Publications.

Implementation of a multi-stage orbital launcher assembly simulation using virtual reality: Practical lessons learned for hands-on outreach

Authors — Krishnadas M, Juben Basumatary, Sreelal S, & Aakash Johry

Venue — 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2026)

Educational technology for space science: Capturing higher secondary students' perceptions of its integration into the curriculum in India

Authors — Krishnadas M, Sreelal S, & Aakash Johry

Venue — 7th International Conference on Information Technology and Education Technology (ITET 2026)

Mapping the Responsible Democratization of Generative AI through Participatory Futuring

A workshop paper that uses an HCI lens and a participatory futuring approach to explore the responsible democratization of generative AI across domains like education, sustainability, art, and health.

Authors — Anniek Jansen, Supraja Sankaran, Matilda Kalving, Kaisa Väänänen, Eva Geurts, Gustavo Alberto Rovelo Ruiz, Cosmin Munteanu, Aakash Johry & Jonna Häkkilä

Venue — The 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2026)

Leveling Up Leadership: Emerging Voices and Evolving Practices in the Games & Play Community

A workshop bringing emerging and established leaders in the games and play research community together to share practices around inclusive, playful leadership across disciplines and geographies.

Authors — Oğuz ‘Oz’ Buruk, Max V. Birk, Ferran Altarriba Bertran, Alena Denisova, Aakash Johry, Rakesh Patibanda, Velvet Spors, Xin Tong & Rina R. Wehbe

Venue — The Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play (CHI PLAY ’25)

Theory as Design Material: How Design Researchers Use Design Skills to Explore the Malleability of Theory

How design researchers explore the use of various forms of knowledge, such as theory, through their design skills and design practices.

Authors — Tilde Bekker, Helle Marie Skovbjerg, Maria Lyndgaard & Aakash Johry

Venue — International Journal of Design

Impact of Body Language on Design Students — A Case Study at an Indian University Classroom

Using a research-through-design approach and two gamified probes to explore the impact of non-verbal communication on university design students in India.

Authors — Bhagyashri Sharma, U. M. Krishnanunni & Aakash Johry

Venue — International Conference on Research into Design (ICORD 2025)

Understanding the Perception and Process of Practitioners in Defining and Achieving the Educational Goals of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in India

Exploring how special educators in an Indian metropolitan school develop and implement IEPs for children with intellectual disabilities.

Authors — Harsh Mohan Shrivastava & Aakash Johry

Venue — 17th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (EduLearn25)

Play, Watch, Analyze, Repeat: How Do Players Develop Competitive Gaming Skills?

A study of how players learn competitive gaming skills across genres such as MOBA, RTS, and battle royale, and the role self-efficacy plays in that process.

Authors — Günter Wallner, Aakash Johry, Marnix van Wijland, Regina Bernhaupt & Simone Kriglstein

Venue — Entertainment Computing

Voice User Interface for Designing Inclusive Games for Children with Visual Impairment and Sighted Pupils

How Voice User Interfaces like Amazon Alexa can facilitate inclusive play between visually impaired and sighted children in Indian schools.

Authors — Monika & Aakash Johry

Venue — 15th International Conference of Human-Computer Interaction (IndiaHCI 2024)

Designing Pachi: A Verbal Language Learning Application for Children with Hearing Impairment in India

Addressing the limited availability of formal therapy in India, introducing "Pachi," a tablet-based app designed to enhance Hindi language development for hearing-impaired children.

Authors — Radhika Sharma & Aakash Johry

Venue — International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (ICCHP 2024)

Gamifying Mental Well-Being Assessment: A New Approach for College-Going Students Using the 'Oxford Happiness Questionnaire'

Gamifying the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire through an app called "The Mirror" significantly increases user engagement and enjoyment for college students compared to the traditional text-based format.

Authors — Renuka Singh, Harsh Mohan Shrivastava, M. Krishnadas & Aakash Johry

Venue — 15th International Conference of Human-Computer Interaction (IndiaHCI 2024)

Facilitating Use of Existing Knowledge in Research-Through-Design: A Case Study with Design Students

How design students struggle to integrate existing knowledge and theory into their projects. Using a design-based research approach within a bachelor-level play design course, the authors act as facilitators to introduce educational interventions across the Research-through-Design (RtD) process.

Authors — Aakash Johry, Tilde Bekker & Helle Marie Skovbjerg

Venue — International Conference on Research into Design (ICORD 2023) · Best Paper Award

DEVELOPING A HIGH-FIDELITY 360 VIRTUAL TOUR FOR THE VSSC SPACE MUSEUM: A TECHNICAL CASE STUDY AND LESSONS LEARNED

To expand public access to ISRO's restricted VSSC Space Museum, researchers developed a low-cost, 5.7K WebGL 360° virtual tour using consumer-grade hardware. This lightweight digital twin successfully preserves heritage integrity while providing scalable, browser-accessible space science outreach for remote students.

Authors — M. Krishnadas, Prodyut Sardar, Venkatesh SS & Harikrishnan R

Venue — 77th International Astronautical Congress 2026

Impact of Physical Environment of Pediatric Inpatient Wards on Children: A Systematic Literature Review

The review findings highlight significant knowledge gaps. The study also tries to bridge existing gaps between research and practice by systematically identifying environmental elements, offering actionable insights to architects, designers, healthcare providers, and policymakers.

Authors — Renuka Singh, Sachit Anand, Aakash Johry & Gourab Kar

Venue — HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal

How Does the Physical Environment Influence Behaviors of Parents/Caregivers in a Pediatric Waiting Space? Findings From an Environment-Behavior Study in a Pediatric Hospital in New Delhi, India

An observational study of Indian pediatric hospital waiting areas found that caregivers actively provide care and navigate institutional barriers despite severe overcrowding and inadequate amenities, underscoring the need for evidence-based designs that treat parents as active users rather than passive bystanders.

Authors — Renuka Singh, Aakash Johry, Sachit Anand & Gourab Kar

Venue — Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

Understanding Digital Health Engagement Among Older Adults in India: A Cultural Probe Based Study

Remote health monitoring technologies offer opportunities for improved healthcare management; however, existing design guidelines often fail to address the cultural realities of Indian senior citizens. In this study, we identified six critical interaction areas for remote cardiac health monitoring, including self-monitoring, emergency response, and assistance-seeking patterns.

Authors — Radhika Sharma & Aakash Johry

Venue — DRS Biennial Confrence Series