AI-Enhanced Human-Computer Interaction: Integrating Deep Learning and Large Language Models

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to invite you to contribute original research or review articles to this Special Issue of the journal Electronics on the integration of deep learning and large language models in human–computer interaction.

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, from traditional deep learning approaches to modern large language models, has opened new possibilities for creating more natural, intelligent, and user-centered interactive systems. This Special Issue aims to showcase both established applications of deep learning in HCI and emerging opportunities enabled by LLMs and generative AI. We welcome practical implementations, system designs, and application-oriented research that demonstrates how these technologies can solve real-world interaction challenges.

We encourage submissions that bridge the gap between AI capabilities and user needs, emphasizing deployable solutions, user studies, and lessons learned from real-world deployments. Research may range from refinements of established techniques to explorations of novel applications enabled by recent AI advances.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

Deep Learning Applications in HCI:

• Gesture recognition and motion tracking systems, activity recognition, and behavioral analysis;
• Facial, voice, gaze interface systems;
• Emotion recognition and attention monitoring;
• Biometric authentication and user identification.

LLM-Powered Interactive Systems:

• Conversational interfaces and chatbots for specific domains;
• LLM-based virtual assistants for education, customer service, or healthcare;
• Prompt design and engineering for improved user interactions;
• Integration of LLMs with existing HCI applications.

Multimodal and Generative AI Applications:

• Vision-language models for image understanding and generation;
• Text-to-image and image-to-text applications in interfaces;
• Voice synthesis and speech-to-text for accessibility;
• Multimodal input processing and fusion techniques.

Practical Systems and Deployments:

• Mobile, web, and VR/AR applications with integrated AI components;
• Edge computing and lightweight model deployment;
• User interface designs for AI-powered features;
• Case studies of AI integration in commercial products.

User-Centered AI Designs:

• Usability studies of AI-enhanced interfaces;
• User trust, acceptance, and satisfaction with AI systems;
• Explainability and transparency in user-facing AI;
• Personalization and adaptation mechanisms.

Domain-Specific Applications:

• Healthcare and Accessibility: Patient monitoring, assistive technologies for users with disabilities;
• Education: intelligent tutoring systems, automated feedback, learning analytics;
• Gaming and entertainment: NPC behavior, interactive storytelling;
• Smart environments: Home automation, IoT interfaces.

Challenges and Practical Considerations:

• Evaluation methodologies and benchmark datasets;
• Privacy and security in AI-powered HCI;
• Cost-effective implementation strategies;
• Cross-platform and cross-device compatibility.

We welcome submissions that provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners working to integrate AI technologies into interactive systems.

Dr. Zi Wang
Dr. Sen He
Dr. Wei Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Electronics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.