This scoping review examines the past decade of research at the intersection of democracy, technology and design. Analysing 170 articles across Scopus, the ACM Digital Library, and the DRS Digital Library, we investigate how this research relates to democracy and how democratic values are conceptualised and enacted through interactive systems. We identify four dominant orientations: technology as democratic repair, as risk, as co-constitutive of democratic practices, and as embedded in everyday collective action and lived practices. Across these, we reveal a persistent misalignment: while democratic values are frequently invoked, much of the work reduces democracy to technical or procedural problems, prioritising optimisation over power, relationality, and lived practice. As a result, key dimensions such as collective agency, structural inequalities, and infrastructural conditions remain under-addressed, offering novel opportunities for HCI research. We argue that democratic technology design should advance better alignment fostering responsibility, participation, equity, and transparency in sociotechnical systems.

The science and technology world is stuck in an unresolved debate: can technologies ever be conscious? While this question dominates discussions in neuropsychology and cognitive science, it is ultimately unproductive for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). As users perceive a level of consciousness in commercially available systems, there is a need to understand the factors that lead to a perception of consciousness so that we account for consciousness in designing interactive systems. To that end, we systematically develop the Precursors of Perceived Consciousness in Interactive Systems Scale—a validated instrument for quantifying the design qualities that contribute to perceived consciousness in a technology. Through reporting on a structured scale development process, we show how the PreCoS enables studies of technologies potentially perceived as conscious. PreCoS is the first step towards the systematic study and design of systems which responsibly integrate perceived consciousness: fostering positive, engaging experiences while recognising and mitigating ethical risks such as overtrust, bias, or psychological discomfort.

The ambiguity surrounding ‘creepy technology’ in HCI poses significant challenges, as its interpretation varies considerably based on research focus. While it is commonly linked to the appearance of robots and concerns about data privacy and security, it is increasingly associated with functionality, unpredictability, and appropriateness of system behaviour and interaction. Clarifying this ambiguity is vital for designers, as it directly affects user experience and trust in technology. To address this, we undertook a systematic review of 115 papers, identifying key themes related to design choices and contextual elements of creepiness. Based on this review, we developed the Creepiness Framework, which comprises two main components: the Structure of Creepiness and Felt Creepiness. The framework clarifies the dynamics of creepy technology. Additionally, we derive design-relevant insights into creepiness features that can guide the development of technologies that are more predictable and less likely to evoke unintended feelings of creepiness.

While technology is widely recognised as a tool to enhance wellbeing, there is no clear consensus on the best practices for design. Persuasive strategies, such as nudging, are often seen as effective but raise ethical concerns. Reflection-based approaches offer a potential alternative. However, a clear understanding of the balance between these strategies is crucial for designing effective and ethically sound wellbeing technologies. We conducted two studies with a total of n = 163 participants comparing nudging and reflection techniques using contrasting prototypes of fitness wearables. We verified that the prototypes represented key nudging and reflection strategies through expert feedback. Our mixed-methods inquiry shows that certain nudging strategies are perceived as more malicious and more likely to provoke rumination, i.e., negative thought cycles, compared to other wellbeing strategies. We contribute insights to inform design decisions for wellbeing technologies, balancing effectiveness with ethical considerations.

How can the user be made comfortable with selecting the system?BEGIN How can the user be introduced to the system?CORE How can the user's selfcare aim be facilitated?END How can the user be supported in finding mental closure?POST How can the user be supported in continued self-care?LEAVING DISENGAGE LAPSE

Figure 1: Screenshots from PuppetVR: (a) Bird's-eye view of the virtual environment.(b) Close-up of a recorded layered interaction of three of the puppets.(c) In-world user interface panels with controls and a task list with onboarding instructions.

Recent HCI research emphasizes the importance of considering children's care ecosystems in the design of systems that support their well-being, including not only family, but also extended support networks, such as teachers and therapists.While this approach offers opportunities for care and collaboration, it also introduces challenges such as recruitment, appropriate methods, power dynamics, navigating diverse perspectives, and ethical considerations.This workshop 1 seeks to bring together IDC researchers and practitioners to discuss opportunities, challenges, methods, and tools towards a research agenda for designing technologies for and with children and their care ecosystems.It also aims to foster collaboration and strengthen the community by facilitating networking among researchers towards conducting multi-stakeholder research.

