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
Cracking Aegis: An Adversarial LLM-based Game for Raising Awareness of Vulnerabilities in Privacy ProtectionTraditional methods for raising awareness of privacy protection often fail to engage users or provide hands-on insights into how privacy vulnerabilities are exploited. To address this, we incorporate an adversarial mechanic in the design of the dialogue-based serious game Cracking Aegis. Leveraging LLMs to simulate natural interactions, the game challenges players to impersonate characters and extract sensitive information from an AI agent, Aegis. A user study (n=22) revealed that players employed diverse deceptive linguistic strategies, including storytelling and emotional rapport, to manipulate Aegis. After playing, players reported connecting in-game scenarios with real-world privacy vulnerabilities, such as phishing and impersonation, and expressed intentions to strengthen privacy control, such as avoiding oversharing personal information with AI systems. This work highlights the potential of LLMs to simulate complex relational interactions in serious games, while demonstrating how an adversarial strategy provides a unique perspective in designing for social good, particularly in privacy protection.2025JFJiaying Fu et al.Serious & Functional GamesPrivacy Perception & Decision-MakingDark Patterns RecognitionDIS
Beyond Omakase: Designing Shared Control for Navigation Robots with Blind PeopleAutonomous navigation robots can increase the independence of blind people but often limit user control—following what is called in Japanese an "omakase" approach where decisions are left to the robot. This research investigates ways to enhance user control in social robot navigation, based on two studies conducted with blind participants. The first study, involving structured interviews (N=14), identified crowded spaces as key areas with significant social challenges. The second study (N=13) explored navigation tasks with an autonomous robot in these environments and identified design strategies across different modes of autonomy. Participants preferred an active role, termed the "boss" mode, where they managed crowd interactions, while the "monitor" mode helped them assess the environment, negotiate movements, and interact with the robot. These findings highlight the importance of shared control and user involvement for blind users, offering valuable insights for designing future social navigation robots.2025RKRie Kamikubo et al.University of Maryland, College of InformationReproductive & Women's HealthSocial Robot InteractionCHI
Understanding and Supporting Formal Email Exchange by Answering AI-Generated QuestionsReplying to formal emails is time-consuming and cognitively demanding, as it requires crafting polite phrasing and providing an adequate response to the sender's demands. Although systems with Large Language Models (LLMs) were designed to simplify the email replying process, users still need to provide detailed prompts to obtain the expected output. Therefore, we propose and evaluate an LLM-powered question-and-answer (QA)-based approach for users to reply to emails by answering a set of simple and short questions generated from the incoming email. We developed a prototype system, ResQ, and conducted controlled and field experiments with 12 and 8 participants. Our results demonstrated that the QA-based approach improves the efficiency of replying to emails and reduces workload while maintaining email quality, compared to a conventional prompt-based approach that requires users to craft appropriate prompts to obtain email drafts. We discuss how the QA-based approach influences the email reply process and interpersonal relationship dynamics, as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with using a QA-based approach in AI-mediated communication.2025YMYusuke Miura et al.Waseda UniversityHuman-LLM CollaborationCHI
Initiating the Global AI Dialogues: Laypeople Perspectives on the Future Role of genAI in Society from Nigeria, Germany and JapanWith the rapid development and release of generative AI (genAI) applications, policy discourses primarily take place on an expert level. Little space is given to laypeople - who have to adapt to and adopt the genAI innovations - to share their opinions and experiences. Addressing this gap, we organized 6h/3.5h laypeople dialogues in Nigeria, Japan, and Germany in July and August 2024. During the dialogues, participants discussed what a desirable future in light of genAI development could look like in one of three contexts: education, public service, and arts & culture. Participants explored the consequences of technology deployment, assessed the risks, mapped stakeholders, and derived measures to achieve a desirable goal. This study contributes to policy debates on genAI by providing recommendations derived from participants' identified requirements and suggested measures for genAI to create value and to foster a socially desirable future. We reflect on the results through a cross-national lens.2025MHMichel Hohendanner et al.Technical University of Munich, Department of Computer Science; Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences, Munich Center for Digital Sciences and AIGenerative AI (Text, Image, Music, Video)Activism & Political ParticipationTechnology Ethics & Critical HCICHI
WanderGuide: Indoor Map-less Robotic Guide for Exploration by Blind PeopleBlind people have limited opportunities to explore an environment based on their interests. While existing navigation systems could provide them with surrounding information while navigating, they have limited scalability as they require preparing prebuilt maps. Thus, to develop a map-less robot that assists blind people in exploring, we first conducted a study with ten blind participants at a shopping mall and science museum to investigate the requirements of the system, which revealed the need for three levels of detail to describe the surroundings based on users' preferences. Then, we developed WanderGuide, with functionalities that allow users to adjust the level of detail in descriptions and verbally interact with the system to ask questions about the environment or to go to points of interest. The study with five blind participants revealed that WanderGuide could provide blind people with the enjoyable experience of wandering around without a specific destination in their minds.2025MKMasaki Kuribayashi et al.Waseda UniversityConversational ChatbotsVoice AccessibilityVisual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)CHI
