The Missing Link of XR: Empathy-Driven Reality for XR and Beyond

Abstract

Extended reality (XR) for socialising is becoming increasingly popular. However, unlike conventional social platforms, XR prioritises embodiment and immersion, factors that strongly impact one's physical and mental states. We envision a future for XR where all users, regardless of abilities and backgrounds, can understand one another, participate, and find safe socialisation spaces. An Empathy-Driven Reality (EDR) is a space where understanding each other's emotional, physical, and cognitive states takes centre stage. It has the potential to enhance empathy beyond how we normally perceive it. To explore this concept, we conducted a hybrid-style workshop over two months with 27 industry and academic researchers in XR, emotion, physiology, assistive technology, and social science. This paper reports on the findings and aims to establish a structure and reference for the 1) design guidelines, 2) research challenges, and 3) potential applications for the future of XR as an EDR. We frame EDR as a conceptual design framework rather than a validated system: a structured design space that links requirements to design mechanisms, together with a research agenda for empathy-centred XR.