Most studies of Personal Informatics (PI) focus on the holistic experience of self-tracking or how users relate to self-tracking goals. Recently, new tracker metrics became available in commercial systems, e.g. stress scores or body battery. Hence, more attention should be devoted to what users track and how they understand metrics produced by their trackers. Charting the evolution of metrics in PI can enable building systems that better support well-being. To this end, we interviewed n = 25 fitness tracker users to discover what metrics are most important to them, how they understand the metrics, and how they formulate their goals with respect to the metrics. We found that users created a metric ecology which they adjusted to their life circumstances, reformulating their goals. We identified key issues in understanding metrics which bear the risk of misuse. We contribute recommendations for future PI systems as self-tracking metrics increase in complexity.

Dark patterns are deceptive strategies that recent work in humancomputer interaction (HCI) has captured throughout digital domains, including social networking sites (SNSs).While research has identified difficulties among people to recognise dark patterns effectively, few studies consider vulnerable populations and their experience in this regard, including people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), who may be especially susceptible to attention-grabbing tricks.Based on an interactive web study with 135 participants, we investigate SNS users' ability to recognise and avoid dark patterns by comparing results from participants with and without ADHD.In line with prior work, we noticed overall low recognition of dark patterns with no significant differences between the two groups.Yet, ADHD individuals were able to avoid specific dark patterns more often.Our results advance previous work by understanding dark patterns in a realistic environment and offer insights into their effect on vulnerable populations.

Mobile navigation applications are good at providing efficient navigation instructions. However, they currently lack the capability to facilitate free exploration. Therefore, users are limited to encountering only places close to the shortest paths, neglecting places that could diversify navigation and foster spatial learning. To better understand what characteristics places have that users like to explore we collected a dataset with a mobile application that encourages free exploration using gamification (n = 39, t = 455 days, 106.50 𝑘𝑚2). Using OpenStreetMap data, we found highly frequented freely explored places comprising office, educational, retail, touristic and commercial places. When comparing the characteristics of the freely explored places to those along the shortest path, those categories were different. Based on our findings, we propose that implementing more diverse routing algorithms can enhance navigation diversity, improve spatial learning, and optimise the utilisation of urban spaces for travel.

Navigating emotional conflicts within relationships can be challenging. People often struggle to express their emotions during a conflict, which can lead to misunderstandings and unresolved feelings. To facilitate deeper emotional expression, we developed TogetherReflect, a multi-user Virtual Reality (VR) experience designed for couples. Partners first draw their emotions related to a shared conflict in VR, allowing for individual expression and self-reflection. They then invite each other into their drawings to discuss their feelings, before drawing together on a shared canvas to reaffirm their love and commitment. Throughout this process, TogetherReflect provides prompts and guidance, aiming to foster self-reflection and communication skills. We exploratory evaluated the experience with 10 couples (n=20). Our findings indicate that TogetherReflect deepens personal emotional insights, fosters mutual understanding, and strengthens relational bonds. We highlight the potential of guided VR experiences to transform conflict resolution in intimate relationships and offer design considerations for future development.

Interactive technologies have reshaped how we connect, socialise, work, and participate in civic life. However, the design of systems that mediate democracy is too often guided by extractive logics of large technological corporations, highlighting the erosion of public values. This workshop invites participants to reimagine how interaction design can foster grassroots democratic engagement. Using a relational sandbox approach (low threshold, low fidelity prototyping, including the use of generative AI), we will explore civic scenarios that involve stakeholder mapping, prototyping, and speculative design to explore power dynamics, strengthen social ties, and support inclusive civic practices. The workshop will contribute to ongoing debates about how HCI can sustain democratic life in times of social and technological crisis.

While Personal Informatics (PI) tools utilise data visualisations to communicate behaviour, users often struggle to make sense of their data and translate it to actionable insights. Conversational Agents (CAs) offer potential for improved access to PI data, yet their role in PI tools remains under-explored. We conducted a two-week user study with journals, interviews and logging with n = 36 participants using a novel commercial fitness tracker with an embedded CA. We identified the give and take principle as essential for meaningful sensemaking with a CA—a dynamic resulting in more effective interactions given users’ inputs ( give ) are met with prompts that are sufficiently specific and built upon prior data engagement ( take ). A critical point was how users perceived the CA during their initial interactions, with first impressions often determining further engagement. We contribute insights into how CAs can support or hinder the PI experience, offering implications for future PI system designs.

