Timothi Ellim

Tap the rings. Bring them together.

A little room for different perspectives.

RESEARCH / SOCIAL XR

How do we go from watching to

My research explores how people make sense of an interactive experience together: how they decide what to do, find ways to cooperate, and respond when things don’t go as expected.

Inside the research
TIMOTHI LIM / PRACTICE-BASED PHD

Human–Computer Interaction · De Montfort University
UKRI AHRC Midlands4Cities · Collaborative Doctoral Award with Holovis

Research on ORCID (opens in a new tab)

Making as a
way of asking.

How do we move from watching an experience to creating it together? I build encounters to explore social interaction across XR and current HCI technologies.

Two participants face the Social XR prototype together in a shared physical room.Research
Research in progress

Social XR

A shared space for investigating how people figure things out, negotiate ways of playing and create an experience together.

Explore the project

ACM CREATIVITY & COGNITION 2026

From spectators
to co-creators.

Designing Social XR Frameworks Incorporating Nonverbal GenAI and Real-Time Data in Co-Located XR Experiences.

Timothi Lim · Graduate Student Symposium

Read the paper (opens in a new tab)Conference proceedings (opens in a new tab)
An earlier Social XR research poster, reproduced in the July 2026 presentation.Explore the research documentation

MOMENTS OF RECOGNITION

Work that
found a response.

Three moments from 2025. Follow each record for the event and the context.

2025 / RECOGNITION

DMU Doctoral College Poster Competition — Joint Third Place

Joint third place

See the record 2025 / RECOGNITION

DMU Three Minute Thesis Competition — Winner

Winner

See the record 2025 / RECOGNITION

DMU-Made CEM Hackathon — Team EcoSynergy, First Prize

Team EcoSynergy · First prize

See the record

QUESTIONS I’M WORKING THROUGH

What happens when…

01How do social norms take shape?

How do participants perceive and interpret social norms within generative-AI-mediated social-XR experiences, and how do those perceptions evolve?

Follow this into the work
02What happens when the AI responds?

How do participants interpret and respond to the AI agent’s adaptive behaviour, and how does this influence the emergence, reinforcement, or violation of socially constructed norms?

Follow this into the work
03What supports cooperation?

From the participants’ perspective and observed interactions, what configurations of system design features, participant attributes, and group context are associated with cooperative norms?

Follow this into the work
04What happens when expectations are broken?

How do participants respond to perceived violations of social norms by other participants or resulting from the AI agent’s behaviour?

Follow this into the work

OUT IN THE WORLD

Sharing. Learning.
Making connections.

Publications, conferences, workshops, exhibitions and recognition. A record of the work and the conversations around it.

16 records
2026Publications

From Spectators to Co-Creators: Designing Social XR Frameworks Incorporating Nonverbal GenAI and Real-Time Data in Co-Located XR Experiences

Graduate Student Symposium paper

Read the publication (opens in a new tab)
2026Conferences

ASSET — Albion Student Symposium on Emerging Technologies

Selected symposium participant

Selected for ASSET at ACM MobiSys 2026, Cambridge.

Source & context (opens in a new tab)
2026Conferences

M4C Research Festival / Doctoral Research Showcase

Presenter / research showcase

2026Conferences

InnovateX: The Experience Economy Forum

Attendee

2026Engagement

IDC Immersive Heritage Demonstration — StoryLab / ARU

Research workshop participant

2026Engagement

RISCS Cyber-AI Sandpit

Participant / lightning-talk contributor

2026Training

UKRI AI & EDI Programme

Selected programme participant

2025Exhibitions

Cosmic Pop Persona: A Digital Nostalgia Reimagined

Exhibiting artist

Explore the work
2025Engagement

Playful Co-Creation: Generative AI in Your Art Practice

Workshop facilitator

2025Publications

Dynamic Interactions: MR, GenAI and Real-Time Data — CEMexus Proceedings

CEMexus proceedings contribution

2025Conferences

The Evolution of Storytelling: Symbols, Myths, and Legends — UoL PGR Conference

Conference contribution

2024Funding

UKRI AHRC Midlands4Cities Collaborative Doctoral Award

UKRI AHRC funded Collaborative Doctoral Award

KEEP LEARNING

More tools.
Better questions.

34 completed learning activities, recorded through May 2026. Courses, workshops and researcher development, grouped by what they help me explore.

Practice & development5 activities
  • Frontrunner Workshop & OnboardingDMU Frontrunner / onboarding
  • M4C 2nd & 3rd Year Returners SessionM4C cohort / doctoral training
  • M4C CDA Information SessionM4C CDA / doctoral training
  • IDC Immersive Heritage Demonstration with StoryLab / ARUInstitute for Digital Culture / immersive heritage
  • Introduction to Empowering EducationDMU Education Academy · 2025-03-12
Research methods8 activities
  • RS21, Introduction to Research Data ManagementDMU Researcher Development
  • M4C Practice-Based Researcher MeetupM4C practice-based researcher development
  • RS43, Assuring Quality in ResearchDMU Researcher Development
  • Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity in Research, Session 1Doctoral / research methods training
  • Interdisciplinarity and Transdisciplinarity in Research, Session 2Doctoral / research methods training
  • Foundations of Quantitative ResearchDMU / BAL PGR research training
  • RS85, Emotions and Qualitative Data AnalysisDMU Researcher Development
  • RS87, Using Theory to Illuminate Data and Data to Advance TheoryDMU Researcher Development
Participation & ethics4 activities
  • RS73, Recruiting Participants in ResearchDMU Researcher Development
  • RS159, Widening Participation in Research to Include People from Ethnically Minoritised CommunitiesDMU Researcher Development
  • RS51, Ethical Considerations in ResearchDMU Researcher Development
  • RS302, Creative Participatory Research MethodologiesDMU Researcher Development
AI & inclusion12 activities
  • A Day in My Life with Scopus AIElsevier / external academic webinar
  • M4C AI Skills for Humanities ResearchersM4C / AI skills training
  • M4C AI and Practice-Based DisciplinesM4C / AI and practice-based research
  • Ethics of AI WorkshopUKRI / AI and EDI training programme
  • AI / EDI Project: PGR ReflectionsUKRI / AI and EDI training programme
  • AI, Neurodiversity and InclusionUKRI / AI and EDI training programme
  • RISCS Cyber-AI Sandpit, Day 1External research sandpit / cyber-AI
  • RISCS Cyber-AI Sandpit, Day 2External research sandpit / cyber-AI
  • AI, Disability and InclusionUKRI / AI and EDI training programme
  • AI and EDI In-Person Event, University of Salford / ManchesterUKRI / AI and EDI in-person training
  • AI and EDI: Admin and Reflections FocusUKRI / AI and EDI reflection and programme work
  • How to Use AI to Optimise Your CV, Job Applications and InterviewsAI / careers development workshop
Writing & communication5 activities
  • M4C Thesis Writing Workshop at the University of NottinghamM4C thesis writing / doctoral training
  • Muddled Middle Writing WorkshopWriting development
  • TAC 3MT PGR WorkshopDMU TAC / presentation and research communication training
  • M4C Writing Online CourseM4C writing development
  • Workshop 4, How to Develop Real World Impact with Academic ResearchAI / EDI careers and impact workshop

These are completed learning activities, rather than separate academic qualifications.

FOLLOW THE NEXT THREAD

What could we
make together?

Let’s talk

Double-click or double-tap Spark to open the guide. Press Enter or Space when focused. Tap once to say hello, or drag to move. Go play and Place let Spark explore the page.

A little curiosity.

I’m Spark. Where shall we go?

A FEW PLACES TO START