Evolving "Natural" in Natural Human- Computer Interaction for More Accessible and Intuitive Interfaces

Decades ago, the natural interaction paradigm brought about a revolutionary shift in how interactions with computers could take place. Today, natural interaction has prevailed and transpires in the way we use gestures, voice, or eye gaze to interact with our digital devices. However, emerging application areas, such asextended reality or devices designed to augment the human body, have resulted in novel interactions that redefine what "natural" means. Moreover, highly personalized interactions, such as those in assistive technology and accessible computing, leverage specific sensory and motor abilities that are natural to some users but not to others. I will present design examples of interactive systems spanning from wearables that challenge user agency to smart environments featuring invisible layers of digital content anchored in thin air, and extending the human body with virtual limbs. These designs picture an exciting future where natural human-computer interaction takes on new valances and enables new research opportunities.