Some 15 members of the MAGICS community from all six partners came together to discuss joint research visions in University of Lapland in Rovaniemi 24 to 26 March 2025. Our purpose is to concretize plans for moving from solely incremental research towards new perspectives during the recently started 5-year period on the roadmap for Finnish research infrastructures.

We set aside three days to convene in Rovaniemi to discuss, spend some time together, and give all partners a possibility to familiarize themselves with the personnel and facilities of faculty of Art and Design at University of Lapland, a new partner to the consortium since the beginning of 2024.

The University of Lapland team facilitated the workshop and discussion of research topics. We deepened our understanding of our common interests in the fields of interpersonal synchronization of experiences, biofeedback, human augmentation and non-human interaction, to name a few timely topics. We identified the need to make our existing equipment and new investments compatible and complementary to maximize research possibilities through measurements of bodily response such as heart rate and motion tracking. Further, we recognized the need for joint education and training of new research tools and skills, such as AI-assisted programming as an asset for future success.

The University of Lapland team hosted a visit to their studio and lab facilities that include a motion capture studio and a virtual studio, as well as workshops for various materials. As part of the program, the group visited the snow hotel 30 kms northwest from the city centre, an amazing facility built each year from ice that comprises hotel rooms, bar, restaurant, and a chapel.