Speaker: Prof. Niels Henze (University of Tübingen)

Mixed reality allows us to change not only what users see, but also how they perceive their environment and their own bodies. In this talk, I discuss virtual environments and avatars as interactive interfaces rather than mere visual representations. I draw on work on avatar hands, body representation, and motion prediction. I also include recent work on thermal perception and simulated weight to show how virtual bodies can shape what users can do and how they experience doing it. The talk asks what becomes possible when the user’s body itself becomes part of the interface. How can avatars support interaction, alter perceived bodily states, or enable people to experience modified versions of themselves? I will close by briefly discussing how these ideas may extend from VR to AR, where avatar-based manipulations could become part of interaction with the physical world.