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Keynote Lectures

Synergistic Collaboration between Humans and Embodied AI Agents
Frank Steinicke, University of Hamburg, Germany

The Challenges of Measuring User Experience: Some Lessons From Digital Games
Paul Cairns, Computer Science, University of York, United Kingdom

Equitable Access to Virtual Reality: Creating Tailored Experiences With Disabled Users
Kathrin Gerling, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany

Synergistic Collaboration between Humans and Embodied AI Agents

Frank Steinicke
University of Hamburg, Germany

CHIRA

Short Bio
Available Soon

Abstract
In my talk, we will examine how to design synergistic collaboration between humans and embodied AI agents. Instead of treating AI as a standalone tool, I focus on natural interaction with anthropomorphic embodied AI agents in immersive spaces. I’ll discuss practical design strategies and evaluation considerations, arguing that well-aligned human–AI teamwork can outperform either partner alone in real, dynamic environments.

The Challenges of Measuring User Experience: Some Lessons From Digital Games

Paul Cairns
Computer Science, University of York, United Kingdom

CHIRA

Short Bio
Paul Cairns is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at the University of York. He has been investigating players' experiences of digital games for over twenty years. He is particularly interested in operationalising and measuring concepts such as immersion, challenge, and uncertainty that players experience when playing. He is also very keen to ensure the inclusion and accessibility of games through understanding the experience of games for disabled players. In order to understand the complex landscape of digital games, Paul has also had to use diverse research methods and promote their adoption in HCI. As a result, he has written two books, Research Methods for HCI and Doing Better Statistics in HCI.

Abstract
Questionnaires have been the mainstay of user experience measurement across a range of experiences including usability, hedonic quality, and user motivations. In this keynote, I will draw on my work on developing and deploying questionnaires used in digital games research. Through that work, it becomes clear that there is a tension between the typical, accepted statistical indicators of questionnaire quality, particularly Cronbach alpha, and conceptual validity, that is, whether a questionnaire is really measuring what you think it is measuring. I hope to point to some of the pitfalls of working with user experience questionnaires but also some things as individual researchers and a research community that we can do to improve things.

Equitable Access to Virtual Reality: Creating Tailored Experiences With Disabled Users

Kathrin Gerling
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany

CHIRA

Short Bio
Kathrin Gerling is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Accessibility at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany, and head of the research group Human-Computer Interaction and Accessibility. Central to the research of her group is the question of how interactive technology can be designed to support human self-determination, and how we can achieve experiential accessibility: accessibility that strives for equitable experiences and seeks to provide engaging user experiences. Her work has been recognized through multiple awards, including Best Paper Awards at leading venues in HCI such as CHI, and an ERC Starting Grant. She is a member of the steering committee of CHI PLAY, and she is part of the editorial boards of PACM HCI and ACM TACCESS.

Abstract
Virtual Reality holds the promise of immersing users in virtual worlds, but at the same time, the technology places demands on human bodies that result in access barriers for disabled people. The keynote will explore the state of VR accessibility through the lens of physical, digital, and experiential accessibility, focusing on hardware and software prototypes for alternative and adaptive ways of interacting with VR. It will close with reflections on whether we can arrive at scalable accessibility solutions for body-centric technology, and how to move toward equitable VR experiences for all of us.