Research
I’m excited about the potential of virtual and mixed reality (XR) – or what can be called spatial computing and multimodal 3D user interfaces. In combination with conversational interfaces, haptics, and artificial intelligence, XR technology will fundamentally change how we interact with digital content. Virtual space will soon be as seamlessly integrated into our personal and professional lives as laptops and smartphones are today.
Let’s design the interactions between people and this new generation of technology to empower users. Let’s create ubiquitous availability of virtuality rather than intrusive distraction. Let’s strive to enrich the user’s world in meaningful and helpful ways instead of cluttering it. I dream of a smooth integration of the virtual into the real that feels like naturally engaging with the world rather than operating a system.
This paradigm shift in human-computer interaction (HCI) raises fascinating and impactful questions. For which tasks will XR be the new standard interface? How does it affect text? What’s the impact on our workspace, notifications, family life, data sharing, collaboration, safety, and so many other areas? I want to contribute to answering these questions.
My research focus
- Human-computer interaction (HCI),
interaction design and conceptualization - Virtual reality (VR), blended realities (XR)
3D interactions and spatial computing - Aspects of fidelity and realism
- Object manipulation and haptics
- Embodiment
- Conversational user interfaces
Resume
Portfolio
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Selected Publications
The Interaction Fidelity Model: A Taxonomy to Communicate the Different Aspects of Fidelity in Virtual Reality
2024. Michael Bonfert, Thomas Muender, Ryan P. McMahan, Frank Steinicke, Doug Bowman, Rainer Malaka, and Tanja Döring. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, Taylor & Francis. DOI: 10.1080/10447318.2024.2400377
Challenges of Controlling the Rotation of Virtual Objects with Variable Grip Using Force-Feedback Gloves
2023. Michael Bonfert, Maiko Hübinger, and Rainer Malaka. Frontiers in Virtual Reality 4. DOI: 10.3389/frvir.2023.1190426
“Seeing the faces is so important”—Experiences from online team meetings on commercial virtual reality platforms
2023. Michael Bonfert, Anke V. Reinschluessel, Susanne Putze, Yenchin Lai, Dmitry Alexandrovsky, Rainer Malaka, and Tanja Döring. Frontiers in Virtual Reality 3. DOI: 10.3389/frvir.2022.945791
Haptic Fidelity Framework: Defining the Factors of Realistic Haptic Feedback for Virtual Reality
2022. Thomas Muender, Michael Bonfert, Anke Reinschluessel, Rainer Malaka, and Tanja Döring. Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’22), ACM. DOI: 10.1145/3491102.3501953
Understanding Circumstances for Desirable Proactive Behaviour of Voice Assistants: The Proactivity Dilemma
2022. Nima Zargham, Leon Reicherts, Michael Bonfert, Sarah Theres Voelkel, Johannes Schoening, Rainer Malaka, and Yvonne Rogers. Conference on Conversational User Interfaces (CUI ’22), ACM. DOI: 10.1145/3543829.3543834
Further XR work covers research on in-VR questionnaires for user studies, weight simulation in VR, hand and foot visibility for VR sports, a controller-based interaction technique, sensory feedback for virtual walls, and a mixed reality outdoor game.
More papers on conversational interfaces present research on multi-agent systems, politeness towards voice assistants, and agent visualization.
Awards
- Young Researcher at the Heidelberg Laureate Forum for four consecutive years (2020 – 2023)
- University Award for Interdisciplinary Cooperation (University of the Arts Bremen, 2017)
- Best Poster Award at the ACM VRST’17 conference on Virtual Reality Software & Technology (2017)
- Bronze Nail at the Art Directors Club Junior Award (2017)
- Germany Scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium, 2014)
- University Award for Student Engagement (University of Augsburg, 2014)
Talks and Press
- Interview with magazine up2date: “What Does Virtual Reality Feel Like?” (2023)
- Interview with Klaus Tschira Stiftung: “Virtuelle Welten real gestalten – Michael Bonfert in der Alumni-Sommerserie” [German] (2023)
- Guest Lecture at the University of Bremen: “Social Design of Conversational User Interfaces” (2022)
- Talk at the MinD Academy by the Mensa University Network: “Ready Player Wann?” on current VR technology and how realistically Ready Player One portrays it (2021)
- Workshop at the MinD Academy by the Mensa University Network: “Social Virtual Reality” on the state of the art with a hands-on session (2021)
- Talk at the Mensa Juniors Herbstseminar: “Die Grenzen der Realität überwinden” on overcoming the limits of reality with VR technology (2021)
- Radio feature by Radio Cosmo about the research project “If You Ask Nicely” on polite CUI interactions [German] (2019)
- Talk and demo at the academia bremensica: “Abtauchen in Virtuelle Welten” on the state of the art of VR technology (2019)