It’s true what they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day! Neither was the fantastic array of use cases from TRANSMIXR on show at UnitedXR this year. In December I was delighted to be invited to the final showcase of the outcomes of TRANSMIXR.
Held in Brussels, UnitedXR brought together researchers, creatives, and industry giants to showcase the future of immersive media. The event provided a diverse platform for showcasing cutting-edge XR experiences, collaboration, and discussions on how XR is reshaping storytelling, performance, and communication. As a final exhibition space for TRANSMIXR, it offered the perfect stage to demonstrate not only technical innovation, but the artistic ambition and human-centred design underpinning the project’s outcomes.
Live Demos and Immersive Experiences
It feels like only yesterday that the consortium was all gathered the kick-off meeting in Athlone, Ireland. The project has evolved so much in the three years, from concepts on whiteboards to highly immersive experiences and innovative tools to guide the next generation of news media and broadcasting!
Attendees of UnitedXR had the opportunity to experience these first hand. The project showcased all 4 use cases (Newsroom Toolbox, Newsroom Broadcast, Cultural Heritage, and Performing Arts). To say it was popular is an understatement, registrations for the Cadence of Altered Illusions (CAI) were booked out within the first few hours of opening and all other demos ran non-stop across the 3 days of the event.
Driving Innovation in XR
On the closing day, Tupac Martir (Satore Studio), Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (TG4), Philine Kreuzer (NISV), Marie Hospital (AFP), and Niall Murray (TUS), and Pablo Cesar (CWI) took to the main stage to reflect on the journey behind the tools, performances, and immersive experiences on display. Rather than a formal presentation, the discussion felt like an open and honest conversation discussing the realities of building XR workflows across newsrooms, archives, and creative performance spaces. Watching from the audience it was clear that there was a shared sense of pride in how far the project had come, but also a refreshing insight into the challenges along the way. It was a fitting moment of reflection: a live demonstration not just of the technology TRANSMIXR has developed, but of the partnership and shared ambition that made it all possible.
UnitedXR and Beyond...
Attending UnitedXR this year was a genuine pleasure, offering valuable insight into the current state of XR and where it is heading next. Beyond that, it was incredibly rewarding to see such strong interest in TRANSMIXR’s innovative contributions. The diversity of attendees spanning industry, academia, and the creative sectors led to insightful feedback and fresh perspectives that reinforced the impact of the project’s work. With the showcase complete, the next milestone on the roadmap is the project’s final review which will be held in February 2026!
