'Extended Reality' is next major technological surge after AI, say experts at IIT-M symposium

Chennai: The Experiential Technology Innovation Centre (XTIC), an Institute of Eminence Centre for Virtual Reality, at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras here, conducted the first ever International XR (Extended Reality) symposium for the Global South.

The event marks a significant step in positioning India at the forefront of Extended Reality technologies and accelerating the nation's drive towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' in immersive systems, a press release said here on Friday.

Experts at the conference declared Extended Reality as the next major technological surge after AI (Artificial Intelligence) that is set to revolutionise education and healthcare sectors, it said.

Led by professor M Manivannan, the Experiential Technology Innovation Centre is now championing cost-effective XR innovation and proposing an 'India XR Corridor' to unify academia, industry and government, the release said.

Despite having the world's second-largest developer base, India currently contributes less than 1 per cent to the global XR market which is projected to breach USD 250 billion by 2030.

The conference aims to build a self-reliant Extended Reality ecosystem by prioritising cost-effective innovation, accelerating XR adoption in education, defence and space sectors, the release added.