Introspectus AI: Long-term AI-Driven Dialogue Training To Promote Self-ReflectionIntrospectusAI is a generative AI-based system designed to enhance self-reflection and support positive behavior change. By leveraging multimodal information from users' daily life recordings, it provides personalized and detailed feedback, aiming to deepen self-awareness and facilitate positive behavioral adjustments. This study explores the short-term and long-term impacts of interacting with IntrospectusAI, focusing on its potential to enhance reflective practices and improve the acceptance of generative AI tools. Following the user experience was defined through an initial round of workshops with four experts. The resulting system was evaluated through a long-term study involving 64 participants. The results demonstrate that AI-supported interventions significantly improved engagement in self-reflection, the need for reflection, and insight, while also increasing user acceptance of generative AI over time. These findings underscore the potential of generative AI as a practical tool for self-improvement, offering insights into its broader applicability in promoting well-being and personal growth.2025SLShengyin Li et al.Communicating With/Through AICSCW
SoilSense: Appropriating Soil-based Microbial Fuel Cells to Create Tangible InterfacesSoil-based Microbial Fuel Cells (SMFCs) offer a sustainable method for powering low-energy computing devices by harnessing electricity from microbial activity in soil. In this paper, we introduce SoilSense, a novel approach that repurposes SMFCs as tangible interfaces, transforming soil into an interactive, computationally responsive medium, instead of energy sources. We explore the voltage variations that occur when pressure is applied to the cathode and systematically characterize this mechanism across different electrode configurations and soil moisture levels. To demonstrate the feasibility of SMFC-based interfaces, we present a series of modular and proof-of-concept prototypes that support diverse interaction modalities. We further illustrate how SoilSense enables interactions through example applications and provide implications and envision for future studies to employ soil as an ecologically compatible material in interactive system design.2025TMShuto Takashita et al.Shape-Changing Materials & 4D PrintingEcological Design & Green ComputingEnergy Conservation Behavior & InterfacesUIST
ScanRing: Hybrid Authentication System in a Ring Device Using a Distance Sensor and an IMU SensorSmart rings are used for contactless payment, smart lock operation, and health monitoring. For applications such as electronic payment and unlocking smart locks, the implementation of a user authentication system in smart rings is essential; however, some challenges remain. Fingerprint authentication is sensitive to fingertip conditions, while face authentication faces difficulties with miniaturization, power efficiency, and privacy. This study proposes ScanRing, a hybrid authentication system using a distance sensor and an IMU sensor in a smart ring. By moving the ring device laterally in front of the face, the distance sensor captures facial structure data, while the IMU sensor records the user’s motion characteristics. These combined datasets enable robust user authentication without relying on cameras, which enhances privacy while supporting a compact and power-efficient design. A user study (N = 30) demonstrated that ScanRing achieved an average authentication accuracy of 98.41 % under stable conditions.2025KMKai Miyashita et al.Passwords & AuthenticationMobileHCI
The Grounded Experience: The Effect of Floor Design Typologies on Human Behavioral and Cognitive ExperienceDesign reflects the human tendency to adapt to and inhabit surroundings, with architectural decisions significantly shaping behavioral and cognitive experiences. This pictorial focuses on the floor as a primary, embodied interface in space. To explore its influence, five floor design typologies (completing, switching, zoning, stimulating, and bending) were identified through twenty hours of expert discussions involving architects, designers, an artist, an engineer, and researchers. A collaborative workshop further defined sub-categories via participatory observations. Fieldwork then informed site selection for an observational study, which confirmed the behavioral and cognitive impacts of the identified typologies. Based on these findings, floor codes were developed by shifting the design focus from visual cues to somatic sensations and applied in design scenarios. This research contributes to understanding human experience in architectural environments. It offers insights for virtual architecture, proposing evidence-based strategies for designing personalized and interactive spaces in virtual and mixed-reality contexts.2025BDBurcu Nimet Dumlu et al.Mixed Reality WorkspacesDigital Art Installations & Interactive PerformanceInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingDIS
