Research Subject:
Empathic Design between User and Virtual Avatar based on User Experience

Purpose of the Research:
This research will focus on designing a unified service interface where virtual avatar shares affective presence to user beyond its competency through empathy as a substantial experience of the interaction. This research aims to develop emotional interaction between user and virtual avatar to allow natural expressiveness in the service assistance. The efficacy of emotional connection, satisfaction and desirability performance transferred will be assessed by studying the relationships among emotions, mental models of sociability and human-computer communication behaviour. At the end, this research seeks to construct an interactive assistant with a purpose of ability to check on user’s implicit emotional state and fulfil user’s impulsive decision.

Career Prospects:
I would like to pursue a career as a researcher and a designer focuses on leveraging community engagement in the industry. I aim to work in entertainment industry in Japan.

Lucas is a cross-disciplinary media design researcher, investigating interactive critical design with focus on human-computer relational bodies perspective, awareness on diversity and inclusion (D&I), and playful design studies. Lucas also has a 15 years background career in creative productions for the media industry as a problem solver in management and creative development, with vast experience in global brands and innovative outcomes.