We propose Awareness-Attention-Connection (AAC) as a design framework for turning micro-mobility guidance into placemaking-in-motion, balancing narrative engagement with rider safety. Rather than treating e-bike routes as neutral corridors between landmarks, AAC choreographs when riders are gently alerted to a place, when their attention is drawn in, and when deeper connection is invited. This pictorial presents two deployments using audio-first, visually lightweight guidance to surface hidden histories, ecological transformations, and everyday atmospheres along urban and waterfront paths. Key contributions include: (1) a three-stage framework (AAC) with corresponding design strategies for structuring in-motion encounters with place; (2) empirical insights on how riders experience AAC in practice; and (3) a Perceptual Rhythm Model describing how distance, timing, and narrative depth can be co-designed as an experiential rhythm to reframe place impressions for mobility-first interaction design.

Play is pivotal in fostering the emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of urban spaces. While generative AI (GAI) potentially supports playful urban interaction, a balanced and critical approach to the design opportunities and challenges is needed. This work develops iWonder, an image-to-image GAI tool engaging fourteen designers in urban explorations to identify GAI's playful features and create design ideas. Fourteen citizens then evaluated these ideas, providing expectations and critical concerns from a bottom-up perspective. Our findings reveal the dynamic interplay between users, GAI, and urban contexts, highlighting GAI's potential to facilitate playful urban experiences through generative agency, meaningful unpredictability, social performativity, and the associated offensive qualities. We propose design considerations to address citizen concerns and the `tourist metaphor' to deepen our understanding of GAI's impact, offering insights to enhance cities' socio-cultural fabric. Overall, this research contributes to the effort to harness GAI's capabilities for urban enrichment.

Considered to be an emerging topic in tourism research, traveling to familiar places benefits both the travelers and destinations. However, the current development of familiar tourism is severely affected by the epidemic. Recognizing the potential of virtual reality (VR), this research aims to explore VR’s relevance in the application of visiting familiar places and the empirical features of VR beyond on-site familiar tourism. We first reviewed the literature and developed an experience framework. Secondly, we conducted an exploratory activity in which participants (N = 16) used Google Earth VR to travel to their familiar places with two conditions (free exploration and task-oriented travel). In the activity, we employed think-aloud protocols, a scale, and semi-structured interviews. With our framework, we categorized findings into five dimensions and indicated the similarities and differences between familiar tourism in VR and that in actual places. Particularly, three empirical features (the sense of distance, multi-view space, and montage time) were recognized and formed VR’s opportunity to outperform on-site travel. We conclude by discussing the impacts of VR on familiar tourism and providing implications, including designing the timeline, sounds, tasks, and virtual guides. These suggestions inspire designers to acknowledge VR limitations and identify directions for future tourism applications. As a beginning of empirical investigation on VR familiar tourism, this study opens up a new field of discussion around VR tourism experience. We invite the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community to collectively probe into the VR experience and design of visiting familiar places. Efforts in this area will stretch beyond the current understandings of various forms of tourism and contribute to crafting rich travel experience by immersive technologies.

This pictorial showcases the integration of AI into the design process through the use of image generators. Following a Research Through Design (RTD) approach, we recruited 6 designers to create design proposals with AI. They were invited to collect case studies, make annotated portfolios, collaborate with the generator for design ideation, and undergo semi-structured interviews. Through this process, we gathered empirical data to investigate how designers ideate with AI and what opportunities and challenges emerge in the collaboration. The results showed that the combination of human and AI input in the design process contributes to a fresh form of self-expression and communication. AI was found to bring a distinct perspective that opens up new avenues for artistic expression. The research highlights the potential of AI to augment human creativity and the need for ongoing exploration in this field.