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Electronics
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Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges
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Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges

A special issue of Electronics (ISSN 2079-9292). This special issue belongs to the section "Computer Science & Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 16561

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Andrea Nucita

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cognitive Science, Psychology, Education and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Interests: geographical information systems; spatial databases; medical informatics; tele-rehabilitation systems; virtual and augmented reality
Dr. Giancarlo Iannizzotto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cognitive Science, Psychology, Education and Cultural Studies, University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy
Interests: HCI; artificial intelligence; advanced technologies for rehabilitation and health
Dr. Giuseppe Bernava

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Chemical-Physical Processes (IPCF), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 37, 98158 Messina, Italy
Interests: HCI; machine learning; computer vision; medical informatics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human–computer interaction has held a crucial role in recent history, where computers, mobile devices, wearables, IoT devices, and smart devices in general have a growing pervasiveness in every aspect in our everyday life. The spread of smart devices has also been accompanied by a continuous enhancement of artificial intelligence-based applications, where the complexity of such systems is often hidden to the user, giving access to very sophisticated technologies by exploiting means that humans use to interact with each other, such as natural language, gestures or even emotions.

Moreover, the growth of metaverses poses new questions about the ethical, economic, and social implications of these new spaces in which growing portions of our lives are lived.

Even if technology-augmented environments are full of opportunities, the rampant presence of machinery raises several issues, both at a personal and a social level, such as accessibility, social organization, security and privacy, just to mention a few.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect high-quality submissions covering the variety of aspects, opportunities, risks, and challenges of the human–computer interaction in our technology pervaded era.

Dr. Andrea Nucita
Dr. Giancarlo Iannizzotto
Dr. Giuseppe Bernava
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • assistive technologies
  • robotics
  • wearables
  • gesture and emotion recognition
  • augmentative/virtual/mixed reality
  • social and ethical issues
  • privacy preserving human–computer interaction

