St Andrews HCI Research Group

Welcome to the website for SACHI which aims to act a focal point for human computer interaction research across the University of St Andrews and beyond.

SACHI is the St Andrews Computer Human Interaction research group (a HCI Group) based in the School of Computer Science. Members of SACHI co-supervise research students, collaborate on various projects and activities, share access to research equipment and our HCI prototyping workshop. Established in 2011, we now have a regular seminar series, social activities, summer schools and organise workshops and conferences together. Along with the above links, you can find more news about us here.
SACHI members at our away day at St Andrews Botanic Gardens.

News and Events

Remaking Lost Communities in Virtual Cultural Landscapes


We are delighted to share that Minty and Miriam have recently published their work “Remaking Lost Communities in Virtual Cultural Landscapes“ at the Digital Heritage Congress 2025 (Siena, Italy). Thanks to the School of Computer Science for funding the presentation. 

This work highlights SACHI’s ongoing efforts to explore the intersections of human-centred computing and contribute to the broader conversation in computer-assisted education and the heritage sector. Below is the paper abstract:

Abstract

Characters in immersive, Virtual Reality environments have the potential to enrich the user experience, improving engagement with heritage, and in doing so, benefiting heritage organisations and their communities. By creating authentic digital scenes based upon archaeological and historical data, we enable these communities and their visitors to better understand the past. Often, historical reconstructions can appear empty, focused on the landscape and architecture, yet omitting animals, people and associated intangible heritage. We demonstrate the potential of enriching these reconstructions with the details of lives past.

 

Zhang, J., Sturdee, M., Miller, A. H. D., Oliver, I. A., & Aitken, J.  (2025, June). Remaking lost communities in Virtual Cultural Landscapes. In Digital Heritage Conference.

Seminar: Execute_reboot(): Defining MetaTech Feminism as a Unified Framework for FemTech Approaches 1st Oct 2025


Abstract:

The evolution of feminist technology frameworks mirrors a continuous engagement with challenges of gender, power, and representation in technological realms. This talk presents MetaTech Feminism, a novel framework that combines 14 diverse feminist perspectives. It does this through five central elements: Inclusivity and Intersectionality, Ethical Responsibility, Sustainability and Environmental Justice, Social and Economic Equity, and Adaptability and Forward-Thinking. Utilising a systematic review and thematic analysis, MetaTech Feminism reconciles theory and practice by tackling fragmentation in feminist technology (FemTech) approaches, while maintaining the unique contributions of individual approaches. This synthesis offers conceptual strength and practical strategies for technological design, policy, and implementation. In essence, MetaTech Feminism seeks to cultivate inclusive, ethical, and sustainable technologies, compatible with social justice, and confront developing issues, for example, in AI, data, and digital infrastructures. Through the integration of diverse perspectives into a unified paradigm, the framework provides novel opportunities for transformative feminist engagement with technology.

 

Bio:

Dr. Asegul “Ace” Hulus is an Assistant Professor in Computing and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). A published author and active member of ACM and IEEE, her expertise spans diverse areas of Computer Science. She serves on the Global Chapters Committee of ACM-W and was the first female expert board member of the AI Foundation Trust, specializing in AI and gender inclusion. Dr. Hulus is widely recognized as a speaker and advocate for diversity and equity in technology.

 

Event details:

  • When: 1st Oct 2025 13:00-14:00
  • Where: Jack Cole 1.33A (Speaker will join online through Teams)

Seminar: Design Participation: Changing Roles of Users in Innovation and Research 23rd May 2025


Abstract:

In this talk, Sampsa will introduce ideas from his forthcoming book Design Participation (September 2025, cover attached), which presents doable and demonstrated ways by which design can become a major contributor to social and environmental change. This entails a shift from seeking to define solutions to opening spaces in which others—activists, entrepreneurs, civil servants, neighbourhood communities, politicians (and so on) —can effectively elaborate on and find (re)solutions to the matters they are facing. He will reflect on over two decades of research, offering insights into how participatory methods can help tackle complex social and environmental challenges. The talk will draw from work in health tech, energy transition, and civic design.

This session should be particularly relevant to colleagues working in Human-Computer Interaction, Science and Technology Studies, systems design, and research that intersects with communities, policy, and practice.

Bio:

Sampsa Hyysalo is a Professor of Co-Design at the Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture in Helsinki, Finland. His research focuses on designer-user relations in sociotechnical change. This includes engagement in participatory design, co-design, open and user innovation, open design, peer knowledge creation, user communities, citizen science and user knowledge in organizations, design ethnography, longitudinal ethnography, social shaping of technology, process studies of innovation, practice theory, and sustainability transitions.

More about Sampsa.

He is the author of several books, including:

Event details:

  • When: 23rd May 2025 15:00-16:00
  • Where: Jack Cole 1.33A


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