The XR industry might usually be thought of as a West Coast stronghold, but the MIT Reality Hack has established itself as a prime event for XR enthusiasts on the East Coast. Now in its eighth year, this hackathon has evolved, offering new avenues for discussions and networking through the EXPERIENTIAL Conference. Maria Rice, the Executive Director, shares insights into this year’s standout event and its winning projects.
Maria Rice has been pivotal in transforming MIT Reality Hack into a leading venue for experiential technology. Her initiatives have included the EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference, the Reality Scholars diversity fund, and the Reality Hack Founders Lab.
From January 23 to 27, 600 of the brightest minds in tech rallied at MIT for its annual Reality Hack. This premier event drew an impressive lineup of tech veterans and startup founders alike. Sponsored by a mix of global powerhouses at the intersection of XR, AI, and deep tech, the hackathon saw participants crafting innovative prototypes using tools like Meta Quest 3, Snap Spectacles, and Qualcomm’s RB3g2 robotics kits.
This year’s hardware additions were particularly noteworthy. Among the new tech on display were Maradin’s MEMS-based AR lenses, Haptikos’s haptic exoskeleton, and OpenBCI’s neurosensing gear, including the state-of-the-art Galea biosensing headset.
With a mission driven by a passion for positive impact, the Reality Hack brimmed with the dynamic enthusiasm of its participants and organizers. The event stretched across five days, challenging its participants to create 78 cutting-edge applications and use cases in XR and related technologies.
The winning projects were impressive. They included YEIGO, an AR solution ensuring mobility aids are used with proper posture, CAREGIVR, an immersive platform preparing caregivers and families for end-of-life care, and Tac-Man, a VR sculpting haptic input device.
Explore the complete list of the 2025 winners from all categories.
Running in tandem with MIT Reality Hack was the EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference, an event envisioned as the “Davos of the spatial tech industry.” This one-day conference stimulated the sharing and challenging of deep-tech research through the lenses of educational innovation, specific applications, and global development.
The conference featured sponsorship from tech heavyweights like IEEE Spectrum, Qualcomm, and Distance Technologies. It spotlighted two key product launches to support the ‘hack-to-market’ agenda of the Founders Lab—a Reality Hack community program.
Limit Labs, founded by VR/AR leaders from MIT, launched RoomSeed, a groundbreaking AI tool built on robust research. Meanwhile, Haptikos introduced a new hand exoskeleton that delivers a tactile experience to XR applications at an impressively low cost with enhanced precision.
Startup demos also showcased innovations from MIT spinout Three Space Lab, AI products from AUR+A, and insights from Taiwan-based Meta Intelligence.
The conference’s mission delves deeper than hacking, striving to promote technology’s inclusive reach into the mainstream, empowering creator economies. Academic research and a venture-driven marketplace interplay enriched the program.
Kicking off with a riveting fireside chat, industry giants Tim Bajarin and Anshel Sag explored the evolving XR landscape, guided by AR innovator Dan Cui. For Bajarin, the Reality Hack—where he also served as a judge—was a career highlight, after more than 40 years in the tech industry.
The keynote by Qualcomm’s Ziad Asghar discussed the escalating integration of AI in XR devices, emphasizing the essential role of events like MIT Reality Hack in nurturing groundbreaking ideas and talent.
Global initiatives towards a sustainable future were discussed by a panel featuring influential voices from the UN, The World Bank, Inclusive AI Lab, and HTC. They illustrated how experiential tech and hackathons empower creative communities and foster economic growth.
Ori Inbar, co-founder of AWE and Reality Hack partner, summed up: “XR is poised for mainstream, but diversity in XR builder experiences is key for reaching every person on the planet. That’s how you achieve mainstream success!”
For those eager to participate in the 2026 MIT Reality Hack and EXPERIENTIAL Innovation Conference, feel free to reach out to me.
