EURASIP International Summer School on eXtended Reality Technology and eXperience 

From July 7 to 10, Madrid hosted the 3rd edition of the EURASIP International Summer School on eXtended Reality Technology and eXperience, organized by a prestigious consortium: Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), NOKIA, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M), Universidad de Zaragoza, Universitat de València, i2CAT Foundation, and Vicomtech. The event was hosted by NOKIA at its Madrid premises and generously sponsored by EURASIP.

This summer school brought together PhD students, early-stage researchers, and professionals from across Europe to explore the present and future of Extended Reality (XR) technologies, blending science, engineering, and experience design.

Over four intensive days, participants were immersed in the XR field through a unique combination of high-level keynotes, hands-on sessions, demos, workshops, and embodied interaction activities that merged cutting-edge theory with collaborative practice.

The keynote talks provided the backbone of the program. Topics included the use of VR to train social and medical communication skills (Sylvia Pan), the role of haptics in immersive applications (María Torres-Vega), user Quality of Experience in XR (Federica Battisti), animation of realistic avatars (Nuria Pelechano), generation of socially interactive agents (Catherine Pelachaud), and the possibilities of hyperrealism using Radiance Fields and NeRFs (Shohei Mori). These topics were approached from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining computer vision, real-time graphics, human-computer interaction, perception, AI, and user-centered design.

A major highlight of the school was its practical focus. Participants designed and built their own VR archery applications, applying what they had learned about interaction design, sensory perception, realism, and experience evaluation. This came after a unique Embodied Design session, where they physically experienced the different phases of archery, bridging real-world movement with virtual environments.

The school also provided space for attendees to showcase their own research projects through poster and demo sessions, encouraging scientific exchange and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Beyond the academic side, there were also moments of social connection and creative engagement—such as the mixed reality archery activity—that illustrated how XR can enrich experiential learning through play, interaction, and technology.

We close this edition with great satisfaction for having created a rigorous, open, and collaborative learning environment, where young talents, senior experts, and leading research centers came together. A space to think, build, and explore how XR technologies are transforming the way we communicate, learn, and live in digital spaces.

A heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this possible.

The official website is now live: https://www.gti.ssr.upm.es/summer_school/

And if you want to relive the event, don’t miss the full Twitter: https://x.com/SummerSchool_XR