This paper will explore how Metaverse will facilitate the acceleration of industrial innovation and help the industry digitalize their global high-volume manufacturing environment. The authors ...conducted a live workshop (with around 30 participants) as part of the international conference Sibiu Innovation Days 2022. The workshop’s proceedings and output is described here below.
UTAUT in Metaverse: An “Ifland” Case Lee, Un-Kon; Kim, Hyekyung
Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research,
06/2022, Volume:
17, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Since 2021, big tech companies have been interested in metaverse platforms and services. Metaverse is the permanent, immersive mixed-reality world where people and people and people and objects can ...synchronously interact, collaborate, and live beyond the limitations of time and space, using avatars and the immersion-supporting devices, platforms, and infrastructures. On metaverse platforms, people can merge the real world and the virtual world. Because the metaverse has only recently begun to be studied, there are only dozens of studies on the metaverse published in qualified academic journals. There are few empirical studies on the extent to which metaverse platforms will be accommodated in the lives of information system users from an integrated perspective. Therefore, this paper aimed to empirically verify user acceptance of metaverse platforms by referring the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). This study was conducted in two stages. (1) The concept and research trends of the metaverse platform were examined, and (2) the UTAUT model was introduced in “Ifland”, one of the metaverse platforms, to verify its acceptance of information system users. I conducted a laboratory experiment while complying with the quarantine rules. Participants were required to watch a 15 min lecture on artificial intelligence on the metaverse platform “Ifland” for a sufficient time, then they discussed the impacts of artificial intelligence with others in the lecture. A total of 120 valid data points, excluding insincere responses, were collected, and hypotheses were verified through PLS analysis. Results indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence of the metaverse platform significantly increased satisfaction, usage intention, purchase intention, and word-of-mouth intention. Facilitating conditions had no significant impact on satisfaction. The results of this study provide implications for how the metaverse platform should be designed and what factors should be emphasized to increase user acceptance of metaverse platforms.
The declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic forced humanity to rethink how we teach and learn. The metaverse, a 3D digital space mixed with the real world and the virtual world, has been heralded as a ...trend of future education with great potential. However, as an emerging item, rarely did the existing study discuss the metaverse from the perspective of education. In this paper, we first introduce the visions of the metaverse, including its origin, definitions, and shared features. Then, the metaverse in education is clearly defined, and a detailed framework of the metaverse in education is proposed, along with in-depth discussions of its features. In addition, four potential applications of the metaverse in education are described with reasons and cases: blended learning, language learning, competence-based education, and inclusive education. Moreover, challenges of the metaverse for educational purposes are also presented. Finally, a range of research topics related to the metaverse in education is proposed for future studies. We hope that,
via
this research paper, researchers with both computer science and educational technology backgrounds could have a clear vision of the metaverse in education and provide a stepping stone for future studies. We also expect more researchers interested in this topic can commence their studies inspired by this paper.
Research on Educational Metaverse (Edu-Metaverse) has developed into an active research field. Based on 310 academic papers published from 2004 to 2022, this study identifies contributors, scientific ...cooperations, and research themes using bibliometrics, social network analysis, topic modeling, and keyword analysis. Results suggest that Edu-Metaverse has gained increasing attention in academia since 2019. Countries/affiliations located in the same regions are close partners in scientific cooperation. By jointly interpreting topic modeling and keyword analysis results, this study reveals eight main themes in the field of Edu-Metaverse: 1) metaverse-based physical education, 2) metaverses-supported simulations for collaborative problem-based learning (PBL) in health/medical education, 3) three-dimensional virtual learning environment-supported art appreciation and creation in art education, 4) metaverse-enabled laboratories for STEM education, 5) language and 21st-century skill development through metaverse-supported immersive language learning, 6) metaverse for developing autism children' social communication abilities, 7) virtual world metaverse-supported gameful experience-based education, and 8) quantitative research on Edu-Metaverse focusing on learners' experience. We also identified challenges and directions needing further attention: 1) data security and privacy protection, 2) balance between the real world and virtual world identities, 3) preparing instructors for Edu-Metaverse, and 4) assessment of higher-order thinking competencies in Edu-Metaverse-based PBL. This work helps facilitate researchers' and practitioners' understanding of Edu-Metaverse research and raises their awareness of research frontiers and future directions.
