Whether it’s getting together to socialize and play, during therapeutic sessions, in a caregiving setting, or in professional collaboration, mixed reality can bring people who are physically separated together in a shared experience. Unlike in video conferences, people and digital content appear directly within one’s own physical environment. This promises more natural, spatial, and interactive encounters. So far, however, little is known about how closeness and connection arise in such hybrid spaces.

SPASS is therefore investigating how social presence—the feeling of actually being together with another person—can be specifically designed and adapted to different situations and individual needs. The focus is on “Shared Personal Augmentations”: personal items or areas of one’s own environment that are digitally projected into the other person’s space. Examples include a piece of jewelry, a favorite mug, family photos, or views of one’s own home.

The project investigates which social cues and personal elements serve as points of reference and how they influence perceived closeness. It examines which items worn close to the body, objects, or spatial areas are suitable for private, therapeutic, and professional situations. Another question is whether users can regulate the desired level of closeness themselves by adding, removing, or modifying such elements.