Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are becoming mainstream, with major corporations releasing consumer products, and non-experts using the systems to solve real world problems outside the traditional VR/AR laboratory. With the research and technological advances, it is now possible to use these technologies in almost all domains and places. This provides a bigger opportunity to create applications that intend to impact society in greater ways than beyond just entertainment. Today the world is facing different challenges including, but not limited to, in health, the environment, and education. Now is the time to explore how VR/AR might be used to solve widespread societal challenges.
We invite application and position papers (2-4 pages, excluding references), that address the way that VR/AR technologies can solve real-world problems in various application domains including, but not limited to, health, the environment, education, sports, the arts, and applications in support of special needs such as assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative applications. Our focus and preference will be on applications that are beyond general uses of VR/AR such as entertainment and recreational gaming; we seek submissions describing work with specific goals and methods aimed at improving the lives of individuals, communities, or society.
This workshop will bring together researchers, developers, and industry partners in presenting and promoting research that intends to solve a real world problem using augmented and virtual realities. It will provide a platform to discuss challenges and opportunities to use VR/AR to help humankind and society in more impactful ways. This will help grow a research community to create Virtual and Augmented Reality for Good (VAR4Good).