XR SALENTO 2026

Scientific Programme

Programme under construction.
Here you can find the list of the open Special Sessions.

Special sessions have the main aim of creating a mini-workshop on a specific topic, where researchers working on the same issues can get to know each other, familiarize, exchange ideas and create cooperation.
Special Sessions are being developed by designated chairs.

If you, as an author, have a paper that could be included in one of these sessions, you may submit your paper selecting your favourite session. If the abstract is not selected for the session, it may be included in another part of the technical program.

To submit papers to the special session, follow the submission instructions for regular sessions, but remind to specify the special session to which the paper is directed.

If you are interested in organizing a special session, carefully follow the Guidelines available HERE.

XR for Art, Design, and Entertainment #1

01

With the wide availability of Extended Reality (XR) for many different target groups these technologies are creating new forms of interaction, storytelling and artistic expression. These immersive experiences are increasingly shaping both the art world and entertainment formats, offering exciting opportunities for creative, cultural and economic development. This thematic session provides a forum for the interdisciplinary exchange of knowledge, the presentation of innovative research and artistic contributions, and the identification of future issues and potentials in the field of XR for art, design, and entertainment.
We cordially invite researchers, artists, designers, and industry practitioners to submit their contributions. The session aims to foster discourse on artistic, technological, and design aspects in the context of Extended Reality (XR)—encompassing Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality—and to explore synergies between research, art, design practice, and entertainment.

TOPICS
- Artistic Applications and Installations
- Research on Performing Arts / Fine Arts
- User Experience & Aesthetic Practice & Interaction Design
- Technological Innovations for Art, Design, Culture, Entertainment
- Narratives and Storytelling
- Entertainment, Games, and Virtual Worlds
- Cultural and Societal Perspectives

ORGANIZERS
Holger Reckter, University of Applied Sciences Mainz; Christian Geiger, University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf.

Egocentric Scene Understanding in the Wild #2

02

This session explores methods, models, and applications for automatic understanding of scenes observed from a first person perspective, as they are perceived by the user. In such a context, various kinds of data received from wearable devices (such as smart glasses and XR headsets) can be exploited, with the field of view aligned with the user's gaze and actions.

The session aims at creating a meeting point between computer vision, human-centered AI, and eXtended Reality, promoting scalable solutions that could be used in real-world, uncontrolled scenarios, characterised by high environmental variability, unpredictable lighting, occlusions, sensor noise, and spontaneous user behaviour. The session focuses on challenges related to scene dynamics, user-environment interaction, model generalisation, and robustness of algorithms outside laboratory environments.

TOPICS
- Egocentric vision and first-person scene understanding
- Recognition of actions, activities and intentions from an egocentric perspective
- Understanding hand-object interactions and affordance
- Integration of multimodal signals (video, depth, gaze, IMU, audio)
- Gaze tracking, attention modeling and context awareness
- Robust learning and generalisation in uncontrolled environments
- Egocentric datasets “in the wild” and evaluation protocols
- Self-supervised and continual learning for egocentric data
- XR applications for contextual assistance, industrial training and healthcare
- Implications for privacy, ethics and reliability of egocentric systems

ORGANIZERS
Filippo Maggioli, Pegaso University; Andrea Generosi, Pegaso University; Valerio De Luca, Pegaso University; Diana Marin, Technische Universität Wien.

Extended Reality for Archaeological Heritage: Integration, Validation, Reconstruction and Dissemination #3

03

Extended Reality technologies are increasingly reshaping the way archaeological heritage is conserved, interpreted, and managed. By enabling immersive visualisation, data integration, and interactive exploration, XR creates new opportunities to connect physical remains with digital knowledge. XR-based environments that combine 3D models, spatial information, and archaeological documentation support a wide range of activities, from site recording and conservation planning to interpretation and education. This session explores recent research and innovative applications of XR in archaeology, both in museum settings and directly on archaeological sites. Contributors to this session will highlight new approaches that enable virtual reconstructions grounded in documented evidence, advanced spatial analysis, and simulation, while also opening up new forms of storytelling, accessibility, and public engagement. Special attention is given to papers that discuss the integration of diverse archaeological data (3D surveys, photogrammetry, laser scanning, GIS data or stratigraphic information) within immersive and interactive environments. The session also addresses key challenges related to data standardisation, interoperability and the long-term sustainability of digital archaeological resources.

ORGANIZERS
Bruno Rodríguez García, University of Burgos; Carola Gatto, University of Salento; Federica Faggiano, Sapienza University of Rome; Marco Calò, Sapienza University of Rome.

General Track

0

The General Track welcomes high-quality research contributions in the field of eXtended Reality (XR) that do not clearly fit within the scope of the available thematic sessions.

