NeXus Print; photo: Patrick Berger; Photoshop AI

NeXus Print

Immersive XR Sandbox for Inclusive Co-Creation

NeXus Print is a creative sandbox communication tool that enables groups to collaboratively and simultaneously explore, shape, and share their collective imagination in real time. It invites users into a shared immersive XR space where they co-create and reimagine environments using generative AI in a live, participatory process.

Since 2024, Dai Nippon Printing (DNP) and the Ars Electronica Futurelab are collaborating on the exploration of how XR technologies can transform the future of print through Art Thinking. The open research examines how XR can enrich print as a medium for communication and collective knowledge-sharing across time and space. The latest outcome of this collaboration is NeXus Print, an artistic prototype and experimental XR platform. 

In the environment, user groups co-create and reshape shared environments in real time using generative AI. By transforming simple text prompts into 3D objects and environments, users can turn abstract and complex ideas into navigable, interactive experiences. NeXus Print offers the flexibility to create entirely new environments or reimagine existing ones, making it a versatile tool for a wide range of applications from rapid prototyping and creative brainstorming to rethinking public spaces and addressing complex societal challenges.

The inclusive environment empowers users of all roles and abilities to co-create and shape a more open future together. By removing barriers and enabling simultaneous collaboration among people from all backgrounds, NeXus Print democratizes 3D spatial design. At its core, the project investigates how such future-oriented XR technologies can serve as catalysts for meaningful social change through collaborative, imaginative exploration. 

This project is part of the Open Futurelab at the Ars Electronica Festival 2025.

Credits

Ars Electronica Futurelab: Patrick Berger, Manuel Dobusch, Daniel Rammer, Raphael Schaumburg-Lippe, Cyntha Wieringa
PARTNER: Dai Nippon Printing (DNP)