When designing and evaluating new interactive systems, we are quick to discourage and reject new technical opportunities that would cause fatigue. This is especially constraining as we design evermore body-based devices and experiences, where, initially, users' arms can feel heavy and sensations of fatigue be more acute. We argue that our simplistic view and avoidance of fatigue discredits opportunities around adaptation, training, optimisation, and the resilience built through expertise and repeated use.

Despite advances in wearable and physiological sensing and modelling, there is still much room for developing a more nuanced view of fatigue. From its effects on low-level action-perception loops, through to impacts on decision-making in social-technical systems, to modelling and predicting its onset, development and experiential properties, significant work remains for the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community and beyond.

This Dagstuhl Seminar aims to explore the role of fatigue in body-based interactions, bringing together experts from HCI, biomechanics, ergonomics, and cognitive psychology. The goal is to shift the perception of fatigue from a limitation to an essential aspect of interaction design. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, we aim to develop models and insights that better understand and mitigate fatigue, ensuring adaptive and sustainable design strategies that prioritise user well-being and long-term engagement.

Seminar participants will collaborate with industry and academic experts to explore how technologies like exoskeletons, wearables, and motion-based interfaces impact users' physical and cognitive states. The seminar will lay the foundation for future research in fatigue-aware interaction design. Through this seminar, we aim to establish a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities in fatigue monitoring, develop guidelines for effective interventions, and examine the ethical considerations of using such systems in daily life. Ultimately, the seminar seeks to advance the field of fatigue detection and management, ensuring that future technologies are not only immersive but also sustainable and inclusive.

Creative Commons BY 4.0

Joanna Bergström, Jarrod Knibbe, Per Ola Kristensson, and Benjamin Tag