Abstract
Research in Interaction Design and User Experience (UX) is grounded in Human-Centered Design principles, focusing on how people interact with complex digital systems, including immersive environments, digital archives, and connected technologies. To capture the implicit and cognitive dimensions of the user experience beyond self-report data, this field is increasingly combining qualitative methods—such as ethnographic observation and diary studies—with quantitative and neurophysiological approaches, including EEG and biopotential measures. Building upon this methodological trajectory, this presentation examines the interest toward eye tracking and, specifically, pupillometry. It explores pupillometry as a promising tool for investigating attention, cognitive effort, and mental workload in real time, demonstrating how pupil-based metrics can support the development of more adaptive, cognitively informed, and empathetic design solutions. The seminar will present these principles and one short example of an application of eye tracking + pupillometry to research in design and marketing.
Bio
Sara Ermini is a visiting researcher at the University of Oslo and RITMO collaborating with Bruno Laeng’s laboratory to advance her methodological expertise in eye tracking and pupillometry. With a background in New Media and Persuasive Communication, she specializes in user-centered design, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods to investigate human-computer interaction. Her work focuses particularly on the hybrid spaces between physical and virtual realities. Currently, her research explores the intersection of interaction design and applied neuroscience, utilizing tools such as eye-tracking to support a human-centered understanding of how people engage with digital platforms and socio-political news content.