It’s time to talk human-centered research at MICCAI

Integrating human-centered research practices in medical image computing (MIC) and computer-assisted intervention (CAI) is increasingly recognized as important for realizing the potential benefits of emerging technologies in clinical workflows. Human-centered research offers methods for aligning engineering solutions with human needs and expectations. These considerations have gained momentum in the field of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) and mixed reality (MR) but are of much broader relevance as all user-facing applications– from diagnostic algorithms to surgical intervention systems– must consider human factors. The challenges arising from the incorporation of user research are multifaceted and, in the context of MICCAI, require tools and methods not currently well represented in the community. Indeed, current humancentered research efforts span diverse topics and approaches, reflecting an early stage of development within the community. This paper provides an overview of human-centered research, gathers insights into the current state of human-centered practices at MICCAI across both MIC and CAI, and points to resources from established fields. Our aim is for this work to serve as an educational foundation and to foster dialogue around human-centered research in the MICCAI community.