Virtual and augmented reality systems are evolving. In addition to research, the trend toward content building continues and practitioners find that technologies and disciplines must be tailored and integrated for specific visualization and interactive applications. This conference serves as a forum where advances and practical advice toward both creative activity and scientific investigation are presented and discussed. Research results can be presented and applications can be demonstrated. In addition to the general topic area, the 2013 conference is encouraging the submission of work in the following areas:

•Advances in AR: Augmented reality is on the verge of becoming a significant emergent technology platform which is being developed, tested and discussed throughout the media landscape. Is the current interest in AR sustainable and substantial or is AR destined to be a novelty? Papers that look at the hardware, software, content and cultural context behind cutting-edge AR are sought for the conference. Topics might include AR UI and UX, AR in education/learning, AR gaming, art in AR and the future of AR.

•Compelling experiences: A compelling immersive experience transports the user to a place that is viscerally felt, not easily forgotten, yet completely synthetic. This requires subtle interplay between the technological and creative arts. Papers that present working systems or ongoing research into the delicate balance between these disciplines are desired.

•Stubborn problems: interaction, tracking, lag, rendering speed, field of view, resolution, et.al. These are but a few of the topic areas which vex the field every year. Papers presenting work improving the state of the art in these areas are encouraged. In addition, the 2013 conference is specifically seeking work that explores aesthetics and interaction in 3D environments.

•Industrial applications: systems that solve real-world problems from a wide variety of disciplines are a mainstay of the conference. It especially promotes papers that describe systems which are important because of the problems they solve, and not the technology they use, and papers that describe systems which can quantify their utility. Practitioners in industry are highly encouraged to make submissions.

•Women in VR: many women are key to the advancement of the field of virtual reality, including establishing hardware systems, forging research directions and creating experiences. We invite research activities that are influenced from a feminine perspective. Papers presenting work by women or derived from their research areas are encouraged. The 2013 conference is specifically seeking work that explores how a feminine perspective discovers, examines and designs virtual reality systems.

•Late-breaking progress: one to two presentations are allotted for exciting 'late-breaking' work that is submitted after the formal paper deadline but within a month of the conference date. Papers reporting on work-in-progress, last-minute results, or interesting but incomplete findings are welcome for these limited spots.