Understanding How Mobile Interactions Shape Grasp and Contact Patterns Beyond the TouchscreenThe way users hold a smartphone depends on the interaction task, yet little is known about the fingers' engagement with the device's surfaces beyond the touchscreen. Such an understanding not only opens up opportunities for novel on- and off-screen interactions, but also the device’s possible physical affordances. We present a study (N=23) that examines the hands' physical engagement with the smartphone beyond the touchscreen across nine mobile interactions. Grasps were annotated from photographs, and contact regions were captured using residual heat traces from grasping the device. Our findings show that fingers and palms adopt a variety of support roles and postures when engaging with the smartphone's back and side edges. The hand-contact maps reveal distinct patterns, differing in contact frequency and placement. This work contributes an empirical characterisation of hands' back and edge engagement, highlighting design opportunities for future smartphone usage extending beyond the touchscreen.2026CSCarolin Stellmacher et al.University of BremenOne-Handed Operation & Mobile GesturesTouch Target Selection & PointingCHI
From Sleep Scores to Self-Knowledge: Older Adults’ Experiences with Tracking Sleep Using the Oura RingAs people age, sleep often becomes lighter, more fragmented, and a source of increasing concern. Smart rings, like Oura, offer a discreet and comfortable means of supporting sleep tracking, yet it remains unclear how older adults engage with the sleep-related insights they provide. Our research investigates how older adults engage with wearable-derived physiological and behavioural sleep data, the barriers they encounter in understanding health metrics, and the ways these technologies influence self-perception and wellbeing practices. We report findings from a one-month diary study (n=20) and follow-up interviews (n=10) after around four months of ring use. Participants reflected on the meanings they attributed to app-based metrics, and whether such feedback felt useful, confusing, or intrusive, revealing misalignments with youthful defaults that negatively impacted engagement. We explore this in terms of "age friction" and discuss opportunities for more age-inclusive wearable technologies that promote meaningful engagement with personal health and wellbeing data.2026ASAneesha Singh et al.University College LondonHealth Self-TrackingBehavior Change & Reflection TechnologyAging-Friendly Technology DesignCHI
Cohort Differences in Internet Use Among Older Adults: Evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)While much has been written on the age-based digital divide, more understanding of the relative importance of factors affecting use of the internet is needed. This paper analyses nationally representative data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to understand older adults’ frequency of using the internet and reasons for not using it more. We examine the extent to which health, lifestyle, and sociodemographic correlate with the pronounced age gradient in not using the internet. We find that the reasons why people in the 80+ cohort did not use the internet more are not qualitatively different from the reasons people aged 50–64 or 65--79 did not use it more, but do differ between rare and regular users. We also find that of the myriad factors that are potentially relevant, only cognitive ability, educational attainment, and employment status were robustly associated with the age gradient in internet use.2026BKBran Knowles et al.Lancaster UniversityAging-Friendly Technology DesignUniversal & Inclusive DesignCHI
Supporting Communication and Well-being with a Multi-Stakeholder Mobile App: Lessons Learned from A Field Study with ADHD Children and their CaregiversChildren 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. It 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, and transparent and affectionate communication, 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.2025ESEvropi Stefanidi et al.Caregiving & CaregiversCSCW
The Self-Care Technology Process Model (SCTpm): A Framework for Designing VR-Based Self-Care TechnologyDesigning for ongoing engagement in Virtual Reality (VR) self-care and well-being interventions presents several challenges. Current frameworks supporting designers in this task primarily focus on specific well-being objectives, such as goal-setting or self-reflection, but often lack implementable design recommendations to enhance engagement and prevent lapsing. To address this gap, we propose the Self-Care Technology Process Model (SCTpm), which builds on six prior studies on VR self-care applications. The SCTpm is a framework for an intervention-centred self-care journey, providing targeted design recommendations tailored to evolving user needs and supporting sustained interaction. Evaluated by n=10 experts, the SCTpm demonstrates its potential to enhance the iterative design and evaluation cycles of VR-based self-care technologies, sensitising designers to create effective and more engaging systems. Findings further indicate that the SCTpm can provide valuable guidance for designers and researchers at different levels of expertise in developing innovative VR applications for self-care.2025NWNadine Wagener et al.Immersion & Presence ResearchVR Medical Training & RehabilitationMental Health Apps & Online Support CommunitiesDIS
TogetherReflect: Supporting Emotional Expression in Couples Through a Collaborative Virtual Reality ExperienceNavigating 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.2025NWNadine Wagener et al.University of Bremen, HCISocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingCHI
