As part of the co-creation and development of the SOIL-XR Extended Reality (XR) Platform, the ECECT team organized a co-design workshop on 7 June 2026 at Athalassas Park, followed by two additional workshops on 22 June 2026 at STEM Education Cyprus in Nicosia.

The workshops brought together students, teachers, and environmental enthusiasts to collaboratively shape the visual, functional, and narrative elements of the future XR learning experience. Through interactive activities, discussions, and hands-on experiments, participants explored key soil-related topics, including soil composition, soil layers, soil biodiversity, soil erosion, and soil health. Participants also had the opportunity to use micro:bit technology to measure soil moisture and learn how digital tools can support environmental monitoring and sustainable land management.

The sessions provided valuable insights into users’ needs, expectations, and ideas, helping to ensure that the SOIL-XR platform will be engaging, educational, and relevant to its target audiences. Participants were encouraged to share their perspectives on how immersive technologies, such as Extended Reality (XR), can enhance environmental education and increase awareness of soil conservation and sustainability.

The co-design process is a key component of the SOIL-XR project, ensuring that end users actively contribute to the development of the platform, its educational content, and its interactive XR experiences.

Individuals interested in participating in future co-design activities will have another opportunity to engage with the project during the Robotex Cyprus 2026 competition on 27 and 28 of June 2026, where the ECECT team will host a dedicated booth featuring interactive soil-related activities, demonstrations, and opportunities to provide feedback that will further support the development of the SOIL-XR experience.