As immersive technology becomes more streamlined and accessible to larger audiences, it is imperative for advertisers and businesses to understand and engage in new spaces where prospective consumers are gathered. The introduction of the metaverse, a virtual hub of experiences, commerce, and impressions, for consumers through revolutionary peripherals such as virtual and augmented reality represents a shift in how online users and brands are positioned within the digital space. This thesis analyses the industry space and how brands, researchers, and consumers are utilizing revolutionary technologies to reconceptualize the idea of commerce, interactivity, and self-expression. This report and research have largely been conducted by interviewing industry experts across the globe and attending Web3 conferences, including DCentral 2022 in Miami, Florida, and serves as a detailed guide for marketers and brands to the utility of the metaverse found in the decentralized layout, incorporation of digital assets and product authenticity, as well as the increased opportunities found in innovative marketing research and development.
Introducción: En este texto se aborda la inclusión de personas con discapacidad visual en diversos grados en el ámbito del museo (físico y virtual), destacando la necesidad del diseño de espacios que permitan una mejor experiencia estética por parte de este colectivo haciendo uso de tecnologías hápticas, realidad virtual e integrando 3D/NFT’s en la creación de experiencias inmersivas y táctiles. Metodología: Se propone el uso de fotogrametría digital para la generación de gemelos digitales, así como Unreal Engine para su programación con retroalimentación háptica, y su posterior conversión a NFT (Non Fungible Tokens) e inclusión en plataforma digital. Resultados y discusión: de manera prospectiva se plantea una mejora significativa en cuanto a accesibilidad y experiencia estético-formal por parte de personas con discapacidad visual, justificada en fuentes que muestran que esta integración tecnológica facilita una conexión emocional y cognitiva más profunda con la obra de arte. Conclusiones: se recalca la necesidad de abordar políticas culturales inclusivas desde el ámbito de la museografía de contenidos, en colaboración con organizaciones especializadas para asegurar su implementación efectiva, impulsando la innovación tecnológica y fomentando una sociedad más equitativa.
This paper explores the evolution of digital art, tracing its development from the early experiments of the 1960s to the diverse contemporary practices of the 21st century. It examines key technological advancements, such as the transition from 2D to 3D art, the rise of the internet, and the integration of artificial intelligence, which have redefined artistic creation and audience interaction. The role of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and blockchain technology in the commercialization and authentication of digital art is discussed, as well as the impact of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) in creating immersive art experiences. Additionally, the paper addresses ethical and philosophical questions regarding authorship, ownership, and the environmental impact of digital art. Ultimately, this study highlights the profound influence of digital technologies on art and offers insights into the future trajectory of the field.
Taisia Huckle, Kristen Mummert, Antonia C. Lyons, Tim McCreanor · 6 authors
INTRODUCTION: The study aims are to: (i) explore methods for identifying alcohol company marketing in metaverses; (ii) identify current types of alcohol marketing in metaverses; and (iii) identify dominant portrayals and meanings of alcohol marketing in these settings. METHODS: Our design was exploratory, employing various approaches to identify alcohol company marketing across multiple metaverses. In stage one, we systematically navigated through metaverses as an avatar, documenting and coding all instances of alcohol company marketing. In stage two, the research team collaboratively explored and discussed excerpts of this marketing. The team thematically analysed the transcribed discussion, identifying key meanings and interpretations of immersive and interactive alcohol marketing. RESULTS: Stage one: alcohol company marketing was identified in two metaverses, Decentraland and Sandbox. Within those metaverses were five alcohol company marketing experiences: Heineken Silver, Jose Cuervo Tequila, Wisher Vodka, San Matias Tequila, and Mason Martell Cognac. Marketing strategies included immersive commerce, virtual drinking, immersive branding, immersive engagement, gaming, non-fungible tokens (digital assets), education, non-player characters promoting brands and virtual event-based marketing. Stage two: themes identified were: (i) immersive branding, representing continued exposure to brands that were both foregrounded and on the edge of users' awareness; (ii) immersive engagement, including alcohol-related gaming, quests, and alcohol production; (iii) avatars simulating drinking behaviour (virtual drinking); and (iv) immersive commerce representing how metaverse alcohol marketing may drive alcohol transactions. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Alcohol companies are using novel immersive marketing techniques in metaverses. The impact on the experiences and drinking behaviours of users are unknown and require investigation.
