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Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2025 has been the ultimate playground for audiovisual and immersive technology, and this year’s event didn’t disappoint. It is bigger and this time i found a lot more than last year. As an XR designer, I approached the exhibition with a specific focus—finding how emerging technologies are shaping user experience, interaction, and design possibilities in XR.
The keyword for me this year :
Presence Enhanced
While there are many impressive companies and products showcase, a couple stood out to me:
1. Flop Work
Using a simple yet effective setup, Flopwork transformed a small space into an interactive data analytics hub using these cubes. When I engaged with one, real-time projections appeared on the surrounding screens, revealing visitor trends, engagement levels, and AI-driven insights.
The space was equipped with modular sensors capable of tracking movement and interactions within an 8-meter range, mapping how people navigated the experience. What stood out to me was the NFC integration in the cube. Instead of relying solely on motion tracking, it seemed to work in combination with user movement tracking, allowing for more personalized and adaptive interactions.
This approach has exciting potential for museums, retail stores, and brand activations. Imagine walking into a store where simply picking up a product instantly displays details, reviews, or styling ideas on a nearby screen—turning an ordinary action into an immersive, data-driven experience. It’s a seamless blend of physical and digital interactions, and I believe it has huge potential for interactive design.
2. Volum ( 12Cat Research Centre )
At the i2Cat Research Centre booth, I experienced Volum, a project pushing the boundaries of 3D holographic solutions. Their goal is to make volumetric video and real-time holographic communication more accessible, enabling 3D projections without the need for headsets or complex setups.
What I tried was the offline demo, which gave me a window of how the experience works. However though i did not had the chance to try it, they also offer a real-time version, allowing people to communicate with each other as holographic projections in real-time. I could see how how it effect presence and interaction, especially when paired with well-designed, intuitive UIs that enhance usability.
The ability to holoport in real-time using standard commercial cameras means the UI needs to be simple, adaptive, and responsive, for smooths transitions between live and recorded holograms.
Up until now, our closest experience with volumetric presence has been through platforms like Apple Vision Pro’s Personas, which offer floating, life-like 3D avatars in digital spaces. However Volum takes this concept even further by enabling hologram from standard commercial cameras, making it a more accessible solution in my opinion.
This shift from pre-rendered avatars to real-time holographic presence could redefine how we think about virtual meetings, remote collaboration, and interactive media.
3. Lightweight Transparant UIs
With Apple Vision Pro swear by transparent UI, it’s interesting to see how this design philosophy is making its way into physical interfaces—even in touchscreen experiences like this Transparent OLED Touch Signage. The shift towards lightweight, see-through interfaces shows a growing awareness of how much our environment influences digital interaction.
Unlike traditional screens that dominate a space, transparent UIs blend into their surroundings, making digital content feel more integrated rather than intrusive. can see more designers adopting this mindset—rethinking how screens, interfaces, and interactive elements can complement rather than compete with their environment.
4. Project Starline - Google
I tried Google’s Project Starline, an ambitious attempt to redefine virtual meetings by making remote conversations feel as natural as in-person ones. Unlike traditional video calls, I felt like I was sitting across from a real person, thanks to Starline’s ultra-realistic, avatar-like projection that captured depth, eye contact, and facial expressions with impressive accuracy.
The experience was so surreal that I actually had to ask the person in the other room if they were real or just a digital projection ! 😅
This project is still in its prototype phase, but Google has announced plans to release it by the end of this year, targeting B2B customers in collaboration with HP. It’s designed as a complete software and hardware solution, with remote working as its primary focus.
One common thread across all these innovations is the blurring of physical and digital interactions—whether through adaptive retail displays, volumetric communication, or ultra-realistic telepresence. It’s no longer about just displaying information but about integrating it into the environment, responding to users naturally, and making digital interactions feel human again.
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