Real Time Communications Conference & Expo at Illinois Tech

How to submit a poster proposal

To feature a Poster at the RTC Conference, please submit a poster abstract that includes the following information no later than September 9, 2026.

• Title: A title for the poster.
• Proposer: Include name, affiliation, and e-mail address. Correspondence related to the conference will be sent by e-mail.
• Abstract: A description of the poster. Summarize the content of the poster in not more than 250 words.
• Topic: Please make sure that your research aligns one of the  following tracks at a broad level.
  • Real-Time and Multimedia Communications
  • Network Technologies and Architectures for RTC applications
  • AI and ML in RTC Applications and Services
  • Security, Privacy and Resilience in communication networks
  • For a more detailed list of potential topics of interest, please visit topics of interest.  We would like to see posters representing early results and in particular student work in these same areas.
• NOTE: The Poster judging will take place at the conference and will not be part of the paper reviewing process.

After you submit your abstract: You will be notified by e-mail of the acceptance of the poster and we will let you know about the details of the time and place for the poster presentation.

Printing your poster: Once accepted, you will be required to print the poster yourself and bring it to the conference.

Poster Format Guidelines

• • Poster dimensions – Not to exceed 30×40 inch
  • 300 dots per inch
  • Sample traditional poster template as a guide: sample 1 and sample 2

Poster Submission Guidelines

In addition to this, you need to also …

• Submit as a single PDF version your poster. This will become part of the conference proceedings and will be posted to the conference website after the conference.
• Uniform naming convention format: Name the .pdf file using the following convention: “authorlastname_firstname_RTC26Poster_V#.pdf” where poster # is the version number of the uploaded file (in case you decide to upload a later version, for example.)

Important dates reminder

• Submission of poster abstract: September 9th, 2026
• Notification of acceptance: September 16th, 2026
• Date of Presentation: September 22nd or 23rd, 2026 (details will be sent to you by e-mail)

 

 

 

We are delighted to announce that registration for the Real-Time Communications Conference & Expo 2026 is OPENS in June! This is an event you won’t want to miss, so mark your calendars and secure your spot today.

Conference Dates: September 22 – September 23, 2026

Venue: Hermann Hall, 3241 S. Federal St., Chicago, IL. 60616

Early-Bird Registration OPENS in JUNE!

 

Who Should Attend

If you’re involved in voice, video, messaging, mobility, the cloud, or the Web—whether you’re a developer, innovator, engineer, academic educator or researcher, product manager, marketer, or entrepreneur—this conference is for you. It’s an opportunity to learn, teach, and connect with peers in the field. For additional information on the conference, please see our Conference Prospectus

About the Conference

The RTC Conference and Expo at Illinois Tech is an International Conference of the IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology. This brings the conference an especially wide audience of technical professionals who are eager to contribute and to learn from the talks and demonstrations that will be presented. The conference serves as an outstanding platform for knowledge exchange, networking opportunities, and exploring the latest advancements in real-time communications.

Conference presentations will explore the leading technical and industrial edge of how we think about, create, and implement real-time communications networks, services and applications.

Conference Tracks

Presentations will be placed into the following conference tracks about which additional details can be found on the Program page of the conference website:

• WebRTC & Real-Time Applications and Services 
• AI in RTC
• Programmable Real-Time Networks and Applictions 
• Next Generation Emergency Communications
• Research Track (Juried Papers)
• The IEEE Communications Quality and Reliability Workshop

Conference Speakers

An initial list of conference speakers and their presentations is available on the Conference Speakers page of the website. A preliminary conference agenda will be posted on the conference website soon, and be accessible from the Program Page.

Get ready for an extraordinary experience filled with insightful keynotes, thought-provoking track discussions, interactive panels, and excellent networking opportunities as we bring together industry experts, innovators, and leading academics from around the globe to explore the latest trends and developments in the rapidly evolving field of real-time communications. We look forward to welcoming you to the conference!

