Dr. Helen Papagiannis

The power of AR resides in its capacity to amplify human possibility, says Dr. 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. Augmented reality is no longer about technology—it’s about living in the real world. The coming metaverse is the next major platform where 3D environments, including AR, will amplify today’s Internet and offer alternative digital spaces for us to work, play, and socialize. Soon, it will become a transformative medium for business and culture, permeating every industry as well as our daily lives. Thankfully, Papagiannis’ talks lucidly explain these far-reaching implications, as well as show us how to design enriching, human-centered experiences for the future.

For over fifteen years, Dr. Helen Papagiannis has been working with AR as a researcher, designer, and consultant. AR transforms the way we interact with the world at large, says Papagiannis, an invited member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Augmented and Virtual Reality. With the promise of the metaverse rapidly advancing, she develops new insights and innovative ideas to inform decision-makers around the world. As a speaker, Papagiannis similarly dives into the endless applications of the technology—showing us how it focuses our engagement with real spaces, improves health and accessibility, and enhances human intelligence, creativity, and connection. 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 “calm” technology, such as responsive garments, can lessen our cognitive overload. These are just glimpses of what’s to come, and Papagiannis’ work explores both the opportunities and ethical challenges we’ll have to face as we continue to build this future iteration of the Internet.

On her website XRGoesPop, Papagiannis also 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. Recently, she was chosen as one of 200 artists to reimagine the iconic Louis Vuitton trunk, which she did through a piece of AR artwork displayed in the brand’s storefront windows. Papagiannis said, “AR is a means to make the invisible now visible; this ethereal dreamscape enters our physical reality as a metaphor for creativity and the human imagination.”

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. She is the author of Augmented Human, an insightful guide to the fast-moving technology and how anyone can take advantage of it. In addition to her role on the WEC council, Papagiannis is an Executive Member of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) and a Webby Awards Judge, the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet.

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.