Feeling trapped drives fatigue
A meta-analysis of 38 studies identified "feeling trapped" as the strongest predictor of videoconferencing fatigue (r = .33), outpacing audio issues, camera problems, and meeting length.
A research collective studying the future of work and play beyond the limitations of physical space. We investigate why virtual meetings tire us, design platforms that don't, and build the research tools to prove the difference.
Our contribution across a five-study research program on virtual meetings, well-being, and equity.
A meta-analysis of 38 studies identified "feeling trapped" as the strongest predictor of videoconferencing fatigue (r = .33), outpacing audio issues, camera problems, and meeting length.
Women and people of color place significantly higher value on avatar customization in virtual workplaces, a measurable equity signal that reframes customization as infrastructure, not aesthetic.
Playful design elements (gesture tools, stylized environments, ambient virtual objects) reduce fatigue and increase engagement, shifting virtual meetings from endurance to participation.
A publicly accessible virtual meeting platform in VRChat, implementing five research-grounded design principles. Open to researchers, educators, and collaborators.
May 30–31, 2026 · University of Oregon Portland Campus, hybrid via VRChat. Our annual conference for scholars, practitioners, and students.
Guest-edited volumes in Journal of Media Psychology (published) and Frontiers in Virtual Reality (wrapping up).
The NSF FW-HTF-R grant that powered most of our work (2021–2025) is complete. The research continues. The questions that drew us together in 2019 (about equity, presence, play, and human well-being in mediated work) have only grown more urgent as AI agents, spatial computing, and hybrid work continue to reshape the landscape.
If you're a scholar, platform designer, or funding organization thinking about the next generation of virtual meeting research, we'd like to hear from you.
peer-reviewed publications
principal investigators across 6 institutions
guest-edited journal special issues
annual Meaningful XR conferences to date