Past and Ongoing Work

Making virtual movement feel real: end-to-end research on AI-powered movement tracking in Virtual Reality

I led and conducted a series mixed-methods studies across all development phases on avatar embodiment and motion quality to evaluate novel leg-tracking solutions. Working alongside engineering, data science, and design, I developed launch criteria that facilitated rapid iteration for a successful launch. I developed key quality metrics and established a fast-paced rolling research program to track progress, which included benchmarking, lab-based testing with quantitative and qualitative metrics, broader surveys, and experimental studies.

A highlight for me was establishing the first UX research lab in the Zurich office and pioneering user studies at this location, where I set up UX research operations and aligned them with processes used across other sites.

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Public participation through AR in urban planning

Working with external city planning stakeholders, I led user research within a broader initiative exploring how augmented reality could increase public participation and improve communication among diverse urban planning stakeholders. The project aimed to make complex planning information more accessible and support a more inclusive, democratic process.

The research involved understanding stakeholder needs, pilot usability testing, and conducting AR walking tours with the public to collect their feedback. We discovered strong user acceptance, highlighted usability strengths, and revealed areas for technical improvement. These insights led to further funding for projects focused on making urban planning more tangible and engaging.

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Using immersive technologies to improve high-stakes decision-making

Virtual Reality has the unique capability to provide the illusion of being somewhere else – And feel like being there. Could this potentially help a jury to better understand how a crime transpired during a trial?

Partnering with law enforcement, attorneys, and forensic scientists, I conducted end-to-end user research and development of a VR system to assess it for courtroom use. A major challenge was navigating varying and even conflicting needs of each group.

I applied mixed methods including workshops, recall tasks, stakeholder interviews, usability surveys, and physiological measures to assess cognition and decision-making. Findings showed VR improved spatial memory, attention, and verdict consistency, demonstrating its value for high-stakes decision-making environments. My thesis provided evidence that VR is a promising tool to help jury members better understand and remember events, making a better outcome in court more likely.

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UI insights from cross-device AR interfaces

I designed and led a UX feasibility study using SecondSight, a modular prototyping tool I co-developed with engineers for testing AR interfaces across smartphones and optical see-through head-mounted displays. Assessed people’s preferences and behaviours using both quantitative metrics and qualitative interviews to evaluate spatial content placement under varying field of views (FoV).

The project produced early design insights and a reusable tool for future AR UX research relevant for AR headset configurations with different FoV affordances.

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Depth perception for architectural and urban planning projects in AR

I led a UX research project in collaboration with industry partners in the real estate sector to explore the feasibility of enhancing mobile AR efficiency. Designed and conducted a mixed-methods study examining the impact of visual depth cues on distance perception. Findings highlighted a disconnect between user preference and performance.

These initial insights highlight key considerations for optimising AR design in architectural and urban planning contexts.

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Connecting people remotely with wearables

I designed and ran a mixed-methods UX study to evaluate interaction models for Social Panoramas, a cross-device system between a wearable device (Google Glass) and tablet users that enables people to connect in real-time to share their experiences remotely. Evaluated social presence and interaction modes using usability metrics and qualitative feedback.

Insights informed design principles for future AR/VR collaboration tools.

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Assessing quality of lifelike reconstructions

A main expertise of mine is assessing the quality and impact of lifelike 3D reconstructions of avatars and environments on the user experience in VR, including photogrammetry, point clouds, meshes, and Gaussian Splats.

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ShopTrotter: Loyalty Program for Shopping Malls

ShopTrotter was the winning pitch at the Retail Game Changer Challenge, a competition targeted at creating a mobile solution that would entice visitors to dwell longer. This resulted in $25 000 AUD to kickstart Nisus Development Pty Ltd.

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