Embedded Files
Human-Computer Interaction × Mixed Reality × Human Augmentation
About Me
My PhD Thesis: [Towards Body-Centric Gestural Interaction in Virtual Reality]
Available Open Access via Apollo
I am Xiang Li (李想) [see-AHN lee / SiAN li:], an incoming Assistant Professor in Human-Computer Interaction and Extended Reality in the Department of Data and Systems Engineering (DASE) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), where I will direct the Situated Reality Lab (SiR@HKU). If you are interested in working with me, please visit our lab website for information on research opportunities, application procedures, and FAQs.
I received my PhD from the Intelligent Interactive Systems Group in the Department of Engineering (CUED) at the University of Cambridge, where I was supervised by Per Ola Kristensson. I was also affiliated with the Machine Intelligence Laboratory and the Engineering Design Centre, and served as a Student Fellow at The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence (LCFI).
I was a Research Scientist Intern at Sony CSL-Kyoto and as a Guest Researcher at The University of Tokyo under the guidance of Jun Rekimoto. I was also a Visiting PhD Researcher at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), working with Pan Hui. I received my B.Sc. (Honours) from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and the University of Liverpool, under the supervision of Hai-Ning Liang. Prior to this, I worked with Jan Gugenheimer and David Lindlbauer at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris (Télécom Paris) and Carnegie Mellon University, as well as with Florian “Floyd” Mueller at the Exertion Games Lab, Monash University.
My research has appeared in leading venues including ACM CHI, TOCHI, SUI, IEEE TVCG, VR, and ISMAR, and has received multiple recognitions, including the 2025 UKRI Innovate UK Immersive Tech Award for Technical Innovation, a 2025 IEEE ISMAR Best Paper Honourable Mention, the 2023 ACM CHI PLAY Best Interactivity Audience Award, and a 2020 IEEE VR Best Conference Paper Nomination. In 2025, I was selected as the University of Cambridge delegate to the prestigious Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS), held during Nobel Week.
About My Research
My research focuses on Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) and Extended Reality (XR), particularly AI-driven context-aware interaction for smart glasses and XR, body-centric computing, intelligent spatial interfaces, human augmentation, and the design of robust, deployable XR systems. I investigate how AI and spatial computing can enable seamless, situated interaction in everyday environments through multimodal interaction, embodied AI, and adaptive user interfaces.
Beyond fundamental interaction techniques, I emphasize system-level design and engineering to translate interactive AI and XR research into reliable real-world systems. My work spans collaborative and social XR, assistive technologies, exergames, education, healthcare, and the future of work, with the goal of augmenting human capabilities through context-aware and spatially intelligent computing.
*See my full publications* via Google Scholar.
News
06/2026: My PhD thesis is now available open access via Apollo (University of Cambridge’s institutional repository).
05/2026: Passed my PhD viva (oral examination) with minor corrections! Many thanks to my supervisor, Per Ola Kristensson, for his outstanding guidance, and to my examiners, Thomas Bohné and Pablo César, for their valuable feedback. 💗
04/2026: Submitted my PhD thesis! Yay! ✌️
04/2026: I’ll be presenting our paper at CHI 2026 in Barcelona, Spain! 🇪🇸 I also have a co-authored paper and a poster, and will be chairing a session—come say hi if you’re around!
03/2026: I will present our IEEE TVCG paper at IEEE VR 2026 in Daegu, Korea! 🇰🇷
02/2026: I am serving as a Meet-Up Co-Chair for ACM CHI 2027! 🇺🇸
01/2026: Two ACM CHI 2026 full papers have been conditionally accepted. See you in Barcelona! 🇪🇸
01/2026: I gave an invited talk at Singapore Management University—can’t believe it’s my first time in Singapore! 🇸🇬
12/2025: I have joined Sony CSL, Kyoto, as a Research Scientist Intern, and also Rekimoto Lab at UTokyo, as a Guest Researcher! 🇯🇵
12/2025: Our microGEXT project has been accepted for publication in IEEE TVCG! Additionally, the LocoScooter project has been accepted by IEEE VR 2026 as a TVCG paper!
11/2025: I’ll be giving invited talks at The University of Hong Kong, Eastern Institute of Technology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan), and BhamXR at the University of Birmingham. Looking forward to seeing you there!
10/2025: Our work Handows has received the Best Paper Honorable Mention 🏅 at IEEE ISMAR 2025! Congratulations to all co-authors!
