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Awakening the potential of AR/VR technology.
The Center for Extended Reality (CXR) aims to help shepherd human-computer interaction’s future by combining augmented reality with contextually aware AI to positively assist human-driven endeavors. CXR will bring together academic, industrial, and government institutions to conduct foundational research, engineer technology, educate the future workforce, and develop economic opportunities.
CXR is an interdisciplinary catalyst that will leverage URochester’s deep expertise in optics, neuroscience, medicine, vision, and the humanities, as well as foster new partnerships to push the frontiers of augmented reality.
The Center for Extended Reality is proud to lead the Open Metaverse Academic Alliance (OMAA), a university-driven initiative dedicated to shaping open standards for spatial computing and the emerging spatial internet.
As spatial computing moves from research labs into everyday life, the standards established today will determine whether the next era of computing is open and accessible to all, or fragmented into proprietary ecosystems. OMAA brings together universities, researchers, educators, and professionals to work toward an open future for XR.
Research and initiatives at CXR focus on:
Extended reality technologies are rapidly transforming how people learn, work, and connect, and have the potential to reshape society. Extended reality’s potential can be realized when humans partner with contextually aware AI to reach new heights in classrooms, clinics, and industries, making complex information easier to see, understand, and experience.
The University of Rochester’s “Boundless Possibility: 2030 Strategic Plan” champions a bold new model of scholarship—transdisciplinary research, where teams don’t just collaborate—they combine methodologies, perspectives, and fields to reshape what’s possible. CXR emerged after a competitive, two-phase request for proposal (RFP) process beginning with 42 proposals in April 2024 and culminating in June 2025, when four transdisciplinary teams were selected for multi-year support. CXR embodies URochester’s commitment to addressing society’s most complex challenges through ingenuity and connection.
CXR has team members from brain and cognitive science, optics, electrical and computer engineering, neuroscience, and history, and regularly adding more team members from across the University.
Barry Silverstein, CXR director
Previously serving as the senior director and chief technology officer of optics and display in Meta’s Reality Labs, Silverstein brings a wealth of experience—including as a URochester optics alum.
Nick Vamivakas
Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Optical Physics, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences; Professor of Physics, School of Arts & Sciences
Duje Tadin
Professor, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, School of Arts & Sciences; Professor, Neuroscience, Ophthalmology, School of Medicine and Dentistry; Co-Director of Training, Center for Visual Science
Meg Moody
Director, Mary Ann Mavrinac Studio X, River Campus Libraries
Jannick Rolland
Brian J. Thompson Professor of Optical Engineering; Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Center for Visual Science, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences; Director, NSF/IUCRC: Center for Freeform Optics; Director, R.E. Hopkins Center for Optical Design and Engineering
Susana Marcos
Nicholas George Endowed Professor in Optics, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences; Professor, Ophthalmology, School of Medicine and Dentistry; David R. Williams Director, Center for Visual Science
Mujdat Cetin
Robin and Tim Wentworth Director, Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence; Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Darren Lipomi
Professor and Chair, Department of Chemical and Sustainability Engineering, Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences
Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez
Associate Professor, Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Dentistry; Associate Professor, Psychology, School of Arts & Sciences; Associate Professor, Center for Visual Science
Michael Jarvis
Professor, History, School of Arts & Sciences; Director of the Digital Elmina Project; Director of Smiths Island Archaeology Project
Michele Rucci
Professor, Brain & Cognitive Sciences, School of Arts & Sciences; Professor, Center for Visual Science
Partner centers, institutes, and departments
CXR connects an interdisciplinary array of experts across science and engineering, the humanities, medicine, and education. Our members bring expertise from:
Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience
Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Leadership
Barry Silverstein ’84 is helping lead the future of AR/VR at URochester. Previously serving as the senior director and chief technology officer of optics and display in Meta’s Reality Labs, Silverstein brings a wealth of experience—including as a URochester optics alum.
From smart glasses to immersive experiences, Barry Silverstein discusses what the future of augmented reality could look like with WXXI’s Connections host Evan Dawson.
Want to learn more about the work being done at CXR? Interested in getting involved? Send us an email to get started.