NordiCHI 2026 Brought Human-Centred Innovations and Experts to Vaasa
Hosted as a joint effort between the Åbo Akademi University and University of Vaasa, the conference brought together the Nordic and international Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community under the theme Pulse – exploring the energy that drives us.
Last week, Vaasa became a hub for international discussion on the future of technology as researchers, designers, industry experts, and students gathered for the NordiCHI 2026 conference. Hosted as a joint effort between the Åbo Akademi University and University of Vaasa, the conference brought together the Nordic and international Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community under the theme Pulse – exploring the energy that drives us.
NordiCHI is the biggest Nordic conference in Human-Computer Interaction, held every two years in the Nordic countries and recognised as an important meeting place for researchers and practitioners working with interactive technologies. This event marked a significant milestone for Vaasa, welcoming 510 participants from across Europe and beyond.
HCI takes its hold in Vaasa
The conference theme, Pulse, encouraged participants to reflect on the forces that shape human experiences, organisations, and societies in an increasingly technology-driven world. The choice of Vaasa as the host city was particularly fitting. Known both as the heart of the Nordic energy cluster and as a gateway to unique natural environments, Vaasa offered a compelling backdrop for discussions about sustainable, responsible, and human-centred technological development.
Over five days, attendees explored a diverse programme that included workshops, tutorials, paper presentations, poster sessions, demonstrations, panels, and keynote speeches. Topics ranged from artificial intelligence, human-AI collaboration, user experience, ethics and privacy, to wellbeing, creativity, sustainability, and digital inclusion.
Five days of active interaction
Throughout the week, the programme offered a diverse selection of workshops, tutorials, paper presentations, poster sessions, demonstrations, doctoral consortium activities, and keynote talks.
Researchers presented studies on topics ranging from human-AI collaboration and responsible innovation to accessibility, inclusivity, privacy, and digital ethics.
The breadth of the programme highlighted the increasing importance of human-centred approaches as emerging technologies continue to transform both professional and personal lives.
Transdisciplinary event for international experts
One of the most valuable aspects of NordiCHI is its ability to bring together people from different disciplines and backgrounds, to combine perspectives and generate new, comprehensive knowledge. Designers engage with computer scientists, psychologists collaborate with engineers, and industry professionals exchange ideas with academic researchers. These interactions often spark new partnerships and research initiatives that extend well beyond the conference itself. In an era when technological challenges are becoming increasingly complex, such interdisciplinary dialogue is more important than ever.
Artificial intelligence naturally emerged as a recurring topic across many sessions. Rather than focusing solely on technological capabilities, presenters and participants explored how AI systems can be designed to support human values, foster trust, enhance wellbeing, while pushing the boundaries of how we understand creativity. Discussions emphasised the need for transparency, accountability, and user involvement throughout the development process. These conversations reflected a broader shift within the HCI community toward ensuring that technological innovation remains firmly grounded in human needs.
Sustainability was another prominent theme. Many contributions examined how digital technologies can support environmental goals while minimising their own ecological impact. Researchers shared insights into sustainable interaction design, energy-conscious computing, and the role of digital systems in promoting more sustainable behaviours and lifestyles. Such discussions were particularly relevant in Vaasa, a city known for its strong commitment to energy innovation and sustainability.
We did it!
As NordiCHI 2026 draws to a close, the event leaves behind more than a collection of research papers and presentations. It reinforces the importance of designing technologies that are not only innovative, but also ethical, inclusive, sustainable, and meaningful for the people who use them. The conversations that began in Vaasa will undoubtedly continue through future collaborations, projects, and discoveries.
For the organisers, volunteers, presenters, and participants, the conference represented a remarkable achievement. For Vaasa, it provided an opportunity to showcase its strengths as a centre for research, innovation, sustainability, and international cooperation, particularly in the field of human-centred technology – HCI. And for the wider HCI community, NordiCHI 2026 served as a reminder that the future of technology is ultimately about people, their values, and the energy that drives us all.