Advances in Extended Reality Technologies for User Experience Design

A special issue of Information (ISSN 2078-2489). This special issue belongs to the section "Information Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 420

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Polytechnic, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
Interests: systems thinking assessment; virtual reality applications; user experience design; engineering education

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Guest Editor
Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung 413310, Taiwan
Interests: aircraft maintenance; virtual reality in training; industry 4.0; explainable AI (XAI); decision analytics; education and engineering management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Extended Reality (XR), encompassing Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR), has emerged as a transformative set of technologies that redefine how users interact with digital systems, environments, and information. By enabling immersive, interactive, and context-aware experiences across physical and virtual spaces, XR technologies allow users to engage with complex systems more intuitively, fostering deeper understanding, emotional connection, and engagement. As the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds continue to blur, designing effective and meaningful user experiences in extended reality environments has become a critical area of research and innovation.

This Special Issue, Advances in Extended Reality Technologies for User Experience Design, aims to bring together researchers, practitioners, and industry experts exploring the intersection of XR technologies and user experience (UX) design. The focus is on advancing theories, methods, and applications that improve usability, accessibility, engagement, and user acceptance in immersive and hybrid reality systems.

Potential topics include (but are not limited to) user-centered design methodologies for XR environments; immersive and situated analytics; emotion, cognition, and perception in XR interactions; the role of multisensory feedback in enhancing user experience; and the integration of artificial intelligence to personalize and adapt extended reality experiences. In addition, this Special Issue welcomes studies on the evaluation and measurement of user experience in VR, AR, and MR systems, as well as educational, industrial, healthcare, and smart environment applications that demonstrate innovative XR-based design solutions.

By showcasing state-of-the-art research and emerging trends, this Special Issue aims to provide valuable insights into how extended reality technologies can be leveraged to create more intuitive, inclusive, and impactful user experiences, shaping the future of human–technology interactions.

Dr. Vidanelage L. Dayarathna
Dr. Yu-Cheng Wang
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Information is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 1800 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.

Keywords

  • extended reality (XR)
  • virtual reality (VR)
  • augmented reality (AR)
  • mixed reality (MR)
  • user experience (UX)
  • human–computer interaction
  • immersive design
  • cognitive and emotional experience
  • interaction design
  • XR applications
  • educational technology
  • human factors
  • multisensory interfaces
  • virtual and augmented environments
  • usability evaluation
  • immersive analytics
  • human–technology interaction
  • accessibility in XR

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 1274 KB  
Article
Cultural Knowledge Presentation of Salah Lanna Within the Context of Buddhist Art: Expressed Through Stone Buddha Statues via Virtual Reality
by Phichete Julrode and Piyapat Jarusawat
Information 2026, 17(4), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/info17040312 - 24 Mar 2026
Viewed by 191
Abstract
The traditional craft of Buddha statue carving represents an important form of cultural heritage in many Asian societies, yet the transmission of this knowledge is increasingly threatened by modernization and the declining number of skilled artisans. This study explores the use of Virtual [...] Read more.
The traditional craft of Buddha statue carving represents an important form of cultural heritage in many Asian societies, yet the transmission of this knowledge is increasingly threatened by modernization and the declining number of skilled artisans. This study explores the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as an innovative tool for preserving and teaching the cultural knowledge associated with Salah Lanna stone Buddha carving. A VR-based learning environment was developed to simulate traditional carving techniques, tools, and cultural narratives related to Lanna Buddhist art. The system was designed using Unity 3D and integrated hand-tracking interaction to enable immersive practice of carving procedures. The prototype was evaluated through expert review involving ten specialists in Buddha carving, art education, and VR technology. The evaluation assessed five dimensions: usability, authenticity, cultural relevance, immersion, and perceived learning potential. Results indicate high levels of expert evaluation results regarding the effectiveness of the system, with average scores of 4.6 for usability, 4.8 for authenticity, 4.7 for cultural relevance, 4.5 for immersion, and 4.9 for perceived learning potential on a five-point scale. The findings suggest that VR technology can provide a promising platform for preserving traditional craftsmanship and supporting immersive cultural learning. By integrating technical training with cultural narratives, the system demonstrates potential for enhancing access to traditional craft education while contributing to the digital preservation of Salah Lanna cultural heritage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Extended Reality Technologies for User Experience Design)
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