Dr Florian Weidner
- Lecturer in HCI (School of Computing Science)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8677-3503Biography
I am a Lecturer at the University of Glasgow (I joined in March 2025). My research focuses on interaction in AR/VR—particularly with agents and using gaze as a primary input cue. Before that, I was a postdoctoral researcher at Lancaster University (2023–2025) with Prof. Hans Gellersen. I worked on multi-sensory XR in the GEMINI ERC project, exploring AR experiences that integrate gaze behaviour and body movements.
From 2021 to 2023, I was a postdoctoral researcher in the Virtual Worlds and Digital Games Group at Ilmenau University of Technology, Germany, where I focused on multi-sensory XR and virtual humans. I completed my PhD there in 2021, investigating XR’s impact, possibilities, and limitations for future in-vehicle user interfaces.
Research interests
My research focuses on how people interact in extended reality (XR), particularly in the following three areas:
- Gaze-Based Interaction in XR: I explore how eye movements can be used as an intuitive way to interact in virtual and augmented reality, from selecting objects to controlling interfaces. Particular interest is in leveraging natural coordination between gaze and other movements and behaviours.
- Social and Mutual Gaze with Virtual Humans: I study how virtual characters can use eye contact and gaze behaviour to create more natural and engaging interactions in XR environments, how this eye contact is influenced by various technical factors of the XR system, and how we can bring true social gaze in XR-mediated communication.
- Interaction with Real Objects in XR: I investigate how real-world objects can be integrated into virtual experiences to provide a more immersive and realistic sense of touch and enable new control schemes for everyday XR.
Publications
Prior publications
Conference Proceedings
Franziska Prummer, Mohamed Shereef Abdelwahab, Florian Weidner, Yasmeen Abdrabou, Hans Gellersen (2025) It’s Not Always the Same Eye That Dominates: Effects of Viewing Angle, Handedness and Eye Movement in 3D Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3706598.3713992)
Kagan Taylor, Haopeng Wang, Florian Weidner, Hans Gellersen (2025) Towards the Fusion of Gaze and Micro-Gestures 2025 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) Lancaster University - Pure. ISBN 9798331525637 (doi: 10.1109/VRW66409.2025.00383)
Joseph McVelia, Florian Weidner, Hans Gellersen (2024) VR/AR for Users with Tic Disorders: Challenges and Opportunities 2024 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct) Lancaster University - Pure. ISBN 9798331506926 (doi: 10.1109/ISMAR-Adjunct64951.2024.00057)
Aliya Andrich, Florian Weidner, Wolfgang Broll (2024) Tick-tock: Revisiting the Influence of Zeitgebers and Cognitive Load on Time Judgments during and after VR Immersion Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3670653.3670667)
Baosheng James Hou, Yasmeen Abdrabou, Florian Weidner, Hans Gellersen (2024) Unveiling Variations: A Comparative Study of VR Headsets Regarding Eye Tracking Volume, Gaze Accuracy, and Precision 2024 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) Lancaster University - Pure. ISBN 9798350374506 (doi: 10.1109/VRW62533.2024.00127)
Hock Siang Lee, Florian Weidner, Ludwig Sidenmark, Hans Gellersen (2024) Snap, Pursuit and Gain CHI'24: Proceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Lancaster University - Pure. ISBN 9798400703300 (doi: 10.1145/3613904.3642838)
Jakob Hartbrich, Florian Weidner, Christian Kunert, Alexander Raake, Wolfgang Broll, Stephanie Arévalo Arboleda (2023) Eye and Face Tracking in VR: Avatar Embodiment and Enfacement with Realistic and Cartoon Avatars Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3626705.3627793)
Ephraim Schott, Elhassan Belal Makled, Tony Jan Zoeppig, Sebastian Muehlhaus, Florian Weidner, Wolfgang Broll, Bernd Froehlich (2023) UniteXR: Joint Exploration of a Real-World Museum and its Digital Twin Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3611659.3615708)
Joshua Newn, Sophia Quesada, Baosheng James Hou, Anam Ahmad Khan, Florian Weidner, Hans Gellersen (2023) Exploring Eye Expressions for Enhancing EOG-Based Interaction Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2023 Lancaster University - Pure. ISBN 9783031422928 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-42293-5)
(2022) Investigating User Embodiment of Inverse-Kinematic Avatars in Smartphone Augmented Reality 2022 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Florian Weidner.
