TVCG 2026 Article

Recently, I co-authored a journal paper that was published at IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. The paper is entitled “Interaction Under Whole-Body User Rotations in VR Space”. The study investigated how changes in a user’s virtual pitch orientation affect interaction performance and subjective experience. Using a within-subject design, 30 seated participants were exposed to 12 virtual tilt conditions ranging from moderate to extreme angles (±180°), while measures of comfort, simulator sickness, perceptual responses, and task performance were collected.

Results showed no significant increases in nausea, disorientation, or discomfort, with moderate tilts performing similarly to baseline conditions; even extreme tilts produced only low levels of nausea. Performance outcomes were mixed, as forward tilts resulted in similar or slightly improved performance, whereas backward tilts caused modest but statistically insignificant declines. Overall, the findings suggest that VR experiences with virtual body orientations differing from the user’s physical posture can be implemented without compromising comfort or performance.

More information:

https://www.computer.org/csdl/journal/tg/5555/01/11475228/2fuM7XOCKcg

IEEE Access 2026 Article

Recently, I co-authored an open-access journal paper that was published at IEEE Access. The paper is entitled “An Augmented Reality System With an Offline LSTM-Based Fault Recognition Model for Sewer Pipeline Inspection”. The paper introduces XR5.0, a novel framework that combines artificial intelligence with extended reality (XR) technologies to support the vision of Industry 5.0, where advanced digital systems are designed around human needs and capabilities. The research proposes a human-centric XR paradigm that integrates immersive environments with AI to enhance collaboration between workers and intelligent machines.

A key component of the approach is the use of human-centred digital twins, which create digital representations of users to enable XR systems to adapt training, guidance, and information delivery according to individual skills, context, and tasks. The framework also integrates advanced AI techniques (including explainable AI, generative AI, active learning, and neurosymbolic AI) to provide real-time decision support and personalized learning within immersive environments. These capabilities enable practical applications such as industrial training, remote maintenance, assembly guidance, and product design simulations.

More information:

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/11363212

ISMAR 2025 Article

Recently, a paper I co-authored with colleagues from CYENS was presented at 2025 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR) in Daejeon, Korea. The paper is entitled "VR as a 'Drop-In' Well-Being Tool for Knowledge Workers" and explores how VR can meet the diverse physical and mental needs of knowledge workers. We developed Tranquil Loom, a VR app offering stretching, guided meditation, and open exploration across four environments. The app includes an AI assistant that suggests activities based on users’ emotional states.

We conducted a two-phase mixed-methods study: (1) interviews with 10 knowledge workers to guide the apps design, and (2) deployment with 35 participants gathering usage data, well-being measures, and interviews. Results showed increases in mindfulness and reductions in anxiety. Participants enjoyed both structured and open-ended activities, often using the app playfully. While AI suggestions were used infrequently, they prompted ideas for future personalization. Overall, participants viewed VR as a flexible, 'dropin' tool, highlighting its value for situational rather than prescriptive well-being support.

More information:

https://www.computer.org/csdl/proceedings-article/ismar/2025/876100b213/2byA7RS10ze

CHI Greece 2025 Article II

Yesterday, a paper I co-authored with colleagues from CYENS was presented at CHI Greece 2025. The paper is entitled “A Longitudinal Evaluation of Heart Rate Efficiency for Amateur Runners”. It presents a web-based system that uses large language models (LLMs) to automatically generate structured short-form video (i.e., reels) from lecture long-form videos while preserving instructor-authored material. It first presents Fitplotter, which is a client-side web application designed for the visualization and analysis of data associated with fitness and activity tracking devices. Next, we revisited and formalized Heart Rate Efficiency (HRE), defined as the product of pace and heart rate, as a practical and explainable metric to track aerobic fitness in everyday running.

