We are excited to announce the 21th Annual ACM\/IEEE International Conference on Human Robot Interaction (HRI). HRI is the annual conference for basic and applied HRI research, where researchers from across the world present their best work to exchange ideas about theory, technology, data, and science furthering the state-of-the-art in the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many ways to participate in HRI 2026, including full papers archived in the ACM Digital Library and IEEE Xplore Digital Library, as well as late breaking reports, short contributions, alt.HRI, and more. There will be multiple opportunities particularly for students and those new to the field to get involved, including volunteering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conference theme for HRI 2026 is \u201cHRI Empowering Society.\u201d We welcome contributions exploring how robots can be ethically, accessibly, and sustainably integrated into everyday life, minimizing disruption and inequality so they can be embraced as empowering partners in work, services, and society at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We aim to make the conference in-person only, to bring the best possible experience to the attendees who will join us in Edinburgh. Additional details will be posted on the web page as the conference date nears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Full papers are up to eight camera-ready pages, including figures, but excluding references. Accepted full papers will be published in the conference proceedings and presented in an oral session. The HRI conference is highly selective with a rigorous, two-stage review model that includes an expert program committee meeting where papers are extensively discussed. As such, all submissions are expected to be mature, polished, and detailed accounts of cutting-edge research described and presented in camera-ready style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please be aware that full paper authors will be required to submit an abstract one week before<\/span><\/strong> the paper submission deadline, similar to last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The HRI 2026 conference full papers have five tracks: Theory and Methods, Design, Technical, Systems, and User Studies. To facilitate quality interdisciplinary reviewing, and to inform reviewer selection, authors will be required to select one main track and one optional second track for their full paper submissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authors are encouraged to consult the conference website for full information regarding the tracks and submission guidelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting January 1, 2026, ACM will fully transition to Open Access. All ACM publications, including those from ACM-sponsored conferences, will be 100% Open Access. Authors will have two primary options for publishing Open Access articles with ACM: the ACM Open institutional model or by paying Article Processing Charges (APCs). With over 1,800 institutions already part of ACM Open, the majority of ACM-sponsored conference papers will not require APCs from authors or conferences (currently, around 70-75%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authors from institutions not participating in ACM Open will need to pay an APC to publish their papers, unless they qualify for a financial or discretionary waiver. To find out whether an APC applies to your article, please consult the list of participating institutions in ACM Open and review the APC Waivers and Discounts Policy. Keep in mind that waivers are rare and are granted based on specific criteria set by ACM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understanding that this change could present financial challenges, ACM has approved a temporary subsidy for 2026 to ease the transition and allow more time for institutions to join ACM Open. The subsidy will offer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This represents a 65% discount, funded directly by ACM. Authors are encouraged to help advocate for their institutions to join ACM Open during this transition period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This temporary subsidized pricing will apply to all conferences scheduled for 2026, including HRI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By submitting your article to an ACM Publication, you are hereby acknowledging that you and your co-authors are subject to all ACM Publications Policies, including ACM’s new Publications Policy on Research Involving Human Participants and Subjects<\/span><\/a>. Alleged violations of this policy or any ACM Publications Policy will be investigated by ACM and may result in a full retraction of your paper, in addition to other potential penalties, as per ACM Publications Policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We’re committed to building an inclusive community and will do our best to make every paper accessible to everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\nACMs New Open Access Publishing Model<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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New ACM Publication Policies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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