IIT-M to host first international XR symposium on November 28

CHENNAI: The eXperiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC), an Institute of Eminence Centre at IIT Madras dedicated to virtual, augmented, mixed reality and haptics, will host the first-ever International XR Symposium for the Global South on November 28.

India’s first research and product innovation hub in immersive technologies, XTIC supports academia, industry and start-ups through expert guidance, prototyping facilities, collaborative programmes and advanced laboratories.

This year’s theme, ‘Frugal Tech Innovations Transforming Hardware and Software Solutions for XR in the Global South’, focuses on cost-effective, scalable technology suited to emerging economies.

Jointly organised by Oculus co-founders Steven LaValle and Anna LaValle from the University of Oulu, Finland, along with Professor M Manivannan of IIT-M, the symposium aims to bring together global experts, innovators, researchers and industry leaders. Discussions will centre on XR applications across education, healthcare, public service delivery, skilling and sustainability.

Highlighting the event’s significance, Manivannan said, “The symposium seeks to democratise immersive technologies by promoting affordable, resource-optimised XR solutions. India has unique XR requirements and the platform will enable the Global South to co-create technology, reducing dependency on high-income economies and accelerating innovation cycles.”

The programme will feature key tracks including Human-Centric AI, AVGC-XR, healthcare, skills training, and XR applications in space, ocean and mobility. Registrations are open until November 28 on the XTIC website.