Snap&Nav: Smartphone-based Indoor Navigation System For Blind People via Floor Map Analysis and Intersection DetectionWe present Snap&Nav, a navigation system for blind people in unfamiliar buildings, without prebuilt digital maps. Instead, the system utilizes the floor map as its primary information source for route guidance. The system requires a sighted assistant to capture an image of the floor map, which is analyzed to create a node map containing intersections, destinations, and current positions on the floor. The system provides turn-by-turn navigation instructions while tracking users' positions on the node map by detecting intersections. Additionally, the system estimates the scale difference of the node map to provide distance information. Our system was validated through two user studies with 20 sighted and 12 blind participants. Results showed that sighted participants processed floor map images without being accustomed to the system, while blind participants navigated with increased confidence and lower cognitive load compared to the condition using only cane, appreciating the system's potential for use in various buildings.2024MKMasaya Kubota et al.Visual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)Context-Aware ComputingMobileHCI
ChitChatGuide: Conversational Interaction Using Large Language Models for Assisting People with Visual Impairments to Explore a Shopping MallTo enable people with visual impairments (PVI) to explore shopping malls, it is important to provide information for selecting destinations and obtaining information based on the individual's interests. We achieved this through conversational interaction by integrating a large language model (LLM) with a navigation system. ChitChatGuide allows users to plan a tour through contextual conversations, receive personalized descriptions of surroundings based on transit time, and make inquiries during navigation. We conducted a study in a shopping mall with 11 PVI, and the results reveal that the system allowed them to explore the facility with increased enjoyment. The LLM-based conversational interaction, by understanding vague and context-based questions, enabled the participants to explore unfamiliar environments effectively. The personalized and in-situ information generated by the LLM was both useful and enjoyable. Considering the limitations we identified, we discuss the criteria for integrating LLMs into navigation systems to enhance the exploration experiences of PVI.2024YKYuka Kaniwa et al.Human-LLM CollaborationVisual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)MobileHCI
Synlogue with Aizuchi-bot: Investigating the Co-Adaptive and Open-Ended Interaction ParadigmIn contrast to dialogue, wherein the exchange of completed messages occurs through turn-taking, synlogue is a mode of conversation characterized by co-creative processes, such as mutually complementing incomplete utterances and cooperative overlaps of backchannelings. Such co-creative conversations have the potential to alleviate social divisions in contemporary information environments. This study proposed the design concept of a synlogue based on literature in linguistics and anthropology and explored features that facilitate synlogic interactions in computer-mediated interfaces. Through an experiment, we focused on aizuchi, an important backchanneling element that drives synlogic conversation, and compared the speech and perceptual changes of participants when a bot dynamically uttered aizuchi or otherwise silent in a situation simulating an online video call. Consequently, we discussed the implications for interaction design based on our qualitative and quantitative analysis of the experiment. The synlogic perspective presented in this study is expected to facilitate HCI researchers to achieve more convivial forms of communication.2024KYKazumi Yoshimura et al.Waseda UniversityConversational ChatbotsAgent Personality & AnthropomorphismCHI
PathFinder: Designing a Map-less Navigation System for Blind People in Unfamiliar BuildingsIndoor navigation systems with prebuilt maps have shown great potential in navigating blind people even in unfamiliar buildings. However, blind people cannot always benefit from them in every building, as prebuilt maps are expensive to build. This paper explores a map-less navigation system for blind people to reach destinations in unfamiliar buildings, which is implemented on a robot. We first conducted a participatory design with five blind people, which revealed that intersections and signs are the most relevant information in unfamiliar buildings. Then, we prototyped PathFinder, a navigation system that allows blind people to determine their way by detecting and conveying information about intersections and signs. Through a participatory study, we improved the interface of PathFinder, such as the feedback for conveying the detection results. Finally, a study with seven blind participants validated that PathFinder could assist users in navigating unfamiliar buildings with increased confidence compared to their regular aid.2023MKMasaki Kuribayashi et al.Waseda UniversityVisual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)Universal & Inclusive DesignCHI
LineChaser: A Smartphone-Based Navigation System for Blind People to Stand in LineStanding in line is one of the most common social behaviors in public spaces but can be challenging for blind people. We propose an assistive system named LineChaser, which navigates a blind user to the end of a line and continuously reports the distance and direction to the last person in the line so that they can be followed. LineChaser uses the RGB camera in a smartphone to detect nearby pedestrians, and the built-in infrared depth sensor to estimate their position. Via pedestrian position estimations, LineChaser determines whether nearby pedestrians are standing in line, and uses audio and vibration signals to notify the user when they should start/stop moving forward. In this way, users can stay correctly positioned while maintaining social distance. We have conducted a usability study with 12 blind participants. LineChaser allowed blind participants to successfully navigate lines, significantly increasing their confidence in standing in lines.2021MKMasaki Kuribayashi et al.Waseda UniversityVisual Impairment Technologies (Screen Readers, Tactile Graphics, Braille)Universal & Inclusive DesignContext-Aware ComputingCHI