To Örebro University

This symposium—conducted in two parts—explores the confluence of empirically-based qualitative research in the cognitive and psychological sciences (focusing on visual and spatial cognition) with computationally-driven analytical methods (rooted in artificial intelligence) in the service of communications, media, design, and human behavioural studies. With a focus on architecture and visuo-auditory media design, the twin-symposia will demonstrate recent results and explore the synergy of research methods for the study of human behaviour in the chosen (design) contexts of socio-cultural, and socio-technological significance.

The symposium brings together experts and addresses methodsand perspectives from:

•  Visuo-Spatial Cognition and Computation

•  Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Systems

•  Multimodality and Interaction

•  Cognitive Science and Psychology

•  Neuroscience

•  Design Cognition and Computation

•  Communications and Media Studies

•  Architecture, Built Environment

•  Design Studies (focus on architecture and visuo-auditory media)

•  Evidence Based Design

The symposium particularly emphasises the role of multimodality and mediated interaction for the analysis and design of human-centered, embodied, cognitive user experiences in everyday life and work. Here, the focus is on multimodality studies aimed at the semantic interpretation of human behaviour, and the empirically-driven synthesis of embodied interactive experiences in real world settings. In focus are narrative media design, architecture and built environment design, product design, cognitive media studies (film, animation, VR, sound and music design), and user interaction studies. In these contexts, the symposium emphasizes evidence-based multimodality studies from the viewpoints of visual (e.g.,attention and recipient effects), visuo-locomotive (e.g. , movement, wayfinding), and visuo-auditory (e.g., narrative media) cognitive experiences. Modalities being investigated include, but are not limited to:

•  visual attention (by eye-tracking), gesture, speech, language, facial expressions, tactile interactions, olfaction, biosignals;

•  human expert guided event segmentation (e.g. coming from behavioral or environmental psychologists, designers, annotators,crowd-sensing)

•  deep analysis based on dialogic components, think-aloud protocols

The scientific agenda of the twin-symposia also emphasizes the multi-modality of the embodied visuo-spatial thinking involved in ‘‘problem-solving’’ for the design of objects, artefacts, and inter-active people-experiences emanating there from. Universality andinclusion in ‘‘design thinking’’ are of overarching focus in all design contexts relevant to the symposium; here, the implications of mul-timodality studies for inclusive design, e.g.,creation of presentations of the same content in different modalities, are also of interest. The symposium provides a platform to discuss the development of next-generation embodied interaction design systems, practices, and (human-centered) assistive frameworks and technologies encompassing the multi-faceted nature of embodied design conception and synthesis. Individual contributions/talks within the two symposia address the themes under consideration from formal, computational, cognitive, design, engineering, empirical, and philosophical perspectives.