Augmented reality, UI/UX design, and artificial intelligence in the user interface
UI/UX design is going through a deep shift, far beyond changing button colors or polishing layouts. The real turning point comes from the combination of artificial intelligence, machine learning models, large language models (LLMs), and immersive XR interfaces, including augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. The result is a scenario where the interface is no longer just screen and click, but starts to involve voice, gesture, gaze, context, and even behavior predictions generated by intelligent systems.
One of the names helping organize this new chapter in the field is researcher Pradipta Biswas, a Gates Cambridge Scholar and currently an associate professor in the Department of Design and Manufacturing at the Indian Institute of Science, as well as an associate member of the Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber Physical Systems. He authored the book Intelligent User Interface: Usable Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence for Usability, published by Taylor & Francis, with a very straightforward goal: demystify the UI/UX design process in the AI era and make recent advances more accessible to people who design digital products and interactive systems.
This is not a generic handbook on interfaces. Biswas focuses on clearly explaining current AI and machine learning models applied to intelligent interfaces, bringing concrete case studies in areas such as XR systems, human-robot interaction, cockpit design, and trajectory prediction. The core idea is to show how these technologies can improve usability, not just impress people with shiny new tech.
What the book Intelligent User Interface covers in practice
Instead of getting stuck in abstract theory, Pradipta Biswas grounds the book in real-world applications. He offers a broad view of human factors, computer vision, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) systems, as well as usability evaluation techniques designed for interfaces that learn and adapt.
One highlight is his explanation of how the latest AI models work, such as vision transformers and LLM-based interfaces, and how they can be integrated into the interaction layer. The author discusses, for example:
- LLM-based human-robot interfaces, where users communicate with robots through natural language.
- Virtual reality simulations for complex systems such as spacecraft, enabling critical interactions to be tested in a controlled environment.
- Adaptive interfaces that change behavior based on profile, context, or usage data.
Beyond the conceptual layer, the book includes a list of free software related to the topics covered, making it easier for students, researchers, and professionals who want hands-on experimentation. Each chapter brings graphical illustrations, summary boxes with key concepts, and project ideas in intelligent user interfaces, designed especially for students and early-career researchers.
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Pradipta Biswas’s journey and his role in global standards
The weight of the book comes not only from its technical content, but also from the author’s background. During his PhD in Computer Science at Cambridge, Biswas researched visual and auditory perception, rapid pointing movements, and problem-solving strategies in the context of human-computer interaction. Along the way, he developed new algorithms, including solutions for eye gaze technology, and even patented an interactive Head Up Display controlled by gaze and gestures.
After returning to India, he deepened his work with eye tracking in partnership with the Indian Air Force, applying this technology in high cognitive load scenarios. One key project was leading the virtual reality cockpit design for the country’s first crewed spaceflight mission, which required extreme precision in interface modeling, ergonomics, and risk scenario simulation.
Biswas was also one of five Indian researchers selected to lead a study on human-machine interaction on the International Space Station, during the Axiom 4 mission, exploring how intelligent interfaces behave in extreme environments. In another initiative, he led the first toy hackathon focused on helping children with severe disabilities communicate through gaze-controlled interfaces, bringing cutting-edge research closer to direct social impact.
On the international standards scene, Pradipta was elected vice-chairman of ITU Study Group 9 and served as co-chair of the Intersector Rapporteur Group on Audiovisual Media Accessibility (IRG AVA) and the Focus Group on Smart TV at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). These groups discuss standards, recommendations, and guidelines for accessibility, connected TV, and new media consumption formats, all of which are directly connected to UI/UX design and accessible multimedia experiences.
Intelligent interface, XR, and trajectory prediction
One of the most interesting sections of the book explores the intersection of XR systems, human-robot interaction, cockpit design, and trajectory prediction. The focus here is to show that intelligent interfaces are not just about apps and websites, but also about critical systems that need to make decisions in dynamic environments.
Trajectory prediction is explained as the process of predicting the future positions of agents — vehicles, pedestrians, robots — over time. This is essential for autonomous driving and pilot support systems because it enables anticipation of movements, collision avoidance, and safer route planning. In UI/UX terms, the challenge is not just predicting, but how to translate those predictions in a clear and actionable way for the person in control or supervising the system.
