Advancing Human–Computer Interaction through Computer Vision: A Review of Emerging Assistive and Immersive Technologies

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic review of the transformative impact of computer vision technologies on human–computer interaction, emphasising emerging assistive applications. This work reviews recent breakthroughs in gesture recognition, facial expression analysis, eye-tracking, and spatial computing, driving innovations toward accessible environments for visually impaired users and creating immersive and intuitive interactions in virtual and augmented reality applications. Moreover, the study discusses cutting-edge frameworks, including augmented reality and machine learning-based eye-gaze tracking, for developing trustworthy, engaging, and responsive systems. Addressing several technical challenges in the integration process related to environmental variability, computational complexity, and ethical considerations, this review highlights the implications of multimodal, human-centered, and privacy-preserving designs. Future work will be empowered by the integration of edge AI, affective computing, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop inclusive, ethical, and adaptive HCI systems that seamlessly bridge human–machine interaction.