Missions

This postdoctoral position aims to explore the use of Mixed Reality (MR) in the context of memory work. More specifically, the research will focus on the role of Nazi internment and transit camps during the Second World War.

The central research question is:
Can Mixed Reality be used to support memory work related to the role of internment and deportation camps during WWII, and what impact would such experiences have on visitors?

According to Hageneuer (2020), two advantages of Mixed Reality for museums and memorial sites are that the visitor feels at the center of the exhibition and is able to make decisions. Unlike a traditional visit, MR enables non-linear storytelling. Wickens (1992) argued that interaction represents the foundation of active learning and fosters acquisition and retention of knowledge, as opposed to passive reception in traditional teaching.

Some benefits of MR are now well established, but it remains unclear whether it enhances memory work compared to traditional visits. Here, memory work refers to the act of engaging with the past, developing historical understanding, and cultivating vigilance.

For example, Stapleton and Davies (2011) designed an Augmented Reality system that told the Holocaust story from the perspective of a teenager witnessing the rise of fascism through diary entries. Their study showed that the audience experienced such an emotionally powerful narrative that some participants cried and questioned how the Holocaust could have happened.

Mixed Reality thus enables deeply immersive and emotionally impactful experiences. However, Kaelber (2007), Rich & Dack (2022), and Glouftsis (2020) emphasize the risks of over-immersion and retraumatization, which can hinder critical historical reflection.

Many studies indicate that effective immersive experiences—whether for training or entertainment—require properties such as presence, immersion, engagement, flow, agency, interactivity, identification, narrative quality, and emotional impact. These are interrelated, yet their specific impact on memory work remains underexplored.




Selected References

Challenor, J. & Ma, M. (2019). A review of augmented reality applications for history education and heritage visualization. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 3(2), 39.

Endacott, J., & Brooks, S. (2013). An updated theoretical and practical model for promoting historical empathy. Social Studies Research and Practice.

Efstathiou, I., Kyza, E. A., & Georgiou, Y. (2018). An inquiry-based augmented reality mobile learning approach to fostering primary school students' historical reasoning in non-formal settings. Interactive Learning Environments.

Hageneuer, S. (2020). Communicating Past in the Digital Age. International Conference on Digital Methods in Teaching and Learning in Archaeology.

Stapleton, C. & Davies, J. (2011). Imagination: The third reality to the virtuality continuum. IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality – Arts, Media, and Humanities, pp. 53–60.

Wickens, C. D. (1992). Virtual reality and education. In Proceedings 1992 IEEE SMC.

Activities

This postdoctoral research will therefore investigate:

- Which sensory and interactive dimensions influence user experience, foster immersion, and support memory work in MR environments,
- While remaining ethically appropriate for memorial contexts.

The work will explore various soundscapes, 3D modeling approaches, and interaction types, and analyze their influence on perception, attention, emotional load, and critical reflection. The methodology will combine design and prototyping of MR experiences with controlled experiments and both qualitative and quantitative analyses.

The ultimate goal is to determine which forms of MR are best suited to the sensitive context of memorial sites.

This postdoc will be conducted within the ANR-funded ITS-STORY project, a multidisciplinary collaboration involving computer scientists, historians, ergonomists, the Mémorial de l'Internement et de la Déportation – Camp de Royallieu (Compiègne, France), and the company Excurio.

Skills

Candidate Profile
Required Technical Skills
- Proficiency in Unity 3D development
- Object-oriented programming (C#)
- Knowledge of Virtual and Mixed Reality technologies
- Experience in Human-Computer Interaction and/or VR/MR

Additional Valued Skills
- Interest in history, memory studies, and/or video games
- Personal Qualities
- Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team
- Autonomy and rigor
- Scientific curiosity and creativity
- Strong communication skills

Education
- PhD in Computer Science or Virtual Reality

Work Context

The Heudiasyc Laboratory (UMR 7253, CNRS – Université de Technologie de Compiègne) was founded in 1981. Since its creation, Heudiasyc has been closely tied to the CNRS and is affiliated with the INS2I division (Information Sciences).

Its research activities span computer science, automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence, focusing on the representation, analysis, and control of systems subject to scientific, technological, economic, or social constraints.

Heudiasyc is organized into three research teams:

CID: Knowledge, Uncertainty, Data

SCOP: Reliability, Communication, Optimization

SyRI: Robotic Systems in Interaction

The recruited postdoctoral researcher will join the CID team, whose research focuses on Artificial Intelligence, statistical learning, uncertainty management, and knowledge engineering, with applications to knowledge capitalization, recommender systems, and the design of narrative virtual environments.

The position is located in a sector under the protection of scientific and technical potential (PPST), and therefore requires, in accordance with the regulations, that your arrival is authorized by the competent authority of the MESR.

Constraints and risks

No specific risks identified