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Core Question: How can intelligent systems support healthier behaviors through interaction design?
Core Question: How can intelligent systems support healthier behaviors through interaction design?
🏆Funded by KUAS Overseas Collaboration Grant
🏆Funded by KUAS Overseas Collaboration Grant
🏆Supported by KUAS Super Top Scholarship
🏆Supported by KUAS Super Top Scholarship
🤝International Collaborations with Carleton University (Canada), Ohio State University (USA), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), University of California Santa Cruz (USA)
🤝International Collaborations with Carleton University (Canada), Ohio State University (USA), Worcester Polytechnic Institute (USA), University of California Santa Cruz (USA)
📈 Publications in CHI (acceptance rate 7.8%), JMIR Serious Games, HEALTHINF
🏅 2026 OSU Student Impact Award
🏅 2025 OSU Student Impact Award
🏅 Best PhD Candidate Project Award @ HEALTHINF 2024
Game on for Zzz's: Co-Design Serious Games to Promote Sleep Hygiene with and for University Students
Game on for Zzz's: Co-Design Serious Games to Promote Sleep Hygiene with and for University Students
Sleep problems are increasingly common among university students, yet existing digital interventions often struggle to sustain long-term engagement. This project explores how serious games can promote healthier sleep habits through a human-centered, participatory design approach. Working closely with university students, we co-designed and evaluated smartwatch-based game concepts that encourage positive sleep hygiene behaviors while fitting naturally into everyday life. Through workshops, prototyping, and user studies, the project investigates how personalization, relevance, and interaction design influence engagement, motivation, and perceived usefulness. The findings provide design guidelines for creating enjoyable and effective digital health interventions that support sustainable behavior change.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- [A+] Liang Z, Hwang D, Chen S, Hoang NH, Khotchasing K, Melcer EF. (2025) User Preferences for Interaction Timing in Smartwatch Sleep Hygiene Games. In the Proceedings of the 2025 ACM CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025), Article No.: 470, Pages 1 - 17. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1145/3706598.3713591 (Acceptance rate = 7.8%, Core A+ CS Conference) # CHI articles are equivalent to top journal publications. [WoS/Scopus]
- [Q2] Liang Z, Melcer E, Hoang HN, Khotchasing K. (2025) Sleep Hygiene Games and Gamification: Where Are We and Where Are We Heading? Frontiers in Sleep - Sleep and Circadian Rhythms. [Scopus]
- Liang Z, Hoang NH, Melcer E, and Hwang D. (2026) Unlocking Collaborative Creativity: Co-Design Smartwatch-Based Serious Games for Sleep Hygiene Intervention. In Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Health Informatics (HEALTHINF 2026), Marbella, Spain. [Scopus] (Full paper acceptance rate = 25%)
- Liang Z, Chen S, Hoang NN, Edward M. Sleep, Sensors, and the Smartwatch: Co-Design Interaction Modalities for On-Wrist Health Apps. In Proceedings of the 2025 IEEE 11th World Forum on Internet of Things (WF-IoT 2025), Chengdu, China. [Scopus]
- [Q1, top 10%] Liang Z, Melcer EF, Khotchasing K, Chen S, Hwang D, Hoang NH. (2024) The Role of Relevance in Shaping Perceptions of Sleep Hygiene Games Among University Students: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Serious Games. Doi: 22/09/2024:64063. [SCI/Scopus/PubMed]
- [Q1] Liang Z, Melcer E, Khotchasing K, Hoang NH. (2024) Co-design Personal Sleep Health Technology for and with University Students. Front. Digit. Health - Human Factors and Digital Health 6:1371808. Doi: 10.3389/fdgth.2024.1371808. [SCI/Scopus/PubMed] (Highly cited top 11%)
🏆Supported by KUAS Super Top Scholarship
🏆Supported by KUAS Super Top Scholarship
🤝International collaborations with Technical University of Munich (Germany), Carleton University (Canana)
🤝International collaborations with Technical University of Munich (Germany), Carleton University (Canana)
📈 Publications in UbiComp
What You Need Is Sunlight (WYNIS): Wearable Ambient Light Sensing and Interventions for Circadian Health
What You Need Is Sunlight (WYNIS): Wearable Ambient Light Sensing and Interventions for Circadian Health
