The Seventh Annual XR Access Symposium

June 26-27, 2025, New York City

XR Access 2025:
3D Diversity

The XR Access Symposium is our annual conference for leaders in industry, academia, and advocacy to come together and solve the most pressing problems in extended reality accessibility. For 2025, our focus is 3D Diversity: how can we use XR and other emerging technologies to design valuable immersive applications for increasingly diverse audiences?

This 2 day conference will take place June 26-27, 2025, at the Verizon Executive Education Center on Cornell Tech campus in New York City, with sessions broadcasted online. Together, we’ll explore new ways for XR to combine with other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and brain-computer interfaces to improve the lives of everyone, especially people with disabilities.

For a glimpse of the type of cutting-edge content you’ll see at the Symposium, you can watch the full 2024 Symposium on YouTube and read the 2024 Symposium Report.

Registration for in-person costs are as follows:

Speakers, Scholarships, Volunteers – Free
Student or Unaffiliated – $30
Nonprofit Organization or University (nonstudent) – $200
Industry – $400

50% early bird discount in effect until April 25th!

Zoom registration is free! However, only the main stage presentations will be streamed to Zoom.

Hosted by

Call for Presentations

We’re looking for the best work across all sectors to feature at the Symposium. We’ll take research, products, advocacy case studies – anything that showcases the potential of accessible XR to our diverse audience. Presentations can come in the following forms:

Talk – speak on the main stage to our full Symposium audience. Talks will be 20-30 minutes including Q&A, and will be shared publicly via our YouTube.
Poster – condense your ideas into a 2′ x 3′ poster, which will be displayed in our exhibition hall. You will have the opportunity to share your poster and a video explanation of it to our online audience.
Demo – showcase an interactive example of accessible XR technology in our exhibition hall. We provide table, wifi, and electricity; you bring everything else.

It’s OK to submit work previously published in other venues, as the Symposium’s focus is on spreading new techniques and best practices through the broader XR community. We encourage people at every level to apply; at least one speaking slot will go to our best student submission. Email info@xraccess.org if you have questions about your application.

UPDATE: Our call for applications has now closed. Please email us if you have questions about your submission.

Scholarships & Volunteers

XR Access is able to provide a limited amount of scholarships for those who would otherwise be unable to attend the Symposium. In addition to waiving the registration fee, last year we were able to provide reimbursements for up to $400 in travel & lodging expenses, or up to $700 for nonprofit or university non-student staff and faculty. Scholarships are prioritized for presenters, as well as for those from marginalized backgrounds including lived experience of disability.

Volunteers are a vital part of making our Symposium possible, and our volunteers receive valuable back-stage experience and contacts. Volunteers will also have their registration fee waived.

UPDATE: Scholarship applications have now closed. If you applied for a scholarship, check your email, including your spam folder, for an email with more information. If you did not but require one to attend, please email info@xraccess.org.

Become a Volunteer

Important Dates

All deadlines are at 11:59 PM US Eastern Time on the listed day.

Presentations

Applications close: Friday February 28th
Notification of chosen presenters: Rolling selections beginning Monday March 31st
Finalize materials, including presentations, posters, and videos: Friday June 13th

Scholarships

Applications close: Friday March 14th
Scholarship decisions released: Monday April 14th
Reimbursement requests due (with receipts): Monday July 28th
Reimbursements paid: No later than Friday August 29th

Volunteers

Applications close: Wednesday June 18th
Volunteer training: Wednesday June 25th

Registration

Early bird discount ends: Friday April 25th
Final registration deadline: Friday June 20th