Paula Fraga‐Lamas, Sérgio Ivan Lopes, Tiago M. Fernández‐Caramés
Decentralized Metaverses, built on Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 technologies, have attracted significant attention across various fields. This innovation leverages blockchain, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), Extended Reality (XR) and advanced technologies to create immersive and interconnected digital environments that mirror the real world. This article delves into the Metaverse of Everything (MoE), a platform that fuses the Metaverse concept with the Internet of Everything (IoE), an advanced version of the Internet of Things (IoT) that connects not only physical devices but also people, data and processes within a networked environment. Thus, the MoE integrates generated data and virtual entities, creating an extensive network of interconnected components. This article seeks to advance current MoE, examining decentralization and the application of Opportunistic Edge Computing (OEC) for interactions with surrounding IoT devices and IoE entities. Moreover, it outlines the main challenges to guide researchers and businesses towards building a future cyber-resilient opportunistic MoE.
The Metaverse is like another world functioning parallel to the actual physical world. It merges physical reality with digital virtuality by the convergence of different technologies that enable interactions with virtual objects and environment. The complete immersive experience with metaverse generates huge data which comes with its own set of challenges, a major one being the security and storage of user centric data. Considerably, blockchain offers a significant solution due to its exceptional features of decentralization, immutability, and transparency. For a detailed insight into the role of blockchain in the metaverse, the paper explores its usage in the healthcare industry. The paper then proposes a healthcare system named MetaBlock that is a fusion of both the metaverse and blockchain techniques. The paper discusses the components of the system from a detailed technical interpretation, such as data acquisition, data storage, virtual object and space simulation, data sharing and data privacy protection. Finally, an important research direction in terms of distributed consensus mechanism is discussed.
Raj Maurya, M. Sanjoy Singh, Sukanta Kumar Baral, Kaushal Kumar
The emergence of the metaverse presents unprecedented opportunities for businesses, particularly within the accounting sector, by enabling immersive, interactive digital environments. This study explores the transformative role of metaverse technology in accounting business operations, addressing its potential and the associated challenges. Integrating metaverse solutions within accounting can revolutionize financial analysis, auditing, and client interactions. The metaverse offers a platform to enhance the goodwill of IT firms, manage NFT (non-fungible tokens), and sales expenses and improve customer experiences. However, practical implementation faces hurdles such as data security, technological adaptability, cost concerns, and a significant learning curve for professionals. This research investigates these obstacles and proposes strategic frameworks for adopting metaverse technology in accounting. The study also assesses the future impact of metaverse integration on business operations, suggesting that, despite the challenges, the metaverse can reshape traditional accounting practices. Ultimately, the findings contribute to a roadmap for accounting firms and professionals seeking to harness the benefits of metaverse technology in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. The study concludes that metaenvironment businesses' reporting structure uses accounting to access all significant financial activities virtually.
This article explores the metaverse in depth, from the literature to the latest technology trends. Key concepts such as Web3, blockchain, AI, VR, AR, haptic technology and the IoT are examined, framing the metaverse as a new space for human and digital interaction in an immersive 3D environment. It highlights how technological development has fostered debate on the prospects of the metaverse, which represents a new virtual frontier where human and digital interaction merge in an immersive environment. This sensory medium raises questions about human rights, especially in relation to privacy, property and digital identity, consequently, the following problem is formulated: To what extent is the protection of Human Rights appropriate within the metaverse?. Thus, the research was carried out using a qualitative methodology, which included an exhaustive analysis of the existing literature on human rights and emerging technologies, as well as case studies on virtual environments. Finally, it concludes by emphasizing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to address the challenges of the metaverse, highlighting the importance of protecting human rights in this new digital environment.
