XXR: Novel Extended Reality Models and Software Framework for Interactive Environments with Extreme Conditions

   

Project summary

Project no.: PN-IV-P8-8.3-PM-RO-BE-2024-0003; Contract no.: 2BMBE/2025
Principal Investigators: Radu-Daniel Vatavu (University of Suceava, Romania) and Jean Vanderdonckt (Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium)
Funded by UEFISCDI, Romania and Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Belgium
Funding scheme: PNCDI IV - P5.8 - European and International Cooperation
Running period: January 2025 - December 2025 (12 months)

Abstract

We propose new models and software technology for eXtended Reality (XR) applied to environments characterized by extreme conditions, such as sensory or physical constraints experienced during space missions, in order to explore eXtreme eXtended Reality (XXR).

Objectives

The main objective of this project is to facilitate and support the scientific collaboration between Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava and Université catholique de Louvain to foster research activities on extended reality technology applied to extreme conditions. Our specific objectives are:
  1. Perform a critical analysis of XR technology applied to extreme environments
  2. Development of a conceptual model and design space for XXR interactions
  3. Development of a XXR application for navigation in diverse gravitational environments

Team

University of Suceava, Romania Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
  •  Prof. Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Principal Investigator
  •  Laura-Bianca Bilius, PhD
  •  Mihail Terenti, PhD
  •  Adrian Aiordăchioae, PhD
  •  Alexandru-Ionut Șiean, PhD
  •  Alexandru-Tudor Andrei, PhD student
  •  Adrian-Vasile Catană, PhD student
  •  Prof. Jean Vanderdonckt, Principal Investigator
  •  Julie Manon, PhD
  •  Nacera Latreche, PhD student
  •  Alaa Sahraoui, PhD student
  •  Diego Eloi, PhD student
The research activities are conducted in the Machine Intelligence and Information Visualization (MintViz) Research Laboratory of the MANSiD Research Center (Romania) and the Louvain Interaction Laboratory (Belgium).

Publications

  1. Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Jean Vanderdonckt, Julie Manon, Michael Saint-Guillain, Philippe Lefevre, Romain Maddox, Jessica J. Marquez. (2025). Conducting Human-Computer Interaction Scientific Experiments in Extreme Environments: Insights from Analog Mars Missions. Romanian Journal of Information Science and Technology. Romanian Academy, 247-259
    PDF | DOI | IF: 3.7, 5-Year IF: 2.1 (Q1) | WOS: 001565907000001
  1. Jean Vanderdonckt, Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Romain Maddox. (2025). Between Bulky Suits and Isolated, Deserted Landscape: Measuring the User Experience of Astronaut-Drone Interaction. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 9(5). ACM, New York, NY, USA, Article no. MHCI005, 20 pages
    PDF | DOI | ACCEPTANCE RATE: 27.2% (40/147) | ARC CORE B | WOS: 001575057300008
  1. Jean Vanderdonckt, Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Julie Manon, Romain Maddox, Michael Saint-Guillain, Philippe Lefevre, Jessica J. Márquez. (2025). UX, but on Mars: Exploring User Experience in Extreme Environments with Insights from a Mars Analog Mission. Proceedings of DIS '25, the Designing Interactive Systems Conference. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 3235-3250
    PDF | DOI | ACCEPTANCE RATE: 24.2% (176/726) | ARC CORE A | WOS: 001555741000193
  1. Radu-Daniel Vatavu, Jean Vanderdonckt. (2025). What is Extreme in Human-Computer Interaction Research? Adjunct Proceedings of the 27th International Conference on Mobile Human-Computer Interaction. ACM, New York, NY, USA, Article. no. 17, 1-7
    PDF | DOI | ARC CORE B
  1. Hippolyte Hilgers, Jean Vanderdonckt, Radu-Daniel Vatavu. (2025). Human-AI Interaction in Space: Insights from a Mars Analog Mission with the Harmony Large Language Model. Proceedings of SpaceCHI '25, Advancing Human-Computer Interaction for Space Exploration. Open Access Series in Informatics. Dagstuhl Publishing, Article no. 1, 20 pages
    PDF | DOI

Project reports

  1. Final scientific report (in Romanian) PDF
  2. Executive summary (in Romanian) PDF
  3. Executive summary (in English) PDF

Software

We are releasing under the New BSD License an XXR software application developped for simulating the experience of navigating diverse gravitational environments, such as Mars (3.71m/s2), Earth (9.1m/s2), and the Moon (1.62m/s2). Full code source can be downloaded as a ZIP archive.

Media, Communication, and Outreach




More LinkedIn posts about this project here.
More details about the Syrtis Crew of Université catholique de Louvain, conducting the Mars mission at MDRS, are available here.