In this research project, we will rethink how scientific presentation materials (presentation, posters) are delivered at conferences by designing and studying novel interactive systems. It moves beyond traditional slides and posters to create more engaging, dynamic, and collaborative experiences for both presenters and audiences, leveraging emerging technologies such as extended reality (XR) and generative AI.
Each year, an increasing number of presentation materials, such as slide decks or posters, are produced for events like scientific conferences [1], where disseminating results is a central part of research practice [2]. Crafting effective presentations is therefore important, particularly as they should not simply replicate the content of a research paper [3,4]. However, the formats used to deliver these materials remain largely unchanged and reflect longstanding conference conventions. Scientists cannot be blamed, as the tools available to produce and deliver these presentations have barely evolved since their introduction 40 years ago.
Modern XR technologies have been showing encouraging possibilities for streaming multimedia consumption [5] and we believe this could be even more beneficial for scientific communication. In this project, we will rethink how scientific presentation materials are delivered at conferences by designing and studying novel interactive systems that move beyond traditional slides and posters to create more engaging, dynamic, and collaborative experiences for both presenters and audience.
- Identify and characterize the limitations of current conference presentation systems, including slides and posters, in supporting engagement, understanding and interaction
- Design and develop novel interactive presentation systems that leverage emerging technologies, in particular extended reality and generative AI
- Evaluate the impact of these new systems on presenter and audience experiences, including communication effectiveness and engagement
- National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. Publication output by geography and scientific field. Science & Engineering Indicators. (2025)
- Jucan, M.S. and Jucan, C.N. The power of science communication. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 149, (2014)
- Alley, M. The craft of scientific presentations. Springer. (2003)
- Rubenson, D. Why your scientific presentation should not be adapted from a journal article. Nature. (2020).
- Wang, H., Dong, H., and El Saddik, A.. Immersive Multimedia Communication: State-of-the-Art on Extended Reality Streaming. ACM Trans. Multimedia Comput. Commun. (2025)