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their caregivers face daily challenges which can adversely affect their well-being, especially regarding communication within their care ecosystems, comprising family, friends, educators, and therapists. To foster communication among children and their care ecosystem and support their well-being, we created REMEMO, a mobile app that was iteratively designed and evaluated by actively involving ADHD children and their caregivers. REMEMO supports both individual and collaborative use, offering tailored features for different user groups: children, parents, or therapists and educators. Its primary function is to enable users to record their experiences and emotions and choose whether to share these with other members of the care ecosystem. We deployed REMEMO in a multi-week field study with five groups encompassing ADHD children (total participants n=18). Our analysis showed that REMEMO can support emotional expression, regulation, reflection, transparent and affectionate communication, as well as therapeutic practices, addressing needs of both ADHD children and their caregivers. Our findings also highlight the critical role of mutual understanding regarding technology use and contextual challenges in shaping usage patterns. We discuss opportunities and challenges in designing technologies that cater to the varying needs of different stakeholders of ADHD children's care ecosystems and engage in critical reflection regarding evaluating technologies with vulnerable populations, such as families of ADHD children.

Building tangible interfaces or data physicalizations is a resource-intensive endeavour. There is a need for rapid means to prototype tangibles in order to facilitate research and design. To this end, we designed ProtoBricks: a research toolkit that uses capacitive bricks to facilitate rapid prototyping for tangible interfaces. Utilizing toy bricks that do not contain electronics, ProtoBricks can record brick position and color. Specialized knowledge is not required to build our system as it uses widely available components and 3D printing. We contribute the full software and hardware specification of the toolkit. We evaluate the utility of the toolkit by reporting on past use cases and prototyping workshops. We show that the toolkit facilitates creativity and effectively supports prototyping. ProtoBricks lowers the entry threshold for experimenting with tangible interfaces and enables researchers and designers to focus on the interaction with their prototype, delegating implementation to the toolkit.

Negative emotions such as sadness or anger are often seen as something to be avoided. However, recognising, processing and regulating challenging emotional experiences can facilitate personal growth and is essential for long-term well-being. To support people in regulating and reflecting on negative emotions, we designed MoodShaper — a VR experience where participants autonomously create a virtual environment combined with emotion regulation (ER) interventions. Our system included three different interventions designed based on interviews with psychotherapists. We evaluated MoodShaper in a mixed-method between-subject study with n = 60 participants. Participants experienced one of the three ER interventions, allowing them to manipulate visual representations of negative emotions through externalisation, seclusion, or appreciation. We found that MoodShaper significantly increased positive affect while decreasing difficulties in ER and negative affect. Our work demonstrates how VR can provide technology-mediated support to reflect on, engage with and manage negative emotions. We contribute insights for future VR systems which support ER for challenging situations.

Many technologies for ADHD children and their caregivers focus on symptom management rather than overall well-being, often without involving them as technology co-designers and co-users. To explore how to design systems that integrate into their home and routines, we contribute the iterative design of MoodGems, a situated, modular, and portable set of physical displays, that allows children to record and share their data with their families. We conducted an online formative evaluation (n = 22) with ADHD children, parents, therapists, and HCI experts. Our work demonstrates the potential of technologies affording both individual and joint tracking to allow children to navigate and reflect on their experiences and emotions, and support family communication and children’s autonomy. The evaluation also uncovered necessary refinements in the system’s design. We contribute design insights towards technologies that empower ADHD children and integrate into their homes, and discuss therapists’ role in technologies that address ADHD families’ lived experiences.

Advances in natural language processing and understanding have led to a rapid growth in the popularity of conversational user interfaces (CUIs). While CUIs introduce novel benefits, they also yield risks that may exploit people’s trust. Although research looking at unethical design deployed through graphical user interfaces (GUIs) established a thorough understanding of so-called dark patterns, there is a need to continue this discourse within the CUI community to understand potentially problematic interactions. Addressing this gap, we interviewed 27 participants from three cohorts: researchers, practitioners, and frequent users of CUIs. Applying thematic analysis, we construct five themes reflecting each cohort’s insights about ethical design challenges and introduce the CUI Expectation Cycle, bridging system capabilities and user expectations while considering each theme’s ethical caveats. This research aims to inform future development of CUIs to consider ethical constraints while adopting a human-centred approach.

While fitness trackers generate and present quantitative data, past research suggests that users often conceptualise their wellbeing in qualitative terms. This discrepancy between numeric data and personal wellbeing perception may limit the effectiveness of personal informatics tools in encouraging meaningful engagement with one’s wellbeing. In this work, we aim to bridge the gap between raw numeric metrics and users’ qualitative perceptions of wellbeing. In an online survey with n = 273 participants, we used step data from fitness trackers and compared three presentation formats: standard charts, qualitative descriptions generated by an LLM (Large Language Model), and a combination of both. Our findings reveal that users experienced more reflection, focused attention and reward when presented with the generated qualitative data compared to the standard charts alone. Our work demonstrates how automatically generated data descriptions can effectively complement numeric fitness data, fostering a richer, more reflective engagement with personal wellbeing information.

