Dr. Helen Papagiannis

The power of Augmented Reality resides in its capacity to amplify human possibility, says HELEN PAPAGIANNIS. A world-leading expert in the field, and the bestselling author of Augmented Human, Papagiannis studies the cross-realities emerging in the world today, and how they will influence everything from business to culture to behavior. AR is no longer about technology—it’s about living in the real world—and Papagiannis explains how we can design enriching, human-centered experiences for our virtual future.

For the last fifteeen years, Helen Papagiannis has been working with AR as a researcher, designer, consultant, and technology evangelist. Aside from its potential to change the future of work and learning, AR transforms the way we interact with the world at large, says Papagiannis. She dives into the endless applications of the technology, showing us how it amplifies human intelligence, focuses our engagement with real spaces, and improves health and accessibility for all. Today, people living with autism can use the technology to prepare for job interviews, retail stores can allow customers to virtually try their products, and we can even lessen cognitive overload with “calm” technology such as responsive garments. A highly experiential medium, AR is updating everything from the way we translate language and travel to foreign countries, to the way we experience culture. On her website XRGoesPop, Papagiannis introduces us to the discipline of XR— Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Virtual Beings—and documents how it permeates art, fashion, music, games, and celebrity. But for all her optimism, Papagiannis is not blind to the challenges of implementing this new technology. Alongside the fascinating opportunities, she also examines and reveals the ethical issues that arise, and how companies, cities, and individuals can adapt.

For her tireless work in the field, Papagiannis was invited to become a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Virtual and Augmented Reality. There, she works alongside leading experts to challenge assumptions, develop new ideas, and inform decision-makers around the world on how to reshape global systems. In addition to her role on the council, Papagiannis is an Executive Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and a judge for the Webby Awards, the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet.

Papagiannis has presented her interactive work and Ph.D. research at global conferences including TEDx, ISMAR (International Society for Mixed and Augmented Reality), and ISEA (International Symposium for Electronic Art). Her TEDx talk was featured among the Top 10 Talks on Augmented Reality and Gamified Life. Papagiannis is also the author of Augmented Human, an insightful guide to the fast-moving technology and how anyone can take advantage of it. Previously, Papagiannis was a member of the internationally renowned Bruce Mau Design studio where she was project lead on Massive Change: The Future of Global Design, an internationally touring exhibition and best-selling book examining the new inventions, technologies, and events changing the world. Papagiannis was named among the NEXT 100 Top Influencers of the Digital Media Industry. She is the former Chief Innovation Officer at Infinity Augmented Reality Inc. and Senior Research Associate at York University’s Augmented Reality Lab.