From January 22 to 26, 2026, CISESS XR team members, Damian Figueroa and Samuel Wiggins, participated in Reality Hack @ MIT, a community-run experiential technology hackathon held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The event brought together 348 participants to develop innovative applications using augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and other emerging technologies.
Figueroa and his team created Reboot: Anomaly Holdout, an immersive mixed-reality game in which players use a custom-built physical control panel to scan rooms, operate defensive systems, and survive an alien threat. The project combines mixed reality passthrough, physical controls, 3D-printed components, embedded electronics, and a virtual environment developed in Unity. The team received the Best XR Experience Award, sponsored by Qualcomm.
Wiggins and his team developed R-EYE-DER, a hands-free augmented-reality coaching and safety tool for drivers and riders. Designed for Raven AR glasses, the system uses gaze tracking, real-time object detection, and visual and auditory feedback to help users maintain safer visual attention habits. The team received the Best App for Raven Glasses Prize, sponsored by Raven Resonance.
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The awards demonstrate Figueroa’s and Wiggins’s growing expertise in XR development, computer vision, artificial intelligence, embedded hardware, and human-computer interaction. They bring these skills to their work with the CISESS Virtual Proving Ground and Training Center, supporting the development of immersive tools for environmental visualization, STEM education, and public outreach.