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 2696 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Virtual Character Design on Emotional Engagement in Immersive Virtual Reality: The Case of Feelings of Being
by Amir Dirin and Teemu H. Laine
Electronics 2023, 12(10), 2321; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12102321 - 21 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4325
Abstract
Immersive virtual reality applications based on head-mounted displays are gaining momentum among students and educational institutes, but there is a lack of information about the preferences of virtual characters and emotional engagement in these applications. The objectives of this study were to: (i) [...] Read more.
Immersive virtual reality applications based on head-mounted displays are gaining momentum among students and educational institutes, but there is a lack of information about the preferences of virtual characters and emotional engagement in these applications. The objectives of this study were to: (i) evaluate participants’ preferences on virtual characters in virtual reality; (ii) measure emotional engagement among the users in terms of Feelings of Being; and (iii) identify relationships between virtual characters and emotional engagement. We conducted a mixed-method user experience evaluation on the HHVR virtual reality application that introduces the premises of a Finnish university and has three virtual characters: a human virtual character based on a real person, a fictional human virtual character, and a cat virtual character. We set up an eSports event where presenters (N = 12, mean age: 31.09) experienced HHVR using a head-mounted display and spectators (N = 38, mean age: 25.95) observed the experiment through large screens. We administered a questionnaire and conducted semi-structured interviews to gain insights into the participants’ preferences on virtual characters and emotional engagement. The results indicated that the virtual character preferences varied between the presenters and spectators; the cat was a highly liked virtual character in both groups, and the realistic human virtual character garnered mixed reactions from the spectators, although she was generally liked by the presenters. Both groups experienced several Feelings of Being, such as engagement, effectiveness, security, trust, enjoyment, and excitement, during the HHVR experience. Moderate and significant correlations were identified between the virtual characters and some of the Feelings of Being, thus indicating that the type of virtual character could impact emotional engagement; however, this requires further exploration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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18 pages, 2579 KiB  
Article
Learning Statics through Physical Manipulative Tools and Visuohaptic Simulations: The Effect of Visual and Haptic Feedback
by Yoselyn Walsh and Alejandra J. Magana
Electronics 2023, 12(7), 1659; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12071659 - 31 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1617
Abstract
In this study, we: (a) compared the differences in the learning of friction concepts between a physical manipulative tool (PMT) and a visuohaptic simulation (VHS) in four different configurations (visually enhanced feedback on/off, force feedback on/off), and (b) analyzed the influence of the [...] Read more.
In this study, we: (a) compared the differences in the learning of friction concepts between a physical manipulative tool (PMT) and a visuohaptic simulation (VHS) in four different configurations (visually enhanced feedback on/off, force feedback on/off), and (b) analyzed the influence of the visual and haptic feedback for learning the concept of friction. Specifically, this study explored the role of an object’s size in friction. In a three-stage experiment (i.e., pre-test, experimentation, and post-test), 206 undergraduate students compared the friction force, speed, acceleration, and traveled distance between two cubes with the same weight but different sizes pushed on a smooth surface. Our results suggest that (a) VHS was an effective tool for promoting the learning of friction concepts actively, (b) learners in the VHS condition outperformed the learners in the PMT condition (PMT < VHS), (c) the easy identification of the forces by enhanced visual cues promoted the acquisition of scientific knowledge, (d) the haptic feedback promoted a grounded experience for learning about friction, and (e) learners in the Sequenced (H→H + V) condition had more learning benefits than the Simultaneous (H + V), Visual, and Haptic conditions. Students in the Sequenced (H→H + V) condition took advantage of the affordances of the virtual and physical manipulatives. The implication for teaching and learning is that the virtual and physical affordances of the learning tools and the students’ prior knowledge must be considered in the design of the VHS to enhance learning. For the education research, the study implied that body actions positively impacted the learning experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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18 pages, 3497 KiB  
Article
Gesture Vocabularies for Hand Gestures for Controlling Air Conditioners in Home and Vehicle Environments
by Hasan J. Alyamani
Electronics 2023, 12(7), 1513; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12071513 - 23 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1750
Abstract
With the growing prevalence of modern technologies as part of everyday life, mid-air gestures have become a promising input method in the field of human–computer interaction. This paper analyses the gestures of actual users to define a preliminary gesture vocabulary for home air [...] Read more.
With the growing prevalence of modern technologies as part of everyday life, mid-air gestures have become a promising input method in the field of human–computer interaction. This paper analyses the gestures of actual users to define a preliminary gesture vocabulary for home air conditioning (AC) systems and suggests a gesture vocabulary for controlling the AC that applies to both home and vehicle environments. In this study, a user elicitation experiment was conducted. A total of 36 participants were filmed while employing their preferred hand gestures to manipulate a home air conditioning system. Comparisons were drawn between our proposed gesture vocabulary (HomeG) and a previously proposed gesture vocabulary which was designed to identify the preferred hand gestures for in-vehicle air conditioners. The findings indicate that HomeG successfully identifies and describes the employed gestures in detail. To gain a gesture taxonomy that is suitable for manipulating the AC at home and in a vehicle, some modifications were applied to HomeG based on suggestions from other studies. The modified gesture vocabulary (CrossG) can identify the gestures of our study, although CrossG has a less detailed gesture pattern. Our results will help designers to understand user preferences and behaviour prior to designing and implementing a gesture-based user interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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21 pages, 4064 KiB  
Article
Investigating the Operational Complexity of Digital Workflows Based on Human Cognitive Aspects
by Ildikó Horváth and Borbála Berki
Electronics 2023, 12(3), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12030528 - 19 Jan 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1574
Abstract
