SPEAKERS 2026

The final program will be posted by 15th January 2026

Dr. Dimitrios Bechtsis serves as Associate Professor at the Industrial Engineering and Management Department of the International Hellenic University, Greece. He holds a postdoc (digital supply chains and industrial informatics) and Ph.D. (digital manufacturing methodologies and information technology (IT) tools for the management and control of autonomous vehicles in supply chains) from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, A.U.Th., an M.Sc. degree in medical informatics from the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Informatics, and the School of Medicine, A.U.Th., and a diploma in electrical and computer engineering from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, A.U.Th. He is an Associate Editor in the Frontiers in Industrial Engineering Journal, in the section of Industrial Informatics. His scientific interests indicatively cover the fields of industrial informatics, information technology, database management systems, the Internet of Things, Industry 4.0, autonomous vehicles, digital/sustainable supply chains, and precision agriculture systems, while he is focusing on the incorporation of intelligent autonomous vehicles and systems in the supply chain ecosystem. He has published his research work in acknowledged peer-reviewed scientific journals, as chapters in scientific books, and in many national and international conference proceedings. He has participated in more than 30 national and European research projects.

Keynote Speech 

Title: The Digital Supply Chain. 

The typical SC ecosystem includes the SC flows (movement of goods, information, and finances) through the various stages of the SC (supplier, manufacturing, distribution, retail, and customer). Sustainability is another key element that includes the social, economic, and environmental pillars. Digital SC management requires both traditional functional SC skills and disruptive technical skills. From a technical perspective, enabling digital technologies (IoT sensors, AR-VR, autonomous vehicles, data-driven decision support systems, and artificial intelligence) is the key to the SC ecosystem's digitalization. Autonomous vehicles could be used horizontally at all the SC stages to automate the SC processes and monitor the SC operations. A framework that captures the main software architecture elements effectively integrates autonomous vehicles in sustainable supply networks. Different aspects of the underlying technologies are discussed to facilitate the digital transition.

Dr. Elias Losif is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Digital Innovation, School of Business, University of Nicosia (UNIC), where he also serves as Associate Head of the Department. His primary teaching focus is the MSc in Blockchain and Digital Currency program, the first globally recognized degree in decentralized digital currencies and blockchains. Dr. Iosif is actively engaged in several European Commission-funded projects related to blockchain technologies. He holds a PhD in Electronic and Computer Engineering and has expertise in blockchain, fintech, and machine learning, particularly in human language technologies such as natural language processing and spoken dialogue systems. He has practical experience in related industrial sectors. Dr. Iosif has authored or co-authored over 80 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has received two best paper awards.

Keynote Speech 

Title: AI as a Catalyst for Risk Management in Fintech

This talk aims to unpack the potential of artificial intelligence in the realm of risk management for fintech, beginning with a critical look at the myths surrounding AI, particularly machine learning. By demystifying what AI can and cannot do, we lay the groundwork for understanding its practical implications. Building on this foundation, we will explore a series of stories from both academia and industry, highlighting where AI has succeeded, where it has stumbled, and the insights that have emerged along the way. The talk will also touch on key regulatory developments shaping the AI landscape, including the EU Artificial Intelligence Act and the Cyber Resilience Act. We will conclude by outlining a set of strategic suggestions aimed at fostering a broader, AI-centric mindset.

George Kokkonis is an assistant professor at the Dept of Information and Electronic Engineering of the International University of Greece. He received his PhD from the Department of Applied Informatics, University of Macedonia, Greece. He received a five-year Eng. Diploma from the Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and his MSc in Information Systems from the University of Macedonia. He has worked as an assistant professor for three years at the Dept. of Business Administration, University of Western Macedonia, Greece. He also worked as an adjunct professor for 12 years at the Dept. of Computer Applications in Management and Economics, Technological Educational Institution (TEI) of West Macedonia, Grevena, Greece. He has been teaching lessons on multimedia systems, PC programming, and databases. For 10 years, I was responsible for the NOC of the branch of the University of Western Macedonia in the city of Grevena, Greece. His research interests include haptic interfaces, multisensory protocols, teleoperations, and human–computer interaction.

Keynote Speech

Title: Tactile Internet and Tangible Interfaces in Virtual 

The evolution of the Tactile Internet and tangible interfaces is transforming Virtual Reality (VR), enabling richer, more immersive experiences. This talk explores how low-latency communication and advanced haptic technologies bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds, allowing users to interact with virtual environments through touch. We will discuss key developments in haptic feedback systems, the role of the Tactile Internet in reducing latency for real-time interactions, and the integration of tangible interfaces in VR applications. Special emphasis will be placed on their impact on accessibility, particularly for visually impaired users, and their potential applications in education, training, and remote collaboration. By leveraging technologies such as UltraWideBand (UWB) sensors and Digital Twin systems, we can enhance spatial awareness and interaction fidelity. The session will conclude with insights into future trends and challenges in developing truly immersive, touch-enabled VR experiences.

Prof. Panagiotis Sarigiannidis is the Director of the ITHACA lab (https://ithaca.ece.uowm.gr/), co-founder of the 1st spin-off of the University of Western Macedonia: MetaMind Innovations P.C. (https://metamind.gr), and Full Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Western Macedonia, Kozani, Greece. He received the B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in computer science from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece, in 2001 and 2007, respectively. He has published over 380 papers in international journals, conferences, and book chapters, including IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials, IEEE Transactions on Communications, IEEE Internet of Things, IEEE Transactions on Broadcasting, IEEE Systems Journal, IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine, IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society, IEEE/OSA Journal of Lightwave Technology, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, IEEE Access, and Computer Networks. He received 6 best paper awards and the IEEE SMC TCHS Research and Innovation Award 2023. He has been involved in several national, European, and international projects, coordinating and technically leading numerous national and European projects, including H2020, Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, and operational programs. His research interests include telecommunication networks, Internet of Things, and network security. He is an IEEE member and participates in the editorial boards of various journals like IEEE Transactions on Communications, IET Networks, International Journal of Communication Systems, and International Journal of Information Security.

Keynote Speech

Title : Next Generation Internet of Things: Challenges & Applications

The Internet of Things (IoT) interconnects devices, objects, and systems, enabling them to collect and exchange data, thus allowing devices to communicate and collaborate intelligently. However, IoT relies on secure, reliable, and, in some cases, high-capacity communication. For example, 5G aspires to solve many connectivity concerns between devices and systems by re-architecting how telecommunication operators build and manage the available spectrum and the distributed infrastructure. In addition, security and privacy design methodologies along with cross-layer federated architectures, could pave the way for demanding and challenging new verticals and applications. To accommodate the needs of the aforementioned services, the deployment of cloud applications is evolving into a hyper-distributed model; consequently, this evolution introduces new challenges in terms of application management, elasticity, and interoperability. The main focus of this keynote is to present key innovation technologies and application scenarios of Next Generation of IoT (NG-IoT) in modern society, accompanied by technological enablers. For instance, the role of RAN security and management through O-RAN compliant solutions is discussed, while several federated learning approaches are presented through practical paradigms. Finally, key outputs and results of three European projects are acknowledged, namely a) TERMINET (GA 957406), b) NANCY (GA 101096456), and c) ENACT (GA 101135423).