Call for Papers
The International XR-Metaverse Conference, an annual event by the International Association of Immersive Technology Innovation (IAITI), brings industry and academia together to showcase the latest in immersive tech. The 2026 conference in TALLINN, ESTONIA will focus on the theme of Converging Realities: Industry, Education, & AI-Enabled Virtual Worlds.
Converging Realities: Industry, Education, & AI-Enabled Virtual Worlds
We are inviting submissions in any subject area focusing on XR (augmented and virtual reality) and the Metaverse, especially those with a strong focus on the conference theme.
Important Dates
- Submission closes: January 15, 2026
- Acceptance notification: February 28, 2026
- Early bird registration: March 25, 2026
- Conference dates: 17-19 June 2026
Instructions for Authors
We are inviting 3 types of abstract submissions for the 2026 conference:
1. Scientific Track
Length: Extended abstract, max. 3 pages (excl. references).
Suggested Structure: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings, Conclusion, References.
2. Poster Track
Suitable for research students who wish to present their ideas. Max 3 pages (excl. references).
Suggested Structure: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings, Conclusion, References.
3. Industry Track
Length: Extended abstract, max. 3 pages (excl. references).
Suggested Structure: Company Description, Project Summary, Project Details, Feedback from End Users, Future Outlook, Conclusion.
Guidelines
- There are no strict formatting requirements.
- Please submit a blind copy for the review process.
- All abstract submissions must be in English and submitted as a PDF file.
- The document file should not contain information that unnecessarily identifies the authors, their institutions, or their places of work.
Presentations
- All accepted papers are expected to be presented during the conference.
- Authors of accepted scientific and industry abstracts will be expected to attend and make a 10-minute presentation.
- Submissions under the poster track are expected to design an A1 poster to display and present.
List of Relevant Topics
XR Context Applications
- XR for Education and Training: Immersive learning experiences, skills development, virtual labs.
- XR in the Workplace: Collaboration, remote work, design visualization, and industrial training.
- XR for Healthcare: Telemedicine, surgical simulation, mental health therapy.
- XR for Entertainment and Storytelling: Interactive narratives, immersive gaming, virtual concerts.
- XR for Sustainability and Social Impact: Environmental awareness, cultural preservation, accessibility solutions.
- XR for Industry 4.0/5.0: Digital twins, smart manufacturing, predictive maintenance, human–robot collaboration, immersive factory simulations, and human-centric innovation.
XR Implications
- The Perception and Psychology of XR Experiences: Sensory Adaptation, Presence, Embodiment, User Experience.
- The Ethics of XR Technology: Bias in AI, Manipulation, Addiction, and Social Isolation.
- The Interoperability of XR Platforms: Open standards, data portability, cross-platform experiences.
- XR and the Future of Work: Job Displacement, Skills Gaps, and Training Needs.
- Measuring the Impact of XR: Metrics for Learning, Well-being, Productivity, and ROI.
- XR and Industry 4.0/5.0: Workforce reskilling, ethics of automation, safety in XR-enabled industrial systems, augmented decision-making, and balancing efficiency with human well-being.
Metaverse Considerations
- Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in the Metaverse: Novel interfaces, embodied interaction, social interaction protocols.
- Metaverse Governance and Decentralization: DAOs, social contracts, and economic systems within the Metaverse.
- Content Creation and Curation for the Metaverse: Tools, pipelines, user-generated content, asset management.
- Safety and Security in the Metaverse: Privacy, data ownership, user well-being, and content moderation.
- Metaverse in Industry 4.0/5.0: Industrial metaverses for supply chain transparency, collaborative design across global factories, virtual prototyping, and sustainable production ecosystems.
Conference Proceedings
All accepted papers are invited to submit a full paper (Industry 6 pages – Academic up to 12 pages) for the Springer conference Proceedings to be published post conference.
Conference Team
Conference Host and Local Chair
Prof. Vladimir Kuts (vladimir.kuts@taltech.ee)
Dr. Simone Pizzagalli (simone.pizzagalli@taltech.ee)
Dr. Aleksei Tepljakov (aleksei.tepljakov@taltech.ee)
Prof. Eduard Petlenkov (eduard.petlenkov@taltech.ee)
Armin Remenyi (armin.remenyi@taltech.ee)
Conference Host and local chair
Prof. Vladimir Kuts (vladimir.kuts@taltech.ee)
Academic Program Chair
Dr. Mandy Claudia tom Dieck (c.tom-dieck@mmu.ac.uk)
Local programme chair
Dr. Simone Pizzagalli (simone.pizzagalli@taltech.ee)
Scientific/Technical local chair
Prof. Eduard Petlenkov (eduard.petlenkov@taltech.ee)
Registration chair
Armin Remenyi (armin.remenyi@taltech.ee)
Social media chair
Eva Roosaar
Saamuel Stepanov
Web chair
Dr. Aleksei Tepljakov (aleksei.tepljakov@taltech.ee)
Publicity Chair USA
Prof. Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn (sunjooahn@gmail.com)
Publicity Chair Europe
Prof. Philipp Rauschnabel (philipp.rauschnabel@unibw.de)
Publicity Chair MENA
Dr. Ramy Hammady (r.hammady@essex.ac.uk)
Publicity Chair Asia
Prof. Seokchan Jeong (scjeong@deu.ac.kr)
IAITI
President IAITI
Timothy Jung
Vice President IAITI
M. Claudia tom Dieck
Vice President IAITI
Danny Dai-In Han