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
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)
Florian Weidner et al. (2024) Eyes on the Narrative: Exploring the Impact of Visual Realism and Audio Presentation on Gaze Behavior in AR Storytelling Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3649902.3653344)
Hock Siang Lee, Florian Weidner, Ludwig Sidenmark, Hans Gellersen (2024) Snap, Pursuit and Gain: Virtual Reality Viewport Control by Gaze Crossref. (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)
(2022) Investigating User Embodiment of Inverse-Kinematic Avatars in Smartphone Augmented Reality Florian Weidner.
(2021) Exploring Augmented Reality Privacy Icons for Smart Home Devices and Their Effect on Users' Privacy Awareness 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 Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-8643-2 (doi: 10.1145/3490632.3490668)
(2021) OUTSIDE: Multi-Scale Semantic Segmentation of Universal Outdoor Scenes 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 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 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 Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/SVR.2019.00030)
(2019) Talk to Me! Exploring Stereoscopic 3D Anthropomorphic Virtual Assistants in Automated Vehicles 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 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 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 Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/SEARIS44442.2018.9180232)
(2018) The Relationship Between Visual Attention and Simulator Sickness: A Driving Simulation Study Florian Weidner. (doi: 10.1109/VR.2018.8446240)
(2017) Drunk Virtual Reality Gaming: Exploring the Influence of Alcohol on Cybersickness Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-4898-0 (doi: 10.1145/3116595.3116618)
(2017) Establishing Design Parameters for Large Stereoscopic 3D Dashboards Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-1-4503-5151-5 (doi: 10.1145/3131726.3131763)
(2017) Exploring Users Views on Immersive Adult Entertainment Applications Florian Weidner. ISSN 2472-7814 (doi: 10.1109/QoMEX.2017.7965642)
(2017) Comparing VR and Non-VR Driving Simulations: An Experimental User Study 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 Florian Weidner.
(2016) Effects of Fidelity on Driving Behavior - an Experimental Study Florian Weidner.
(2016) Keep People Close: (Spatial) Augmented Reality for Improved in-Car User Interfaces Florian Weidner.
Article
Haopeng Wang, Ludwig Sidenmark, Florian Weidner, Joshua Newn, Hans Gellersen (2024) HeadShift: Head Pointing with Dynamic Control-Display Gain Crossref. (doi: 10.1145/3689434)
Florian Weidner, Wolfgang Broll (2022) Stereoscopic 3D dashboards Crossref. (doi: 10.1007/s00779-020-01438-8)
(2019) Exploring Audiovisual Support Systems for In-Car Multiparty Conferencing Florian Weidner. ISBN 9781682230503 (doi: 10.22032/dbt.39958)
(2017) Framework for 2D-3D Image Fusion of Infrared Thermography with Preoperative MRI Florian Weidner. ISSN 1862-278X (doi: 10.1515/bmt-2016-0075)
(2016) Incorporating MRI Structural Information into Intraoperative Functional Thermography in Neurosurgery 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 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 Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-319-93884-4 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-93885-1_45)
(2019) Authoring von VR/AR-Anwendungen Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-662-58860-4
(2017) Investigating Customer Perception of Virtual Promotions Using Mixed Reality Smart Glasses Florian Weidner. ISBN 978-3-8440-5606-8
(2014) Entwicklung Eines Gehirn-Phantoms Zur Perfusions- Und Brain Shift Simulation. 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
