What is VSAC?

The VSAC’s main focus is to better connect the communities of visual scientists, researchers, and artists in order to deepen our understanding of aesthetic phenomena. This conference welcomes academics, researchers, and PhD students working across:

• visual science
• neuroscience
• psychology
• design
• engineering
• related interdisciplinary fields exploring perception-driven innovation

Learn more history of the conference here.

2026 Theme - Vision Forward: Perception, Art and Technology

This year’s theme aims to bring together designers, scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators to explore how visual perception and artistic practice intersect to shape human experience and interaction with the world. The conference examines how insights from perception and art advance our understanding of visual experience and inform creative practice, scientific inquiry, and the development of intuitive and effective technologies. It highlights design as a critical interface between humans, complex systems, and technologies, showing how artistic and aesthetic approaches can help us understand, model, and enhance perceptual processes.

What can I expect at the conference?

Hosted by the Department of Engineering, VSAC 2026 builds on King’s College London’s interdisciplinary strengths, bringing together the Department of Engineering (Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences), the Department of Neuroimaging (Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience), and the Department of Digital Humanities (Faculty of Arts and Humanities), while connecting to broader networks across healthcare, social sciences, and industry.

The conference will explore how insights from visual perception and artistic practice can inform visual systems and interfaces through:

• Keynote talks
• Empirical presentations
• Workshops
• Collaborative sessions

Sessions will explore topics from visualisations and augmented reality systems to medical imaging tools, assistive devices, and interactive environments that promote well-being and inclusive living.

Submissions

We welcome submissions, including but not limited to the themes below, especially those aligned with this year’s focus on design:

• Fundamental research in visual cognition or neuroscience addressing mechanisms of visual experience
• Research in visual perception, empirical aesthetics, or psychology of art, using artworks or aesthetic experience to investigate perceptual processes and inform visual interfaces
• Investigations into perception-driven innovations for healthcare design, mental health, or socially responsive environments
• Empirical research on perceptual phenomena in art and their technological applications for usability, performance, or well-being
• Cross-disciplinary research in machine vision, Vision Language Models (VLMs), and computational modelling and simulation of visual phenomena
• Studies of perceptual mechanisms applied to human-computer interaction, AI, VR/AR, medical imaging, or assistive technologies
• Case studies of perception-informed prototypes in AI, VR/AR, medical devices, or assistive solutions
• Interdisciplinary work exploring how visual science informs ethical, accessible, and sustainable solutions

We welcome participants from all disciplines who are curious, collaborative, and eager to share ideas and transform this conference into a hub for interdisciplinary dialogue, creative inspiration, and the incubation of future innovations.

Submission Dates

Symposia submissions: until April 1, 2026

Talk, Poster and Conversation submissions: until May 1, 2026

Notification of acceptance: May 20, 2026

Early-bird registration: until June 10, 2026

Submission Information

Submission guidelines are available on the VSAC website here.

The submission portal is accessed via EasyChair here

For email enquiries please contact VSAC2026@kcl.ac.uk 

Registration for the conference is via the King's eStore.