Learn – Connect – Enjoy

By joining us at this conference, you’ll have the chance to:

• Gain valuable knowledge from thought-leading speakers who are visionaries in the field.
• Create meaningful connections by networking with experts.
• Discover emerging trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the future of real-time communications
• Explore new business opportunities.
• Learn about the latest academic research in real-time communications and help chart a path for future research efforts.

 

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Join us for the RTC Conference and Expo at Illinois Tech, taking place from September 22^nd  to 23^rd at Illinois Tech in Chicago. As we celebrate our 22^nd anniversary, we’re excited to bring together thought leaders from across industry and academia to shape the future of real-time communications.

Who Should Attend

If you’re involved in video, messaging, mobility, the cloud, AI or the Web —whether you’re a developer, innovator, engineer, academic educator or researcher, product manager, marketer, or entrepreneur—this conference is for you. It’s an opportunity to learn, teach, and connect with peers in the field. For additional information on the conference, please see our Conference Prospectus.

Topics of Interest

We’re soliciting presentation proposals at the leading technical and industrial edge of how we conceptualize, create, and implement real-time communications networks, services and applications. Presentations will be placed into the following conference tracks:

• Programmable Real-Time Networks
• AI in RTC

• WebRTC & Real-Time Applications
• Next Generation Emergency Communications
• IEEE Communications, Quality and Reliability Workshop
• Research Track (Juried Papers)

For more details on each track, visit our website’s Program page.

To propose a talk, simply submit a title, abstract, and brief bio via the Propose a Talk link on our site.

Individual presentations are typically allotted 30 minutes, consisting of 20 – 25 minutes of speaker presentation and 5-10 minutes of audience Q&A. Panel presentations are typically allotted 60 minutes, consisting of 45 – 50 minutes of panelist presentations and 10-15 minutes of Q&A.

Call for Speakers vs. Call for Papers

Call for Speakers is distinct from the Call for Papers (Research Track only). The Research Track is an academic track in which juried papers that are selected based on a peer review process, will be presented at the conference and then submitted for publication in IEEE Xplore. The Call for Speakers covers all tracks other than the Research Track. Presentation proposals will be reviewed by the Program Committee as they are received. Ongoing notifications of acceptance will be made based on content, relevance, and speaker qualifications. The proposal deadline is July 6, 2026, but please make your proposals as early as possible to ensure a place on this year’s agenda!

If you are attempting to submit a paper to be reviewed for possible inclusion in the Research Track, please first visit the Call for Papers where you can find guidelines on submitting papers via EDAS. If your paper has been accepted for presentation, please submit the final talk details below.

Expectations for Presenters

Please note that this is an in-person event with all the advantages that the format offers. The in-person format, in particular, gives participants the opportunity to meet and talk with the presenters during the breaks and social events. Talks that are accepted for the program will be given in person and not online. Please note also, that our audience has high expectations! They expect our speakers will present meaningful, thought-leading content. Overt marketing pitches will not be accepted.

Join Us

The RTC Conference at Illinois Tech is a globally recognized event where industry and academia connect. Don’t miss this chance to contribute to the future of real-time communications. Submit your proposal today and be a part of the conversation!

 

 

 

 

The RTC Conference and Expo at Illinois Tech – September 22– 23 is a venue for connecting the future to today in real-time where thought leaders from industry and academia gather to discuss, debate and shape the future of the rapidly changing real-time communications field. Check out our Conference Prospectus and make plans to join us as a conference sponsor for this unique event taking place at Hermann Hall on IIT’s Mies Campus in Chicago!

As an International Conference of the IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology, we feature an especially wide audience of technical professionals who are eager to contribute and to learn from the talks and demonstrations that will be presented, ensuring It will serve as an outstanding platform for knowledge exchange, networking opportunities, and exploring the latest advancements in real-time communications. By becoming a sponsor of the RTC Conference & Expo at Illinois Tech, your organization will gain exceptional exposure and access to a highly influential audience.

