Gaze-to-Body: Addressing Expressive Gaps of Desktop Users in Hybrid VR Meetings through Gaze-Driven Head-Controlled Avatars

In hybrid VR meetings, where some users join through VR headsets and others connect via desktop interfaces, there is an asymmetry in nonverbal expressiveness: VR users embody avatars that naturally convey attention through head and gaze movements, whereas desktop users are often represented by static avatars due to limited input capabilities and flat screens. This asymmetry can make it harder for VR users to perceive and interpret whom desktop users are attending to and whether attention is reciprocated, potentially hindering mutual understanding and social connection. To address this gap, we present Gaze-to-Body, a system that maps desktop users’ on-screen gaze to their avatar’s head orientation, enhancing the salience of attentional cues. We conducted a user study that systematically varied Head Control Method (Gaze-Driven vs. Head-Oriented) and Display Layout (Gallery view vs. Immersive view) to examine their impact on gaze behavior and social presence. Our results show that gaze-driven avatars significantly increased direct and mutual gaze between desktop and VR participants, particularly in the Gallery view. However, the front-facing setting (i.e., Gallery view), while enhancing the visibility of attentional cues, also diminished desktop users’ sense of social presence. These findings highlight design implications for developing more expressive avatars, more interpretable attentional cues and enhanced social experiences for future hybrid VR meetings.