Figure 1: An overview of the HapticHearing system pipeline, from speech input processing, haptic customization, to output wearable devices with custom PCB driver and vibrotactile actuators.

Lack of interfaith communication often gives rise to prejudice and group-based conflict in multi-faith societies. Nurturing this communication via interfaith learning may reduce this conflict by fostering interfaith empathy. HCI has a dearth of knowledge on interfaith coexistence and empathy building. To address this gap, we present the design, implementation, and usability of Cohabitant: a virtual reality (VR) application that promotes interfaith learning and empathy. Cohabitant’s design is theoretically underpinned by Allport’s intergroup contact theory and informed by insights from a participatory workshop we ran with members of three religious groups: Christians, Hindus, and Muslims. Our evaluation study, combining quantitative and qualitative data from 30 participants, suggests that Cohabitant may enhance general interpersonal empathy, but falls short for ethnocultural empathy. We discuss the possible design and policy implications of using this kind of VR technology for interfaith learning and empathy building.

In-situ self-reporting on smartwatches has been widely-used to collect data about participants’ experience. Yet it places a burden on participants by requiring immediate response in context. Such user burden can be studied through users’ performance and perceptions. This paper evaluates six interaction techniques to study user burden of in-situ self-reporting from both performance and perception aspects under three simulated scenarios (i.e., gaming, social chatting, and walking) through an in-lab experiment with twenty-four participants. Findings show that user performance was not always aligned with their perceived burden owing to factors such as users’ acceptable interaction technique features for self-reporting, the context of use, and users’ acquired skills over time. This study also sheds lights onto how user burden is experienced across different stages of a self-reporting microinteraction. Reflecting on findings, we discuss the implications for understanding and minimizing user burden related to in-situ self-reporting and as well as other types of microinteractions.