New Trends in Learning and Training in the Virtual World #4

04

Tasks like learning or training can be improved in Virtual Reality (VR) interactive environments in a safe, autonomous, and customized way. New trends in this kind of learning environments, like the use of biosignals, machine learning technologies or design of the VR experience for learning from mistakes could play a major role to enhance the user´s performance goals.

The call of this Special Session is addressed to all that studies that involve the use of any novel strategy to enhance performance of VR experiences for learning or training. We invite researchers, educators, industry professionals, and students to submit abstracts that relate to these topics and share their insights and experiences with the community. The special session will provide a platform for cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, fostering the advancement of VR experiences designed for learning or training.

ORGANIZERS
Andres Bustillo, Universidad de Burgos; Andreas Künz, Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences; Alejandro Álvarez-Marín, University of La Serena.

Wearable AI in the emerging future: a multidisciplinary approach #5

05

The rising adoption of Artificial Intelligence permeates through cultural, technical, ethical, and governance-related dimensions. Nevertheless, when embodying this emerging potential into wearables, making it continuously present, learning through available data and assisting users 24/7. As wearable AI reaches the Market worldwide, multidisciplinary debates are needed to guide this technology's impact in its full scope. This thematic session welcomes themes that explore this multidisciplinary potential, such as AI and institutional responsibility, design logic of circuits, cultural and ethical implications, human-centered development, among other domains. Topics that deepen the ethical-poitical scope by design and/ or by architectural development, are also essential to composse our space.

ORGANIZERS
Gilberto Oliveira Neto, SIDIA Institute of Technology; Marcos Silbermann, SIDIA Institute of Technology; Lucas Castro, SIDIA Institute of Technology; Hanah Correa, SIDIA Institute of Technology.

Virtual Restoration and Digital Twins for Cultural Heritage #6

06

The proposed special session focuses on investigating emerging directions in Virtual Restoration and Digital Twin paradigms within the context of Cultural Heritage and eXtended Reality (XR). Advances in digital technologies have opened new possibilities for the conservation, reconstruction, monitoring, and interpretation of Cultural Heritage through virtual and data-driven approaches. In particular, Digital Twins of cultural assets dynamic, data-enriched virtual replicas are increasingly used to support restoration processes, simulation, and long-term conservation strategies. This session will address key methodologies, tools, and best practices related to Virtual Restoration and Cultural Heritage Digital Twins, presenting both case studies and applied experiences. Particular attention will be given to the ethical, technical, and cultural issues raised by Virtual Restoration and Digital Twin practices, as well as their role in safeguarding cultural heritage for future generations. By encouraging interdisciplinary exchange among researchers, practitioners, and technology experts, the session seeks to foster the development of Virtual Restoration and Digital Twins as essential elements in contemporary Cultural Heritage conservation.

TOPICS

• Virtual Restoration Methodologies, Digital Twins, and Digital
  Workflows
• eXtended Reality (XR) and Digital Twins for Cultural Heritage
  Restoration
• Artificial Intelligence for Restoration, Conservation, and Digital
  Twins
• Interdisciplinary Approaches and Collaborative Frameworks
• Ethical, Cultural, and Methodological Issues
• Impact, Dissemination, and Case Studies

ORGANIZERS
Letizia Cerrati, University of Salento; Laura Corchia, University of Salento; Giorgia De Giuseppe, University of Salento; Ileana Riera Panaro, University of Salento.

Extended Reality, Artificial Intelligence, and Biosignals in Biomedical Applications #7

07

Extended Reality (XR) technologies are increasingly impacting biomedical research, clinical practice, and patient-centered care by enabling immersive and interactive experiences tailored to complex healthcare scenarios.

This Special Session explores XR-based biomedical applications from two complementary perspectives: tools designed for clinicians and applications designed for patients. From the clinical side, XR supports diagnostic reasoning, surgical planning, and medical training through immersive visualization of anatomic models, medical data and simulation-based environments. From the patient perspective, XR is widely adopted in rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and health education, where serious games and virtual training enhance engagement, motivation, and adherence to specific programs. Additionally, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into XR system enables adaptive and personalized environments, while biosignals such as EEG, EMG, ECG, eye tracking, and motion data allow XR applications to become context-aware and biofeedback-driven.

