Faculty Members
Research interests
Prof. MUÑOZ, Daniel A.
Assistant Professor
 | Ph.D. in Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University MA. Design, Interaction Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University BA, Industrial Design, University of Chile |
 | (852) 3411-8142 |
 | damunoz@hkbu.edu.hk |
 | CVA Room 936F |
Dr. Daniel A. Muñoz is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Interactive Media, School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University. His research explores how extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence (AI), immersive media, and human-centered design can support creativity, empathy, learning, wellbeing, and inclusive digital experiences.
Trained as a designer and researcher in virtual reality and interaction design, Dr. Muñoz investigates how people perceive, create, and interact within immersive environments. His work draws from human-computer interaction (HCI), cognitive science, game studies, design research, and interactive storytelling to better understand the relationships between technology, experience, and meaning-making. Through interdisciplinary methods, he develops and evaluates immersive systems that support both creative practice and social impact.
His current research focuses on immersive storytelling, player experience, AI-assisted creative systems, immersive audio, accessibility, and reflective technologies. Recent projects examine how virtual reality narratives and AI-guided dialogue systems can foster empathy and self-concept development among adolescents, as well as how immersive sound environments can support navigation, engagement, and participation for blind and low-vision communities. He is particularly interested in how emerging technologies can be designed to promote inclusion, creativity, learning, and psychological wellbeing.
Dr. Muñoz regularly publishes and presents research at leading international venues in virtual reality, human-computer interaction, creativity support, and immersive media. His recent work includes publications and presentations associated with IEEE VR, IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (IEEE TVCG), ACM Creativity & Cognition, and AHFE. His research has explored topics including virtual reality presence, player experience, immersive narrative systems, storyworld dynamics, creativity support tools, and emerging applications of AI in interactive media.
Beyond research, Dr. Muñoz actively contributes to the international academic community through peer review, editorial support, and conference service. He serves as a member of the International Program Committee for IEEE VR 2027 and regularly reviews for leading venues in virtual reality, human-computer interaction, creativity, and interactive media research.
Dr. Muñoz is committed to fostering creativity, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Through his teaching and mentorship, he encourages students to explore the creative, social, and ethical dimensions of emerging technologies while developing innovative solutions for real-world challenges.
Research interests
• Extended Reality (VR, AR, MR) Design and Evaluation
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Creativity Support Tools and AI-Assisted Design
• Interactive Storytelling and Narrative Systems
• Player Experience and Game Design
• Immersive Audio and Sound-Based Interaction
• Inclusive and Accessible Technologies
• Empathy, Wellbeing, and Reflective Technologies
• Co-design and Participatory Design
• User Experience Research and Interaction Design
Professional Service
• International Program Committee (IPC) Member, IEEE VR 2027
• Reviewer since 2020 in:
o IEEE VR,
o ACM Creativity & Cognition (C&C),
o ACM VRST,
o ACM CHI Late-Breaking Work
Selected Publications
Muñoz, D. A., & Ho, J. C. F. (2026). User-Articulated Associations in VR: A Co-occurrence Network Map of Presence, Realism, Agency, and Time. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics (TVCG).
Muñoz, D. A., & Ho, J. C. F. (2026). Analyzing Change in VR: A Temporal-Rules-Cues Framework for Storyworld Dynamics and Authorial Intent. In Proceedings of the 2026 ACM Conference on Creativity and Cognition (C&C 2026). ACM.
Muñoz, D. A., & Ho, J. C. F. (2026). Fantasy, Realism, and Attention in Virtual Reality: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study of Coherence Factors and Player Judgments. In AHFE 2026 Proceedings.
Muñoz, D. A. (2025). Inclusion Through Sound: A Systematic Review of Spatial Audio, Sonification, and Interaction Design in Immersive Technologies for Blind and Visually Impaired Users. In AHFE 2025 Hawaii Conference Proceedings. AHFE Open Access Series.
Muñoz, D. A. (2025). Sound-First Immersive Training for Blind and Low-Vision Learners: A Simulation Flow for Safe, Standardized Orientation, Mobility, and Daily Living Practice. Preprint.
Yan, L., Muñoz, D. A., Shunli, Y., Shu Xin, S., Pan Bei Bei, T., & Wang Yunge, A. (2025). Comparative Self-Perception Empathy Study in the Design Process. Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE).
Muñoz, D. A. (2022). The Impact of the Informational Load of Presence Illusions on Users' Attention and Memory. In 2022 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces Abstracts and Workshops (VRW) (pp. 946-947). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/VRW55335.2022.00324
Ho, J. C. F., Muñoz Prieto, D., & Ding, J. (2022). Design to Divide Attention: An Exploration of Designing Virtual Reality Simulations of Accidents. In IASDR Proceedings. Springer.
Muñoz, D. A., Chow, K. N., & Wei, H. (2021). Effects of Virtual Reality in the Area of Responsible Decision-Making Training on Adolescents. ArtsIT, Interactivity and Game Creation.