08/2025: I will give a talk at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), thanks for inviting me!
08/2025: Two of our new papers have been accepted to top venues: one at ACM SUI 2025, and the other at IEEE TVCG (with IEEE ISMAR 2025)! Congrats!
07/2025: I’ve been selected as a Young Scientist to represent Cambridge University at the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar (SIYSS) 2025. As a participant, I’ll have the honour of attending several Nobel Week events, including the Nobel lectures and cultural activities.
06/2025: I have been awarded the Innovate UK Immersive Tech Award 2025 🏆 for Technical Innovation! Grateful for the recognition and support! [Official News] [Robinson College News]
Previous Updates
Previous Updates
2025
04/2025: I am serving as a Technical Program Chair Assistant for ACM CHI 2026 and a Technical Program Committee member for IEEE International Symposium on Emerging Metaverse (ISEMV 2025) with ICCV 2025!
04/2025: I am selected as one of the two finalists 🏅 for the Technical Innovation category at the Innovate UK Immersive Tech Awards 2025 [Official News] [Robinson College News]
03/2025: I won the IET International Travel Award 🏆! Thanks for supporting my trip to ACM CHI 2025! 🇯🇵🌊🌸
03/2025: I will present my Doctoral Consortium paper at IEEE VR 2025 in France!
02/2025: Our survey paper on Grand Challenges in Immersive Technologies for Cultural Heritage has been accepted by the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. Congratulations, Hanbing (from Tsinghua)!
01/2025: I will be serving as an Associate Chair for the Full Paper track at ACM IMX 2025 and the ACM CHI 2025 Late-Breaking Work!
2024
11/2024: I will give research talks on my vision of Bodily Interfaces at the (1) University of Michigan-Shanghai Jiao Tong University Joint Institute, (2) Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and (3) Nanjing University of Sciences and Technology. Thanks for inviting me!
10/2024: Our extended ACM SUI 2023 paper has been accepted to Computers & Graphics!
07/2024: Our ACM ISS 2024 paper has been accepted! Thank you to all my coauthors! 🎉
06/2024: I will attend the Dagstuhl Seminar on “Designing Computers’ Control Over Our Bodies” in Germany!
04/2024: My mentee Yuzheng Chen will join Lancaster University as an MSc by Research with Professor Hans Gellersen! 🎉
01/2024: I am serving as a Social Media Co-Chair for ACM CHI PLAY 2024 (again)!
2023
08/2023: Our ACM SUI 2023 paper has been conditionally accepted!
07/2023: Our two ACM CHI PLAY 2023 papers have been accepted (including “Auto-Paizo Games”, which won the Best Interactivity Audience Award 🏆)! Congrats, Rakesh and coauthors!
06/2023: Accepted the invitation to serve as a Program Committee Member for ACM UbiComp/ISWC 2023 Posters and Demos!
04/2023: I am serving as a Social Communications Co-Chair for ACM CHI 2024!
04/2023: I am delighted that my mentee, Xiaohang Tang, will be joining Virginia Tech as a PhD student with Professor Yan Chen! 🎉
2022
12/2022: I am serving as a Social Media Co-Chair for ACM CHI PLAY 2023!
11/2022: Our ACM TOCHI paper, “Towards understanding the design of intertwined human-computer integrations”, has been accepted!
11/2022: Our article has been published at ACM Interactions to celebrate the 40th birthday of SIGCHI!
10/2022: I started my PhD at the University of Cambridge! I am also a Student Fellow at The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence!
09/2022: Accepted the Program Committee Member invitation for ACM CHI 2023 Late-Breaking Work (again)!
01/2022: Accepted the invitation to be an Associate Chair for ACM CHI 2022 Late-Breaking Work!
2021
12/2021: I served as an Online Participation Chair for ACM DIS 2022!
01/2021: Accepted the Program Committee Member invitation for ACM IUI 2021 Demos and Posters!
Fun Facts
I was invited to attend the 2025 Nobel Prize Reception and Ceremony in Stockholm. The dinner was amazing!
My PhD supervisor’s postdoctoral advisor’s PhD supervisor, John Hopfield, won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics 🏆 !
My Erdős number is 4 (i.e., Erdős, Paul <-> McEliece, Robert J. <-> MacKay, David J. C. <-> Kristensson, Per Ola <-> Li, Xiang).
My supervisor, Per Ola Kristensson, summarised our 🌳 academic genealogy.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse