XR SALENTO 2025

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.

GENERAL TRACK

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#1: AI-DRIVEN XR INNOVATIONS IN HEALTHCARE: BRIDGING TECHNOLOGY AND ETHICS

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This session delves into the transformative role of artificial intelligence within extended reality (XR) applications in the medical field. Participants will explore cutting-edge AI-driven XR technologies used for diagnosis, treatment planning, surgical simulations, and patient rehabilitation. Importantly, the session adopts a pragmatic approach to addressing the ethical implications of integrating AI into XR. Discussions will focus on practical solutions for data privacy, mitigating algorithmic bias, ensuring informed consent, and maintaining robust patient-provider relationships. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and emphasizing actionable strategies, this session aims to advance responsible innovation and ensure that AI-enhanced XR solutions uphold ethical standards in healthcare.

Organized by: Gerson Yoshinari, Luciano Vitorino, Faculty of Medicine of Itajuba

#2: TRANSFORMING RESEARCH AND CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS WITH EXTENDED REALITY

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eXtended Reality (XR) -encompassing Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality- represents an innovative paradigm in gerontological research and clinical interventions. This thematic session critically examines the emerging potential of XR as a powerful approach to addressing complex challenges in aging research and healthcare. Digital environments enable researchers to develop sophisticated tools that transcend conventional methodological limitations, offering novel assessment and rehabilitation opportunities.

The forum will explore how XR technologies can revolutionize traditional therapy and rehabilitation strategies by creating immersive, interactive, personalized experiences.

The session explores XR applications across diverse domains including, but not limited to: neurological disease management, physiological and cognitive intervention strategies, user experience design, design solutions, and tangible interfaces. We invite interdisciplinary researchers to present empirical research, theoretical frameworks, and innovative design solutions that examine XR's transformative potential in supporting healthcare.

Organized by: Francesca Bruni, Valentina Mancuso, eCampus University

#3: CRAFTING VIRTUAL HUMANS FOR IMMERSIVE XR APPLICATIONS: ADVANCEMENTS, APPLICATIONS, AND CHALLENGES

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The convergence of advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision, natural language processing, and real-time graphics has enabled the creation of lifelike, interactive virtual humans (VHs) capable of fostering meaningful interactions in XR environments. These VHs are becoming increasingly sophisticated and can use multimodal communication, both verbal and non-verbal cues, to create natural and immersive experiences. As these technologies evolve, user interaction with VHs is progressing beyond traditional methods to embrace more adaptive and context-aware paradigms, such as real-time emotion recognition and personalized dialogue systems, that deepen engagement and empathy. Meanwhile, researchers and developers focus on tools and frameworks that enable scalable, efficient design and deployment of VHs on XR platforms, with advances in generative AI playing a critical role in realistic behavior modeling and animation synthesis.

However, the widespread adoption of VHs raises urgent ethical and societal challenges. Protecting privacy, mitigating bias, and preventing manipulation is critical to developing responsible VHs that society can trust and accept. In addition, the gap between achieving human-like behavior and the efficiency of computers remains a major technical challenge.

The main objective of this Thematic Session is to bring together researchers, practitioners, and industry experts to discuss the design, development, application, and impact of VHs in XR environments. By fostering interdisciplinary dialog, the session aims to highlight the latest breakthroughs, address current challenges, and explore future opportunities for VHs in the XR landscape.

Organized by: Francesco Strada, Andrea Bottino, Stefano Calzolari, Politecnico di Torino

#4: EXTENDED REALITY FOR CULTURAL TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY

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Cultural tourism is profoundly transformed by the potential of eXtended Reality (XR) whose applications facilitate access to digital cultural contents, enhance visitors’ experiences thorough interactivity and sensory immersion while promoting engagement with cultural destinations blending together the physical and digital environments. Within the contemporary, growing emphasis on sustainable tourism development, the role of XR for cultural tourism sustainability represents an important area of interdisciplinary research. Sustainable cultural tourism is “the integrated management of cultural heritage and tourism activities in conjunction with the local community, creating social, environmental and economic benefits for all stakeholders in order to achieve tangible and intangible cultural heritage conservation and sustainable tourism development” (European Commission, 2019). XR applications can support sustainable cultural tourism by facilitating sustainable access to cultural sites (e.g., overcoming accessibility & inclusivity barriers, providing integrated tourism experiences and proposing alternative routes), preservation and authentic interpretation of fragile tangible and intangible cultural heritage, affordance in communication and marketing to address challenges relating to information access, overcrowding, massification, loss of authenticity, preservation of cultural resources at risk and promotion of sustainable visitors’ behaviors.

This thematic session explores onsite/offsite/hybrid XR applications that promote sustainable cultural tourism by providing innovative, user-centered as well as challenging ways to support the tourist fruition of Heritage science assets. We invite the research community to submit contributions presenting theoretical and empirical research addressing user experience design, design for all, XR solutions and case studies, storytelling and interpretation, behavior change, impact assessment, critical futures thinking, and emerging trends concerning the implications and applications of XR for cultural tourism sustainability.

Organized by: Alessandra Marasco, Alfonsina Pagano, National Research Council of Italy - ISPC, Ryan Yung, University of Greenwich

#5: DIGITAL TWIN AND SMART VIRTUAL REPRESENTATIONS FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE

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Digital twins are transforming the preservation and management of cultural heritage by enabling real-time monitoring, simulation, and predictive analysis. This thematic session will explore cutting-edge applications of digital twin technologies and broader virtual representations in the cultural heritage sector. Virtual representations, encompassing digital twins, 3D models, and immersive environments, serve as powerful tools for bridging the physical and digital realms. These technologies support efforts ranging from reconstructing ancient sites and artifacts to restoration, education, and enhancing visitor experiences. Contributions to the session will highlight interdisciplinary approaches combining advanced computational methods, material science, artificial intelligence, and heritage studies. Participants will discuss challenges such as data integration, accuracy, scalability, and ethical considerations in implementing virtual representations for heritage conservation. The session aims to foster a dialogue between researchers, technologists, and cultural heritage practitioners to envision innovative solutions for safeguarding and experiencing our shared cultural legacy.

Organized by: Alberto Bucciero, Matteo Greco, National Research Council of Italy - ISPC, Carola Gatto, University of Salento, Federica Faggiano, Sapienza University of Rome

#6: EXPLORING EXTENDED REALITY FOR SERIOUS GAMES: DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATIONS

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Over the past few decades, serious games (SGs) have become increasingly popular in various fields, such as education, healthcare, business, and training. Defined as digital games designed to achieve specific learning objectives, they combine engaging gameplay with meaningful content to teach and train specific behaviors and practice skills transferable to real-world situations. With the integration of eXtended Reality (XR) technologies, SGs have reached new heights of interaction and immersion. XR-based SGs enable the simulation of real-world scenarios, create interactive environments, provide personalized feedback and input, and increase user motivation and engagement. However, the design and development of XR-based SGs present unique challenges. A critical balance must be struck between game elements, learning content, and technological innovations to ensure an effective enduser experience. This thematic issue aims to collect original papers on SGs in XR environments. Submissions are encouraged on, but not limited to, the following topics:

Game Design and Development: Frameworks, methodologies, and tools for creating effective and immersive SGs in XR.
Technological Innovations: Incorporating emerging technologies such as AI, virtual agents, and multisensory technologies into XR-based SGs.
User Experience and Engagement: Studies on how XR enhances user interaction, engagement, and the overall learning process.
Applications and Case Studies: implementation and evaluations of XR-based SGs, SG-based interventions.

Organized by: Javier Marín-Morales and Maria Eleonora Minissi LabLENI - Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain, Ersilia Vallefuoco DIETI, University of Naples Federico II, Italy, Giovanni D'Errico DISAT - Politecnico di Torino, Italy

#7: DIGITAL TWIN: INNOVATIVE APPROACHES IN INDUSTRY AND HEALTHCARE

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Digital Twin (DT) technology is emerging as a transformative paradigm, reshaping the industrial and healthcare sectors by enabling real-time monitoring, simulation, and advanced analytics across multiple levels. This session will explore the latest advancements, challenges, and applications of DT technology within these critical domains.

In the industrial sector, DTs are revolutionizing product design, process optimization, and factory management. They enable enhanced manufacturing quality, improved supply chain resilience, and optimized lifecycle behavior and maintenance of systems. These capabilities underscore DTs as powerful tools for resource management, a feature seamlessly adaptable to healthcare. In this domain, DTs are employed to optimize resource allocation, streamline patient care pathways, and improve operational efficiency within healthcare systems. Additionally, DTs can model the hierarchical structure and functions of the human body, replicating cells, tissues, organs, and systems, thus enabling groundbreaking advancements in personalized medicine and complex medical simulations.

The integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, such as multi-dimensional holographic projections and 3D avatars, enhances DT applications by offering immersive and interactive interfaces. XR technologies, including hand-tracking and user-centered designs, enable more intuitive and engaging user experiences, fostering innovative interaction models that bridge the gap between humans and virtual systems.

This session will also highlight interdisciplinary discussions on the convergence of DT with Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and XR technologies. Participants will gain insights into state-of-the-art research, practical implementations, and emerging trends, fostering collaboration among academia, industry, and healthcare professionals.

Organized by: Vito Del Vecchio, Mariangela Lazoi and Giulia Pellegrino University of Salento, Rocco Furferi University of Florence, Alfonso Marino University of Campania "L.Vanvitelli"

#8: XR FOR ART, DESIGN, AND ENTERTAINMENT

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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 to this special session on Extended Reality for Art, Design, and Entertainment. 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.

Organized by: Christian Geiger University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf and Holger Reckter University of Applied Sciences Mainz

#9: VIRTUAL RESTORATION OF ARTWORKS: INNOVATION, CHALLENGES, AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

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This thematic session explores the latest advancements in virtual restoration of artworks, highlighting innovative digital techniques, methodological challenges, and future perspectives. Through interdisciplinary approaches, we will discuss how 3D modeling, artificial intelligence, and immersive technologies contribute to the analysis, preservation, and hypothetical reconstruction of cultural heritage. The session aims to foster dialogue between researchers, conservators, and digital humanities experts, addressing both technical and ethical considerations in the field.

organized by: Laura Corchia and Giorgia De Giuseppe, University of Salento