Herzlichen Glückwunsch an Markus Wieland, Kathrin Schnizer, Francesco Chiossi, Nina Doerr, Florian Lang, Thomas Kosch und Michael Sedlmair! Auf der Augmented Humans (AHs) International Conference 2026, gewannen sie einen Best Paper Honorable Mention Award. In ihrer Publikation “Making Eye Contact Accessible: Augmenting Gaze in Job Interviews for People with Visual Impairments”, untersuchen sie, wie Nachteile, die Menschen mit Sehbeeinträchtigungen in Vorstellungsgesprächen durch nonverbale Kommunikationsignale erfahren, ausgeglichen werden könnten. In ihrer dazugehörigen Studie setzen sie dazu verschiene Methoden in Virtual Reality ein, um die Blickrichtung der Versuchspersonen zu lenken.
Abstract
Job interviews rely heavily on nonverbal communication, with gaze serving as a central signal of attentiveness and competence. For people with visual impairments, this creates an asymmetry that disadvantages them: they are expected to demonstrate eye contact but cannot access or reciprocate the gaze cues that structure interaction. To investigate these challenges in a high-stakes context, we conducted interviews with eight people with visual impairments, revealing how inaccessible gaze produces uncertainty, social pressure, and reliance on compensatory strategies. Based on these insights, we designed three visual cues, EYES, HALO, and FRAME, and evaluated them in a simulated job interview in virtual reality with 12 people with visual impairments. Our fndings show that spatially anchored cues around the interviewer’s face supported head alignment and improved perception of attentional focus, while peripheral cues were distracting. The study highlights the need for gaze cues that strike a balance between perceptual accessibility and social appropriateness in professional settings.