I recently had the privilege of attending XR Summit 2024 at the eXperiential Technology Innovation Center (XTIC), IIT Madras. My heartfelt thanks to Prof. Mani and his team for the kind invitation and to Thoughtworks for making all the arrangements seamless.

The event was nothing short of extraordinary – a world-class summit showcasing groundbreaking advancements, with an exciting lineup of sessions led by industry pioneers and academics. The topics covered were diverse, thought-provoking, and visionary. In this article, I’m sharing some of my key takeaways from this incredible experience.

🥽 Oculus: A Marvel of Engineering

It was inspiring to hear directly from Steve LaVelle (Founder of Oculus) about the engineering brilliance behind Oculus. This revolutionary device created such a buzz that it was acquired by Facebook (now Meta) for $3 billion within just a few years of its inception.

Steve shared insights into how AI, estimation techniques, and human perception engineering have been considered into the development of Oculus. He focus on designing human-centric experiences that go beyond technology resonated deeply with me.

While the XR industry still faces challenges like battery life, device weight, and ergonomics, the advancements so far are awe-inspiring, and the field continues to evolve. For instance, using XR to train AI agents—similar to scenarios I wrote earlier like virtual car parking—highlights the profound potential of merging perception engineering with immersive tech.

It’s clear that XR will remain a significant focus area, continuing to amaze us despite the ups and downs of the industry hype cycles.

🤝 Government, Academia, and Law: Collaboration in Action

The event emphasized the critical collaboration between government, academia, and law in advancing XR. I was amazed by the various initiatives aimed at skill development, supported by state and central governments. Representatives from Media and Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) highlighted numerous certification programs and training initiatives under Skill India and PMKVY. Similarly, the NPTEL courses by IITs and othersare playing a significant role in upskilling talent in this domain.

Mr. Ashish Kulkarni, Chairman of AVGC-XR Forum, FICCI, discussed opportunities in AVGC XR and ongoing work on defining standards and policies for the AVGC sector, sharing initiatives with both state and central government in India 🇮🇳.

Ms. N.S. Nappinai, Sr. Advocate, Supreme Court, provided crucial insights on the legal aspects of XR, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe, inclusive digital ecosystem. Her discussion on cyber misogyny and gender justice underscored the need for responsible technological advancements.

The collaboration at Metaverse India Policies and Standards (MIPS), of which I am a proud member, also aligns here. All this with the themes of my book, 📕 Exploring the Metaverse. It reflects the need for a collective effort from governing bodies, academia, industry, and individuals.

👁️ Lensless Camera: A Game-Changing Innovation

One of the most jaw-dropping sessions was on the lensless camera, presented by Dr. Kowshik Mitra. The concept of a camera without a lens seems unimaginable, yet this innovation uses sensors to generate image masks and reverse-engineer actual pictures through algorithms.

This breakthrough could significantly reduce the weight and bulk of XR devices, paving the way for applications in edible devices, endoscopy, and more. While still in its early stages, the potential is immense.

⌛️ Extending Reality: A Long-Term Vision

Renowned academics such as Prof. Marimuthu Palanisamy(University of Melbourne), Prof. Mel Slater(University of Barcelona), Dr. Anna Yershova LaVelle(University of Oulu), and Prof. Mandayam Srinivasan(MIT Touchlab) shared insights into the evolutionary nature of XR technologies.

Their discussions reinforced that extending reality is a long-term vision, requiring continuous innovation and investment. It is not a trend tied to the hype cycle but an ongoing journey that demands perseverance and creativity.

🗣️ Ethics, Security, and Responsible Technology

I joined the panel Mr. Anumukonda Ramesh, Mr. Prem Balachandran, Mr. Aditya Raut, Dr. Pravin Nair, Mr. Alagarsamy Mayan and discussed “Convergence of XR with AI, Gaming, and AVGC”.

There were number of inspiring sessions covering pressing issues like ethics, trust, and security in the XR space, spanning industries such as healthcare, education, cybersecurity, manufacturing, and retail. I wish I could attend all of them, but they were in parellel tracks. The discussions were rich with insights and reflected a shared commitment to building a responsible, trustworthy future for XR, Web3 and Metaverse by industry leaders from TCS, HCL Tech, Samsung, Ericsson, Markel Haptics and more.

🧠 Aligning XR Design with Neuroscience

One of the highlight of the summit was Mohsin Memon’s workshop on how neuroscience informs XR design. He presented the AFERR model - Activation, Forecasting, Experimentation, Realization, and Reflection, this model emphasizes the importance of designing XR experiences that align with human brain functioning.

I have often stressed in my book 📕 Exploring the Metaverse that XR is about changing beliefs, and design plays a critical role in achieving this transformation. Mohsin’s research further reinforced this perspective.

🎭The Convergence of Art, Science, and Technology

One of the most inspiring moments of the summit was witnessing the convergence of art, science, and technology. The VR movie Le Musk, created by the legendary Dr. A.R. Rahman, is a testament to this synergy.

Dr. Rahman was honored with the XTIC Award 2024 for Innovation.

and he facilited startup awards also unveiled the XTIC Chronicle’s Special Edition, which features an my article and book. This convergence of creativity and innovation encapsulates the essence of XR.

🤔Reflections and Closing Thoughts

The XR Summit 2024 was a perfect blend of innovation, collaboration, and inspiration. From exploring cutting-edge technologies to discussing ethical and legal frameworks, the event provided a 360-degree view of the XR landscape. Overall it fit well with the theme of my book.

📕 I am delighted to have shared my Exploring the Metaverse, with the audience and to see its relevance reflected in the discussions.

The summit also featured fascinating booths from companies like Sony, Qualcomm, StoriXR, Merkel Haptic and more. My engaging conversations with Qualcomm executives on Spaces SDK and OpenXR were a fitting reminder of the work my team and I have done with Lenovo’s ThinkReality.

It was great in-person meeting with leaders Mr. Anumukonda Ramesh, Keyur Bhalavat, Navin Manaswi, Rabindra Sah, Thriveni and many more. This event also clubbed with AWE nite, with series of discussions, fire-side chat and delicious dinner.

Let’s continue to learn, share, and innovate as we extend the boundaries of reality!

＃thoughtworks ＃event ＃talk ＃xr ＃ar ＃vr ＃mr ＃ai ＃spatial-computing ＃community ＃learnings ＃AWE ＃metaverse ＃business ＃panelist ＃genAI ＃3d ＃expert insights ＃genXR ＃book ＃enterprise ＃takeaways ＃IIT ＃XTIC ＃MIPS ＃FICCI