Metaverse, Mixed Reality, and Digital Me

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10125/112452

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    Better Information Understanding through Virtual Technologies? A VR Experiment on Data Interpretation
    (2026-01-06) Bampouni, Elpida; Tang, Hairui; Xi, Nannan; Buturak, Gökhan; Kalmi, Panu; Ahmad, Ans; Legaki, Nikoletta-Zampeta; Hamari, Juho
    Today, data and information are commonly visualized in 2-dimensional representations. However, with the emergence of 3-dimensional environments and multimodal virtual reality (VR), new possibilities for data visualization have arisen, such as affordances for deeper immersion into the visualizations and embodiment of a variety of perspectives in the visualizations. Therefore, we conduct a 2×2 (immersion: high/low, and embodiment: high/low) between-subjects experiment (including a 2D control), within a financial visualization setting. With a final sample size of 170, we investigate how immersion and embodiment—impact data interpretation of trends (return) and volatility (risk) - two crucial measures in data literacy that are critical for many urgent societal issues. Our results demonstrate that 3D representations, compared to 2D baseline lead to similar performance in trend interpretation, but lower performance in volatility interpretation. Within the 3D conditions, neither the main effects of immersion nor embodiment led to significant differences in information interpretation.
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    Design Elements for Brand Representation in Conversational Agents
    (2026-01-06) Aittamaa, Essi; Siemon, Dominik; Singh, Shivansh
    Our research explores design elements for brand representation in conversational agents (CAs) through the computers as social actors (CASA) paradigm and brand personality theory. Organizations increasingly seek effective strategies for brand representation through interactive systems, yet current research provides limited guidance for designing CAs as brand ambassadors. Through a systematic literature review of 133 papers, we identified and categorized design elements across 12 categories, that influence user perceptions of CAs. Drawing on the CASA paradigm and brand personality theory, we explain how informed design decisions can transform CAs into effective brand representatives. Our interdisciplinary approach contributes to information systems research by incorporating marketing theory to address a critical gap in CA design for brand representation. The findings expand the understanding of digital brand representation beyond traditional marketing communications.
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    My Fate Is to Die Young, But to Live Forever in Song: Echeloned Design Science Research to a Digital-Me Expert System Design
    (2026-01-06) Parvinen, Petri; Mattila, Osmo; Soltanieh-Ha, Mohammad; Tuunanen, Tuure
    This study explores the developmental trajectory and implementation of an artificial intelligence (AI) -based expert system. Following and extending the echeloned design science research approach, the process examines how the nature of system development changes when the team designing the system shifts from using AI to produce expert artifacts to using AI as the core technology to continuously run digital clones of the expert. We find a radically transformed nature of design and development work and numerous modes of evaluation echelons. Methodologically, the results contribute to DSR in information systems by articulating AI’s role not only as a tool for artifact creation, but as a co-evolving actor within the design process, and the changes that entails to the DSR approach. Theoretically and empirically, we discover and develop the notion of digital-me, hypothesizing the benefits of conceptualizing AI as extending real humans, not building humanlike artificial agents, as the prime use of AI, particularly in user acceptance of expert systems.
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    Self-Disclosure in Metaverse Mental Healthcare: The Role of Avatars
    (2026-01-06) Xie, Runjie; Chen, Siao Fang; Birnstiel, Sandra; Morschheuser, Benedikt
    Given the rise of mental health issues and healthcare system limitations, the metaverse emerges as a promising platform for care delivery. Patients and physicians can meet virtually, overcoming constraints of traditional online communication by using avatars. While patient self-reporting is crucial for diagnosis and treatment, little is known about how avatars, core elements of the metaverse, influence communication behavior in such situations. This study explores how avatar identification impacts self-disclosure intention in VR-based mental healthcare, focusing on the roles of self-presence and perceived anonymity. In a lab experiment conducted in Germany using VRChat, 62 participants engaged in simulated one-on-one mental healthcare sessions. Results show that both similarity and wishful identification are significantly associated with self-presence and perceived anonymity. However, only self-presence has a significant positive relationship with self-disclosure intention. These findings advance research on metaverse and telehealth, highlighting the importance of user-avatar dynamics in designing future metaverse mental healthcare interventions.
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    Introduction to the Minitrack on Metaverse, Mixed Reality, and Digital Me
    (2026-01-06) Holopainen, Jani; Parvinen, Petri; Pöyry, Essi