Although many of us may not welcome it—and may even feel uneasy about it—the interaction between our minds and objects is rapidly shifting from the physical world to digital environments. Screen time already exceeds most other forms of daily activity, and in the coming years it is likely to be replaced by “glass time” or “headset time.” This transition presents new opportunities for the architectural discipline, which has long been confined within traditional, old-school paradigms.

In this lecture, the fundamental concepts of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Extended Reality (XR), including Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), will first be introduced. This will be followed by an overview of current integration techniques and the essential informatics knowledge required to implement them. Finally, selected research cases within architectural contexts will be discussed. This lecture will be valuable for anyone interested in developing adaptive virtual spatial experiences that respond dynamically to physical environments.

Biography

Dr. Shenghuan ZHAO is an architectural engineering researcher, a certified LEED AP BD+C professional, and also an international educator. He received his master and PhD from Politecnico di Milano, specializing in sustainable building technologies and digital architectural systems. Dr. Zhao’s research integrates internet of things, extended reality, and AI-enhanced design tools to advance sustainability and intelligence in the built environment. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, and actively contributes as an associate editor for Sustainable Buildings (eISSN: 2492-6035), as well as an editorial board member for Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science (eISSN: 1875-8959) and Future Cities and Environment (eISSN: 2363-9075). His work bridges computational design, climate-responsive architecture, and occupant behaviors, reflecting a holistic vision for future-oriented, low-impact design strategies.