Abdul Razzaq, Tao Zhang, Muhammad Numair, Abdulrahman Alreshidi · 9 authors
Abstract Metaverse—a three‐dimensional computational environment—combines physical and virtual reality to enable social relationships and immersive experiences by mimicking real‐world scenarios. Metaverse is considered the third wave of the internet revolution (exploiting Web 3.0), leveraging upcoming technologies such as extended reality and artificial intelligence shaping a new era of human–‐machine interactions. In recent years, increased research and development on educational technologies (EduTech) based on blockchain technology has seen substantial growth of metaverse‐based solutions within the higher education context. This research aims to synergize blockchain technology and metaverse environments to conduct online exams (metaExam) in a trustworthy, reliable, and secure way. The synergy between blockchain and the metaverse brings various benefits, such as improved security, cost effectiveness, and increased efficiency in the online examination process. One of the central features of the proposed solution metaExam is to leverage cryptographic protocols via blockchain to control data access, making verification faster and protecting against misuse. Exam scores and grades are stored on a blockchain ledger using a digital signature method to enhance security. We validated the proposed solution by testing a prototype on the Ethereum platform using the Sepolia Testnet network using Microsoft Windows environment. Evaluation results indicate (i) query response time (10–50 ms), (ii) and query execution performance (CPU utilization between 1%–5%) offering computationally feasible solution. This research contributes by integrating blockchain and metaverse technologies to offer a solution metaExam that can offer improved security and immersive user experience for exam management. The proposed solution and its validation can provide insights into transforming online exams, offering a fresh perspective on addressing concerns about exam grade authenticity and verifying academic credentials in EduTech.
ABSTRACT Metaverse is an emerging digital space that uses innovative technologies to allow users to facilitate building relationships virtually and to create new interaction opportunities. Even, the financial sector has been disrupted by the metaverse involving digital assets, cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology, and decentralized finance. The objective of this paper is to focus on novel intelligent systems technologies with the potential for application in the financial area to have a better knowledge of the current research topics, challenges, and future directions. A systematic literature review was conducted analyzing papers on technological innovation of the metaverse in financial sector. Following the PRISMA methodology, we have selected 29 primary studies from five scientific databases to be included in the review. The results show that 11 types of innovative metaverse technologies are applied in the financial sector, developing financial innovations, among which the most discussed is cryptocurrency. Among the opportunities that the use of the metaverse brings to the financial sector, the reduction of transaction costs is the most discussed. Finally, five open challenges in the use of metaverse technologies in the financial sector have been identified, relating to the use of data, the application of technologies, social integration, financial innovation, and regulatory compliance. Based on this study, recommendations on future research directions are provided to the scientific community.
As the esports industry continues its rapid growth, new opportunities such as the metaverse and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are emerging, driven by the inherently digital nature of esports. To better understand viewer engagement in this evolving landscape, this study investigates viewer behavior in the context of watching esports. A survey was conducted on a sample of 312 esports viewers in South Korea, and the data was subsequently analyzed using structural equation modeling. The study's findings indicate that hedonic motivation is significantly correlated with attitudes toward esports and the utilization of esports in the metaverse. Furthermore, perceived enjoyment was found to significantly positively influence attitudes toward esports, the metaverse expansion of esports, and the use of esports via NFTs. Notably, attitudes toward esports showed a significant relationship with continuance intention. Both subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were also found to significantly influence continuance intention.
Omer Aziz, Muhammad Shoaib Farooq, Adel Khelifi, Mahdia Shoaib
Abstract The rapid evolution of the digital landscape has catalyzed the integration of blockchain technology within the domain of cultural heritage, particularly in virtual museums within the Metaverse. This study introduces ArchaeoMeta, a novel framework designed to leverage blockchain technology to enhance security, authenticity, and visitor interaction in a virtual museum environment. Utilizing smart contracts deployed on the Ethereum Sepolia testnet, the framework manages visitor interactions and secures digital artifacts, addressing challenges associated with scalability and user experience under varying loads. The performance evaluation involved simulating user interactions, scaling up to ten thousand concurrent users, to assess the impact on transaction latency, gas usage, and blockchain size. Findings reveal significant scalability challenges, as transaction latency and blockchain size increased with the number of users, highlighting areas for optimization in managing high user traffic within the blockchain infrastructure. This study contributes to the understanding of blockchain applications in cultural heritage, suggesting that while ArchaeoMeta offers a robust platform for virtual museums, enhancements in scalability through layer-2 solutions or alternative blockchain platforms are essential for its practical implementation. The framework sets a precedent for future research in the convergence of blockchain technology and cultural heritage preservation, promising a transformative impact on how digital cultural experiences are curated and consumed.
