VME4CHI research community

VME4CHI converges knowledge and insight from across sectors and disciplines to understand the core issues and mechanisms at play in human-technology interaction.

VME4CHI at the University of Vaasa is a multidisciplinary research community focused on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). It was established in 2022 as part of the VME Interaction Design Environment, which serves as a hub for exploring how humans interact with technology.

What is VME4CHI?

Purpose: To bring together students, doctoral candidates, and researchers from various fields—such as cognitive science, design, communication studies, marketing, management, and information systems—to study and discuss topics related to HCI.

Activities: The community meets every other month, both on campus and online, for presentations and discussions. These sessions often feature ongoing research projects, thesis work, and emerging trends in HCI.

Some of the Topics we Cover include:
- Human-AI and Human-Robot interaction
- Embodied emotional experience
- UX design and visual heatmaps using physiological measurement tools
- Cognitive stress reduction in travel booking systems using biometric data
- Inclusive design for apps (e.g., period trackers)
- Eye-tracking studies and disability justice in digital service design
- Participatory UX design workshops with teenagers
- Experience of privacy and ethics in various design settings
- Human-centered sustainable energy
- Employee behaviour in remote meetings

Why It Matters

VME4CHI fosters collaboration across disciplines and encourages innovative approaches to designing and evaluating interactive systems. It’s a space for knowledge exchange, networking, and advancing research in areas where technology and human experience intersect.

You can see more about our core VME Interaction Design Environment family here.

And, for more information please contact Laura Havinen or Rebekah Rousi.