(2021) Exploring Augmented Reality Privacy Icons for Smart Home Devices and Their Effect on Users' Privacy Awareness 2021 IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct) Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/ISMAR-Adjunct54149.2021.00093)
(2021) AR in TV: Design and Evaluation of Mid-Air Gestures for Moderators to Control Augmented Reality Applications in TV 20th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-8643-2 (doi: 10.1145/3490632.3490668)
(2021) OUTSIDE: Multi-Scale Semantic Segmentation of Universal Outdoor Scenes 2021 IEEE 21st International Workshop on Multimedia Signal Processing (MMSP) Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/MMSP53017.2021.9733652)
(2020) Haptic Space: The Effect of a Rigid Hand Representation on Presence When Interacting with Passive Haptics Controls in VR 19th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-8870-2 (doi: 10.1145/3428361.3428388)
(2019) Interact with Your Car: A User-Elicited Gesture Set to Inform Future in-Car User Interfaces Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Mobile and Ubiquitous Multimedia Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-7624-2 (doi: 10.1145/3365610.3365625)
(2019) AR Training for Paragliding Pilots: An Investigation of User Experience and Requirements 2019 21st Symposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality (SVR) Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/SVR.2019.00030)
(2019) Talk to Me! Exploring Stereoscopic 3D Anthropomorphic Virtual Assistants in Automated Vehicles Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications: Adjunct Proceedings Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-6920-6 (doi: 10.1145/3349263.3351503)
(2019) Smart S3D TOR: Intelligent Warnings on Large Stereoscopic 3D Dashboards during Take-Overs Proceedings of the 8th ACM International Symposium on Pervasive Displays Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-6751-6 (doi: 10.1145/3321335.3324937)
(2018) personalDash: First Steps Towards User-controlled Personalization of 3D Dashboards with Mobile Devices Adjunct Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-5947-4 (doi: 10.1145/3239092.3265952)
(2018) Composite Body-Tracking: Device Abstraction Layer with Data Fusion For Virtual Reality Applications 2018 IEEE 11th Workshop on Software Engineering and Architectures for Real-time Interactive Systems (SEARIS) Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/SEARIS44442.2018.9180232)
(2018) The Relationship Between Visual Attention and Simulator Sickness: A Driving Simulation Study 2018 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR) Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/VR.2018.8446240)
(2017) Drunk Virtual Reality Gaming: Exploring the Influence of Alcohol on Cybersickness Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-4898-0 (doi: 10.1145/3116595.3116618)
(2017) Establishing Design Parameters for Large Stereoscopic 3D Dashboards Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications Adjunct Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-5151-5 (doi: 10.1145/3131726.3131763)
(2017) Exploring Users Views on Immersive Adult Entertainment Applications 2017 Ninth International Conference on Quality of Multimedia Experience (QoMEX) Florian Weidner. ISSN 2472-7814 (doi: 10.1109/QoMEX.2017.7965642)
(2017) Comparing VR and Non-VR Driving Simulations: An Experimental User Study 2017 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR) Florian Weidner. ISSN 2375-5334 (doi: 10.1109/VR.2017.7892286)
(2017) A Spatial Augmented Reality Driving Simulator for Prototyping 3D In-Car User Interfaces Proceedings of Driving Simulation Conference 2017 EuropeVR Florian Weidner.
(2016) Effects of Fidelity on Driving Behavior - an Experimental Study 21th Annual CyperPsychology, CyperTherapy & Social Networking Conference (CyPsy21) Florian Weidner.
(2016) Keep People Close: (Spatial) Augmented Reality for Improved in-Car User Interfaces Doctoral Colloquium of the International Conference on Automotive User Interfaces and Interactive Vehicular Applications Florian Weidner.
Article
Haopeng Wang, Ludwig Sidenmark, Florian Weidner, Joshua Newn, Hans Gellersen (2024) HeadShift: Head Pointing with Dynamic Control-Display Gain ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3689434)
Florian Weidner, Wolfgang Broll (2022) Stereoscopic 3D dashboards Personal and Ubiquitous Computing Crossref. (doi: 10.1007/s00779-020-01438-8)
(2019) Exploring Audiovisual Support Systems for In-Car Multiparty Conferencing Audio for Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Realities: Proceedings of ICSA 2019 ; 5th International Conference on Spatial Audio ; September 26th to 28th, 2019, Ilmenau, Germany Florian Weidner. ISBN 9781682230503 (doi: 10.22032/dbt.39958)
(2017) Framework for 2D-3D Image Fusion of Infrared Thermography with Preoperative MRI Biomedical Engineering / Biomedizinische Technik Florian Weidner. ISSN 1862-278X (doi: 10.1515/bmt-2016-0075)
(2016) Incorporating MRI Structural Information into Intraoperative Functional Thermography in Neurosurgery 5. CURAC Annual Conference Florian Weidner.
Book Section
Joshua Newn, Sophia Quesada, Baosheng James Hou, Anam Ahmad Khan, Florian Weidner, Hans Gellersen (2023) Exploring Eye Expressions for Enhancing EOG-Based Interaction Crossref. (doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-42293-5_6)
(2022) Authoring of VR/AR Applications Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR): Foundations and Methods of Extended Realities (XR) Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-030-79062-2 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-79062-2_10)
(2019) Exploring Large Stereoscopic 3D Dashboards for Future Automotive User Interfaces Advances in Human Aspects of Transportation. AHFE 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-319-93884-4 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-93885-1_45)
(2019) Authoring von VR/AR-Anwendungen Virtual Und Augmented Reality (VR/AR): Grundlagen Und Methoden Der Virtuellen Und Augmentierten Realität Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-662-58860-4
(2017) Investigating Customer Perception of Virtual Promotions Using Mixed Reality Smart Glasses Virtuelle Und Erweiterte Realität: 14. Workshop Der GI-Fachgruppe VR/AR (Berichte Aus Der Informatik) Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-8440-5606-8
(2014) Entwicklung Eines Gehirn-Phantoms Zur Perfusions- Und Brain Shift Simulation. Reports on Biomedical Engineering - Band 2: 5. Dresdner Medizintechnik-Symposium Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-95663-018-7
Book
(2021) S3D Dashboard: Exploring Depth on Large Interactive Dashboards Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-658-35146-5 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-35147-2)
Supervision
I am looking for MSCR and PhD students interested in exploring interaction in XR, particularly in gaze-based interaction, social and mutual gaze with virtual humans, and interaction with real objects (passive haptics). If you are passionate about one of these topics (or other XR-related topics) and interested in pursuing a PhD at the University of Glasgow, feel free to get in touch!
Teaching
2024/2025: COMPSCI2031 User Interaction