Abstract The Metaverse, distinguished by its capacity to integrate the physical and digital realms seamlessly, presents a dynamic virtual environment offering diverse opportunities for engagement across innovation, entertainment, socialization, and commercial endeavors. However, the Metaverse is poised for a transformative evolution through the convergence of contemporary technological advancements, including artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Robotics, augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality. This convergence is anticipated to revolutionize the global digital landscape, introducing novel social, economic, and operational paradigms for organizations and communities. To comprehensively elucidate the future potential of this technological fusion and its implications for digital innovation, this research endeavors to undertake a thorough analysis of scholarly discourse and research pertaining to the Metaverse, AI, Blockchain, and associated technologies. This survey delves into various critical facets of the Metaverse ecosystem, encompassing component analysis, exploration of digital currencies, assessment of AI utilization in virtual environments, and examination of Blockchain's role in enhancing digital content and data security. Leveraging articles retrieved from esteemed digital repositories including ScienceDirect, IEEE Xplore, Springer Nature, Google Scholar, and ACM, published between 2017 and 2023, this study adopts an analytical approach to engage with these materials. Through rigorous examination and discourse, this research aims to provide insights into the emerging trends, challenges, and future directions in the convergence of the Metaverse, Blockchain, and AI. This article is categorized under: Application Areas > Industry Specific Applications
The term “Metaverse” itself is derived from the fusion of “meta” (signifying “beyond”) and “verse” (an abbreviation of “universe”), suggesting a realm transcending physical reality. It foreshadows a networked constellation of virtual worlds wherein individuals can engage in various activities, including work, recreation, and social interactions. Web3, in conjunction with AI, will be integrated into Metaverses, where people can interact, learn, exchange, and have new immersive experiences. A profoundly transformational aspect of Web3 Metaverses will be the creation of community-owned economies, known as decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs). With blockchain and smart contracts, community rules can be encoded, and digital assets allow members to exchange value within a token economy. The chapter describes a future world of greater decentralisation, a new data economy, and a world where the open Metaverse, powered by Web3, will provide social utility across multiple sectors.
This chapter examines some of the current definitions of the metaverse, as well as considers how the “3D Internet” and Web3 concepts relate to the Metaverse. Whilst simple definitions of the metaverse may be useful for marketing, they can hinder a deeper exploration of what a Metaverse might actually be, and what its implications are, so the chapter presents 10 axioms in order to define a Metaverse – considering the Metaverse in terms of its most complete and developed form. Armed with these axioms, some of the related terms such as virtual worlds, social virtual worlds, and virtual reality environments are considered. The chapter illustrates how some current platforms measure up against the axioms and examines Second Life &s;s standing (and OpenSim ) as the most complete current model of a Metaverse. In the second part of the chapter, the focus shifts to explaining what it is that is notably different about the virtual reality experience in psychological terms, and how this gives additional power to the metaverse concept.
Since the 1970s, telecommuting has generated significant interest among academics and practitioners alike. However, the topic of flexible working arrangements has become more relevant lately, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As digital technologies continuously advance, immersive workplaces facilitated by technologies such as virtual reality (VR) become more appealing. This article examines the phenomenon of virtual immersive workspaces and their impacts on organizations. It provides insights into the emerging trends driving subsequent immersive technologies that not only foster competitive advantages in the Web3 era but also shed light on the challenges that organizations face in this context. The findings emphasize the key advantages and limitations of implementing VR in the workplace as well as the importance of purposefully designing a set of tools for remote workers.
This chapter covers the ways video games are a synergistic outgrowth of many kinds of legacy media and programming content. It shares gaming history, including the arcade game era and technologies, multiplayer online role-playing games, OpenSimulator, graphic technologies, gaming economics, and ways large and small screens are part of the game experience and industry. The chapter shares ideas about virtual worlds, cross-pollination of gaming efforts, augmented and extended realities, AI chat boxes, and other ways gamers shape a user-driven economy. It shares information on the video game audiences, effects, and the social side of video gaming. It covers the contemporary video gaming landscape, including non-fungible tokens, Bitcoin, blockchain, and other digital economy developments.
