Connecting Edge AI and Extended Reality - IRIS-XR at EEAI 2026
How can Edge AI contribute to more responsive, intelligent and human-centred Extended Reality (XR) experiences?
Answer to this question was one of the key topics highlighted by Dr Alain Pagani, Coordinator of the IRIS-XR project from the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), during the EEAI 2026 Conference.
Project Pitches session created an opportunity for Dr Pagani to introduce IRIS-XR and explore the connection between Edge Artificial Intelligence and the next generation of XR technologies. His presentation highlighted how bringing AI processing closer to users and devices can help reduce latency, enable faster responses and support more natural interactions in immersive environments.
These challenges are central to IRIS-XR, which is developing advanced technologies for more intuitive and adaptive XR experiences. By combining innovative display systems, eye-tracking technologies, event-based sensing and AI-driven multimodal data processing, the project aims to improve how XR devices understand and respond to users' needs.
The EEAI 2026 Conference provides a platform for researchers, industry experts and technology developers to exchange knowledge and explore the latest developments in Edge AI. Through presentations, discussions and project pitches, the event highlights innovative research, practical applications and opportunities for collaboration across the European AI ecosystem.
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The Human Side of Future Virtual Worlds - IRIS-XR at the OPENVERSE Summit
On 10 September 2026, Patricia Pons Tomás from ITI, an IRIS-XR project partner, participated in the OPENVERSE Summit 2026, contributing to a roundtable on the future of European Virtual Worlds and the Web 4.0 roadmap.
The discussion focused on the research, innovation and policy priorities needed to develop human-centric, trustworthy and sustainable immersive ecosystems, drawing on key priorities identified by the OPENVERSE project.
Designing XR around people
Patricia's contribution focused on the human side of immersive technologies. Next-generation XR systems increasingly use technologies such as eye tracking, gesture tracking and affective sensing, creating new possibilities for more responsive and personalised experiences. At the same time, their development requires careful consideration of trust, safety, wellbeing and accessibility across different users and contexts.
She also shared perspectives from work in sensitive application areas, particularly mental health, where ethical design, inclusivity, and user empowerment are especially important. Looking ahead to the next generation of human-centred XR, Patricia emphasised::
"The future of XR lies in empathic, adaptive systems built through active co-design. We must move beyond viewing users merely as consumers and actively involve them as co-creators of XR experiences. Through participatory design and by evaluating users' real-time emotional and cognitive responses when using an immersive system, we lay the groundwork for intuitive technologies that adapt to the diverse physical and cognitive needs of everyone, from specialized workers to patients."
Connecting the discussion with IRIS-XR
These topics are closely linked to the objectives of IRIS-XR, which is developing new hardware, sensing and AI technologies for next-generation extended reality. Our project explores solutions including display-embedded infrared eye tracking, event-based sensing and AI-driven multimodal fusion, while considering how XR technologies can better respond to users and their needs.
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Hand tracking research from IRIS-XR takes the stage at SIGGRAPH 2026
IRIS-XR was represented at SIGGRAPH 2026, one of the world's leading conferences on computer graphics and interactive techniques, held in Los Angeles on 21 July 2026.
Bringing together around 4,000 researchers, technology developers, and industry professionals, the conference provides a platform for sharing the latest advances in graphics, computer vision, artificial intelligence, and immersive technologies.
The project was represented by Dr. Alain Pagani and Christen Millerdurai from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), together with Denny Rönngren from Varjo.
During the "Humans & Hands – Reconstruction" technical session, researchers from DFKI, in collaboration with Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (RPTU) and the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPII), presented the paper "EgoForce: Forearm-Guided Camera-Space 3D Hand Pose from a Monocular Egocentric Camera".
The research introduces a monocular camera-based method for robust 3D hand pose estimation in egocentric scenarios. By improving camera-based hand understanding, the work contributes to more natural interaction in extended reality, where accurate hand tracking is essential for intuitive user experiences.
Beyond presenting the research, SIGGRAPH provided an opportunity to engage with the international computer graphics and XR community, exchange ideas on sensing technologies and immersive systems, and discuss future directions for AI-based perception and interaction. These discussions support the objectives of IRIS-XR, which focuses on advancing next-generation XR technologies through innovative sensing and intelligent interaction.
Reflecting on the event, Dr. Alain Pagani, IRIS-XR Project Coordinator and Principal Researcher and Deputy Director at DFKI, said:
"SIGGRAPH offered an excellent opportunity to present EgoForce to the international computer graphics and XR community. The discussions confirmed the importance of robust and unobtrusive hand tracking for the next generation of immersive systems and provided valuable input for the work conducted in IRIS-XR."
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Kick-off: IRIS-XR officially launches in Europe to build the future of Extended Reality
The IRIS-XR consortium officially gathered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, for our project's Kick-off Meeting. Hosted by DFKI (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence), the project coordinator, the event marked the beginning of an ambitious three-year journey to develop the next generation of human-centred Extended Reality (XR) technologies.
The meeting brought together leading European experts across XR hardware, artificial intelligence, event-based sensing, optics, healthcare, aviation, and automotive innovation to align on our roadmap, vision, and technical objectives.
The vision: more natural, intelligent, and trustworthy XR
Current XR solutions face major hurdles, from visual lag and high energy consumption to user discomfort and privacy concerns. IRIS-XR is designed to overcome these limitations.
The project will create a new hardware-software platform designed to deliver more immersive, responsive, energy-efficient, and accessible XR experiences. By making interaction more intuitive and adaptive, IRIS-XR will help bring XR technologies closer to the needs of real users and professional environments.
From research to real-world impact
The project's innovations will be validated in three pilot areas: mental health and rehabilitation, professional flight simulation, and automotive design reviews. Alongside technological development, IRIS-XR places strong emphasis on accessibility, inclusiveness, privacy, and compliance with European regulations.
Alongside technological breakthroughs, IRIS-XR is deeply committed to accessibility, inclusivity, data privacy, and strict compliance with European standards (including the GDPR and the EU AI Act). By championing trustworthy AI and open interoperability standards, we aim to strengthen Europe's competitive edge in the global spatial computing ecosystem.
Key project highlights
- Development of a next-generation XR hardware-software platform
- Advanced XR display technologies for enhanced visual quality and lower energy consumption
- Integrated eye tracking and event-based sensing for natural interaction
- AI-powered multimodal interaction combining gaze, gesture, and contextual information
- Validation in healthcare, flight simulation, and automotive design environments
- Strong focus on accessibility, ethics, privacy, and trustworthy AI
- Contributions to European interoperability and standardisation initiatives
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