The Augmented Human: Exploring the Frontiers of Human Performance Augmentation

The concept of the Augmented Human encompasses various technological solutions that help enhance human performance by supporting the perceptual, cognitive and/or physical capabilities of their users. Recent years have seen a steep growth in this research area, especially when it comes to enhancing human performance using the immersive technology of Augmented Reality (AR) in combination with Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Some examples of Human Performance Augmentation (HPA) through AR/AI are the application of AR headsets in surgical navigation to improve the outcomes of complex medical operations, overlaying various digital instructions in AR to assist factory workers in the manufacturing industry and using intelligent AR glasses to aid blind and low-vision pedestrians in mobility and people who are hard of hearing in everyday communication.

This research topic aims to gather a collection of articles showcasing the latest advances in the AR/AI-related HPA and thus establish the current state-of-the art in this field. We are particularly interested in the research and development projects and studies showcasing a transformational impact of AI in “powering” AR applications that augment the human performance. The AI aspect can include the integration into AR of Large Language Models (LLMs), Visual Language Models (VLMs) for Computer Vision, Contextual AI and new forms of object interaction, novel methods of intelligent spatial mapping, as well as Generative AI for digital asset creation.

We would also like to incorporate into the collection the articles that push the boundaries of AR/AI for HPA from the “traditional” Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) into the realm of the emerging paradigm of Human-Computer Integration (HCint/HInt), i.e., where the computational and human capabilities function as an interwoven, symbiotic unit.

The Augmented Human focuses on the use of AR, including AR combined with AI, to augment human performance. We welcome original contributions where AR is central to enhancing perceptual, cognitive or physical capabilities across a range of application areas, including but not limited to industry, healthcare, medicine and rehabilitation, teaching and learning, sport, aerospace and defence, the exploration of extreme environments and accessibility.

Contributions may span the physical and virtual worlds, including Mixed Reality (MR), Extended Reality (XR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Cross Reality (CR), as long as the work speaks to AR-driven human performance augmentation. Work centred on physiological sensing without a clear AR component falls outside the scope.

We welcome Original Research, Reviews, Methods and Perspectives.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Registered Report
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), Virtual Reality (VR), Extended Reality (XR), Cross Reality (CR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human-Computer Integration (HCInt/HInt), Human Performance Augmentation (HPA)

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.