1st International Workshop on Real and Virtual Spaces Influences (ReViSI)

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IEEE VR 2025 - March 8, 2025, from 14:00 to 18:00

(Saint-Malo, FR)

Overview

We are pleased to announce this inaugural workshop to encourage multidisciplinary dialogue on a central question: how do real and virtual environments influence each other? We welcome contributions exploring whether real-world stimuli can impact presence in Extended Reality (XR) and how virtual stimuli might reshape perception of the real world. This workshop invites students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and faculty, especially those in XR and cognitive psychology conducting ecologically valid research.

A range of topics, which embrace different disciplines and perspectives, are invited to contribute to ReViSI, including, but not restricted to:

How congruent real-virtual environments can enhance presence and social presence in XR.
Best practices for integrating real-world elements to improve XR experiences.
Real stimuli’s potential to improve training and rehabilitation outcomes in VR.
Ways in which virtual stimuli may alter perception in the real world.
Sensory modalities most influenced by virtual stimuli.

Submission Instructions

ReViSI seeks various types of papers (up to 6 pages, excl. references), which include:

Position Papers that identify and share insightful opinions and ideas;
Survey Papers that capture the current state of research and present potential research gaps and future directions;
Project Papers that give an overview of an ongoing/planning project by describing the approach and goals of the project;
Research Papers that contribute state-of-the-art advances and provide results as evidence.

The accepted papers will be published in the IEEE Digital Library as part of the IEEE VR Abstract and Workshop proceedings. It is mandatory for at least one author from each accepted paper to register, attend, and present their work at ReViSI.

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. Submissions must be written in English and prepared in IEEE Computer Society VGTC (IEEE VR Conference) format. LaTeX and Word templates as well as a sample PDF can be found at: https://tc.computer.org/vgtc/publications/conference/. The papers must be submitted in PDF format electronically via PCS (https://new.precisionconference.com/). All submissions will be reviewed by the workshop organizers and other external reviewers (single-blind review).

Here you can find the detailed version of the Call For Papers.

Submission Deadlines

All deadlines are 23:59:59 Anywhere on Earth (GMT/UTC-12:00)

Submission deadline: December 23, 2025
Notification of results: January 9, 2025
Camera-ready deadline for inclusion in the IEEE Digital Library (IEEE CPS submission): January 14, 2025 January 27, 2025

Workshop Schedule

ReViSI will be organized as a half-day in-person workshop held on March 8, 2025 at IEEE VR 2025.

The schedule (4 hours) is as follows:

14:00 – 14:15 Opening & Topic Introduction
14:15 – 15:15 Invited Talks (20 minutes each)
- 14:15 – 14:35 Tabitha C. Peck "Influence of the User and the Virtual Environment on Each Other"
- 14:35 – 14:55 Tanja Kojić "Bridging Real and Virtual - Understanding How Influencing Factors Shape XR Experiences"
- 14:55 – 15:15 Christopher Dawes "Exploring Taste, Smell, and Touch Across Physical and Virtual Worlds"
15:15 – 15:45 Discussion - pt. 1
15:45 – 16:15 Catered Break
16:15 – 16:45 Discussion - pt. 2
16:45 – 17:45 Paper Presentations (10 minutes each + Q&A)
- 16:45 – 17:00 Jan Waligórski et al. "The Problem of Digital Dualism in Social Virtual Reality Research: Toward a Hybrid Culture, Space, and Body"
- 17:00 – 17:15 Jan-Michel Nöring et al. "Exploring Affordable Mixed Reality Fire Pump Training Using a COTS Head-Mounted Display and Passive Haptics"
- 17:15 – 17:30 Hiroshi Furuya et al. "How Can Real-World Feedback and Priming Affect Trust in Simulated Autonomous Agents?"
- 17:30 – 17:45 Omar Khan et al. "Investigating Visual Guide Cues in VR: Impacts of Virtual Humans and Symbol-Based Navigation on Real-World Performance and Experience"
17:45 – 18:00 Closing Remarks & Group Photo

Invited Speakers

"Influence of the User and the Virtual Environment on Each Other"
Tabitha C. Peck

Short Bio: Dr. Tabitha C. Peck is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Davidson College. She is the head of the Davidson Research in Virtual Environments (DRIVE) lab investigating theory and applications of self-avatars in virtual environments. She received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation to investigate the impact of self-avatars to foster inclusive STEM classrooms and has received numerous honorable mentions for best papers at IEEE VR. She is actively involved in the virtual reality research community and has served in numerous conference planning chair roles and as an associate editor. She is currently an IEEE VR 2025 program chair.

Abstract: Many virtual experiences are designed to influence the user. However, people are unique with their own lived experiences and differing abilities. And people bring these lived experiences into the virtual experience. These life experiences and mental and physical abilities can influence the usability and effectiveness of virtual environments in unexpected ways. In this talk I will explore instances where individual differences may influence virtual experiences and alternatively virtual environment designs may influence user behavior. Researchers and designers will be encouraged to consider the potential impacts that both their unique users and environment designs may have on each other.

"Bridging Real and Virtual - Understanding How Influencing Factors Shape XR Experiences"
Tanja Kojić

Short bio: Dr.-Ing. Tanja Kojić is a Senior Researcher in User Experience (UX) and immersive media, specializing in Extended Reality (XR) and Virtual Reality (VR). She earned her Ph.D. summa cum laude from TU Berlin’s Quality and Usability Lab, where she researched UX in serious VR games. Previously, she worked as a UX designer at SAP Innovation Center Network. Her research spans user experience, human factors, and interaction design in immersive environments, with contributions to IEEE QoMEX, IEEE VR, and ITU-T standardization efforts. She is actively involved in the VR and UX research communities through publications, conferences, and collaborative projects.

Abstract: Immersive experiences in Extended Reality (XR) are shaped not only by virtual environments but also by real-world influences, user characteristics, and interactive elements. This talk explores how interactivity, social presence, and individual differences impact immersion, presence, and engagement in XR. Drawing on research in multimodal interaction, human factors, and immersive media evaluation, I will discuss key findings on the role of social environments, natural interaction methods, and user diversity in shaping immersive experiences. I will also explore some of the possible design strategies for developing adaptive and inclusive XR systems and how they may enhance user experience across different contexts. Furthermore, I will highlight the importance of user-centered methodologies and how they could contribute to the future of immersive technology, ensuring XR remains engaging, accessible, and socially acceptable.

"Exploring Taste, Smell, and Touch Across Physical and Virtual Worlds"
Christopher Dawes

Short bio: Dr. Christopher Dawes is a Research Fellow at UCL (London, UK), Department of Computer Science, the Multi-Sensory Devices (MSD) Research Group, in multisensory experiences as part of the Textiles Circularity Centre project. His current work involves designing digital textile experiences in Virtual Reality (VR), aiming to increase awareness of and engagement with sustainable textile choices through multisensory principles. Christopher is also a researcher at OW Smell Made Digital, a UK startup developing innovative digital scent technology.

Abstract: How does our understanding of multisensory experiences translate from the physical world to digital environments, such as Virtual Reality (VR)? Focusing on taste and smell through a multisensory lens, this talk explores two projects: eating in VR and digital touch. The first investigates how senses beyond taste influence our eating experiences and how these factors differ between real-life and eXtended Reality settings. For example, how does the colour of an environment or the shape of food impact our perception of sweetness? The second project examines the integration of real scents with digital touch, using scent to enhance the perception of virtual textiles. Across both projects, we will delve into potential reasons for discrepancies between physical and digital sensory experiences.

Organizers