HUMAIN takes the pulse of NordiCHI, exploring the energy that powers people, technology, and innovation
One of the key conferences in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI), NordiCHI 2026, will bring over 400 experts from academia and industry to Vaasa in early October 2026.
One of the key conferences in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI), NordiCHI 2026, will bring over 400 experts from academia and industry to Vaasa in early October 2026. Three sessions involve HUMAIN-team members, and several team members have been closely involved in organizing the conference since 2024.
The event is co-hosted by Åbo Akademi University and the University of Vaasa and will be held across their respective campuses. Spanning five program-filled days, the conference features 31 workshops, four tutorials, a doctoral consortium, an Arts-based Approaches exhibition, 11 demos, more than 60 posters, and sessions running in four parallel tracks covering research papers, critiques, and industry experiences. The conference also includes three keynote presentations and two panel discussions, many of which focus on AI, reflecting its prominence in current research and industry discourse.
HUMAIN aligns closely with several key themes of NordiCHI 2026, including Human-Centered AI, Human-AI Collaboration, Virtual Worlds, Ethics, Wellbeing and Care, and Industry-Academia Collaboration. The infrastructure provides a platform for developing and evaluating responsible AI, robotics, XR, and autonomous systems that support people in healthcare, education, industry, research, and everyday life. The HUMAIN team is excited about Furhat robotics and iMotions exhibiting their solutions during the conference.
Meet the HUMAIN team in NordiCHI
The HUMAIN team is represented in the conference through three accepted submissions. Susanne Hägglund, Yvonne Backholm-Nyberg, and Mattias Wingren from Åbo Akademi University are co-organizers of the tutorial Teaching AI Literacy: Hands-on Introduction to AI Literacy and to Co-designing Teaching Resources Enhancing AI Literacy in K-12 Education.
Laura Havinen from the University of Vaasa is a co-author of the research paper User Susceptibility and Vulnerability to Deceptive Patterns: A Systematic Mapping Study as well as the industry experience paper A Multi-Actor Collaboration Model to Engage Young People in the Development of Digital Technologies.
The HUMAIN team is also involved in the conference through Laura Havinen (University of Vaasa) and Susanne Hägglund (Åbo Akademi University), who serve as General Chairs; Andreas Lundell (Åbo Akademi University) as IT Chair; Rebekah Rousi (University of Vaasa) as Arts-based Approaches Co-chair; Joni-Roy Piispanen (University of Vaasa) as Demo Co-chair; Yvonne Backholm-Nyberg (Åbo Akademi University) as Social Program Co-chair; Daniel Ventus (Åbo Akademi University) as Workshop Chair.
The NordiCHI conference 2026 webpage is here and you can find the whole programme here. See you in Vaasa soon!