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have made significant advancements in enhancing transportation safety, reliability, and efficiency. However, challenges persist in security, privacy, data ...management, and integration. Metaverse, an emerging technology enabling immersive and simulated experiences, presents promising solutions to overcome these challenges. By establishing secure communication channels, facilitating virtual simulations for safe testing and training, and enabling centralized data management with real-time analytics, metaverse offers a transformative approach to address these challenges. While metaverse has found extensive applications across industries, its potential in transportation remains largely untapped. This comprehensive review delves into the integration of the metaverse in ITS, exploring key technologies like virtual reality, digital twin, blockchain, and artificial intelligence, and their specific applications in the context of ITS. Real-world case studies, research projects, and initiatives are compiled to showcase the metaverse’s potential for ITS. It also examines the societal, economic, and technological implications of metaverse integration in ITS and highlights the associated integration challenges. Lastly, future research directions are identified to unlock the metaverse’s full potential in enhancing transportation systems. IEEE
The Metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds supporting social connections among its users and enabling them to participate in activities mimicking real life. It merges physical and virtual ...reality and provides channels for multisensory interactions and immersions in a variety of environments 1. Metaverse is considered the third wave of the Internet revolution, and it is built on new and emerging technologies such as Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Research on the impact of the Metaverse on education exploded in 2022. Here we explore learning across the Metaverse and propose a new and innovative theoretical framework by reviewing literature and synthesizing best practices in designing metaverse learning environments. This Ecosystem consists of four major hubs: A) Instructional design and performance technology hub, B) Knowledge hub, C) Research and technology hub, and D) Talent and training hub. Common to all four hubs are the factors in the three wheels (Fig. 8): a) Infrastructure, business industry, and communication: b) technology access and equity, and c) user rights, data security, and privacy policy. We believe that this framework can help guide emerging research and development on the applications of Metaverse in education. We also hope this paper can serve as a launch pad for the special issue on Metaverse and the Future of Education supported by the IEEE Education Society.
Recently, Professor Chunxue Bai and colleagues have proposed a definition of the Metaverse in Medicine as the medical Internet of Things (MIoT) facilitated using AR and/or VR glasses.
A ...multi-disciplinary panel of doctors and IT experts from Asia, the United States, and Europe analyzed published articles regarding expert consensus on the Medical Internet of Things, with reference to study results in the field of metaverse technology.
It is feasible to implement the three basic functions of the MIoT, namely, comprehensive perception, reliable transmission, and intelligent processing, by applying a metaverse platform, which is composed of AR and VR glasses and the MIoT system, and integrated with the technologies of holographic construction, holographic emulation, virtuality-reality integration, and virtuality-reality interconnection. In other words, through interactions between virtual and real cloud experts and terminal doctors, we will be able to carry out medical education, science popularization, consultation, graded diagnosis and treatment, clinical research, and even comprehensive healthcare in the metaverse. The interaction between virtual and real cloud experts and terminal users (including terminal doctors, patients, and even their family members) could also facilitate different medical services, such as disease prevention, healthcare, physical examination, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, rehabilitation, management of chronic diseases, in-home care, first aid, outpatient attendance, consultation, etc. In addition, it is noteworthy that security is a prerequisite for the Metaverse in Medicine, and a reliable security system is the foundation to ensure the normal operation of such a platform.
The application of a Cloud Plus Terminal platform could enable interaction between virtual and real cloud experts and terminal doctors, in order to realize medical education, science popularization, consultation, graded diagnosis and treatment, clinical research, and even comprehensive healthcare in the metaverse.
Security Risks of the Metaverse World Abdulsattar Jaber, Tanya
International journal of interactive mobile technologies,
07/2022, Volume:
16, Issue:
13
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
An interesting paradigm is a metaverse which represents the next generation of using the internet to improve human lives and provide a new way to communicate by building a system that let the user ...represented by their avatar to work, socialize and play virtually by integrating multiple technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence as well as virtual and augmented reality. However, this may preserve many problems related to the security and privacy of the system user starting from data breaches to identity theft, in this paper an overview of the metaverse world and the architecture that connects the virtual to the real world and discuss the main security and privacy risks within the Metaverse world
Artificial intelligence for the metaverse: A survey Huynh-The, Thien; Pham, Quoc-Viet; Pham, Xuan-Qui ...
Engineering applications of artificial intelligence,
January 2023, 2023-01-00, Volume:
117
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Along with the massive growth of the Internet from the 1990s until now, various innovative technologies have been created to bring users breathtaking experiences with more virtual interactions in ...cyberspace. Many virtual environments have been developed with immersive experience and digital transformation, but most are incoherent instead of being integrated into a platform. In this context, metaverse has been introduced as a shared virtual world that is fueled by many emerging technologies. Among such technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) has shown the great importance of enhancing immersive experience and enabling human-like intelligence of virtual agents. In this survey, we make a beneficial effort to explore the role of AI, including machine learning algorithms and deep learning architectures, in the foundation and development of the metaverse. As the main contributions, we convey a comprehensive investigation of AI-based methods concerning several technical aspects (e.g., natural language processing, machine vision, blockchain, networking, digital twin, and neural interface) that have potentials to build virtual worlds in the metaverse. Furthermore, several primary AI-aided applications, including healthcare, manufacturing, smart cities, and gaming, are studied to be promisingly deployed in the virtual worlds. Finally, we conclude the key contribution and open some future research directions of AI for the metaverse. Serving as a foundational survey, this work will help researchers, including experts and non-experts in related fields, in applying, developing, and optimizing AI techniques to polish the appearance of virtual worlds and improve the quality of applications built in the metaverse.
Display omitted
•Studying AI-based technical works that are potential to build the Metaverse.•Surveying AI-aided application works that are promisingly deployed in the Metaverse.•Reviewing of some common AI-fueled Metaverse projects.•Providing some research directions based on some major limitations of AI.
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