Crafting the Unspoken: Engaging Japanese Older Adults with Data Physicalization WorkshopsEngaging individuals in creating physical representations of personal data facilitates storytelling and collaborative reflection. However, its potential to encourage older adults to share their personal stories remains underexplored. This study introduces a craft-centered data physicalization approach where participants create tangible representations of their emotions and experiences related to community events, involving both event attendees and event organizers, through a series of workshops. This collaborative crafting process encourage group discussions and collective reflections on past experiences, enabling participants to express thoughts and feelings that would otherwise remain unspoken. Our work contributes a practical workshop approach that merges craft practice with data physicalization to support deep social expressions and connections among older adults.2025CLChengtian Li et al.Data PhysicalizationMakerspace CultureEmpowerment of Marginalized GroupsDIS
"If I were in Space": Understanding and Adapting to Social Isolation through Designing Collaborative StorytellingSocial isolation can lead to pervasive health issues like anxiety and loneliness. Previous work focused on physical interventions like exercise and teleconferencing, but overlooked the narrative potential of adaptive strategies. To address this, we designed a collaborative online storytelling experience in social VR, enabling participants in isolation to design an imaginary space journey as a metaphor for quarantine, in order to learn about their isolation adaptation strategies in the process. Eighteen individuals participated during real quarantine undertaken a virtual role-play experience, designing their own spaceship rooms and engaging in collaborative activities that revealed creative adaptative strategies. Qualitative analyses of participant designs, transcripts, and interactions revealed how they coped with isolation, and how the engagement unexpectedly influenced their adaptation process. This study shows how designing playful narrative experiences, rather than solution-driven approaches, can serve as probes to surface how people navigate social isolation.2025QGQi Gong et al.Social & Collaborative VRIdentity & Avatars in XRSTEM Education & Science CommunicationDIS
MaGEL: A Soft, Transparent Input Device Enabling Deformation Gesture RecognitionWe propose MaGEL, a soft-input device that utilizes light intensity to detect and interpret user deformation interactions. Unlike traditional rigid input devices, MaGEL enables three-dimensional interactions such as twisting, bending, and pulling. Additionally, MaGEL incorporates elastic haptic feedback, providing users with tactile sensations that reflect the tension or resistance of their interactions. These factors realize intuitive and natural user interaction experiences, and users can employ familiar physical gestures as input. For example, bending the device may simulate turning the page of a book, or stretching it may zoom in on an image. The device consists of a transparent urethane resin gel with LED lights and phototransistors on both sides. When the device gel deforms, the intensity of the light passing through the gel undergoes a specific change due to the deformation. The system analyzes these changes using machine learning to identify the user gestures. We evaluated the optimal configuration and number of LEDs and phototransistors to classify the deformation accurately. We acquired data for 13 types of deformation gestures from 14 participants. The results showed that a combination of four LEDs and ten phototransistors enabled MaGEL to identify 13 types of deformation gestures with an accuracy of 94.1 %. Using MaGEL, we provide novel interactive experiences, such as game controllers that employ bending, pulling, or twisting to mimic natural gaming motions.2025FOFumika Oguri et al.Shape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsHand Gesture RecognitionIUI
A Reflective Journey for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Rediscovering Competency Through AI-Enhanced Iron Beads CraftingIn addition to trained work skills, employed individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) possess unique competencies that are often insufficiently supported or overlooked by both themselves and their work environments. This study proposes using reflective practices to help employees with IDs and employers rediscover competencies beyond job-related skills. To facilitate participation, we employed personalized crafting with iron beads, supported by a custom-developed application integrated with text-to-image generative AI. We conducted two workshops involving 5–7 employees with IDs to explore and enhance our approach to competency discovery. In the first workshop, facilitators manually created templates for participants, while in the second, we leveraged an AI-assisted application for self-creation of personalized templates. Findings from group discussions reveal (1) the development of a framework that positions AI-enhanced crafting activities as an effective way for uncovering and fostering competencies, and (2) insights into reflection on self-concept as a foundation for competency development.2025SCsifan chen et al.Keio University Graduate School of Media DesignGenerative AI (Text, Image, Music, Video)Special Education TechnologyCHI