Here are some compelling reasons why you should consider joining us as a sponsor:

• Outstanding Brand Visibility: The RTC Conference& Expo at Illinois Tech expects a significant turnout of industry and academic experts, thought leaders, and innovators from around the globe. You will receive extensive exposure throughout the conference, including prominent logo placement, branding opportunities in marketing materials, event signage, and online platforms, ensuring maximum visibility.

• Thought Leadership Positioning: Demonstrate your expertise and thought leadership by participating in panel discussions and delivering presentations. Share your insights and experiences with a diverse audience, positioning your company as a go-to resource within the real-time communications community.

• Talent Acquisition: The RTC Conference & Expo at Illinois Tech will attract top-tier talent from academia, startups, and established organizations. Engage with talented students and professionals, and showcase your company’s culture and career prospects, creating a powerful recruitment platform.

• Showcase Your Company: Use the conference as a platform to exhibit your latest technological advancements. This will enable you to capture the attention of potential customers and partners and receive valuable feedback from industry experts.

• Help Shape Future Industry Research Initiatives: Partner with the RTC Lab to identify, develop and execute R&D projects that are mutually beneficial to industry and academia.

• Help Build the Applications Development Ecosystem: Educate developers and explain the power of programmable real-time communications face to face with students and young professionals who participate in our dynamic, highly interactive poster sessions, presentations and social events.

We offer various sponsorship packages designed to suit your organization’s goals, ranging from Platinum, Gold, and Silver conference levels, Each package includes an array of benefits and privileges tailored to meet your specific objectives.

Please join us in shaping the future of real-time communications. Your sponsorship will play a pivotal role in making this event a resounding success and will position your brand as a key player within the industry.

Our dedicated sponsorship team is ready to assist you in exploring sponsorship opportunities and discussing available packages. We are eager to provide you with further details, answer any questions you may have, and work together to create a mutually beneficial partnership. For more information, and to secure your conference sponsorship, please contact Robert Burke(Bob) at [email protected]

22nd Annual Real-Time Communications Conference & Expo

An IEEE International Conference at Illinois Tech

RTC Conference September 22 – 23, 2026

The 22nd annual Real-Time Communications (RTC) Conference and Expo at Illinois Tech will take place September 22-23, 2026 at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Mies campus in Chicago. You will not want to miss this event, a multi-tracked technical conference with talks, juried papers, a poster competition, and time for networking and social activities.

Each Conference track will focus on one of six broad areas of interest. The descriptions of the tracks can be found on the Program page of the RTC Conference website.

As an added feature of this year’s conference, we are delighted to host the IEEE Communications Society’s Communications Quality and Reliability Technical Committee annual Workshop. The Workshop will be open to all conference registrants, allowing all attendees the benefit of the Workshop’s 40 years of experience, speakers and patrons.

Call for Papers vs. Call for Speakers

The RTC Conference hosts two types of talks: (1) Technical talks that describe or demonstrate interesting applications and technologies related to real time communications, and (2) Research papers that are peer-reviewed and, after being presented in the Research Track of the RTC conference, will be presented for publication on the IEEE Xplore online archive.

This email contains the Call for Research Papers which will be presented in the Research Track. The call for speakers in the other six tracks will be available soon.

Call for Papers

The functions and scope of real-time mixed media applications are expanding as these applications are integrated with Data, ML/AI, Blockchain, Voice- and Financial Technologies, Quantum Computing, IoT, and more. While there are conferences devoted to each of these technologies separately, and to the underlying networks and platforms that support them, the RTC Conference Research Track is specifically interested in exploring the issues, opportunities and challenges associated with the integration of these disparate technologies. Here is the link to the Call for Papers to be presented in the Research Track.

