Symmetry and Asymmetry in Human-Computer Interaction

A special issue of Symmetry (ISSN 2073-8994). This special issue belongs to the section "Computer".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 64

Special Issue Editors

Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: artificial intelligence in education; intelligent educational technology; educational robot; human-computer interaction; video analysis

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: artificial intelligence in education; artificial intelligence for research; artificial intelligence for government; intelligent educational technology; video analysis; computer vision; human–computer interactions; multimedia technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Artificial Intelligence in Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
Interests: artificial intelligence in education; computer vision; human-computer interaction; text and graphics recognition

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue titled “Symmetry and Asymmetry in Human-Computer Interaction”. The rapid evolution of interactive technologies, driven by AI, adaptive systems, and immersive environments, has made Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) a cornerstone of modern interface design across various domains. The effectiveness of these technological interventions is deeply influenced by fundamental principles of perception and cognition, among which symmetry and asymmetry play a pivotal yet underexplored role. Symmetrical designs can improve usability, reduce cognitive load, and create a sense of balance and fairness, while deliberate asymmetries are essential for personalizing user experiences, directing attention, and accommodating diverse user needs. Understanding and harnessing these principles is therefore critical for developing next-generation interactive systems that are not only intelligent but also intuitive, engaging, and equitable.

This Special Issue aims to collate cutting-edge research that investigates the application, impact, and theoretical underpinnings of symmetry and asymmetry in HCI across various application domains. This topic is intrinsically related to the scope of Symmetry, which is devoted to the scientific concept of symmetry and its manifold applications. This Special Issue will explore symmetry as a structural, functional, and perceptual property within interactive interfaces, algorithms, and interaction paradigms. By focusing on the balance and intentional imbalance in HCI design, it will contribute to the journal's mission of advancing knowledge across the disciplinary boundaries of computer science, psychology, design, and engineering.

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome, with research areas including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Theoretical models and frameworks for symmetry/asymmetry in HCI design;
  • Symmetrical and asymmetrical design of user interfaces, dashboards, and information visualizations;
  • The role of symmetry in VR, AR, and MR applications for immersive experiences;
  • AI and symmetry: developing fair, unbiased, and symmetric interaction algorithms;
  • Agent-based human-computer interaction technologies and applications;
  • Balancing symmetry and asymmetry in adaptive and personalized systems;
  • Impact of visual symmetry/asymmetry on cognitive load, engagement, and information processing;
  • Human-robot interaction (HRI) for assistive technologies and interactive systems;
  • Brain-computer interfaces and brain-machine interaction: symmetric paradigms and applications;
  • Case studies on implementing the principles of symmetry in intelligent systems and interactive platforms;
  • Cross-cultural perspectives on perception of symmetry in interface design;
  • Neuroscientific approaches to understanding symmetry in human-computer interaction.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Bin He
Prof. Dr. Xinguo Yu
Dr. Ting 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. Symmetry 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 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.

Keywords

  • human-computer interaction
  • symmetric interface design
  • AI-enhanced interaction systems
  • adaptive user interfaces
  • embodied interaction
  • cognition-aware HCI
  • natural user interfaces
  • multimodal interaction
  • user-centered design
  • interaction personalization
  • brain-computer interfaces
  • robot-mediated interaction
  • intelligent interactive systems
  • interaction analytics
  • engagement-sensitive interfaces
  • perceptual symmetry
  • asymmetric design patterns
  • cross-domain HCI applications

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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