Introduction to the Special Issue on the Theory and Practice of Embodied Interaction in HCI and Interaction Design

Theories of embodiment focus on how practical engagement and the structure of the body shape perception, experience, and cognition. They typically reject a view of human cognition as grounded in abstract information processing. The concept of embodied interaction is increasingly used in the design, analysis, and evaluation of interactions with and around technology. However, many questions remain as to exactly what embodied interaction means and whether it can be considered a coherent program of research. The opportunities to support embodied interaction have expanded significantly in recent years with the development of a range of technologies designed to sense movements of the body and the continued development of ubiquitous computing infrastructures that can gather or represent contextual data. There has also been a surge of interest in embodiment in HCI.