@inproceedings{763cd8fe05d9427b8a67d99d5babd167,
title = "{"}pathways to the Metaverse{"}: Exploring the User Experience Mechanisms Driving Technology Acceptance in Virtual Lab Visits with an LLM-powered Avatar",
abstract = "Metaverse environments combined with large language models (LLMs) enable guided interaction through LLM-powered avatars that function as embodied conversational agents. In our study, we examined how scholars interact with an LLM-powered avatar modeled after a real professor during a virtual reality (VR) tour of a research lab. As little is known about how metaverse characteristics shape the user experience (UX) mechanisms that drive acceptance of such technologies, we conducted a 2 (avatar realism: abstract vs. hyperrealistic) × 2 (immersion: desktop vs. headset-based VR) within-subjects study (N= 30), where academic participants engaged in a virtual lab tour guided by the professor avatar. We conducted path analyses on three conceptual models and, based on the results, proposed the Virtual Lab Acceptance Model (VLAM), which features an experiential path (where perceived immersion increases empathy towards the avatar and task enjoyment) and a rational path (where perceived realism increases avatar credibility and task confidence). Flow states amplify these pathways by strengthening task experiences. Task enjoyment is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention. These findings inform HCI research on metaverse characteristics to drive technology acceptance through UX mechanisms, yielding design implications for developing LLM-powered avatars for virtual labs.",
keywords = "Avatar, Immersion, LLM, Metaverse, Realism, Technology Acceptance, Virtual Labs, Virtual Reality",
author = "Xinyi Tu and Francesco Biondani and Danial Amin and Angelica Fabillar and Xuan, \{Trang Thi Thu\} and \{Bano Adeel\}, Huma and Tervola, \{Sonja M.H.\} and Carlo Berlingeri and Franco Fummi and Joni Salminen and Jansen, \{Bernard J.\}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).; 2026 ACM International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, IUI 2026 ; Conference date: 23-03-2026 Through 26-03-2026",
year = "2026",
month = mar,
day = "22",
doi = "10.1145/3742413.3789084",
language = "English",
series = "International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, Proceedings IUI",
publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",
pages = "1722--1741",
editor = "Tsvi Kuflik and Styliani Kleanthous and Li Chen and Giulio Jaccuci and Alison Renner",
booktitle = "IUI 2026 - Proceedings of the 2026 Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces",
address = "United States",
}