The use of AI is becoming more common among the population every day; the use of generative AI, such as LLMs, empowers individuals by supporting daily life tasks. Yet, the user interaction with AI models is mostly constrained to chatbot interactions. However, we envision that in the near future, individuals will be able to integrate the use of these technologies into their daily activities without refocusing their attention. Consequently, we explores the impact of such integration on individuals’ conversations.

Adolescence is a period of growth and exploration, marked by influential relationships with peers and parents. These relationships are essential for teenagers’ well-being, highlighting the need to support their interpersonal interactions. Emotional expression is key in resolving conflicts that can frequently arise. This paper investigates the potential of TeenWorlds, a Virtual Reality (VR) application, to facilitate emotional expression and shared understanding among teenagers and their peers and parents. In our study, teenagers, accompanied by either a peer or a parent (total n=42), used TeenWorlds to visually represent their emotions during a shared conflict, discuss them, and collaborate on a joint VR drawing. Our findings indicate that TeenWorlds can foster communication, reflection, and strengthen interpersonal relationships. However, notable differences were observed in interactions with peers versus parents. We contribute insights into designing VR systems that support reflective experiences and meaningful family interactions, ultimately enhancing the well-being of adolescents, parents, and families.

While personal trackers can collect a vast amount of information about their users, the representation of such data has remained unchanged, with bar charts being the most dominant. However, to build systems that facilitate reflection and support well-being, it is crucial to explore alternative ways of representation. Thus, we designed VeatherReflect, a VR application that uses weather metaphors to illustrate tracker stress scores, aiming to encourage users to reflect on their stress data. In a pre-study, we mapped stress scores to weather states. We then compared VeatherReflect with a standard visualisation of stress data presented in VR. VeatherReflect increased participant engagement with personal data and stress awareness. Participants reported reflective insights for stress-reducing behaviour. We contribute findings on how virtual weather as a metaphor for stress can support reflection. We discuss design recommendations for VR applications aiming to facilitate a deeper understanding of complex personal data through engaging qualitative experiences.

Recent research has shown that users increasingly seek meaning in technologies and that eudaimonic user experience (UX) is part of everyday encounters with technology. Yet, to date, there is no validated means to assess eudaimonic properties in interactive artefacts. We conceptualised, developed and validated a six-item questionnaire for measuring eudaimonic properties of technologies—the Eudaimonic Technology Experience Scale (ETES). Our scale includes two factors, which describe what aspects of a eudaimonic experience can be supported by technology: eudaimonic goals and self-knowlege. We consulted work in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), psychology and philosophy to gather an initial set of concepts that could contribute to eudaimonic UX. We then built the scale based on expert interviews and exploratory factor analysis and verified its quality in a number of tests (confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity checks). ETES provides a standardised tool for identifying eudaimonic qualities in interactive systems and allows for rapidly comparing prototypes.

Playing together is crucial to the unique and invaluable bond between grandparents and grandchildren. However, co-located interactions and play can be limited due to time, distance, or pandemic-related restrictions. To facilitate distributed play, we developed MagiBricks, a system comprised of 3D-printed smart toy bricks and baseplates that provide feedback regarding their placement. The familiarity and appeal of toy bricks to both older adults and children make them ideal for intergenerational play. We conducted a within-subjects study with six grandparent-grandchildren pairs. We compared the interactions and perceived connectedness of the pairs while playing over a distance with either i) MagiBricks or ii) identical regular toy bricks. We found that MagiBricks affected communication dynamics, role taking, nature of play, and perception of connectedness during playtime compared to regular bricks, and were unanimously preferred. We contribute design implications for future systems leveraging (smart) tangibles and fostering intergenerational connectedness.

The ever-increasing number of devices quantifying our lives offers a perspective of high awareness of one’s wellbeing, yet it remains a challenge for personal informatics (PI) to effectively support data-based reflection. Effective reflection is recognised as a key factor for PI technologies to foster wellbeing. Here, we investigate whether building tangible representations of health data can offer engaging and reflective experiences. We conducted a between-subjects study where n = 60 participants explored their immediate blood pressure data in relation to medical norms. They either used a standard mobile app, built a data representation from LEGO® bricks based on instructions, or completed a free-form brick build. We found that building with instructions fostered more comparison and using bricks fostered focused attention. The free-form condition required extra time to complete, and lacked usability. Our work shows that designing instructional physicalisation experiences for PI is a means of improving engagement and understanding of personal data.