In recent decades, the everyday working environment has increasingly shifted into the digital realm. Accordingly, the assessment of human working performance has become strongly influenced by the level, frequency, and mode of interaction with the digital environment. This paper presents a system-level comparative [...] Read more.
In recent decades, the everyday working environment has increasingly shifted into the digital realm. Accordingly, the assessment of human working performance has become strongly influenced by the level, frequency, and mode of interaction with the digital environment. This paper presents a system-level comparative analysis of human–computer interactions in 2D versus 3D digital environments, focusing on human behavior in different environments and interfaces. For the purposes of this analysis, a new methodology is proposed—inspired by a set of new concepts and metrics—that can be used to evaluate digital interfaces based on the number and complexity of user operations. Beyond the use of objective indicators, the study was supplemented by a user survey of 52 people to map the congruence of digital systems and user requirements. According to the research results, in 3D virtual work environments, users perform at least 30 percent fewer elementary operations. The Information Access Cost is 54 percent less in immersive VR than in classical 2D user interfaces. Based on these figures, we conclude that the development trends behind 3D VR-based working environments coincide with the intention to extend human cognitive capabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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17 pages, 4492 KiB  
Article
Descriptive Markers for the Cognitive Profiling of Desktop 3D Spaces
by Anna Sudár and Ádám B. Csapó
Electronics 2023, 12(2), 448; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12020448 - 15 Jan 2023
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1504
Abstract
3D virtual reality spaces, whether running on desktop environments or on immersive displays, have been noted to support a radically new and highly stimulating way of working with digital content in a variety of application domains. At the same time, research in recent [...] Read more.
3D virtual reality spaces, whether running on desktop environments or on immersive displays, have been noted to support a radically new and highly stimulating way of working with digital content in a variety of application domains. At the same time, research in recent decades has produced a number of experimental results showing that the use of 3D, as opposed to 2D interfaces, can lead to performance improvements from a wide range of aspects, including the ability to comprehend and retain knowledge, ability to work collaboratively in more creative and effective ways, and ability to carry out workflows integrating numerous sources of information in less time. In this paper, we first review the relevant literature; then, we describe an exploratory study that we carried out with test subjects, both in a 3D desktop virtual environment and in a 2D web-based environment, while collecting eye tracking data. In the study, subjects were presented with a set of multimedia content on a range of topics within the field of astronomy, based on which they were subsequently asked to fill out a set of questionnaires. By comparing the 2D and 3D cases in terms of correctness of answers, time taken to perform the task, pupil dilation measurements, subjects’ self-reported difficulty assessments, as well as various kinds of high-level interaction patterns employed during the task (in 3D), we were able to identify a set of descriptive markers which may be relevant to the prediction of users’ effectiveness in virtual reality workspaces. In a weaker sense, the results also seem to support previous research works claiming improved effectiveness in 3D spaces compared to 2D web-based interfaces, although further work is needed to more clearly identify the constraints within which such benefits can be guaranteed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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15 pages, 1960 KiB  
Article
Telerehabilitation with Computer Vision-Assisted Markerless Measures: A Pilot Study with Rett Syndrome Patients
by Andrea Nucita, Giancarlo Iannizzotto, Michela Perina, Alberto Romano and Rosa Angela Fabio
Electronics 2023, 12(2), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12020435 - 14 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2121
Abstract
The use of telerehabilitation systems has shown a significant growth in the past years, demonstrating their crucial relevance in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many devices and sensors have been proposed to analytically measure parameters for patient assessment, with limitations due to [...] Read more.
The use of telerehabilitation systems has shown a significant growth in the past years, demonstrating their crucial relevance in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many devices and sensors have been proposed to analytically measure parameters for patient assessment, with limitations due to costs or feasibility. In this paper, we present a motor telerehabilitation system with computer vision-assisted markerless measures for patients with Rett syndrome. Twenty-one RTT (Rett syndrome) patients, with ages ranging from age 4 to 31 (Median: 12.50; IQR (interquartile range): 9.50–17.25) were recruited. The study follows a pre-test–post-test design, where the patients were submitted to a pre-test, treatment, post-test 1, treatment, post-test 2 procedure. Progress in patient outcomes was assessed by measuring joint passive range of movement (PRoM). Results show the reliability of our system, and the feasibility of a telerehabilitation treatment for RTT patients, with significant improvements in shoulder mobility and in elbow flexion and extension. Limited results in lower limbs suggest that home treatment should be fostered to reduce sedentary time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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Review

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17 pages, 7414 KiB  
Review
Gaze-Based Human–Computer Interaction for Museums and Exhibitions: Technologies, Applications and Future Perspectives
by Piercarlo Dondi and Marco Porta
Electronics 2023, 12(14), 3064; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12143064 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
Eye tracking technology is now mature enough to be exploited in various areas of human–computer interaction. In this paper, we consider the use of gaze-based communication in museums and exhibitions, to make the visitor experience more engaging and attractive. While immersive and interactive [...] Read more.
Eye tracking technology is now mature enough to be exploited in various areas of human–computer interaction. In this paper, we consider the use of gaze-based communication in museums and exhibitions, to make the visitor experience more engaging and attractive. While immersive and interactive technologies are now relatively widespread in museums, the use of gaze interaction is still in its infancy—despite the benefits it could provide, for example, to visitors with motor disabilities. Apart from some pioneering early works, only the last few years have seen an increase in gaze-based museum applications. This literature review aims to discuss the state of the art on this topic, highlighting advantages, limitations and current and future trends. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human-Computer Interaction: Current Opportunities and Future Challenges)
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