Drawing on more than a decade of training data from one athlete, and supplemented by publicly available logs from twelve runners, we showed that HRE provides more stable and meaningful feedback on aerobic development than heart rate or pace alone. We showed that HRE correlates with training volume, reflects seasonal progress, and remains stable during long runs in well-trained individuals. We also discuss how HRE can support everyday training decisions, improve the user experience in fitness tracking, and serve as an explainable metric to proprietary ones of commercial platforms. Our findings have implications for designing user-centered fitness tools that empower amateur athletes to understand and manage their own performance data.

More information:

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3749012.3749046

CHI Greece 2025 Article I

Today, a paper I co-authored with colleagues from CYENS, University of Cyprus and cognitiveux which was presented at CHI Greece 2025. The paper is entitled “The Reel Deal: Designing and Evaluating LLM-Generated Short-Form Educational Videos”. It presents a web-based system that uses large language models (LLMs) to automatically generate structured short-form video (i.e., reels) from lecture long-form videos while preserving instructor-authored material.

In a between-subject user study with 62 university students, we evaluated ReelsEd and demonstrated that it outperformed traditional long-form videos in engagement, quiz performance, and task efficiency without increasing cognitive load. Learners expressed high trust in our system and valued its clarity, usefulness, and ease of navigation. Our findings point to new design opportunities for integrating generative AI into educational tools that prioritize usability, learner agency, and pedagogical alignment.

More information:

https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3749012.3749048

MTI 2024 Article

Recently, I co-authored an open-access journal paper that was published at Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, sponsored by the MDPI. The paper is entitled “Extended Reality Educational System with Virtual Teacher Interaction for Enhanced Learning”. The paper introduces an interactive XR intelligent assistant featuring a virtual teacher that interacts dynamically with PowerPoint presentations using OpenAI’s ChatGPT API.

It incorporates multilingual speech-to-text and text-to-speech capabilities, custom lip-syncing solutions, eye gaze, head rotation and gestures. Panoramic images can be used as a sky box giving the illusion that the AI assistant is located at another location. Findings from three pilots indicate that the proposed technology has a lot of potential to be used as an additional tool for enhancing the learning process.

More information:

https://www.mdpi.com/2414-4088/8/9/83

IEEE CG&A Article

Recently, a co-authored article entitled ‘XR4ED: An Extended Reality Platform for Education’ was published at IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications. It presents the overall architecture and objectives of the EU-funded project dedicated to XR for education, called Extended Reality for Education (XR4ED). The goal is to provide a platform where educators will be able to build XR teaching experiences without the need to have programming or 3D modeling expertise.

The article describes the platform and focuses on a key aspect of collaborative and social XR, which is the use of avatars. We show initial results on a) a marketplace which is used for populating educational content into XR environments, b) an intelligent augmented reality assistant that communicates between nonplayer characters and learners, and c) self-avatars providing nonverbal communication in collaborative VR.

More information:

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10640174

ERCIM News XR5.0 Article 2024

XR applications for manufacturing are built based on a one-size-fits-all philosophy that does not consider the characteristics of individual workers. Hence, they fall short when it comes to supporting the emerging wave of Industry 5.0 (I5.0) applications that are destined to be human-centric and emphasise trustworthy human-machine collaboration. I5.0 requires XR visualisations that consider the characteristics, skills, and context of the manufacturing worker, along with the peculiarities of their interactions with machinery, automation devices, and cyber physical production systems.

In this context, the newly started XR5.0 Horizon Europe Project will build, demonstrate, and validate a novel person-centric and AI-based XR paradigm that will be tailored to the requirements and nature of I5.0 applications. The project will specify blueprints for using XR in I5.0 applications with emphasis on the development of innovative XR-made-in-Europe technology that blends with human-centric manufacturing technologies and adheres to European values (e.g. trustworthiness, security/privacy-by-design, transparency) as reflected in relevant EU regulations and policies.

More information:

https://ercim-news.ercim.eu/en137/special/xr5-0-human-centric-ai-enabled-extended-reality-applications-for-the-industry-5-0-era