While walking meetings offer a healthy alternative to sit-down meetings, they also pose practical challenges. Taking notes is difficult while walking, which limits the potential of walking meetings. To address this, we designed the Walking Talking Stick—a tangible device with integrated voice recording, transcription, and a physical highlighting button to facilitate note-taking during walking meetings. We investigated our system in a three-condition between-subjects user study with thirty pairs of participants (N=60) who conducted 15-minute outdoor walking meetings. Participants either used clip-on microphones, the prototype without the button, or the prototype with the highlighting button. We found that the tangible device increased task focus, and the physical highlighting button facilitated turn-taking and resulted in more useful notes. Our work demonstrates how interactive artifacts can incentivize users to hold meetings in motion and enhance conversation dynamics. We contribute insights for future systems which support conducting work tasks in mobile environments.

Getting from A to B has never been easier. Mobile navigation systems allow universal access to spatial information. However, following detailed route instructions leads to a decrease in spatial exploration behaviour and therefore a reduction of spatial knowledge acquisition. Facilitating spatial exploration has the potential to counteract this negative effect. This paper investigates how we can support people in re-discovering their surroundings. We designed and evaluated a mobile application to promote spatial exploration through gamification. The app requires active exploration behaviour to uncover a map. Gamification elements such as quests, statistics, and social competition are used to encourage exploration. We conducted an exploratory field study (n = 22). Our results show a significant increase in familiarity with the environment and a variety of exploration patterns. Based on our findings, we propose modifications to current mapping applications by limiting the visible cartographic elements and alternating routes to improve spatial knowledge acquisition.

The prospect of machine consciousness cultivates controversy across media, academia, and industry. Assessing whether non-experts perceive technologies as conscious, and exploring the consequences of this perception, are yet unaddressed challenges in Human Computer Interaction (HCI). To address them, we surveyed 100 people, exploring their conceptualisations of consciousness and if and how they perceive consciousness in currently available interactive technologies. We show that many people already perceive a degree of consciousness in GPT-3, a voice chat bot, and a robot vacuum cleaner. Within participant responses we identified dynamic tensions between denial and speculation, thinking and feeling, interaction and experience, control and independence, and rigidity and spontaneity. These tensions can inform future research into perceptions of machine consciousness and the challenges it represents for HCI. With both empirical and theoretical contributions, this paper emphasises the importance of HCI in an era of machine consciousness, real, perceived or denied.

This paper analyses Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) literature reviews to provide a clear conceptual basis for authors, reviewers, and readers. HCI is multidisciplinary and various types of literature reviews exist, from systematic to critical reviews in the style of essays. Yet, there is insufficient consensus of what to expect of literature reviews in HCI. Thus, a shared understanding of literature reviews and clear terminology is needed to plan, evaluate, and use literature reviews, and to further improve review methodology. We analysed 189 literature reviews published at all SIGCHI conferences and ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI) up until August 2022. We report on the main dimensions of variation: (i) contribution types and topics; and (ii) structure and methodologies applied. We identify gaps and trends to inform future meta work in HCI and provide a starting point on how to move towards a more comprehensive terminology system of literature reviews in HCI.

Designing for children with ADHD has been of increasing interest to the HCI community. However, current approaches do not adequately involve all relevant stakeholders, and primarily focus on addressing symptoms, following a medical model of disability that is extrinsic to neurodivergent interests. To address this, we employed a multi-step, multi-stakeholder approach (N=31). First, we conducted 1) interviews with children with ADHD and their care ecosystem followed by 2) a co-design pilot with one child with ADHD and his therapists and an interview with a UX designer and an occupational therapist. We then employed 3) co-design sessions with neurotypical children and children with ADHD, and 4) a focus group with their therapists. We identified communication and reflection as key concepts for empowering and promoting the well-being of children with ADHD and their care ecosystem. We contribute design implications for future systems aiming to promote the overall well-being of this population.

Technologies that help users overcome their limitations and integrate with the human body are often termed “human augmentations”. Such technologies are now available on the consumer market, potentially supporting people in their everyday activities. To date, there is no systematic understanding of the perception of human augmentations yet. To address this gap and build an understanding of how to design positive experiences with human augmentations, we conducted a mixed-method study of the perception of augmented humans (AHs). We conducted two scenario-based studies: interviews (n = 16) and an online study (n = 506) with participants from four countries. The scenarios include one out of three augmentation categories (sensory, motor, and cognitive) and specify if the augmented person has a disability or not. Overall, results show that the type of augmentation and disability impacted user attitudes towards AHs. We derive design dimensions for creating technological augmentations for a diverse and global audience.