XR systems, in turn, are described as platforms that let users experience virtual, augmented, and mixed reality environments using headsets, smart glasses, and other advanced devices. The book shows how interfaces in these contexts need to integrate:
- Virtual elements projected onto the physical world (AR).
- Fully digital, highly immersive environments (VR).
- Multimodal interactions using voice, gesture, gaze, and manual control.
Biswas details patterns for 3D layout, placement of elements in the field of view, and precautions regarding fatigue, discomfort, and information overload. The goal is to combine artificial intelligence with solid UI/UX design practices to create experiences that are immersive, but also safe, accessible, and usable in everyday life.
Standards, guidelines, and setting up an intelligent interaction lab
Another key part of the book is its focus on existing standards and guidelines that help guide UI/UX projects in advanced environments. The book discusses current standards related to:
- UI/UX design principles for complex interactive systems.
- Information architecture and layout in multimodal interfaces.
- Accessibility criteria for audiovisual and interactive experiences.
Beyond the conceptual content, there is a chapter dedicated to lab infrastructure for research on intelligent interaction with robots, drones, and XR systems. Biswas describes the types of equipment used, such as eye tracking systems, motion sensors, AR/VR headsets, and discusses how to set up experiments, collect data, and evaluate the user experience in controlled scenarios.
This more grounded view helps connect academia, industry, and product teams that want to validate solutions with real users instead of relying only on superficial metrics or internal opinions.
Human factors, LLMs, and usability evaluation techniques
One of the main threads running through the book is the importance of human factors in building intelligent interfaces. Biswas reinforces that the presence of AI, LLMs, and computer vision does not eliminate classic concerns such as ergonomics, cognitive load, perception, attention, and memory — it actually makes them even more critical, since systems now adapt and respond in real time.
The author discusses how large language models can operate as an interface layer in:
- Human-robot interfaces, allowing robots to be controlled through natural language commands.
- VR assistants that explain controls, guide tasks, and support immersive training.
- Complex systems, such as spacecraft simulators, where the model helps translate technical commands into more guided action flows.
To evaluate these experiences, the book presents usability testing techniques adapted to contexts where the interface changes dynamically. This includes:
- Classic methods such as user testing, interviews, and observation.
- Interaction log analysis in adaptive systems.
- VR/AR-specific metrics, such as adaptation time, incidence of discomfort, and accuracy in spatial tasks.
The goal is to provide tools so designers, engineers, and researchers can objectively measure whether the combination of AI, XR, and new interface patterns is actually helping users or creating invisible barriers.
Who the book is for and how it can be used
The book’s target audience is very clear. Biswas writes mainly for:
- Engineering and design students and faculty.
- Interface designers and UX professionals.
- Product managers who need to understand AI and usability without diving into heavy math.
The idea is to give this audience an up-to-date view of AI models and intelligent interface technologies without getting lost in technical details far removed from day-to-day product work. At the same time, the book acts as a bridge for those who want to go deeper, since it includes references, free software, and practical project ideas in areas like XR, human-robot interaction, cockpit design, and advanced accessibility.
In practice, the content can be used to:
- Support courses in UI/UX, HCI, and interactive systems.
- Inspire undergraduate theses, early-stage dissertations, and applied research prototypes.
- Update product teams that are starting to integrate AI, LLMs, and extended reality into their solutions.
User experience in an increasingly intelligent world
Overall, the vision that emerges from Intelligent User Interface: Usable Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence for Usability is of a future where artificial intelligence, UI/UX design, and extended reality move forward together. The interface stops being just a set of screens and becomes a living layer that connects the physical and digital worlds, responds to users, predicts movements, and still needs to remain clear, trustworthy, and accessible.
Pradipta Biswas’s main contribution is organizing this puzzle: bringing together human factors, AI, XR, international standards, and applied research in a guide that speaks both to academia and to those on the front lines building products. At a time when a lot of things are sold as hype, the book stays grounded and shows how intelligent interfaces can be designed responsibly, making the most of technology without losing sight of the basics: understanding people, real-world contexts, and practical limits of use.