A Placebo Concert: The Placebo Effect for Visualization of Physiological Audience Data during Experience Recreation in Virtual RealityA core use case for Virtual Reality applications is recreating real-life scenarios for training or entertainment. Promoting physiological responses for users in VR that match those of real-life spectators can maximize engagement and contribute to more co-presence. Current research focuses on visualizations and measurements of physiological data to ensure experience accuracy. However, placebo effects are known to influence performance and self-perception in HCI studies, creating a need to investigate the effect of visualizing different types of data (real, unmatched, and fake) on user perception during event recreation in VR. We investigate these conditions through a balanced between-groups study (n=44) of uninformed and informed participants. The informed group was provided with the information that the data visualizations represented previously recorded human physiological data. Our findings reveal a placebo effect, where the informed group demonstrated enhanced engagement and co-presence. Additionally, the fake data condition in the informed group evoked a positive emotional response.2025XMXiaru Meng et al.Keio University Graduate School of Media DesignSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchVisualization Perception & CognitionCHI
A Critical Review of Sexuality, Technology and DisabilityThe investigation of technologies facilitating sexual interactions and sexuality-related explorations is becoming more established in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), albeit with little systematic attention to the sexual lives of disabled people. In this space, we undertook a literature review utilising feminist content analysis to take stock and critically analyse the domains of sexuality, technology and disability when they intersect. Our approach aligns with the broader goals of promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equity in technology design and application. We present a descriptive and analytical outline of existing research on sexuality, technology and disability through which we identified unmarked norms governing research. These include a focus on individualised technologies oriented on heteronormative assumptions on sexual desires. In addition, we focus on common methods employed and describe the involvement, or lack thereof, of disabled people in research practice. This highlights gaps in our collective knowledge from which we can derive areas for future work2025DPDilisha Patel et al.UCL, Global Disability Innovation HubCognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Gender & Race Issues in HCIEmpowerment of Marginalized GroupsCHI
Sticking With Electronics for Crafting Practices: An Inclusive Approach to Promote Making Literacy Among Older AdultsMaking activities have been shown to offer potential for inclusive access to digital literacy amongst marginalized groups, but research exploring such approaches with older adults is still scarce. Our study introduces an electronic-card-making workshop, co-developed with Japanese older women to foster engagement aligning with their purpose, physical and cognitive skills. The workshop was initially delivered to 14 women. Following initial success, 4 participants decided to deliver a second workshop, with the support of our team, for 15 local children. We present findings from both these workshops unpacking how women's motivation for engaging in eMaking revolved around the idea of sharing, both through displaying created artefacts and the transmission of knowledge, how their learning consolidated around implicit actions and was supported by the creation of escalation strategies when they felt that demands exceeded their level of proficiency. Based on our results, we propose guidelines for inclusive eMaking involving novice older women.2025GBGiulia Barbareschi et al.Keio University, Keio Graduate School of Media DesignHaptic WearablesAging-Friendly Technology DesignMakerspace CultureCHI
The Role of ICT Tools through a Community Program Co-creation in a Japanese Aging CommunityAs the global aging population grows and technology advances rapidly, integrating technology into community-based initiatives for older adults has become an increasingly important topic among HCI researchers. This research explores the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools in the co-creation and maintenance of a community gardening program involving researchers, older adult residents, and supporting organizations. A follow-up study, conducted eight months after the program’s initiation assessed its sustainability, revealing how stakeholders navigated diverse ICT preferences and challenges by employing a hybrid communication system that integrated both digital and face-to-face methods to foster collaboration and sustain the initiative. This research contributes to the understanding of community preferences and needs, and the importance of contextualizing technology use within Japanese local community for collaborative community development.2025JZJianrui Zhao et al.Keio University, Graduate School of Media DesignAging-in-Place Assistance SystemsCommunity Engagement & Civic TechnologyCHI
