What is Extreme in Human-Computer Interaction Research?

Poster presented at MobileHCI '25. See https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3737821.3749561

Researchers in human-computer interaction have often approached interactive system design and engineering involving atypical users, novel technological advancements, and unconventional environments that deviate from the average, moderate, or standardized. This paper examines the extent to which researchers characterize their work as extreme, through a targeted literature review and an analysis of the linguistic connotations of the term. We emphasize extreme users, who display exaggerated behaviors, acquire extraordinary abilities, and engage in high-stakes, high-performing collaborations. We also highlight extreme platforms that facilitate input and output modalities surpassing conventional limits, foster intense synergy between users and machines, and employ boundary-pushing design approaches. Lastly, we discuss extreme environments, whether physical, digital, virtual, or mixed, which pose very serious, severe, and potentially risky conditions. We conclude with the benefits for the HCI field of engaging in more scientific and technical explorations driven by “extreme” interaction elements.

1. MobileHCI2025
The 27th ACM International Conferenceon Mobile Human-Computer Interaction
SharmEl-Sheikh, Egypt, 22 September-25 September2025
What is Extremein Human-Computer Interaction Research?
Radu-Daniel Vatavu & Jean Vanderdonckt
Stefan celMare Univ. of Suceava, Romania & Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium
Examples
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more (video,
examples)
Linguistic approach to “extreme”
Descriptive
D1
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
Very high degree
Very serious
Very far from moderate
Very severe
In the farthest position
e.g., extreme cold
e.g., extreme diet
e.g., extreme weather conditions
e.g., extreme beliefs
e.g., extreme north
Very risky
e.g., extreme sports
predominantly
negative on intensity,
severity, seriousness
of potential risky,
dangerous outcomes
Boundary-defining nature for
what exceeds the typically
acceptable
Referential
delineate limits for what is
far beyond typical,
reasonable, or acceptable
The opposite
The unreasonable and excessive
e.g., from one extreme to the other
e.g., the extremes of wealth and poverty
R1
R2
The exaggerated
e.g., going to extremes
R3
Excessively intense, going
beyond traditional limits
Extraordinary-defining attributes of
situations that elicit strong reactions
Cultural
predominantly positive
on the essence of
things standing out
due to extraordinary
nature
Highly impressive
e.g., extreme skateboard trick
Boundary-pushing
e.g., extreme party
Outrageous
e.g., extreme fashion
Overly appealing
e.g., extreme sensation fragrance
C1
C2
C3
C4
Bibliometric approach to “extreme” by a Targeted Literature Review
Users
U1
U2
U3
Abilities
Behavior
Collaboration
e.g., extreme skiing for people with
tetraplegia
e.g., extreme speech, extreme
online posting
e.g., extreme communication,
extreme information sharing
individuals experiencing
atypical conditions of
expected interactions
with computer systems
Enabling users to surpass existing abilities to
match intense environmental conditions
Technological innovation
driven by intense
environmental conditions
Input
e.g., extreme vocal techniques
Output
e.g., information presentation at
an extreme angle
Synergy
e.g., extreme human-machine collaboration
P1
P2
P3
Platforms
interactive computer
technology designed to
operate under or address
extraordinary conditions
Designapproaches
e.g., extreme usability
P4
Empowering users to engage intensely
through novel platform designs
Environments
spaces of intense conditions
that challenge human capabilities
and technological designs
Physical
Digital
e.g., extreme weather
e.g., extreme censorship in online spaces
E1
E2
Mixed
e.g., extreme visual perception
E4
Virtual
e.g., extreme jumping in simulated worlds
E3