Schedule

June 26th, 2025

Start Time (EDT)	Type	Title	People
9:00 AM	Plenary	Welcome & Opening Remarks	Shiri Azenkot, Dylan Fox; XR Access
9:20 AM	Plenary	Understanding How Blind and Low Vision Users Relate to and Use An AI-Powered Guide to Enhance VR Accessibility	Jazmin Collins, Cornell
9:40 AM	Plenary	Beyond Access: Meaningful Accessibility in Video Games	Brian A. Smith, Columbia University
10:00 AM	Plenary	Empowering Accessibility: Enhancing XR with Shortcuts & User-Centered Design	Louell Sala, Benvision
10:20 AM	Break	Snack Break
10:40 AM	Plenary	Designing Disability-Inclusive Avatars: Representing Chronic Pain Through Social VR Avatar Movement and Appearance	Ria Gualano, Cornell
11:00 AM	Plenary	Cripping Up – How we are Using VR to Challenge Ableism	Meg Fozzard, Amy Crighton; independent
11:20 AM	Plenary	Lemmings: Tools For Accessible Gestures	Justin Berry, Yale
11:40 AM	Plenary	Augmented Reality Navigation System for Wheelchair Users	Anis Idrizović, Huiran Yu and Md Mamunur Rashid; University of Rochester
12:00 PM	Break	Lunch
1:00 PM	Exhibit	Posters & Demos
2:40 PM	Breakouts	Breakout Discussions
3:40 PM	Break	Snack Break
4:00 PM	Plenary	Breakout Summaries	Breakout leaders
4:20 PM	Plenary	Immersive Environments for Resettlement	Milad Mozari, University of Utah
4:40 PM	Plenary	Day 1 Closing	Shiri Azenkot, Dylan Fox; XR Access

June 27th, 2025

Start Time (EDT)	Type	Title	People
9:00 AM	Plenary	Day 2 Opening	Dylan Fox, XR Access
9:10 AM	Plenary	Meta sponsored talk	TBD
9:30 AM	Plenary	Aesthetic Access for VR: Centering Disabled Artistry	Kiira Benz, Alice Sheppard; Double Eye Studios & Kinetic Light
9:50 AM	Plenary	Accessibility Innovations for Extended Reality Drama and Documentary	Sacha Wares
10:10 AM	Exhibits	Snack Break, Poster & Demo Exhibition
11:40 AM	Plenary	I4AD: Diverse Perspectives from BLV Users on Designing Immersive, Interactive, Intelligent, and Individualized Audio Description Framework for VR Musical Performances	Khang Dang, New Jersey Institute of Technology
12:00 PM	Plenary	Exploring Cognitive Accessibility in Mixed Reality for People with Dementia	Rupsha Mutsuddi
12:20 AM	Plenary	XR for Autistic Inclusion: Balancing Innovation with Ethics	Nigel Newbutt
12:40 AM	Plenary	Day 2 Closing	Shiri Azenkot, Dylan Fox; XR Access

We encourage participants to join us after the end of the Symposium at 1pm on the 27th for an informal lunch at Anything at All restaurant next to the Graduate hotel, or to grab a bite at The Cafe at Cornell Tech and discuss your favorite talks.

Venue

Verizon Executive Education Center at Cornell Tech

2 West Loop Road

New York, NY 10044

The Verizon Executive Education Center at Cornell Tech redefines the landscape of executive event and conference space in New York City. This airy, modern, full-service venue offers convenience and ample space—with breathtaking views—for conferences, executive programs, receptions, seminars, meet-ups and more. Designed by international architecture firm Snøhetta, the Verizon Executive Education Center blends high design and human-centered technology to bring you an advanced meeting space suited for visionary thinkers.

Verizon executive education center exterior: a pointed building of dark glass, like a whale's baleen.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to the venue?

Public transportation by subway, ferry, or tram is recommended. See this transportation guide for details.

Will the main stage presentations be recorded?

Yes, they will be streamed live via Zoom and added to the XR Access YouTube channel after the conference.

Will the breakout sessions be recorded?

No, unfortunately our recording equipment is not suited to capturing multiple small groups. However, the takeaways will be included in the Symposium Report.

Why does the Symposium cost money to attend in person?

Unfortunately, events in the physical world are expensive; the Symposium will cost tens of thousands of dollars. However, if the expense is a hardship for you, please apply for a scholarship using the link in the description. Note that registering for Zoom and watching online is still free.

What accommodations will be provided?

Where should I stay in New York?

We recommend the Graduate New York, located mere steps from the venue; you can use our link to get a 20% discount on your room and a 24-hour cancellation policy. There are also many hotels with easy access to Roosevelt Island near the tramway at 254 E 60th St.