Engineering Virtual Worlds - Lik-Hang Lee (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University)

Title: Engineering Virtual Worlds Abstract: By stepping directly into simulated realities, we unlock new dimensions of empathy, cultural preservation, and health education. This talk explores the convergence of Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence. We first examine XR’s role in sustaining Intangible Cultural Heritage. Through projects like virtual dragon boat racing, hands-on tea workshops, and simulated Cantonese funerals, we demonstrate how spatial computing transcends physical limits to foster profound cultural empathy. Also, we highlight the impact of virtual reality on public health. By gamifying the learning of complex biological systems like parasitic lifecycles, we show how spatial simulations yield significantly better knowledge retention than conventional interactive media. Finally, we turn to the future of AI-XR convergence. We examine how Large Language Models and generative AI are revolutionizing 3D asset generation and creating novel interaction paradigms, ultimately architecting virtual environments that are responsive, intelligent, and deeply human. Bio: Dr. Lik-Hang Lee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He also serves as the Director of the PolyU-EVOC Industrial AI Joint Innovation Lab for Terminal Technology. Prior to his current role, he was a tenure-track Assistant Professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Dr. Lee’s primary research interests focus on Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Human-AI Interaction, Human-centric AI, and AI-enabled applications in the Metaverse. He has co-authored over 100 conference and journal publications since 2016, exploring broad-spectrum topics such as AIGC (e.g., ChatGPT) systems in AR/VR, intelligent IoT objects, and user privacy and safety in immersive cyberspace. In addition to his research, he actively serves on organizing and technical program committees for top-tier conferences and journals, including ACM CHI, IEEE ISMAR, ACM Multimedia, and IJCAI.