Augmented Human Lab

Earlier this month, the Augmented Human Lab hosted a seminar with Dr. Hari Subramonyam, Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Education and Computer Science (by courtesy) at Stanford University, chaired by Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara.

Dr. Subramonyam presented his research on Script&Shift, a layered writing environment that positions generative AI as a process-aware collaborator—supporting students through brainstorming, structuring, elaboration, and revision while preserving their ownership and critical engagement. He also explored interface paradigms such as modular scripting, rhetorical layering, and semantic scaffolding, and how these reshape the cognitive experience of writing. The session sparked timely conversations around designing AI systems that augment rather than automate student thinking.

A pleasure to host Dr. Subramonyam at Augmented Human Lab Lab and National University of Singapore.

✨ 3 full papers and 6 Late-Breaking Works (LBWs) from Augmented Human Lab were accepted to CHI 2025! 🇯🇵

Here’s a glimpse of our team in action at PACIFICO Yokohama, Japan, from 26 April to 1 May 2025 🌸📸

1️⃣ Team photo with current members who attended CHI, our PI Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara, and alumni
2️⃣ Yize Wei, PhD student, presenting “Human-Robot Interaction for Blind and Low Vision People: A Systematic Literature Review”
3️⃣–7️⃣ Team members showcasing their CHI LBWs
8️⃣–9️⃣ Social moments with the lab team and collaborators

Grateful to be part of CHI 2025 — the world’s premier HCI conference — where purpose meets passion under this year’s theme of Ikigai.

📚 The 3 full papers accepted to CHI 2025:

🔹 Curious Shorts: Curiosity-Driven Exploration and Learning on Short-Form Video Platforms
Felicia Tan, Research Assistant at Augmented Human Lab (now PhD student at NYU Tandon School of Engineering), is the lead author, co-authored by Ashwin Ram, Moritz Messerschmidt, Hasini Amanda Dissanayake, and Suranga Nanayakkara.
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3713951

🔹 Human-Robot Interaction for Blind and Low Vision People: A Systematic Literature Review
Yize Wei, PhD student at Augmented Human Lab supervised by Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara, is the lead author, co-authored by Nathan Rocher (Université Toulouse 3), Chitralekha Gupta, Mia Huong Nguyen, Roger Zimmermann (NUS), Wei Tsang Ooi (NUS), Christophe Jouffrais (IPAL, CNRS, Singapore), and Suranga Nanayakkara.
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3713438

🔹 Who is in Control? Understanding User Agency in AR-assisted Construction Assembly
Xiliu Yang, Visiting Researcher at Augmented Human Lab and Doctoral Researcher at the Cluster of Excellence IntCDC, University of Stuttgart, is the lead author, co-authored by Prasanth Sasikumar, Felix Amtsberg, Achim Menges, Michael Sedlmair, and Suranga Nanayakkara.
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3713765

📄 The 6 LBWs accepted to CHI 2025:
🔹 Scene-to-Audio: Distant Scene Sonification for Blind and Low Vision People
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3719849

🔹 Development of a Tangible Interactive Playware for Autism: Through the Lens of Design Science
Link to paper: https://programs.sigchi.org/chi/2025/program/content/194281

🔹 VRSense: An Explainable System to Help Mitigate Cybersickness in VR Games
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3719891

🔹 Mirai: A Wearable Proactive AI "Inner-Voice" for Contextual Nudging
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3719881

🔹 LexiLearn: Gamifying Learning for Dyslexia in a Novel Linguistic Context
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3720169

🔹 GutIO: Toward Sensing and Inducing Gut Feelings with Abdominal Sounds
Link to paper: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706599.3719826

Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara delivered an inspiring speech at the launch of the NUS HumanITy Challenge this weekend — an innovation competition hosted by the NUS Department of Information Systems and Analytics for pre-university students 🌱💡

The Challenge empowers young minds to harness the power of IT to solve real-world problems for a more sustainable future.

🔗 Learn more: https://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/humanity/

Team Augmented Human Lab is all about balance—mixing work with wellness and team engagement. We wrapped up February with a 5 km evening trek, a perfect way to unwind after work. It was a fun-filled adventure! 🌄👟🌿

Check out some moments captured during our trek 📸

Last week's workshop with SG Enable and NUS Artificial Intelligence Institute explored intersections of AI and Assistive Technology. Engaging discussions and innovative ideas abounded, all focused on empowering persons with disabilities. 🌟💡 Looking forward to the impactful advancements we can achieve together!

🎉 We are thrilled that our article on Assistive Augmentation has been featured as the cover story of Interactions magazine! 📖

‘Assistive Augmentations' aims to fundamentally enhance human abilities—physical, cognitive, and perceptual—while ensuring that technology becomes a natural extension of the individual. This is the vision at Augmented Human Lab 👉 www.ahlab.org

👏 Congratulations to our Augmented Human Lab researchers and collaborators behind this feature: Assoc. Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara,Chitralekha Gupta, Dixon Prem Daniel, Pattie Maes, and Felicia Fang-Yi Tan!

🔗 Read the article here: https://interactions.acm.org/archive/view/january-february-2025/assistive-augmentation-fundamentally-transforming-human-ability

Assistive Augmentation: Fundamentally Transforming Human Ability | ACM Interactions   The rapid development of smart devices and emerging AI capabilities holds immense potential to transform not only our daily interactions but also our pursuit of life goals. Existing...