Meaningful XR 2026 Call For Participation! 

Dear Colleagues, 

We are excited to invite you to the third annual Meaningful XR 2026 (meaningfulxr.org), a conference dedicated to exploring the transformative potential of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR)—collectively known as “XR.” Meaningful XR 2026 is a dynamic gathering of researchers, educators, industry professionals, and students passionate about XR technologies and their meaningful applications. Join us on May 30–31, 2026, at the University of Oregon’s Portland Campus or participate virtually through our hybrid option. 

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL HERE:

https://event.fourwaves.com/mxr2026/submission

Themes for Submission

We encourage submissions addressing these key areas:

• XR’s impact on behaviors, attitudes, and relationships.

• Integration of XR and AI to create meaningful experiences.

• XR applications in education, workplace productivity, and social issues.

• Theories and models for XR research and development.

• Game design principles in meaningful and efficacious XR spaces

• Tools and methods for analyzing XR datasets and designing innovative spaces.

• The future of XR technologies and their societal implications.

• Growth and development of XR industries and innovations in XR media, communication, and production

Submission Overview & Categories:

All submissions should address some aspect of the Meaningful XR themes described above, contributing to an understanding of the current state of the art, practice, science, and/or discipline of Meaningful XR. To that end, submissions should present original, unpublished, work that is not currently under review by any other venue.  

Student and early career submissions are highly encouraged. Industry submissions are also encouraged. Please select the appropriate category when submitting. 

Submission categories include:

• Full Research Papers (6000-8000 words max; does not include references, tables, figures, abstract, or title)

  • Full research papers should present theoretically grounded research or design projects. 

  • Submitters will have the option of contributing their work to the first publication of The Proceedings of Meaningful XR 2026.

  • Papers must be anonymized and should use APA 7th edition format.

  • Accepted submissions will likely be scheduled for oral presentation at the conference or, in rare cases, for a poster exhibition (with author consent). 

• Short Papers (2000 - 3000 words max; does not include references, tables, figures, abstract, or title)

  • Short papers are appropriate for a wide range of works, including but not limited to completed research projects, works-in-progress, retrospectives on XR design projects, and theoretical, methodological, or technical developments.

  • Submitters will have the option of contributing their work to the first publication of The Proceedings of Meaningful XR 2026.

  • Submissions must be anonymized and should use APA 7th edition format.

  • Accepted submissions may be scheduled for oral presentation or poster exhibition at the conference. 

• Work-in-Progress Escalator (2000 - 3000 words max; does not include references, tables, figures, abstract, or title)

  • For those seeking detailed feedback and mentorship from professionals/leaders in the field, we are offering a mentorship track for works-in-progress.

  • Works submitted within this category will be shared in a mentorship session for informal conversation and feedback. Work-In-Progress drafts will be required 2 weeks in advance of the conference.

  • Some papers may be moved to Short Papers or Posters based on propriety

  • Submissions must be anonymized and should use APA 7th edition format.

  • Accepted submissions may be scheduled for either oral presentation or poster exhibition at the conference.

• Posters (500 words max, all-inclusive; poster draft submission optional)

  • Posters are appropriate for a wide range of works, including but not limited to completed research projects, works-in-progress, retrospectives on XR design projects, and theoretical, methodological, or technical developments.

  • Submitters will have the option of contributing their work to the first publication of The Proceedings of Meaningful XR 2026.

  • Submissions must be anonymized and include a write-up (APA 7th edition format) of the project to be presented in the poster. Authors may also submit a draft of the poster to be reviewed along with the write-up.

  • Accepted submissions will be scheduled for the conference poster exhibition. 

• Panels and Roundtables (500 words max, all-inclusive)

  • Panels and roundtables should contribute to Meaningful XR community building. Proposals should include an overarching statement of the vision behind the panel, a statement of how all participating members will contribute to this vision and the names and bios of participating members. 

• LightningTalks (300 words max, all-inclusive)

  • Have an awesome idea about Meaningful XR that you want to share with the community? Maybe you are running a company or preparing a dissertation in this space. Do you want to explain how the future of the industry or discipline should be shaped? Tell us about it for a chance at the mic for ~5-10 minutes.

• XR Demos — Apps, Experiences, and Research

  • Demonstrate your XR applications, experiences, and designs to the Meaningful XR community! Appropriate XR submissions include but are not limited to student/indie/experimental/serious XR games, novel XR meeting/social media platforms, XR productivity applications, research/studies using XR technology (yes, you may submit demonstrations of your XR research designs).

  • Submitters must obtain all permissions and rights to demonstrate any material.

  • Submissions should include a document (PDF) describing the application in text and/or images and must include a link to a detailed video showing the XR application in use. If possible, also include a link for reviewers to experience the app on their own. Apps in various stages of completion are eligible, but the app must be in a form that is presentable and usable for exhibition at the conference.

  • App exhibitors are expected to attend the Meaningful XR conference and demonstrate their application with their own equipment during the exhibition time.

Proposed Timeline

• Submission deadline: February 28, 2026

• Decisions and invitations: April 1, 2026

• Early bird registration deadline: April 15, 2026

• MXR Conference! May 30-31, 2026

Attendance

Physical Location: 2800 NE Liberty Street, Portland, Oregon 97211

• Physical attendance of at least one author is required for presentations of papers, panels, or demos.

• Hybrid presentation will only be available for posters (though in-person poster presentations are preferred). 

• Hybrid attendance will also be available for remote participants to attend selected presentations and social events using a VR headset, computer, or mobile device. 

• BYOVR (Bring Your Own VR) is recommended for in-person attendees (if you have one) to attend hybrid sessions during the conference, though we will also have some VR headsets available for use if you do not have your own. 

Fees

• Industry Participant: $500

• Faculty Participant: $450

• Student Participant—Early Bird: $200

• Student Participant—Regular: $225

• Need-based travel scholarships may be available for students and early career scholars.

YOU CAN ALREADY REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE: https://event.fourwaves.com/mxr2026/registration 

Nonfungible Discounts 

• 10% off for NFTT (non-fungible tangible tchotchke)

• 20% off for NFT holders

• Discount request via email to raratan TheAtSign gmail dot com with a screenshot or picture of the NFT (showing the token #) 

  • Robby will reply with a unique discount code

For more information and upcoming access to the conference submission portal, please visit https://fourwaves.com/mxr26 We look forward to your participation in this exciting event! Please contact me (Maxwell Foxman) if you have any questions. 

Conference Organizing Team

• Maxwell Foxman (University of Oregon)

• Rabindra Ratan (Michigan State University)

• Donna Davis (University of Oregon)

• Danny Pimentel (University of Oregon)

• Jakki Bailey (University of Oregon)

• David Jeong (Santa Clara University)

Interested in sponsoring MXR? We would GREATLY appreciate it! 

Sponsors are listed on conference materials (e.g., website, T-shirt). We expect about 200 participants in MXR 2026. 

There are four sponsorship levels: 

• Visionary ($2000—includes three complementary registrations)

• Advocates ($1000—includes two complementary registrations)

• Believers ($500—includes one complementary student registration)

• Friends ($300)

Thanks for considering and/or passing this along to your dept! If you're interested, please email Robby at raratan TheAtSign gmail dot com