Light is one of the most powerful environmental cues regulating the human circadian system, yet digital health technologies have largely focused on reducing evening blue-light exposure rather than encouraging healthy morning light habits. This research explores how consumer smartwatches can leverage built-in ambient light sensors to promote circadian health through engaging, context-aware interventions. We develop wearable applications and serious games that transform real-time environmental light exposure into meaningful user experiences, encouraging behaviors such as morning sunlight seeking that support healthy sleep-wake rhythms. Our work also investigates the technical challenges of continuous light sensing on resource-constrained wearable devices, including energy-efficient sensing architectures, sensor integration, and real-time interaction design. By combining wearable sensing, game-based behavior change, chronobiology, and human-computer interaction, we aim to establish ambient light sensing as a practical digital biomarker and intervention platform for improving sleep health, circadian alignment, and long-term well-being.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Karunarathna T, Hoang NH, Villeneuve J, Melcer EF, Liang Z. Lumitree: Repurposing Smartwatch Ambient Light Sensors for Morning Light Promotion through Serious Games. In UbiComp '26: Companion of the 2026 on ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing, Shanghai, China. [Scopus]
- Melcer EF, Villeneuve J, Tu A, Karunarathna T, Hoang NH, Liang Z. From Notifications to Quests: Reframing Wearable Health Interventions Through RPG Quest Systems. In UbiComp '26: Companion of the 2026 on ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing, Shanghai, China. [Scopus]
🏆Funded by Australian Government Endeavor Research Fellowship
🏆Funded by Australian Government Endeavor Research Fellowship
🏆Funded by AIST Internal Grant for Research Activity Start-up
🏆Funded by AIST Internal Grant for Research Activity Start-up
🤝International collaborations with University of Melbourne and Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
🤝International collaborations with University of Melbourne and Queensland University of Technology (Australia)
📈 Highly cited publications (Top 10%)
📈 Publications in IMWUT, PUC
Personal Sleep Informatics and Self-Tracking
Personal Sleep Informatics and Self-Tracking
Consumer sleep technologies have made it easier than ever to collect detailed sleep data, but helping people interpret and trust this information remains a significant challenge. This research explores how personal sleep data can be transformed into meaningful self-knowledge through intuitive visualizations, data exploration tools, and user-centered design. We investigate how individuals interpret data from wearable sleep trackers, how perceptions of data credibility influence engagement, and how contextual factors shape sleep patterns. By combining human-computer interaction, personal informatics, and data visualization, this work aims to empower individuals to better understand their sleep and make informed decisions to improve their long-term sleep health.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- [Q2] Ploderer B, Rodgers S, Liang Z. (2023) What’s keeping teens up at night? Reflecting on sleep and technology habits with teens. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing, 27, 249-270. [SCI/Scopus]
- [Q1] Liang Z, Ploderer B. (2020) “How does Fitbit measure brainwaves”: a qualitative study into the credibility of sleep-tracking technologies. PACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies (IMWUT) 4(1):Article 17. [SCI/Scopus]
- [Q2] Liang Z, Ploderer B, Liu W, Nagata Y, Bailey J, Kulik L, Li Y. (2016). SleepExplorer: A visualization tool to make sense of correlations between personal sleep data and contextual factors. Personal and Ubiquitous Computing 20(6): 985-1000. [SCI/Scopus] (Highly cited top 10%)
🤝Collaborations with Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and Nanoresearch Kyoto Co., LTD
🤝Collaborations with Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine and Nanoresearch Kyoto Co., LTD
PMSync: mHealth Technologies for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Self Screening and Management
PMSync: mHealth Technologies for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Self Screening and Management
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects the physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of millions of women, yet access to personalized self-management tools remains limited. This project develops evidence-based mobile health (mHealth) technologies that support PMS screening, symptom tracking, and self-care through intuitive smartphone applications. By integrating validated clinical assessment methods with personalized health management features, the system empowers users to better understand symptom patterns and adopt effective self-care strategies. Through user-centered design and qualitative evaluation, this research also investigates user needs, experiences, and preferences to create digital health solutions that are clinically meaningful, engaging, and practical for everyday use.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Raj P, Hoang HN, Liang Z. User Perspectives of an mHealth App for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Self-Management: A Qualitative Study. JMIR Preprints. 07/2026.
