We’ve just concluded an incredible week at the Design Summer School (DSS) 2025 hosted at IIIT Delhi. For those who couldn’t make it, DSS is a 5-day interactive workshop that brings together students, professionals, and enthusiasts to explore the cutting edge of Human-Centered AI, Sensing, and Extended Reality (XR). It’s always a hub of fresh ideas, and this year was no exception.
(You can check out the full scope of the event here: https://dss2025.iiitd.edu.in/)
Dr. Anmol Srivastava’s Session
The energy on the final day, Friday, July 25th, was palpable. Dr. Anmol Srivastava led a focused session titled “XR & AR, VR & MR” at Venue B003 (R&D Block). The goal was to move beyond the buzzwords and look at the practical, impactful applications of these technologies.
During the session (11:30 a.m. – 01:00 p.m.), Dr. Srivastava walked the audience through the latest work coming out of the Ci Lab. It wasn’t just theory; the discussion centered on the tangible possibilities of Virtual Reality in sectors like Game Development and Education—areas where immersive tech is rapidly shifting from “novelty” to “necessity.”
A standout moment was the live demonstration led by Mohd Zubair, which gave attendees a firsthand look at how these concepts translate into real-world user experiences. seeing the audience interact with the Ci Lab projects sparked some fantastic discussions on where the industry is heading next.
A Look at the Day’s Agenda
Friday was packed with insights from start to finish. Here is how the day unfolded:
- Morning Kickoff (09:30 a.m.): The day began with Dr. Madhan Kumar Vasudevan (IIT Roorkee) discussing Multisensory Interface Technologies. His insights on “affective digital touch” and haptics set a high bar for the rest of the morning.
- The Mid-Morning Session (11:30 a.m.): Dr. Anmol Srivastava took the stage for the VR/MR deep dive.
- Closing (02:00 p.m.): After a networking lunch, the event wrapped up with a Closing Ceremony and Certificate Distribution led by Prof. Bose, officially bringing DSS ’25 to an end.
Mentors & Speakers
It was an honor to share the platform with such a diverse group of experts throughout the week. The event featured keynotes and workshops from industry leaders like Dr. Srinivasan Venkataraman (IIT Delhi), who covered Design Creativity, and Dr. Priyanka Jain (C-DAC, MeitY), who gave a fascinating talk on Neuro-Cognitive AI titled “Vivan: A Vibrant Brain.”
Other mentors who contributed their expertise included Mr. Manoj Sinha (Leading Cartoonist), Dr. Gowdham Prabhakar (IIT Kanpur), and Mr. Arunesh Singh (Superlinked), making this a truly cross-disciplinary gathering.
A big thank you to everyone who attended and participated in the demos. If you are interested in the intersection of Design and VR, stay tuned to this space for more updates from the lab.