers select suitable properties to use when creating electrotactile cues.2022YAYosuef Alotaibi et al.University of GlasgowVibrotactile Feedback & Skin StimulationElectrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)CHI
Proxemics and Social Interactions in an Instrumented Virtual Reality WorkshopVirtual environments (VEs) can create collaborative and social spaces, which are increasingly important in the face of remote work and travel reduction. Recent advances, such as more open and widely available platforms, create new possibilities to observe and analyse interaction in VEs. Using a custom instrumented build of Mozilla Hubs to measure position and orientation, we conducted an academic workshop to facilitate a range of typical workshop activities. We analysed social interactions during a keynote, small group breakouts, and informal networking/hallway conversations. Our mixed-methods approach combined environment logging, observations, and semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate how small and large spaces influenced group formation, shared attention, and personal space, where smaller rooms facilitated more cohesive groups while larger rooms made small group formation challenging but personal space more flexible. Beyond our findings, we show how the combination of data and insights can fuel collaborative spaces' design and deliver more effective virtual workshops.2021JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowSocial & Collaborative VRMixed Reality WorkspacesCHI
PlaneVR: Social Acceptability of Virtual Reality for Aeroplane PassengersVirtual reality (VR) headsets allow wearers to escape their physical surroundings, immersing themselves in a virtual world. Although escape may not be realistic or acceptable in many everyday situations, air travel is one context where early adoption of VR could be very attractive. While travelling, passengers are seated in restricted spaces for long durations, reliant on limited seat-back displays or mobile devices. This paper explores the social acceptability and usability of VR for in-flight entertainment. In an initial survey, we captured respondents' attitudes towards the social acceptability of VR headsets during air travel. Based on the survey results, we developed a VR in-flight entertainment prototype and evaluated this in a focus group study. Our results discuss methods for improving the acceptability of VR in-flight, including using mixed reality to help users transition between virtual and physical environments and supporting interruption from other co-located people.2019JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowMotion Sickness & Passenger ExperienceImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
Object Manipulation in Virtual Reality Under Increasing Levels of Translational GainRoom-scale Virtual Reality (VR) has become an affordable consumer reality, with applications ranging from entertainment to productivity. However, the limited physical space available for room-scale VR in the typical home or office environment poses a significant problem. To solve this, physical spaces can be extended by amplifying the mapping of physical to virtual movement (translational gain). Although amplified movement has been used since the earliest days of VR, little is known about how it influences reach-based interactions with virtual objects, now a standard feature of consumer VR. Consequently, this paper explores the picking and placing of virtual objects in VR for the first time, with translational gains of between 1x (a one-to-one mapping of a 3.5m*3.5m virtual space to the same sized physical space) and 3x (10.5m*10.5m virtual mapped to 3.5m*3.5m physical). Results show that reaching accuracy is maintained for up to 2x gain, however going beyond this diminishes accuracy and increases simulator sickness and perceived workload. We suggest gain levels of 1.5x to 1.75x can be utilized without compromising the usability of a VR task, significantly expanding the bounds of interactive room-scale VR.2018GWGraham Wilson et al.University of GlasgowFull-Body Interaction & Embodied InputImmersion & Presence ResearchCHI
Point-and-Shake: Selecting from Levitating Object DisplaysAcoustic levitation enables a radical new type of human-computer interface composed of small levitating objects. For the first time, we investigate the selection of such objects, an important part of interaction with a levitating object display. We present Point-and-Shake, a mid-air pointing interaction for selecting levitating objects, with feedback given through object movement. We describe the implementation of this technique and present two user studies that evaluate it. The first study found that users could accurately (96%) and quickly (4.1s) select objects by pointing at them. The second study found that users were able to accurately (95%) and quickly (3s) select occluded objects. These results show that Point-and-Shake is an effective way of initiating interaction with levitating object displays.2018EFEuan Freeman et al.University of GlasgowMid-Air Haptics (Ultrasonic)CHI
Computational Interaction: Theory and PracticeThis course introduces computational methods in human--computer interaction. Computational interaction methods use computational thinking -- abstraction, automation, and analysis -- to explain and enhance interaction. This course introduces optimization and probabilistic inference as principled methods. Lectures center on hands-on Python programming, interleaving theory and practical examples.2018JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowComputational Methods in HCICHI
Computational Interaction: Theory and PracticeThis course introduces computational methods in human--computer interaction. Computational interaction methods use computational thinking -- abstraction, automation, and analysis -- to explain and enhance interaction. This course introduces optimization and probabilistic inference as principled methods. Lectures center on hands-on Python programming, interleaving theory and practical examples.2018JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowComputational Methods in HCICHI
Computational Interaction: Theory and PracticeThis course introduces computational methods in human--computer interaction. Computational interaction methods use computational thinking -- abstraction, automation, and analysis -- to explain and enhance interaction. This course introduces optimization and probabilistic inference as principled methods. Lectures center on hands-on Python programming, interleaving theory and practical examples.2018JWJulie R. Williamson et al.University of GlasgowProgramming Education & Computational ThinkingComputational Methods in HCICHI
(Un)Acceptable!?! -- Re-thinking the Social Acceptability of Emerging TechnologiesA central viewpoint to understanding the human aspects of interactive systems is the concept of technology acceptance. Actual, or imagined disapproval from other people can have a major impact on how information technological innovations are received, but HCI lacks comprehensive, up-to date, and actionable, articulations of ``social acceptability''. The spread of information and communication technologies (ICT) into all aspects of our lives appears to have dramatically increased the range and scale of potential issues with social acceptance. This workshop brings together academics and practitioners to discuss what social acceptance and acceptability mean in the context of various emerging technologies and modern human-computer interaction. We aim to bring the concept of social acceptability in line with the current technology landscape, as well as to identify relevant research steps for making it more useful, actionable and researchable with well-operationalized metrics.2018MKMarion Koelle et al.University of OldenburgAI Ethics, Fairness & AccountabilityPrivacy by Design & User ControlTechnology Ethics & Critical HCICHI