Multimodal Technol. Interact., Volume 7, Issue 11 (November 2023) – 8 articles

In recent years, research reached a very high level of development and validation of augmented prototyping systems in support of collaborative design activities. However, there is still great scepticism in companies when it comes to integrating these new technologies within a consolidated working model. Among others, the main barrier to overcome concerns the lack of understanding of the impact of AR systems on the key objectives of a business, such as improving its efficiency and revenue. For this reason, this paper aims to quantify these indicators by observing the technological impact not on a single design session but on an entire product development process, during which the aspects related to its integration are also considered. Thanks to the collaboration with a design agency, it was possible to compare parameters such as the lead time, number of iterations, person-hours and costs between two similar and realistic projects in which only one was supported by projection-based AR technology. Full article

Although many of our interactions with technology nowadays take place in public places (e.g., using a mobile phone in public transportation), research and design on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) has paid little attention to how this kind of technology usage affects others present—and vice versa. To illustrate the perspective of the attendant, i.e., a person who is not interacting with technology themselves but co-experiencing it as listener or viewer, we developed the so-called Attendant Card Set (ACS). In two studies, an expert survey and a student workshop, we tested its practical applicability and usefulness. It showed not only that experts assess the cards positively, i.e., helpful, informative, and relevant, but also that the cards can be used with laypersons for perspective-taking, creative ideation, and discussions. Thus, analyzing and/or comparing the experience of different types with the help of the ACS provides a unique approach to the consideration of the attendant perspective in the research and development process. Limitations of the present research and opportunities for future tool applications are discussed. In addition to establishing this concept in HCI, we also see potential in the transferability to other areas and contexts such as the design of public space or non-technological products. Full article

Interacting with virtual agents in immersive settings is becoming increasingly common thanks to the proliferation of dedicated media devices, such as consumer-grade virtual and augmented reality headsets. These technologies offer many advantages, e.g., in terms of presence and engagement, and can impact user behavior and attitudes toward virtual agents. Recognizing and understanding these effects is essential, especially in critical contexts involving the delegation of high-stake decisions to virtual agents. This article presents two experiments that explore users’ delegatory behavior toward virtual agents experienced via different media devices that vary in their technological immersion, i.e., a device’s technical capacity to deliver immersive experiences. The experiments’ results suggest that technological immersion is not a significant factor in users’ delegation decisions. Thus, for virtual agents designed to carry out critical tasks, developers may focus on other relevant factors, such as agents’ trustworthiness or performance. Full article

The relationship between workplace communication and affective outcomes, specifically connectedness at work and affective organizational commitment, is one that warrants further investigation for practical usage in the increasingly multimodal workplace. This study considers the frequency of use across five communication modalities, that being face-to-face, email, phone calls, instant messaging, and video calls, in relation to affective outcomes, as well as their relationships with communication meaningfulness. Employed participants (n = 516) completed an online survey in which they self-reported weekly communication tendencies, experienced connectedness, and affective organizational commitment. The final sample consisted of participants across 20 different industries in the United States. The most respondents worked in Health Care and Social Assistance or Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (15% each), followed closely by respondents from Educational Services or Finance and Insurance (13% each). Data collection took place in between October 2021 and January 2022. Generally, participants who reported more frequent communication at work reported higher levels of connectedness and higher affective organizational commitment. Employees who found their communication more meaningful (irrespective of frequency) felt the most emotionally connected. Unique benefits of different communication modalities, as well as implications for hybrid and remote organizations, are discussed. Full article

This paper extends current research on Human–Robot Interaction (HRI) within Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on how future virtual agents and communication robots can support the temporal structures and routines within the home. We recruited representatives from 15 households with varied compositions, ranging from single inhabitants to full nest families. Drawing upon P.G. Wodehouse’s The Inimitable Jeeves as an inspiration, the methodology sought to imitate the relationship between a recruitment agency worker (researcher) and an employer (participant) seeking to hire a personal assistant (e.g., a virtual agent or communication robot device) for their home. A ‘household audit’ comprising a guided household tour and an architectural survey was conducted to ascertain the nuanced spatiotemporal routines within the home. The study analysed the responses of participants using the Labovian narrative schema, a traditional method in linguistics research. The findings were then examined through the lens of Reddy et al.’s temporal features of work to understand how domestic work unfolds within the home from a temporal perspective. We argue that the temporal concepts discussed by Reddy et al. provided valuable insights into the temporal dynamics of everyday activities and could inform the design of virtual agents and communication robotic devices to fulfil their roles as domesticated ‘personal assistants’. Full article

A chatbot, or else a conversational agent (CA), is a technology that is used in order to imitate the process of a conversation between a human being and a software application for supporting specific services. The utilization of this technology has been increasing considerably over the past five years, particularly in education where CAs are mostly utilized as teaching assistants that provide educational content. This paper aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge by systematically reviewing the support provided by chatbots both to educational institutions and their students, investigating their capabilities in further detail, and highlighting the various ways that this technology could and should be used in order to maximize its benefits. Emphasis is given to analyzing and synthesizing the emerging roles of CAs, usage recommendations and suggestions, student’s desires, and challenges recorded in the literature. For this reason, a systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out using the PRISMA framework in order to minimize the common biases and limitations of SLRs. However, we must note that the SLR presented has specific limitations, namely using only Scopus as a search engine, utilizing a general search query, and selecting only journal articles published in English in the last five years. Full article

In this essay, we are interested in investigating some of the possible relations between design and digital humanities. In particular, we analyze the contribution that communication and interface design can bring to digital humanities. In a scene currently characterized by a heterogeneous set of activities and humanistic, technological, and cultural studies, the involvement of design seems confined to the development of digital instruments in accessing, exploring, and manipulating cultural data. How can design and the humanities work in an interdisciplinary way in order to shape new digital means to explore humanistic content? This essay presents four case studies (three of them developed by the authors), each of which suggests some methods and tools focused on the interdisciplinary relationships of scholars. The findings are both models of collaboration and models of digital architecture (data visualization) and showcase applied digital interactive platforms that present several paths to discovering different levels of content in the fields of art, psychology, literature, and history. In conclusion, this essay presents a manifesto focusing on ten points of virtuous relation between design humanities and the field of information visualization. Full article

This study explored drivers’ emotion-based impressions of car-borne central control platforms (CBCCPs) for personal-use vehicles. Thus, this preference-based study examined experts’ and drivers’ opinions regarding the appeal of CBCCPs from the perspective of Miryoku engineering. To this end, this study analyzed data via the EGM (evaluation grid method (EGM) and quantification theory type I. Results: Drivers’ preferences for specific CBCCP design characteristics were categorized into the factors “legible”, convenient”, and “tasteful”, which comprised the core of the EGM semantic hierarchical diagram. In addition, the importance of CBCCPs’ appeal factors and characteristics was assessed through quantification theory type I. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for designers, manufacturers, and researchers interested in the design of CBCCPs. Additionally, the results of this study can contribute to research on applied psychology, human–computer interactions, and car interface design. Full article