“It’s Like Being On Stage”: Conveying Dancers’ Expressiveness Through A Haptic-Installed Contemporary Dance PerformanceIn dance performances, choreography, music and lighting are combined to convey meaning to the audience. However, this communication typically relies on visual and auditory stimuli alone. While haptic technologies have been leveraged to enhance the perception of dancers’ movements, less focus has been placed on exploring their potential in enhancing dancers’ somatic expressiveness. Through co-design activities with 5 professional contemporary dancers, we crafted an interdisciplinary combination of choreography and haptics. In total, 128 audience members watched one of three live performances while wearing custom-made haptic wristbands. From an open-ended questionnaire and interviews with audience members, we explore how the introduction of haptics deepens their embodied sensations and helps to create a sense of resonance with the dancers. Based on our findings, we discuss implications for future directions in how haptic technologies could drive innovation in dance performances from the point of view of both dancers’ creativity and audience experiences.2025XSXiming Shen et al.Keio University Graduate School of Media DesignHaptic WearablesDance & Body Movement ComputingCHI
Cyberoception: Finding A Painlessly-Measurable New Sense In The Cyberworld Towards Emotion-awareness In ComputingIn Affective computing, recognizing users' emotions accurately is the basis of affective human–computer interaction. Understanding users' interoception contributes to a better understanding of individually different emotional abilities, which is essential for achieving inter-individually accurate emotion estimation. However, existing interoception measurement methods, such as the heart rate discrimination task, have several limitations, including their dependence on a well-controlled laboratory environment and precision apparatus, making monitoring users' interoception challenging. This study aims to determine other forms of data that can explain users' interoceptive or similar states in their real-world lives and propose a novel hypothetical concept "cyberoception," a new sense (1) which has properties similar to interoception in terms of the correlation with other emotion-related abilities, and (2) which can be measured only by the sensors embedded inside commodity smartphone devices in users' daily lives. Results from a 10-day-long in-lab/in-the-wild hybrid experiment reveal a specific cyberoception type "Turn On." (users' subjective sensory perception about the frequency of turning-on behavior on their smartphones)2025TOTadashi Okoshi et al.Keio University, Faculty of Environment and Information StudiesBrain-Computer Interface (BCI) & NeurofeedbackBiosensors & Physiological MonitoringCHI
Transparent Barriers: Natural Language Access Control Policies for XR-Enhanced Everyday ObjectsExtended Reality (XR)-enabled headsets that overlay digital content onto the physical world, are gradually finding their way into our daily life. This integration raises significant concerns about privacy and access control, especially in shared spaces where XR applications interact with everyday objects. Such issues remain subtle in the absence of widespread applications of XR and studies in shared spaces are required for a smooth progress. This study evaluated a prototype system facilitating natural language policy creation for flexible, context-aware access control of personal objects. We assessed its usability, focusing on balancing precision and user effort in creating access control policies. Qualitative interviews and task-based interactions provided insights into users' preferences and behaviors, informing future design directions. Findings revealed diverse user needs for controlling access to personal items in various situations, emphasizing the need for flexible, user-friendly access control in XR-enhanced shared spaces that respects boundaries and considers social contexts.2025KTKentaro Taninaka et al.Keio University, Graduate School of Media and GovernanceAR Navigation & Context AwarenessPrivacy by Design & User ControlCHI
Haptic Empathy: Investigating Individual Differences in Affective Haptic CommunicationsNowadays, touch remains essential for emotional conveyance and interpersonal communication as more interactions are mediated remotely. While many studies have discussed the effectiveness of using haptics to communicate emotions, incorporating affect into haptic design still faces challenges due to individual user tactile acuity and preferences. We assessed the conveying of emotions using a two-channel haptic display, emphasizing individual differences. First, 24 participants generated 187 haptic messages reflecting their immediate sentiments after watching 8 emotionally charged film clips. Afterwards, 19 participants were asked to identify emotions from haptic messages designed by themselves and others, yielding 593 samples. Our findings indicate that the ability to decode haptic messages is linked to specific emotional traits, particularly Emotional Competence (EC) and Affect Intensity Measure (AIM). Additionally, qualitative analysis revealed three strategies participants used to create touch messages: perceptive, empathetic, and metaphorical expression.2025YJYulan Ju et al.Keio University Graduate School of Media DesignVibrotactile Feedback & Skin StimulationHaptic WearablesAgent Personality & AnthropomorphismCHI