Reflecting on personal challenges can be difficult. Without encouragement, the reflection process often remains superficial, thus inhibiting deeper understanding and learning from past experiences. To allow people to immerse themselves in and deeply reflect on past challenges, we developed SelVReflect, a VR experience which offers active voice-based guidance and a space to freely express oneself. SelVReflect was developed in an iterative design process (N=5) and evaluated in a user study with N=20 participants. We found that SelVReflect enabled participants to approach their challenge and its (emotional) components from different perspectives and to discover new relationships between these components. By making use of the spatial possibilities in VR, participants developed a better understanding of the situation and of themselves. We contribute empirical evidence of how a guided VR experience can support reflection. We discuss opportunities and design requirements for guided VR experiences that aim to foster deeper reflection.

Thermal feedback has been studied for navigation purposes with directional cues and a variety of other use cases. Yet, to date, systems providing thermal feedback were primarily designed for the upper body, targeting hands and arms in particular. As these parts are often occupied with other tasks, there is a need to extend the design space of thermal feedback to other body parts. To close this gap, we assess thermal feedback on the user’s feet. This research explores if creating stimuli representing any direction on a circle with only four actuators is possible. To evaluate this concept, we conducted a user study asking the participants to indicate the perceived direction after getting a hot or cold stimulus by direct actuation using one actuator or phantom actuation using two actuators. The results indicate that the detection accuracy was higher for cold signals. In addition, the results showed higher recognition for stimuli linked to actuator distribution than phantom sensation due to spatial summation.

Research in human–computer interaction (HCI) has identified meaning as an important, yet poorly understood concept in interaction design contexts. Central to this development is the increasing emphasis on designing products and technologies that promote leisure, personal fulfillment, and well-being. As spaces of profound historical significance and societal value, museums offer a unique perspective on how people construct meaning during their interactions in museum spaces and with collections, which may help to deepen notions of the content of meaningful interaction and support innovative design for cultural heritage contexts. The present work reports on the results of two studies that investigate meaning-making in museums. The first is an experience narrative study (N = 32) that analyzed 175 memorable museum visits, resulting in the establishment of 23 triggers that inform meaningful interaction in museums. A second study (N = 354) validated the comprehensiveness and generalisability of the triggers by asking participants to apply them to their own memorable museum experiences. We conclude with a framework of meaning in museums featuring the 23 triggers and two descriptive categories of temporality and scope. Our findings contribute to meaning research in HCI for museums through an articulation of the content of meaning-making in the cultural sector.

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.

This paper presents a systematic review of HCI literature focusing on children with ADHD, the prevailing mental health diagnosis in children. Its aim is to (i) chart the state-of-the-art in this domain (e.g. methods used), (ii) identify the ways the HCI community has addressed the needs of children with ADHD (e.g. technologies deployed), and (iii) describe the involvement of the various stakeholders playing a role in their everyday experiences (i.e. their care ecosystem). Our findings show limited engagement of the care ecosystem in the design, development and user studies of current technologies, and shortcomings in designing for multiple ecosystem stakeholders, despite their crucial role. We also find that most HCI contributions are systems aiming to address ADHD-related symptoms. Based on our findings, we provide suggestions for further research and design considerations for future systems that empower and promote the well-being of children with ADHD, while considering their care ecosystem.

Immersive interactive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) have the potential to foster well-being. While VR applications have been successfully used to evoke positive emotions through the presetting of light, colour and scenery, the experiential potential of allowing users to independently create a virtual environment (VE) has not yet been sufficiently addressed. To that end, we explore how the autonomous design of a VE can affect emotional engagement and well-being. We present Mood Worlds – a VR application allowing users to visualise their emotions by self-creating a VE. In an exploratory evaluation (N=16), we found that Mood Worlds is an effective tool supporting emotional engagement. Additionally, we found that an autonomous creation process in VR increases positive emotions and well-being. Our work shows that VR can be an effective tool to visualise emotions, thereby increasing positive affect. We discuss opportunities and design requirements for VR as positive technology.

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly being used to promote mindfulness practice. However, the impact of virtual and multimodal interactive spaces on mindfulness practice and presence is still underexplored. To address this gap, we conducted a mixed-method user study (N=12). We explored the impact of various multimodal feedback, in particular tactile feedback (passive haptic feedback by artificial grass) and auditory feedback (footstep sound) at feet level on both mindfulness and presence. We conducted semi-structured interviews and collected quantitative data through three validated questionnaires (SMS, IPQ, WSPQ). We found a significant effect of passive haptic feedback on presence and mindfulness. Tactile feedback improves the focus on the self, facilitates spatial presence and increases involvement. Auditory feedback did not significantly affect presence or mindfulness. While ambient sound was perceived as beneficial for presence, footstep sound subjectively disrupted both presence and mindfulness. Based on our results, we derive design recommendations for multimodal VR applications supporting mindfulness practice.

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.

