arXiv subjects

Anish Kundu

Publications and source records attributed to Anish Kundu.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Missing Link of XR: Empathy-Driven Reality for XR and Beyond

Extended reality (XR) for socialising is becoming increasingly popular. However, unlike conventional social platforms, XR prioritises embodiment and immersion, factors that strongly impact one's physical and mental states. We envision a future for XR where all users, regardless of abilities and backgrounds, can understand one another, participate, and find safe socialisation spaces. An Empathy-Driven Reality (EDR) is a space where understanding each other's emotional, physical, and cognitive states takes centre stage. It has the potential to enhance empathy beyond how we normally perceive it. To explore this concept, we conducted a hybrid-style workshop over two months with 27 industry and academic researchers in XR, emotion, physiology, assistive technology, and social science. This paper reports on the findings and aims to establish a structure and reference for the 1) design guidelines, 2) research challenges, and 3) potential applications for the future of XR as an EDR. We frame EDR as a conceptual design framework rather than a validated system: a structured design space that links requirements to design mechanisms, together with a research agenda for empathy-centred XR.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2024

"I Wanted to Create my Ideal Self": Exploring Avatar Perception of LGBTQ+ Users for Therapy in Virtual Reality

In this paper we explore the potential of utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) as a therapeutic tool for supporting individuals in the LGBTQ+ community, who often face elevated risks of mental health issues. Specifically, we investigated the effectiveness of using pre-existing avatars compared to allowing individuals to create their own avatars through a website, and their experience in a VR space when using these avatars. We conducted a user study (n=10) measuring heart rate variability (HRV) and gathering subjective feedback through semi-structured interviews conducted in VR. Avatar creation was facilitated using an online platform, and conversations took place within a two-user VR space developed in a commercially available VR application. Our findings suggest that users significantly prefer creating their own avatars in the context of therapy sessions, and while there was no statistically significant difference, there was a consistent trend of enhanced physiological response when using self-made avatars in VR. This study provides initial empirical support for the importance of custom avatar creation in utilizing VR for therapy within the LGBTQ+ community.

cs.HC↗

arXiv2023

The Empathic Metaverse: An Assistive Bioresponsive Platform For Emotional Experience Sharing

The Metaverse is poised to be a future platform that redefines what it means to communicate, socialize, and interact with each other. Yet, it is important for us to consider avoiding the pitfalls of social media platforms we use today; cyberbullying, lack of transparency and an overall false mental model of society. In this paper, we propose the Empathic Metaverse, a virtual platform that prioritizes emotional sharing for assistance. It aims to cultivate prosocial behaviour, either egoistically or altruistically, so that our future society can better feel for each other and assist one another. To achieve this, we propose the platform to be bioresponsive; it reacts and adapts to an individual's physiological and cognitive state and reflects this via carefully designed avatars, environments, and interactions. We explore this concept in terms of three research directions: bioresponsive avatars, mediated communications and assistive tools.

cs.HC↗