Videoconferencing (VC) is a type of online meeting that allows two or more participants from different locations to engage in live multi-directional audio-visual communication and collaboration (e.g., via screen sharing). The COVID-19 pandemic has induced a boom in both private and professional videoconferencing in the early 2020s that elicited controversial public and academic debates about its pros and cons. One main concern has been the phenomenon of videoconference fatigue. The aim of this conceptual review article is to contribute to the conceptual clarification of VC fatigue. We use the popular and succinct label “Zoom fatigue” interchangeably with the more generic label “videoconference fatigue” and define it as the experience of fatigue during and/or after a videoconference, regardless of the specific VC system used. We followed a structured eight-phase process of conceptual analysis that led to a conceptual model of VC fatigue with four key causal dimensions: (1) personal factors, (2) organizational factors, (3) technological factors, and (4) environmental factors. We present this 4D model describing the respective dimensions with their sub-dimensions based on theories, available evidence, and media coverage. The 4D-model is meant to help researchers advance empirical research on videoconference fatigue.

The concept of conducting ecologically valid user studies is gaining traction in the field of Quality of Experience (QoE). However, despite previous research exploring this concept, the increasing volume of studies has made it challenging to obtain a comprehensive overview of existing guidelines and the key aspects to consider when designing ecologically valid studies. Therefor this paper aims to provide a systematic review of research articles published between 2011 and 2021 that offer insight into conducting ecologically valid user studies. From an initial count of 782 retrieved studies, a final count of 12 studies met the predefined criteria and were included in the final review. The systematic review resulted in the extraction of 55 guidelines that provide guidance towards conducting ecologically valid user studies. These guidelines have been grouped within 8 categories (Environment, Technology, Content, Participant Recruitment, User Behavior, Study Design, Task and data collection) overarching the three main dimensions (Setting, Users and Research Methodology). Furthermore, the review discusses: the flip side of ecological validity, the implications for QoE research, as well as provides a basic visualisation model for assessing the ecological validity of a study. In conclusion, the current review indicates that future research should address more in detail how and when research approaches characterized by high ecological validity (and correspondingly, low internal validity) and those characterized by low ecological validity (and normally high internal validity) can best complement each other in order to better understand the key factors influencing QoE for various types of applications, user segments, settings. Further, we argue that more transparency around the (sub)dimensions of ecological validity with respect to a particular study or set of studies is necessary.

Humane or humanity-centered intelligent environments (IE) prioritize human users, communities, and societal needs in the system design, service, and operations. However, designing for a genuinely humanity-centric vision poses potential barriers related to the technical frameworks and methods of IEs. This paper introduces a multi-disciplinary innovation research approach grounded in a participatory ForSTI (i.e., Foresight in Science, Technology, and Innovation) methodology. We apply a Horizon scanning exercise in combination with expert interviews and a lead user workshop to develop a future humanity-centric roadmap for IEs that aligns with a coherent understanding of human and societal needs. Multiple technical visions are explored to foresee how ethics, human control, and agency can be preserved in developing future human-centric IEs. Our findings indicate that the “feasible” future vision is propelled forward by technical enchanted determinism, with weak resistance from the public, citizens, and society. The “possible” vision augments humans and the environment through technical advancement. In contrast, the most “desirable” vision is inclusive of all humanity, also the most vulnerable, and can bring forth meaningful human involvement and influence in the technical configurations of IEs. By carefully considering the potential drivers and barriers ahead, we can re-think how to design for the most desirable future vision in developing IEs.

Studying immersion in audiovisual experiences can help technologists deliver engaging and enhanced experiences. As a first step toward this goal this paper details an investigation conducted to establish an experimental paradigm for quantifying immersion and determining the influence of immersive tendency (susceptibility to become immersed) on immersion. A balanced incomplete block design was employed where 21 assessors rated 15 commercially available stimuli (representative of the highest...

Current mobile parental control aids parents in monitoring their children’s digital usage. Although many children are below 13 when receiving their first smartphone and social media accounts, only a few parents adopt such services. However, the literature reports several privacy, security, and usability challenges that need to be addressed to develop future mobile parental control. This paper presents three privacy, two security, and four usability recommendations for mobile parental control by conducting an in-depth literature review. 306 papers from the first iteration resulted in nine papers addressing clear recommendations and guidelines. Parental control should contribute to the children’s digital skill set and the development of good online habits, in addition to addressing security and privacy controls for mobile applications.

Understanding the influence of technical system parameters on audiovisual experiences is important for technologists to optimize experiences. The focus in this study was on the influence of changes in audio spatialization (varying the loudspeaker configuration for audio rendering from 2.1 to 5.1 to 7.1.4) on the experience of immersion. First, a magnitude estimation experiment was performed to perceptually evaluate envelopment for verifying the initial condition that there is a perceptual...