Physical activity is entering the virtual realm. Zwift is an at-home cycling system that is enjoying increasing popularity, yet the specifics of the experience of a virtual cyclist have not been studied to date. Building virtual sports systems can make physical activity accessible to more diverse user groups. To understand how and why users engage in virtual cycling, we conducted n=22 interviews with Zwift users. Through charting the motivations behind using Zwift, we determined that it allowed users to engage in a range of cycling activities traditionally reserved for professional cyclists. Our work reports on key motivations and identifies five key strategies which Zwift uses to create an engaging virtual sports experience. Further, we discuss how Zwift creates a world of virtual professionalism. Our findings offer a structured understanding of the experience of Zwift which can be used to inspire the design of future virtual amateur sports systems.

Science faces a reproducibility crisis. There is a need to establish open science practices within the academic reputation economy. Open Science Badges address this issue by promoting and acknowledging research sharing and documentation. The generic design of currently awarded badges enabled their adoption across the sciences. Yet, their general nature makes it difficult to reflect individual practices and needs of distinct scientific fields. In this paper, we explore uses and effects of highly tailored badges in research data management. We implemented six science badges in a particle physics research preservation service. Our exploration showed that scientists were open to encouraging valuable scientific practices through tailored science badges. They described entirely new opportunities for interaction with research repositories. We present design implications for systems that promote reproducibility, related to meaningful criteria, repository navigation, and content discovery. Finally, we discuss the scope and uses of tailored science badges in modern science.

Current personal informatics models consider reflection as an important stage in users’ journeys with trackers. However, these models describe reflection from a meta perspective and it remains unclear what this stage entails. To design interactive technologies that support reflection, we need a more thorough understanding of how people reflect on their personal data in practice. To that end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with users of fitness trackers and an online survey to study practices in reflecting on fitness data. Our results show that users reported reflecting on data despite lacking reflection support from their tracking technology. Based on our results, we introduce the Technology-Mediated Reflection Model, which describes conditions and barriers for reflection on personal data. Our model consists of the temporal and conceptual cycles of reflection and helps designers identify the possible barriers a user might face when using a system for reflection.

Reflection is an often addressed design goal in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research. An increasing number of artefacts for reflection have been developed in recent years. However, evaluating if and how an interactive technology helps a user reflect is still complex. This makes it difficult to compare artefacts (or prototypes) for reflection, impeding future design efforts. To address this issue, we developed the Technology-Supported Reflection Inventory (TSRI), which is a scale that evaluates how effectively a system supports reflection. We first created a list of possible scale items based on past work in defining reflection. The items were then reviewed by experts. Next, we performed exploratory factor analysis to reduce the scale to its final length of nine items. Subsequently, we confirmed test-retest validity of our instrument, as well as its construct validity. The TSRI enables researchers and practitioners to compare prototypes designed to support reflection.

With the rise of COVID-19 cases globally, many countries released digital tools to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. In Germany the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) published the Corona-Data-Donation-App, a virtual citizen science (VCS) project, to establish an early warning system for the prediction of potential COVID-19 hotspots using data from wearable devices. While work on motivation for VCS projects in HCI often presents egoistic motives as prevailing, there is little research on such motives in crises situations. In this paper, we explore the socio-psychological processes and motivations to share personal data during a pandemic. Our findings indicate that collective motives dominated among app reviews (n=464) and in in-depth interviews (n=10). We contribute implications for future VCS tools in times of crises that highlight the importance of communication, transparency and responsibility.

Interactive technologies are getting closer to our bodies and permeate the infrastructure of our homes. While such technologies offer many benefits, they can also cause an initial feeling of unease in users. It is important for Human-Computer Interaction to manage first impressions and avoid designing technologies that appear creepy. To that end, we developed the Perceived Creepiness of Technology Scale (PCTS), which measures how creepy a technology appears to a user in an initial encounter with a new artefact. The scale was developed based on past work on creepiness and a set of ten focus groups conducted with users from diverse backgrounds. We followed a structured process of analytically developing and validating the scale. The PCTS is designed to enable designers and researchers to quickly compare interactive technologies and ensure that they do not design technologies that produce initial feelings of creepiness in users.

Running is a widely popular physical activity that offers many health benefits. As runners progress with their training, understanding one’s own body becomes a key concern in achieving wellbeing through running. While extensive bodily sensing opportunities exist for runners, understanding complex sensor data is a challenge. In this paper, we investigate how data from shoe-worn sensors can be visualised to empower runners to improve their technique. We designed GraFeet—an augmented running shoe that visualises kinesiological data about the runner’s feet and gait. We compared our prototype with a standard sensor dashboard in a user study where users ran with the sensor and analysed the generated data after the run. GraFeet was perceived as more usable; producing more insights and less confusion in the users. Based on our inquiry, we contribute findings about using data from body-worn sensors to support physically active individuals.