Hidden Opportunities for Elder Living: Understanding Shared Technology Troubles and Benefits for Older Adults in the UK Cost of Living CrisisThe uptake of digital technology by older adults and service-providers has been partly driven by the pandemic but more recently by the erosion of in-person services because of increasing austerity and a harsher global economic climate. Against the backdrop of the UK’s cost of living crisis, we examine technology used frequently within five older adults’ households. Through two rounds of in- terviews and participant diaries, we show benefits and struggles of participants’ costly technology use, reflecting on what ‘cost of living’ means when technology designed to simplify older peoples lives, encounters problems. For HCI practitioners, we provide evi- dence of how personal smart devices can be better tailored to help older adults support themselves both economically and practically, during the cost of living crisis. We propose avenues for future re- search and design that better support indirect costs and reflect on how personal devices can be made self-sustaining, integrated and repairable.2025ESEwan Soubutts et al.University College London, UCL Interaction CentreAging-Friendly Technology DesignAging-in-Place Assistance SystemsCHI
Co-Creating Reassurance Journey Maps to Foster Engagement in Remote Patient Monitoring for Post-Operative Cancer CareRemote patient monitoring can significantly enhance post-operative home recovery for cancer patients, yet its effectiveness is often hindered by low patient engagement. Reassurance has been identified as a key factor in improving engagement. Our study explored how cancer patients seek reassurance through a Patient Public Involvement workshop with former patients. This involved developing personas for participants to navigate reassurance scenarios and share their post-operative experiences. Based on this, we co-created a reassurance journey map to illustrate when reassurance is needed, the behaviours patients use to seek it, and how it can be effectively provided. Our findings highlight three key design principles: the limitations of digital technology in offering reassurance, the personalised nature of reassurance, and the need for holistic integration. These are intended to inform the design of reassurance-focused RPM systems that better support cancer patients during home recovery. Practical design recommendations are also provided for developers and clinicians.2025CTConstantinos Timinis et al.University College London, Department of Computer ScienceTelemedicine & Remote Patient MonitoringCHI
AI, Help Me Think—but for Myself: Assisting People in Complex Decision-Making by Providing Different Kinds of Cognitive SupportHow can we design AI tools that effectively support human decision-making by complementing and enhancing users' reasoning processes? Common recommendation-centric approaches face challenges such as inappropriate reliance or a lack of integration with users' decision-making processes. Here, we explore an alternative interaction model in which the AI outputs build upon users' own decision-making rationales. We compare this approach, which we call ExtendAI, with a recommendation-based AI. Participants in our mixed-methods user study interacted with both AIs as part of an investment decision-making task. We found that the AIs had different impacts, with ExtendAI integrating better into the decision-making process and people's own thinking and leading to slightly better outcomes. RecommendAI was able to provide more novel insights while requiring less cognitive effort. We discuss the implications of these and other findings along with three tensions of AI-assisted decision-making which our study revealed.2025LRLeon Reicherts et al.University College London, UCL Interaction CentreExplainable AI (XAI)AI-Assisted Decision-Making & AutomationCHI
DIY Digital Interventions: Behaviour Change with Trigger-Action ProgrammingWhether it is sleep, diet, or procrastination, changing behaviours can be challenging. Individuals could design and build their own personalised digital interventions to help them reach their goals, but little is known about this process. Building upon previous research we propose the Behaviour Change with Trigger-Action Programming (BC-TAP) model which describes how individuals could bridge the gap between their current and desired behaviour through the creation of `Do-It-Yourself' (DIY) digital interventions. We conducted a two-day participatory workshop based on the BC-TAP model with 28 participants. Participants articulated plans to change a behaviour of their choice and represented these plans in mobile device automations. After using their interventions for up to three weeks, participants reflected on their experience. Our findings report opportunities and challenges at each stage of the process. While formulating a digital proxy for certain behaviours was challenging, both failures and successes facilitated participants’ awareness of their behaviour, and their ability to change it.2024ASAva Elizabeth Scott et al.Creative Collaboration & Feedback SystemsKnowledge Worker Tools & WorkflowsMobileHCI
MoodShaper: A Virtual Reality Experience to Support Managing Negative EmotionsNegative 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 either 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.2024NWNadine Wagener et al.Immersion & Presence ResearchVR Medical Training & RehabilitationMental Health Apps & Online Support CommunitiesDIS
Nature Networks: Designing for nature data collection and sharing from local to globalHuman-nature relations are formed by the social and economic forces underlying local, physical places. Yet, many citizen science platforms are designed for national or global nature data collection. How local knowledge of wildlife can be effectively assembled to support this is an open question. This study explored what a localised nature network might look like and how to design for what people care about, notice, record, and share. We undertook research with 14 participants in an inner-city location, using interviews and a variety of technology probes. We found that participants’ social and physical boundaries, values regarding family and community, and diverse questions impacted human-nature relations and nature data collection. Speculated physical-digital networks indicated novel combinations of platforms and technologies to drive ongoing engagement and learning. This study contributes insight into how nature data is formed by the realities of locality, and how a fractured nature/data landscape might be mended.2024KVKellie Vella et al.Citizen Science & Crowdsourced DataHuman-Nature Relationships (More-than-Human Design)DIS