Ahmad Musamih, Khaled Salah, Raja Jayaraman, Mohamed L. Seghier · 7 authors
Claustrophobia is a widespread mental health issue that affects a significant portion of the population. Traditional approaches, such as exposure therapies, have shown efficacy but are limited by their inability to provide immersive and controlled environments for effective therapy. These methods often struggle to replicate the intensity and authenticity of claustrophobic scenarios and face challenges in data security and patient engagement. In this paper, we propose a blockchain and Non-Fungible Token (NFT)-based metaverse to create a decentralized, transparent, immersive, and secure platform for claustrophobia exposure therapy. Our approach integrates blockchain technology for decentralized data management and NFTs for incentivizing patient participation, offering a unique enhancement to traditional therapy methods. We develop four blockchain smart contracts to manage registration, access control, NFT management, progress monitoring, and incentives distribution. Our system architecture, sequence diagrams, and algorithms are presented to demonstrate the functionality of our solution. We validate our approach through functionality testing, cost evaluation, and security analysis. Specifically, we measure the gas consumption of the smart contracts, analyze transaction costs, and assess system security against vulnerabilities. Additionally, we leverage existing literature to support the effectiveness of NFTs as incentives and the role of blockchain in enhancing data security and participation. The results show improvements in therapy engagement and data security, validating the practical implications of integrating blockchain and metaverse technologies in mental health therapy. We discuss the practical implications, challenges, and limitations of our solution, along with guidelines for generalization. The source code is publicly available on GitHub.
Dhanya Pramod, S. Vijayakumar Bharathi, Kanchan Patil
In recent years, the growing interest in non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has triggered substantial academic and commercial interest. NFTs, are disruptively transforming the realms of art, entertainment, and investment. Exploring the factors that drive individuals to invest in these digital collectibles is central for understanding the broader implications of this innovative financial trend. In this direction, our study investigated the user characteristics, technology characteristics, social influence the user’s intention to invest in NFTs, moderated by investor’s habits. This research extended the theory of trying by including precursors of the NFT trial attitude, such as optimism, innovativeness, discomfort, and insecurity (users); Governance considerations and extendibility (process); and digital asset ownership and indivisibility (technology) and social influence. Structural equation modeling analyzed the data collected from 278 investors through a structured questionnaire. The finding indicates that a trying attitude significantly impacted the intentions to invest in NFTs. Precursors impacting trying attitude included optimism, innovativeness, insecurity, digital asset ownership, indivisibility, and social influence. However, discomfort, Governance considerations, and extendibility were not significant. The study offered theoretical and practical implications to individual investors and the broader digital asset landscape and slated directions for future research.
Cristina Mele, Tiziana Russo Spena, Stefano Paolo Russo
Purpose This study aims to investigate the evolving concept of the metaverse and its implications for service innovation. It seeks to understand how integrating technologies such as extended reality, blockchain, artificial intelligence and non-fungible tokens enables companies to experiment and innovate. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative methodology, this investigation conducts an immersive netnography across more than 25 case studies spanning diverse industries such as gaming, retail, health care and education. The thematic analysis method is used to distill critical insights, providing a deep dive into the technological enablers, innovation processes and market adaptations within the metaverse. Findings The study addresses four main building blocks through which companies experiment with the metaverse to foster innovation: enabling virtual identities’ agency, developing non-fungible tokens, designing immersive paths and crafting phygital microworlds. They shape the metaverse by enacting actors, resources, processes and phygital ecosystems. Companies obtain learning outcomes from such experimentation and identify learning challenges. Originality/value This research contributes to the nascent body of knowledge on the metaverse and service innovation by providing a comprehensive framework that encapsulates the multifaceted ways companies experiment within the metaverse. It extends the understanding of digital-physical convergence in service research, offering theoretical and practical insights into the development of phygital service ecosystems.
Pierre Sedi Nzakuna, Vincenzo Paciello, A. Lay-Ekuakille, Angelo Kuti Lusala · 5 authors
IOTA is a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) designed for the Internet of Things (IoT), featuring feeless transactions and data-only blocks for information sharing between IoT devices. Its ledger, the Tangle, adopts a Directed Acyclic Graph structure (DAG) that enables it to scale while keeping secure, fitting with the needs of IoT growth. Most of literature work address the behavior and asses the performance of the Tangle by using simulated data, only few of them are based on empirical dataset. Moreover, to our best knowledge, no research has been previously carried out on the evolution of the Tangle at its current Stardust stage using empirical data. Our study conducts a comprehensive analysis of the Tangle at the Stardust stage using real data provided by IOTA Foundation. Our key findings are that the confirmation of new blocks is two times faster in the Stardust stage, and the Tangle is currently being used far below its capacity to carry and secure data from IoT devices. Our study is the first to shed light on the characteristics of the real Tangle in the Stardust stage, which are particularly useful to understand the evolution of the ledger and contribute to its improvements in future upgrades.