From July 23 to 28, the 25th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI International) was held in Copenhagen, Denmark—an international event that brings together experts, researchers, and professionals from around the world in the field of human-computer interaction and related disciplines.

CITIC researcher Manuel Lagos Rodríguez attended the conference and presented two posters focused on Virtual Reality (VR) applied to people with disabilities. The posters were titled “Visiting Supermarket through Virtual Reality: an Opportunity for Rehabilitation of People with Disability” and “User Experience in Virtual Reality from People with and without Disability.”

“Visiting Supermarket through Virtual Reality: an Opportunity for Rehabilitation of People with Disability” aims to develop a Virtual Reality application to support the rehabilitation process of people with disabilities by immersing them in a virtual supermarket. For many individuals, this rehabilitation process can be long, monotonous, and unmotivating, as it often involves mechanical and repetitive movements that lack direct connection to daily life activities. To support this process and help prevent dropout, the application offers engaging and dynamic activities designed to train both physical and cognitive skills.

The research “User Experience in Virtual Reality from People with and without Disability” seeks to analyze and assess, from the perspective of end users of general VR applications, the opportunities these technologies offer for immersion in virtual environments. While VR applications have been progressively incorporated into healthcare interventions—particularly in rehabilitation for people with disabilities—they still present various challenges, including a lack of usability.