 

The Research Track of RTC invites paper submissions in interactive multimedia communications describing architectures, design, theoretical results, experiments, innovative systems, prototyping efforts, and case studies. Papers that are accepted and presented at the conference will be submitted for publication in IEEE Xplore.

 

We are interested in works at the intersection of multimedia interactive communications with technologies as diverse as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Quantum Computing, Internet of Things, Vehicular Networking and Communications, Confidential Computing, Network Management, Programmable Network Services, Security, Privacy, Voice Technologies, Blockchain, Gaming, and Robotics. The Technical Program inherits the 17-year legacy of the IPTComm Conference. We invite submissions on a wide range of topics related to real-time communications, including but not limited to:

 

• Real-Time and Multimedia Communications
  • WebRTC applications and protocols
  • Interactive multimedia systems (video, audio, AR/VR, gaming, robotics)
  • Cloud-based and distributed communications
  • Time-sensitive networking and ultra-low latency applications
  • Real-time streaming protocols and media transport optimizations
  • Synchronization and jitter management
• Network Technologies and Architectures for RTC applications
  • 5G/6G networks and beyond
  • Software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualization (NFV)
  • Edge computing, fog computing, and cloud-native applications
  • Internet of Things (IoT) networks and industrial communications
  • Vehicular networking (V2X)
  • Programmable networks and service orchestration

 

• AI and Machine Learning in RTC Applications and Services
  • Explainable AI: Sparse Autoencoders, Visualization Techniques, Contrastive Explanations,

SHAP/LIME/Permutation Importance

• AI/ML applications in real-time network automation and optimization
• Large language models and conversational AI
• Speech recognition, synthesis, and natural language processing
• AI-driven network security for detecting and mitigating threats in RTC environments
• Predictive maintenance and anomaly detection for real-time network reliability

 

• Security, Privacy, and Resilience in communication networks
  • Identity management, authentication, and encryption
  • Intrusion detection and mitigation techniques
  • Blockchain applications for secure and trustworthy communications
  • Privacy-aware computation and data protection
  • Network reliability, resilience, and disaster recovery
  • Secure routing, access control, and zero-trust architectures

 

• Quality, Performance, Reliability and Experience
  • Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) assessment
  • Performance metrics, measurement, and benchmarking
  • Network survivability, fault tolerance, and self-healing mechanisms
  • AI-driven predictive analytics for quality optimization
  • Service level agreements (SLAs) and compliance monitoring
  • Network congestion control and traffic engineering for improved communication quality
  • User experience and Customer Experience
  • Quantum Computing

 

Submission Guidelines

Paper submissions must describe original research, not published nor currently under review for another conference or journal. The program committee will referee all papers. At least one author of each paper must be registered and present their paper at the conference.

• All paper submissions must be done through EDAS (https://edas.info/N35449)
• Regular paper submissions should follow the guidelines and use the formatting tools available on the IEEE Manuscripts Templates
• Regular papers must be in between 4 to 8 pages, double-column IEEE format, including figures, references and appendices.
• Work-in-progress papers should have no more than 4 pages in IEEE double-column format, including figures, references and Work-in-progress papers must include “Work in Progress” in the title.

 

Important Dates

 

• Paper submission deadline: Friday, July 31, 2026 – 23:59h (Chicago time)
• Notification of acceptance: Monday, August 24, 2026
• Final camera-ready submission: Monday, September 7, 2026
• Conference Dates: September 22-23, 2026 (at Hermann Hall, IIT Main Campus, Chicago, IL, USA)

 

Conference Chair

• Alvin Chin (University of Illinois in Chicago, USA)

 

Program Chair

• Sandeep Kumar Davuluri (University of the Cumberlands, USA)

 

Research Track Chairs

• Mihaela Chelaru (University of Illinois in Chicago, USA)
• Eiji Oki (Kyoto University, Japan)
• Mounish Sunkara (Gamma Technologies LLC, USA)

 

 

Technical Program Committee

TBC (to be confirmed)