SelVReflect: A Guided VR Experience Fostering Reflection on Personal ChallengesReflecting 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 discover new relationships between these components. By making use of the spatial possibilities in VR, they got 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.2023NWNadine Wagener et al.University of BremenSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingCHI
Children with ADHD and their Care Ecosystem: Designing Beyond SymptomsDesigning 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.2023ESEvropi Stefanidi et al.University of BremenCognitive Impairment & Neurodiversity (Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia)Special Education TechnologyUser Research Methods (Interviews, Surveys, Observation)CHI
Mood Worlds: A Virtual Environment for Autonomous Emotional ExpressionImmersive 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.2022NWNadine Wagener et al.University of BremenSocial & Collaborative VRImmersion & Presence ResearchInteractive Narrative & Immersive StorytellingCHI
Machine Body Language: Expressing a Smart Speaker's Activity with Intelligible Physical MotionPeople's physical movement and body language implicitly convey what they think and feel, are doing or are about to do. In contrast, current smart speakers miss out on this richness of body language, primarily relying on voice commands only. We present QUBI, a dynamic smart speaker that leverages expressive physical motion – stretching, nodding, turning, shrugging, wiggling, pointing and leaning forwards/backwards – to convey cues about its underlying behaviour and activities. We conducted a qualitative Wizard of Oz lab study, in which 12 participants interacted with QUBI in four scripted scenarios. From our study, we distilled six themes: (1) mirroring and mimicking motions; (2) body language to supplement voice instructions; (3) anthropomorphism and personality; (4) audio can trump motion; (5) reaffirming uncertain interpretations to support mutual understanding; and (6) emotional reactions to QUBI's behaviour. From this, we discuss design implications for future smart speakers.2021MAMirzel Avdic et al.Agent Personality & AnthropomorphismDIS
DataMoves: Entangling Data and Movement to Support Computer Science Education In the domain of computing education for children, much work has been done to devise creative and engaging methods of teaching about programming. However, there are many other fundamental aspects of computing that have so far received relatively less attention. This work explores how the topics of number systems and data representation can be taught in a way that piques curiosity and captures learners’ imaginations. Specifically, we present the design of two interactive physical computing artefacts, which we collectively call DataMoves, that enable 12-14 year old students to explore number systems and data through embodied movement and dance. Our evaluation of DataMoves, used in tandem with other pedagogical methods, demonstrates that the form of embodied, exploration-based learning adopted has much potential for deepening students’ understandings of computing topics, as well as for shaping positive perceptions of topics that are traditionally considered boring and dull.2021JBJustas Brazauskas et al.Programming Education & Computational ThinkingSTEM Education & Science CommunicationDIS
EvalMe: Exploring the Value of New Technologies for In Situ Evaluation of Learning ExperiencesTangible interfaces have much potential for engendering shared interaction and reflection, as well as for promoting playful experiences. How can their properties be capitalised on to enable students to reflect on their learning, both individually and together, throughout learning sessions? This Research through Design paper describes our development of EvalMe, a flexible, tangible tool aimed at being playful, enjoyable to use and enabling children to reflect on their learning, both in the moment and after a learning session has ended. We discuss the insights gained through the process of designing EvalMe, co-defining its functionality with two groups of collaborators and deploying it in two workshop settings. Through this process, we map key contextual considerations for the design of technologies for in situ evaluation of learning experiences. Finally, we discuss how tangible evaluation technologies deployed throughout a learning session, can positively contribute to students’ reflection about their learning.2021SLSusan Lechelt et al.University of EdinburghK-12 Digital Education ToolsCollaborative Learning & Peer TeachingCHI
Creepy Technology: What Is It and How Do You Measure It?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.2021PWPaweł W. Woźniak et al.Utrecht UniversityTechnology Ethics & Critical HCIUser Research Methods (Interviews, Surveys, Observation)CHI
Scaling Up to Tackle Low Levels of Urban Food Waste RecyclingAddressing societal problems is complex; little is known about which paths or approaches are successful. We discuss what is involved in knowing when and how and for whom change needs to occur, as well as the impact of doing so at scale—especially when novelty and academic contributions may be compromised. To this end, we present a ‘scaling up’ framework based on a societal project where we worked with multiple stakeholders to improve food waste recycling rates in a housing estate. We propose three main factors involved in scaling up: (i) ‘the people,’ through reimagining roles and relationships, (ii) ‘the method,’ requiring flexibility in design and research, and (iii) ‘the impact,’ informing new measures by handing over the evaluation. We reflect on the challenges, dilemmas, and successes encountered, as well as discuss the benefit of ‘handing over’ the evaluation process to gather scalable metrics based on economic modelling.2020KSKatie Seaborn et al.Sustainable HCIEcological Design & Green ComputingClimate Change Communication ToolsDIS