Fitness trackers have the potential for fostering sustained change and increasing well-being. However, the research community is yet to understand what design features and values need to be embodied in a fitness tracker for long-term engagement. While past work mainly focused on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) fitness trackers usersin North America and Western Europe, this paper investigates another perspective on fitness tracking. We conducted interviews with N = 37 fitness tracker users in the US, Europe and Egypt to identify the similarities and differences in attitudes and practices in fitness tracking. We found that fitness tracking involved a deeper social context in Egyptian communities and our findings suggest that Arabic users focused on physiological measurement, while non-Arab Western users appear to bewere more interested in goal achievement. We contribute design dimensions that can help build more inclusive tracker experiences. Our work highlights how future fitness trackers should support a customisable spectrum of design values to offer engaging experiences to a diverse and global audience.

Due to recent technological advancements, governments can exercise an unprecedented amount of power over their citizens. It is vital to understand how governments impose restrictions on citizens through digital technologies, especially if those restrictions can save lives. Here, we look at the case of Home Quarantine—a Polish government-mandated smartphone application whose use has become mandatory during the COVID-19 crisis. Users in quarantine are legally required to use the application, reporting location and take selfie photographs. We conducted an autoethnographic diary study of one author using the app during quarantine and interviews with 23 users. We found that the app assisted in creating quarantine life routines and affected social interactions. Users connected with the world outside quarantine through selfies. We also uncovered key reservations our users had about using this app. Our work broadens the understanding of location-based apps and practices around surveillance technologies.

Traditional meetings involve extensive sitting, which negatively impacts the health of attendees. Understanding how technology can facilitate integrating physical activity into the workplace, such as in walking meetings, is vital to improving workplace wellbeing. To that end, we applied a mixed-method approach to explore requirements and opportunities for walking meetings. We conducted an online questionnaire and a series of interviews with early adopters of walking meetings and created design fictions based on their feedback. We evaluated the design fictions with a second questionnaire and garnered additional feedback from the original early adopters. Based on our findings, we derived four dimensions associated with walking meetings: practical, environmental, social, and cognitive facets. We define attributes, challenges, and opportunities within these dimensions which are important for designing systems that support walking meetings. Our work identifies key considerations for developing systems that integrate physical activity into communication activities.

Fitness trackers encourage users to set goals to improve personal wellbeing, but these goals sometimes remain unmet. Understanding how improved ways of communicating failure to meet fitness goals could help prevent negative thought cycles (rumination) and avoid reduced motivation for physical activity. To address this challenge, we studied how unmet goals can be presented in apps. We designed prototypes that showed unmet fitness goals. Radial and regular bar charts, single-coloured and multicoloured were used in the study. In a survey (n = 165), we compared the four versions and a textual description of the unmet goals. Then, we conducted follow-up interviews (n = 20) to gain a detailed understanding of the perceptions and feelings evoked by the prototypes. We found that bar graphs offered a significantly better potential for reflection and multicoloured charts triggered significantly more rumination. We contribute in-depth insights into designing systems that use goals and avoid potential negative effects of personal tracking.

Smart speakers become increasingly ubiquitous in our homes. Consequently, we need to study how smart speakers affect the members of a household. Understanding the adoption of a smart speaker can assure it does not negatively influence the social dynamics within a household and create opportunities for further assistance. We deployed an Amazon Echo dot in nine households with 20 inhabitants who were new smart speaker users. We conducted multiple interviews, inquiring how a smart speaker was integrated into a household from day one. We investigated the development of social rules around using the device and how the smart speaker was appropriated. Users developed different strategies of using the device which altered social behaviours in some households. Further, we identified barriers and unmet requirements in introducing smart speakers to home environments. Our work contributes to an understanding of ubiquitous assistance for user groups at home.

While the number of users sporting fitness trackers is constantly increasing, little is understood about how tracking goals can evolve over time. As recent studies have shown that the long-term health effects of trackers are limited, we need to readdress how trackers engage users. We conducted semi-structured interviews and an online survey to explore how users change their tracking goals. Based on our results, we created the Tracker Goal Evolution Model. The model describes how tracker goals can evolve from internal user needs through qualitative goals to quantitative goals that can be used with trackers. It also includes trust and reflection as key contextual factors contributing to meaningful transitions between goals. We postulate showing how tracker goals relate to other personal fitness goals as key for long-term engagement with trackers. Our model is useful for designers of future trackers as a tool to create evolving and meaningful tracking goals.