Educational robots like Photon are increasingly used in early childhood education, yet the role of specific interaction modalities in shaping engagement remains underexplored. This work-in-progress pilot study tests both the research method and the suitability of task designs in this context. We examine how sound, visual, and touch interactions affect engagement among 5–6-year-old children during group tasks with the Photon robot. In three activities–Animal Sounds (auditory), Color Recognition (visual), and Math Operations (tactile)–we collected engagement data using the Leuven Involvement Scale, Classroom Engagement Scale, and qualitative notes. Results show that sound-based interaction led to higher emotional and cognitive engagement than tactile interaction. These modalities also shaped distinct patterns of collaboration and attention. Future work will scale to a broader sample and use educational robot interactions tailored to early learners.

The integration of motion capture technology into dance education is gaining traction, offering new possibilities for enhancing precision and technique. Traditional methods, such as instructor feedback and mirror observation, often lack the granularity required for effective self-correction, particularly among beginners. In this study, we evaluate the OptiTrack motion capture system for teaching basic dance movements, comparing it with traditional instructor feedback in a between-subjects study involving 28 novice dancers. The system proved more precise in detecting subtle posture misalignments—especially during dynamic movements such as pirouettes—yet participants expressed a clear preference for the real-time, personalised guidance. Our findings suggest that dance learning support systems could be strengthened by complementing technical accuracy with qualities such as interpersonal aspects and motivational feedback.

Despite the wide adoption of wearables, electronics incorporated into jewellery remain a niche. Interactive jewellery offers a compelling design space, encompassing values of traditional jewellery and its socio-cultural roles. However, creating interactive artefacts that bear symbolic and social meaning remains challenging. We investigate how these roles can be leveraged and re-interpreted using modern technology. Utilising traditional jewellery’s socio-cultural roles as a framework, we look at interactive jewellery in participatory workshops with N = 16 design practitioners. Informed by our results, we created a prototype interactive necklace, focusing on Identity role and conducted four case studies to probe the wearer and bystander perceptions on interactive jewellery in different social contexts. Based on our findings, we contribute four directions for interactive jewellery designers.

This paper investigates the interpretive processes within interactive art, focusing on post-participation interviews from an immersive installation featuring a mirror that displayed a previous participant instead of the viewer. The study, conducted through semi-structured interviews, explores how participants interpret and construct personal meaning from their engagement with the artwork. Thematic analysis revealed key areas of interest present thorough the participants’ responses. Additionally, participants found metaphorical discussions more insightful than titles in framing meaning. The findings are analyzed through a framework for the psychology of aesthetics, offering new insights into participant experience in interactive art.

Abstract Remote health monitoring (RHM) provides various benefits to older adults, but its use is still limited. Remote monitoring may help in avoiding emergencies and prolong users’ independence. To understand how to design systems which support older adults, we studied a large-scale remote health monitoring system. The system used fitness-grade smartwatches to monitor the vital signs of more than 2000 users constantly. To probe the lived experience of using RHM, we conducted an explorative interview study (N = 41) with operators, carers, and users of the RHM system. Our thematic analysis reveals that personalisation of care ecology is crucial for developing users’ confidence and trust in the system. We found that participation in RHM may catalyse positive changes in older adults’ lifestyles. Based on our findings, we formulate five recommendations for designing future health monitoring systems. Our work contributes to insights into the lived experience and stakeholder ecology of health monitoring systems.

Human perception lacks the capabilities to accurately assess distance. The recent Covid-19 pandemic outbreak rendered this ability particularly important. Augmenting our sense of distance can help maintain safe separation from others when required. To explore how systems can help users maintain physical distance, we designed, implemented and evaluated Gapeau—a head-mounted system for augmenting the sense of distance. Our system uses proximity sensors and thermal sensing to detect and measure the distance to other people. We conducted a validation protocol, an experiment, in which we compared different feedback modalities, and an in-the-wild study to evaluate Gapeau’s performance and suitability for use in social contexts. We found that our system enabled users to more accurately determine whether they were maintaining a safe distance from others. Vibration and auditory feedback were found most effective and usable. Gapeau was perceived as socially acceptable. Our work contributes insights for augmented sensing systems with social relevance.

Due to multimodal approach, the virtual reality experiences become increasingly more immersive and entertaining. New control modalities, such as brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), enable the players to engage in the game with both their bodies and minds. In our work, we investigate the influence of employing BCI-driven mechanics on player’s in-game immersion. We designed and implemented an escape room-themed game which employed player’s mental states of focus and relaxation as input for selected game mechanisms. Through a between-subject user study, we found that controlling the game with mental states enhances the in-game immersion and attracts the player’s engagement. At the same time, using BCIs did not impose additional cognitive workload. Our work contributes qualitative insights on psychocognitive effects of using BCIs in gaming and describing immersive gaming experiences.