TOPICS
Submissions are encouraged on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• XR (Virtual Reality, Augumented Reality, Mixed Reality) applications
  for clinical practice, diagnosis, surgical planning, and medical
  training
• XR-based systems for patient rehabilitation, mental health, chronic
  disease management, and health education
• Serious games and immersive environments for biomedical and
  healthcare applications
• Human–machine interaction and user modeling for adaptive VR/XR
  healthcare applications
• Applications and Case Studies: implementation and evaluations of XR
  applications in healthcare
• Integration of AI in XR-based biomedical systems
• Adaptive and personalized XR environments driven by AI models
• Biosignal integration in XR applications (e.g., EEG, EMG, ECG, eye
  tracking, motion and physiological signals)
• Biofeedback and closed-loop XR systems for clinical and
  patient-centered use

ORGANIZERS
Ersilia Vallefuoco, University of Naples Federico II; Michela Russo, University of Naples Federico II; Vittorio Santoriello, University of Naples Federico II/Reykjavik University.

AI-driven, Interactive, virtual and conversational agents in Cultural Heritage #8

08

The integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies with artificial intelligence is opening new avenues for the Cultural Heritage domain, transforming how audiences interact with museums, archaeological sites, and historical narratives. This session explores the emerging role of conversational avatars, AI-driven, interactive digital agents, as tools for education, engagement, and interpretation in cultural heritage contexts.
We invite contributions that examine the design, implementation, and evaluation of conversational avatars, including topics such as: immersive storytelling, multilingual interaction, digital empathy, accessibility, user experience, and ethical considerations. Case studies from museums, heritage sites, and virtual reconstructions are especially welcome, highlighting both technological innovation and the human-centered impact of these systems.
Furthermore, we welcome contributions that explore the inclusion of diverse audiences, including individuals with disabilities and neurodivergent communities, in heritage contexts through the use of these technologies, focusing on how they can facilitate access and participation.
This session aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among XR developers, heritage professionals, and researchers, encouraging the exploration of how conversational avatars can enhance cultural experiences, provide personalized learning, and support the preservation, accessibility and dissemination of cultural knowledge.

TOPICS
- Conversational Avatars;
- Virtual Agents;
- Cultural Heritage;
- Museums & Heritage Sites;
- Immersive Storytelling;
- Human-Computer Interaction (HCI);
- User Experience (UX);
- Personalized Learning;
- Multilingual Interaction; Accessibility;
- AI in Cultural Heritage;
- ICT for Accessibility;
- ICT for Inclusion;
- Inclusion, Digital Empathy.

ORGANIZERS
Davide Borra, No Real Interactive; Giovanni D’Errico, University of Salento; Ersilia Vallefuoco, University of Naples Federico II; Carola Gatto, University of Salento.

From Radiomics to Deep Learning: Intelligent Imaging Biomarkers for Medicine and Extended Reality Applications #9

09

Radiomics is rapidly transforming biomedical imaging into a powerful source of quantitative biomarkers, supporting diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment planning in modern healthcare.
This Special Session focuses on the integration of radiomics with Artificial Intelligence, covering both traditional machine learning methods based on handcrafted imaging features and deep learning approaches capable of learning representations directly from medical images. Applications span multiple modalities, including CT, MRI, and PET, enabling data-driven characterization of disease and therapy response.
The session will highlight recent advances across radiomics-based pipelines, deep neural models, and emerging combinations of the two, while also addressing key challenges such as robustness, interpretability, and clinical translation. Overall, the session aims to showcase how AI-driven medical imaging is shaping the future of precision medicine.
In addition, the session welcomes contributions exploring how AI-driven imaging biomarkers can support emerging clinical technologies, including visualization and interaction frameworks enabled by Extended Reality (XR). In such contexts, intelligent imaging models may enhance immersive environments for clinical decision support, education, and patient-specific planning.

TOPICS
Submissions are encouraged on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• Radiomics feature extraction and quantitative imaging biomarkers in
  clinical practice
• Machine learning methods for radiomics-based diagnosis, prognosis,
  and risk stratification
• Deep learning architectures for medical image analysis (e.g., CNNs,
  Transformers)
• End-to-end AI models for automated detection, segmentation, and
  classification in medical imaging
• Radiomics and AI applications across imaging modalities (CT, MRI,
  PET, ultrasound)
• Hybrid and integrated approaches combining handcrafted radiomic
  features with deep neural representations
• Multimodal learning: integration of imaging with clinical, genomic,
  or electronic health record data
• Explainable AI and interpretability in radiomics and deep learning
  for healthcare
• Robustness, reproducibility, and standardization of radiomics and AI
  pipelines
• Clinical validation, translational studies, and real-world deployment
  of AI-driven imaging biomarkers
• AI-assisted therapy response assessment and outcome prediction
• Emerging trends in precision medicine through intelligent medical
  imaging
• Intelligent imaging biomarkers for immersive visualization and
  XR-supported clinical workflows
• Extended Reality environments enhanced by AI-based medical image
  understanding
• Emerging trends in precision medicine through intelligent medical
  imaging and interactive healthcare technologies

ORGANIZERS
Giorgio De Nunzio, University of Salento; Rocco Rizzo, University of Salento.