Using breathing and spatial audio for Wuxia games.
Part of my work on embodied interaction and player experience.
Read paper
Play galaxyGames & playMotivation · Embodiment · Play
Generative galaxyAI & co-creationIntention · Imagination · Worlds
Agency galaxyPeople & agentsCollaboration · Agency · Trust
Spatial galaxyVR & extended realityPresence · Space · Experience
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Ruoyu Wen · HCI researcher & game designer
Explore my
research universe.
Different worlds. Connected by how we
play, create, and interact.
Selected work
All publicationsCo-creating personalised emotional sanctuaries in VR with generative AI.
The project connects personalisation, immersive environments, and human–AI co-creation.
Read paperAI assistance for human moderation in Wizard of Oz studies.
This work examines how AI can support the human moderator in HCI research.
Read paperResearch interests
Human–Agent Interaction
How AI agents can prompt, accompany, and collaborate with people — and what that means for agency and trust.
Explore interactionVR & Extended Reality
Immersive collaboration, spatial interfaces, and embodied experiences that blend the virtual and the real.
Explore VR / XRGames & Play
Alternate reality games, player motivation through Self-Determination Theory, and narrative across cultures.
Explore gamesLLMs & Generative AI
Generative systems that turn language into worlds, characters, and emergent interactive experiences.
Explore AIPublications
Journal articles, conference papers, and clearly labelled preprints. Filter by theme below.
I Made the Choice, Did I? Exploring the Influence of Goal-Directed AI on Human Decision-Making
International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 1–36
Exploring Mediation by an Embodied Virtual Agent in Immersive Triadic Collaborative Decision-Making
IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 32(5), 4451–4460
Digital Humans for Depression Assessment and Intervention Support: Scoping Review
JMIR Mental Health, 13, e79954
FIERO: Empowering Creative Writing Through Collaborative Game Play
arXiv:2607.11837 · Author manuscript; CHI Play 2026 presentation noted by the authors
AI of Oz: Enhancing Wizard of Oz Studies in HCI with AI Assistance for Human Moderation
ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
From Prompt to Presence: Co-Creating Personalised Emotional Sanctuaries in VR with Generative AI
ACM Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI)
Investigating AI in Peer Support via Multi-Module System-Driven Embodied Conversational Agents
arXiv:2511.22269 · Preprint
Can AI Prompt Humans? Multimodal Agents Prompt Players' Game Actions and Show Consequences to Raise Sustainability Awareness
ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Large Language Models for Automatic Detection of Sensitive Topics
Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Sketchar: Supporting Character Design and Illustration Prototyping Using Generative AI
Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact. (CHI Play)
Motivational Landscapes of ARG Players: A Self-Determination Theory Perspective
Digital Games Research Association
I Light U Up: Exploring a New Emergent Narrative Paradigm through Light and Generative AI
SIGGRAPH Asia Art Papers
Listen to the Sword: Using Breathing and Spatial Audio for Wuxia Games
CHI Extended Abstracts
An Exploratory Study on AI-driven Visualisation Techniques for Decision Making in Extended Reality
Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
Player Category Research on Murder Mystery Games
International Journal of Role-Playing
Trajectory
Where I've worked
Research and game design across New Zealand, Germany, Korea, Sweden, and China.
Apr 2026 — Present
Visiting PhD Student
University of Augsburg · Chair for Human-Centered AI (Prof. Elisabeth André) · Germany
Collaborating on human-centered AI, intelligent user interfaces, and human–agent interaction.
Oct 2024 — Present
Lead AI Game Designer
MICROFEEL · Remote
Led a team building systems that generate game stories, mechanics, and NPCs end-to-end from natural-language input.
2023 — Present
PhD Researcher
University of Canterbury · School of Product Design · New Zealand
Research on VR, human–agent interaction, and conversational AI. Publications at CHI, OzCHI, DiGRA, and SIGGRAPH Asia.
Recognition
Honors & Grants
Competitive research funding and national awards.
Research Grants in Germany
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) · research stay at the University of Augsburg, Chair for Human-Centered AI
Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad
China Scholarship Council (CSC) · national award for outstanding self-funded PhD students overseas · University of Canterbury, New Zealand