XR and AI for business: what the Politecnico conference delivered and why it was an important milestone for Metagate
On March 11, 2026, at the Politecnico di Milano, the conference of the XR Technologies & Immersive Experience Observatory took place, titled “XR & AI to empower business: those who experiment go further”, an event dedicated to the evolution of immersive technologies, their concrete impact on businesses, and the growing role of Artificial Intelligence in XR projects.
The conference brought together some of the most relevant topics in the field today — hardware, software, neuroscience, Digital Twin, and real application cases — but above all it confirmed a key point: XR becomes truly relevant when it moves beyond theory or demonstration and translates into concrete, applicable, and useful tools for companies and organizations.
For Metagate, being present in this context had a precise meaning. Not only to participate in one of the most authoritative initiatives in Italy on these topics, but also to bring a real case to the stage, already developed and tested, capable of directly demonstrating the value of Mixed Reality in training.
A concrete Proof of Concept on the Politecnico stage
One of the most significant elements of the conference was precisely this: Metagate was the only entity to bring a concrete Proof of Concept to the stage, presented through the experience developed for FORMart and tested with Leroy Merlin.
This fact matters a lot to us. The Politecnico di Milano represents one of the most authoritative reference points in Italy when it comes to innovation, research, and technology transfer, and the XR Technologies & Immersive Experience Observatory is one of the most qualified spaces to understand the direction of the sector. In this context, bringing not an abstract vision but an applied project, already translated into a real experience, had particular value.
We are very proud to have contributed to the conference in this way: not with a promise, but with a concrete example of how Mixed Reality can be used to improve a real training process.
From theory to practice: fire safety in Mixed Reality
The presented Proof of Concept concerns an experience developed by Metagate for FORMart, dedicated to fire safety training, and tested with Leroy Merlin.
Through the Meta Quest 3 headset, participants can experience a practical Mixed Reality simulation and actively interact with a fire scenario. The central point is not only immersion, but the ability to act directly within the experience, transforming training into a more concrete, engaging, and memorable process.
These are not just immersive scenarios, but interactive scenarios, in which the person does not passively observe, but performs actions, makes decisions, moves in space, and learns by doing.
Natural interaction with hand tracking, without joysticks
One of the most relevant aspects of the experience developed by Metagate is the use of hand tracking. Interaction therefore takes place without joysticks, in a more natural and immediate way.
This significantly changes how the technology is perceived and used. Eliminating controllers reduces access barriers, makes the experience more intuitive even for those unfamiliar with headsets, and allows people to focus directly on the task, without first having to learn an artificial control logic.
In a training context, this is a decisive advantage, because it simplifies usability and makes interaction closer to real behavior. The user uses hands and gestures more spontaneously, strengthening the link between action and learning.
More learning through action and muscle memory
During the stage presentation, Emanuele Bellotto from FORMart and Marco Bonietti from Leroy Merlin strongly emphasized a key point: Mixed Reality training is particularly effective because it allows people to better remember the movements performed, activating muscle memory.
This element is central. When a person does not just watch or listen but directly performs an action, the learning process changes significantly. The executed gesture, the experienced context, and the attention required by the experience combine into a stronger and more easily retrievable memory when needed.
Another important factor is added: the element of wonder. WOW effects, when properly integrated into a designed experience, are not decorative but increase memorability. The user remembers more because they are more engaged. And remembers better because they learn by doing.
Mixed Reality: more safety, fewer barriers, no motion sickness
Another high-value aspect that emerged from the project concerns safety and usability of Mixed Reality compared to other immersive modes.
Being in Mixed Reality, the user maintains contact with the surrounding real space. This makes the experience much safer, avoiding the risk of bumping into people, objects, or obstacles in the environment. This is not a technical detail but a crucial condition, especially in training, business, or demonstration contexts where people move in real spaces.
Another relevant advantage is added: the absence of motion sickness. Mixed Reality maintains strong anchoring to the physical world and significantly reduces perceptual misalignment that can cause discomfort in other immersive contexts. The result is a more accessible, stable, and widely usable experience.
This combination — physical safety, ease of use, natural interaction, and absence of motion sickness — makes Mixed Reality particularly suitable for practical training contexts.
An experience deployable in any space
Another distinctive element of Metagate’s solution is its adaptability. The experience was designed to be used in any space, turning the real environment into part of the simulation.
This means training does not depend on a fixed environment or rigid setup. The fire scenario can be deployed and adapted to available spaces, maintaining coherence between real environment and digital content. This directly impacts learning by strengthening the connection between action, space, and memory.
Operationally, the advantage is clear: fewer logistical constraints, greater flexibility, and the ability to activate training in different locations without losing effectiveness.
The panel: FORMart and Leroy Merlin presented the project’s value
One of the most significant moments of the conference was the panel dedicated to the project, during which Emanuele Bellotto, Head of Sales and Marketing at FORMart, and Marco Bonietti from Leroy Merlin shared the work carried out and the observed benefits.
Their testimony strengthened the presentation, showing the project’s value from complementary perspectives: training and real-world application in business. Both highlighted the potential of Mixed Reality in making training more effective, easier to use, more memorable, and closer to real organizational needs.
For Metagate, this made participation even more significant: the project was not only described by those who develop technology, but also by those who adopt, use, and recognize its value in practice.
From stage content to direct testing in demo corners
Alongside the panel, the conference also provided a concrete opportunity for interaction with participants through demo corners.
During the day, Metagate allowed attendees to try the experience directly, enabling them to personally experience the fire simulation in Mixed Reality. Participants could see digital objects catching fire in the real world, interact with the scenario, and immediately understand the level of engagement this technology can generate when applied to training.
This transition from explanation to direct testing was critical. It demonstrated that the value of Mixed Reality lies not only in theoretical description, but in enabling procedures and contexts to be experienced interactively, safely, and memorably.
A clear signal for the future of immersive training
The Politecnico conference clearly showed that training is one of the fields where XR, and especially Mixed Reality, can generate immediate and concrete impact.
The project developed by Metagate with FORMart and Leroy Merlin fits perfectly within this trajectory. On one hand, it demonstrates that technology can improve training by making it more interactive, effective, and safe. On the other, it confirms that Meta Quest 3 can be used as an operational business tool, not just a demonstration device.
For Metagate, being present at the conference with a concrete Proof of Concept, in a reference context like the Politecnico di Milano, was an important validation of the chosen direction. When Mixed Reality allows people to learn by doing, move safely, interact without barriers, and better remember what they have done, it stops being a technological promise and becomes a real working tool.
Thanks to everyone who stopped by
We are very pleased to have taken part in this day and to have shared our work in such a qualified context.
Thanks to those who attended the talk, those who visited us at the demo corners, and those who tried the experience. For us, it was an important moment not only of visibility, but of concrete discussion about the value that Mixed Reality can bring to training today.
Metagate will continue in this direction: developing Mixed Reality experiences on Meta Quest 3 that do not just impress, but truly help companies and people work, learn, and operate better.
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