Niko’s Mycelumia Shore: Learning from a Visionary Worldbuilder’s Journey
Embark on a breathtaking new space adventure by Niko Lang, creator of Niko’s Exoplanet Journey and Niko’s Solar System. His latest productionn Niko’s Mycelumia Shore takes us to a moon orbiting a distant gas giant, covered in glowing bioluminescent fungi and invites us into an otherworldly ecosystem of light and color. In this guided tour, Niko […]
Urban Tragedy 2050: An Immersive Educational Experience
Set in a future shaped by climate catastrophe and urban collapse, Urban Tragedy 2050 is a cinematic VR experience that takes participants on a journey through a flooded Rotterdam in the year 2050. Created by vm-people and the VRium Creative Team for PwC Germany as part of an employer branding initiative, this PCVR experience combines storytelling, […]
From the Unseen to the Embodied: A Neuroaesthetic Journey of Becoming
What does it mean to transform — as individuals, and as a collective? And what role might Spirit Tech play in midwifing that transformation? This session invites a reflection on the thresholds between the visible and the invisible, drawing from my journey through a coma, ancestral plant teachings, and the crafting of immersive neuroaesthetic rituals. […]
Immersive Afterlife: Exploring Death, Grief and Human Connection in the Age of XR and AI
The culture of death and dying is changing, especially in the West. It is now possible to discuss our fears, our preferences, and our grief more openly. Does VR and increasingly AI – have a special role to play in this process? How can we design worlds, tools, and events that help people learn, find […]
Avatars Take Over: From Stand-ins to Superpowers
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Vanessa Borkmann and Christopher Werth explore how avatars are reshaping the way we work, connect, and experiment with identity. We all juggle different roles in life – but what happens when our digital selves start doing the heavy lifting? From job avatars that attend meetings, to social avatars that network globally, to creative avatars that […]
Consent Game: Real Social Skills
We are on the exoplanet spaceship travelling through the galaxies to Earth, to learn about how they communicate there. You, brave alien souls, have signed up to an anthropological adventure.. to study human social skills. Ikarus our Captain is navigating to Elysium on Earth, an experimental space where we will learn how to establish our […]
How to Save the Metaverse: A Look Back and a Look Forward
The metaverse promised to transform how we connect, create, and collaborate—yet it has fallen short of expectations. Why did this happen, and how do we turn it around? In this talk, Sean Keogh and Daniel Schaefer, co-founders of headroom, revisit the origins of the metaverse, unpack the challenges that have held it back, and share […]
Castle of KYSS: Creating A Safe Space For Romance Fans
While overall book readership is declining, romance remains one of the few booming genres. However, many fans feel increasingly alienated in today’s toxic social media climate. That’s why the renowned German publisher Rowohlt launched Castle of KYSS for its romance label, KYSS – a unique safe space for romance lovers. In partnership with vm-people and […]
The Death of the Audience: How XR is Rewriting the Future of the Arts
Younger generations are turning away from passive cultural consumption and demanding immersive, participatory experiences. This keynote explores how XR technologies are reshaping the arts by moving from storytelling to storyliving - where users step inside narratives and co-create meaning. What does this shift mean for museums, theatres, and heritage institutions? And how can cultural producers stay […]
Mortality Murals: Ephemeral Street Art in VR
Street art is by nature ephemeral – painted over, weathered, or removed. But in VR, it can find new life. This immersive session invites participants into the Culture of Death, where a curated collection of street art from around the globe opens space for reflection on impermanence and mortality. Guided by Tom Nickel, who has […]