Designing Virtual Funerals as a Design Fiction: A Film-Based Exploration of Near-Future Memorial RitualsThis paper explores the design and future potential of virtual funerals, enabling both in-person and remote participation, with options to digitally revisit and update the memorial site. While virtual funerals gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic and are often seen as temporary, the authors argue that they hold long-term value across different contexts. To investigate future funeral practices, we created a Design Fiction film depicting our concept of virtual funerals in Japan using Diegetic Prototypes–hypothetical technologies that envision a future in which these practices are normalized. Key themes include hybrid attendance, virtual memorial spaces, and technologies that bridge in-person, remote, and revisiting participants. The authors and a professional crew created the film collaboratively to illustrate these speculative elements. This paper details the film’s production, its design rationale, and the broader implications for how HCI design and technology could shape future mourning and memorialization practices.2025DUDaisuke Uriu et al.Shibaura Institute of Technology, College of Design EngineeringDesign FictionInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingCHI
FlexEar-Tips: Shape-Adjustable Ear Tips Using Pressure ControlWe introduce FlexEar-Tips, a dynamic ear tip system designed for the next-generation hearables. The ear tips are controlled by an air pump and solenoid valves, enabling size adjustments for comfort and functionality. FlexEar-Tips includes an air pressure sensor to monitor ear tip size, allowing it to adapt to environmental conditions and user needs. In the evaluation, we conducted a preliminary investigation of the size control accuracy and the minimum amount of variability of haptic perception in the user's ear. We then evaluated the user's ability to identify patterns in the haptic notification system, the impact on the music listening experience, the relationship between the size of the ear tips and the sound localization ability, and the impact on the reduction of humidity in the ear using a model. We proposed new interaction modalities for adaptive hearables and discussed health monitoring, immersive auditory experiences, haptics notifications, biofeedback, and sensing.2025TATakashi Amesaka et al.Keio University, Lifestyle Computing LabHaptic WearablesShape-Changing Interfaces & Soft Robotic MaterialsCHI
Exploring Positionality in HCI: Perspectives, Trends, and ChallengesPositionality acknowledges that researchers’ subjectivities, values and experiences influence approaches to and outcomes of research. It underlines and promotes self-awareness and explicit demonstration of reflexivity. To understand how positionality is conceptualised and used in HCI, we conducted two studies: (i) a scoping review of positionality and reflexivity statements in CHI papers from the last 11 years and (ii) a survey of HCI researchers (n=75). Our findings show that positionality statements are often viewed as a box-ticking exercise and their influence on the research is seldom discussed. They are also often restricted to more sensitive areas of research and may impact marginalised identities. We argue that positionality statements may be valuable but not as markers of methodological rigour; their content should be at the discretion of authors and methodologically consistent. Our contributions include a current snapshot of positionality in HCI and reflections on its current role and future directions in HCI.2025ASAneesha Singh et al.University College London, UCL Interaction CentreTechnology Ethics & Critical HCIUser Research Methods (Interviews, Surveys, Observation)CHI
Bridging Simulation and Reality: Augmented Virtuality for Mass Casualty Triage Training - From Landscape Analysis to Empirical InsightsLive drills are the gold standard for mass casualty incident (MCI) training but are often too resource-intensive for widespread implementation. Immersive technologies offer a promising alternative, but can they deliver comparable fidelity and effectiveness? Working with a local disaster response academy, this paper investigated the potential of Augmented Virtuality (AV) in MCI training through two phases. First, we conducted a landscape analysis of 126 papers across the virtuality continuum, revealing trends in population, training focus, and evaluation metrics. Second, we empirically evaluated an AV system for mass casualty triage training against traditional role-playing and Virtual Reality (VR) approaches, involving 60 trainees in an operational curriculum. Results indicated that both AV and VR surpassed traditional simulations, with AV's tactile integration significantly enhancing physical engagement, satisfaction, and triage accuracy. Through the lens of triage, we discussed the broader practical implications of integrating immersive technologies like AV into real-world MCI education.2025YCYang Chen et al.National University of Singapore, College of Design and EngineeringSocial & Collaborative VRVR Medical Training & RehabilitationCHI