- Raj P, Liang Z. (2025) Design and Implementing a mHealth Application for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Screening. In the Proceedings of the 2025 IEEE 14th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE 2025), Osaka. Japan.【First author is undergraduate student】
- Raj P, Hoang N, and Liang Z. Software Engineering for PMS Self-Care: Integrating Clinical Assessment with Data-Driven Health Management on Smartphones. In Proceedings of the 7th World Symposium on Software Engineering, Okayama, Japan. (reviewed)
🤝International collaborations with University of Luxemburg (Luxemburg)
🤝International collaborations with University of Luxemburg (Luxemburg)
📈 Publications in HEALTHINF
🏅 Most Trendy Paper Mention @ CHI 2025
XAI: Human-in-the-Loop Explainable AI for Digital Mental Health
XAI: Human-in-the-Loop Explainable AI for Digital Mental Health
Explainable artificial intelligence should not only satisfy computational metrics but also earn the trust of the clinicians who ultimately use it. This research develops human-in-the-loop frameworks for evaluating large language models in digital mental health by involving psychologists and psychiatrists throughout the assessment process. Experts evaluate AI-generated diagnoses, screening decisions, and natural-language explanations while providing open-ended feedback that reveals strengths, weaknesses, and potential clinical risks. By integrating human expertise with AI evaluation, we aim to establish more rigorous standards for explainable AI and support the development of clinically reliable, transparent, and human-centered decision-support systems.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Priyadarshana YHPP, Senanayake AL, Liang Z. (2026) How Interpretable Are LLMs? A Multi-Metric Framework for Evaluating Synthetic Explanations in Digital Mental Health. In In Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Health Informatics (HEALTHINF 2026), Marbella, Spain. [Scopus] (Full paper acceptance rate = 25%)
- Yapa HPPP, Senanayake A, Liang Z. (2025) PIFU: A novel framework to evaluate the interpretability of synthetic free-text explanations in digital mental health. In Proceedings of the Human-Centered Evaluation and Auditing of Language Models (HEAL@CHI '25), Yokohama, Japan. 【First author is PhD student】(reviewed)
🏆Supported by KUAS-E Scholarship
🏆Supported by KUAS-E Scholarship
WristPet: Smartwatch-Based Digital Interventions for Healthy Lifestyle Promotion
WristPet: Smartwatch-Based Digital Interventions for Healthy Lifestyle Promotion
Consumer smartwatches provide a unique opportunity to deliver timely, personalized interventions that encourage healthier daily behaviors. This research develops and evaluates smartwatch applications that promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles using principles from human-computer interaction, persuasive technology, and behavioral science. Our work investigates how context-aware nudges, gamification, and user-centered interaction design influence user engagement, motivation, and long-term behavior change. By integrating wearable sensing with intelligent intervention strategies, we aim to create unobtrusive, personalized digital companions that empower individuals to build and sustain healthier habits in their everyday lives.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Khotchasing K, Hoang HN, Saleh A, Liang Z. (2024) WristPet: Promoting Daily Physical Activity Through Nudge Theory in a Smartwatch App. In Proceedings of the 13th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE 2024), Kitakyushu, Japan. 【First author is master student】[SCI/Scopus]
- Khotchasing K, Hoang HN, Liang Z. (2024) A Human-Computer Interaction Study of Smartwatch Application for Promoting Healthy Lifestyle. In Proceedings of the 6th World Symposium on Software Engineering (WSSE 2024), Kyoto, Japan. (reviewed)【First author is master student】
🏆Supported by Cornerstone Project
🏆Supported by Cornerstone Project
Clouds: Developing Smartwtach App for Mood Tracking and Emotional Self-Regulation
Clouds: Developing Smartwtach App for Mood Tracking and Emotional Self-Regulation
Emotional awareness is a key component of mental well-being, yet people often struggle to recognize and reflect on their emotional states in daily life. This research explores how smartwatches can support mood tracking, emotional reflection, and self-regulation through unobtrusive, user-centered interactions. We design and evaluate wearable applications that leverage context-aware prompts, soft nudges, and intuitive interfaces to encourage regular mood logging without disrupting everyday activities. By combining wearable computing, personal informatics, and human-centered design, this work aims to foster emotional self-awareness, promote healthy coping strategies, and enable technology to support long-term psychological well-being.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
- Ahmed H, Liang Z. (2025) Design and Development of a Smartwatch App for Mood Tracking, Reflection and Regulation. In the Proceedings of the 2025 IEEE 14th Global Conference on Consumer Electronics (GCCE 2025), Osaka. Japan.【First author is undergraduate student】
- Ahmed H, Liang Z. (2025) Wandering as CLOUDS: Designing Soft Nudges for Mood Logging and Reflection on Smartwatches. In Proceedings of the Envisioning the Future of Interactive Health Workshop in conjunction with CHI 2025, Yokohama, Japan.【First author is undergraduate student】(reviewed)
🏆Supported by Cornerstone Project
🏆Supported by Cornerstone Project
EEGDice: Developing Serious Games for Neural Rehabilitation
EEGDice: Developing Serious Games for Neural Rehabilitation
Neurological disorders and motor impairments often require repetitive rehabilitation exercises that can be physically demanding and difficult to sustain over time. EEGDice explores how brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and serious games can make rehabilitation more engaging, motivating, and personalized. The project integrates electroencephalography (EEG) with interactive gameplay, enabling users to control game mechanics through neural activity while practicing cognitive and motor functions. By combining wearable neurotechnology, game design, and human-computer interaction, EEGDice investigates how brain-controlled games can support neural rehabilitation, improve user engagement, and contribute to the development of accessible, home-based rehabilitation technologies.
Selected Publications
Selected Publications
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