In metaverse, digital assets are essential to define identity, shape the virtual environment, and facilitate economic transactions. This study introduces a novel feature to the metaverse by capturing a fundamental aspect of individuals–their conversations–and transforming them into digital assets. It utilizes natural language processing and machine learning methods to extract a key sentence from user conversations and matches them with emojis that reflect their sentiments. The selected sentence, which encapsulates the essence of the user’s statements, is then transformed into digital art through a generative visual model. This digital artwork is transformed into a non-Fungible Token (NFT), becoming a valuable digital asset within the blockchain ecosystem that is ideal for integration into metaverse applications. Our aim is that the management of personality traits as digital assets will foster individual uniqueness, enrich user experiences, and facilitate more personalized services and interactions with both like-minded users and non-player characters, thereby enhancing the overall user journey.
Online courses are commonly used for employee training in various organizations. Currently, online training primarily relies on the utilization of online courses and live broadcasts. This method of learning is unidirectional and lacks interactivity, resulting in a restricted and unstimulating learning environment. Additionally, the course system and pathways for different employees and positions are not adequately defined, leading to confusion. Moreover, attending these training sessions requires a significant investment of time and energy. To address the specific needs of corporate employees in online training, advanced metaverse technology and Non Fungible Token (NFT) technology are employed to create an immersive online course training system. The proposed system promotes engaging and segmented learning through gamification. Additionally, the NFT-based incentive mechanism is implemented to boost employee motivation and improve the effectiveness of their participation in company training.
Nikolai Abramov, Havana Lankegowda, Shunwei Liu, Luigi Barazzetti · 6 authors
This paper explores participatory design methods for the interconnection of digital recording techniques, like digital photogrammetry and Gaussian splatting, with emerging domains such as the metaverse and blockchain technology. The focus lies in community engagement and the economic growth of urban and rural areas through blockchain integration, utilizing low-cost digitalization methods to create Web3 environments mirroring real settlements. Through a case study of an Italian village, the potential of participatory design and community-led development strategies in revitalizing neglected areas are explored, and the use of low-cost drone-based photogrammetry and Gaussian splatting in digitization are compared, highlighting their advantages and drawbacks considering the aim of this work, i.e., the creation of an interactive metaverse space. Ultimately, the study underscores the transformative role of digital technologies in reshaping design processes and fostering community development through a workflow, stressing collaborative decision-making and blockchain-driven economy, manufacturing, and maintenance through self-ownership models and performance-based smart contracts.
Abstract This paper argues that a coordinated network of independent producers is crucial in creating an immersive metaverse. A digital asset layer that is beyond the control of any single counterparty, along with reliable definition and exchange of fungible and non-fungible digital objects, is important for individual digital creative expression to flourish. Non-fungible digital objects are essential in creating an asset layer for a metaverse that approximates the full range of independent human creative expression. The development of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) alongside cryptocurrencies, governed by distributed and transparent control, can create an intermediation layer that is separate from the control of a platform intermediary.
Shrushti S. Zade, Sakshi S. Atrik, Aarti P. Pimpalkar
The metaverse is a rapidly evolving digital frontier that is redefining the way we interact, work, and play in the digital realm. This abstract provides a concise overview of the concept, its significance, and the key elements that shape its existence. The metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, merging physical and digital realities, where individuals can interact, create, and transact in immersive and interconnected digital environments. It is not confined to a single platform or technology but represents a constellation of interconnected virtual worlds, augmented reality, virtual reality, and 3D spaces. Blockchain technology has emerged as a revolutionary innovation that fundamentally transforms the way we establish trust, share data, and conduct transactions in a digital world. This abstract provides a concise overview of blockchain, highlighting its core principles and its profound impact across various industries. Blockchain is a distributed ledger system that enables secure, transparent, and tamper-resistant record-keeping through a decentralized network of nodes. This technology underpins cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin but extends far beyond digital currencies, offering solutions for supply chain management, voting systems, healthcare, and more. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a groundbreaking application of blockchain technology, transforming the way we perceive and trade digital assets within the metaverse. NFTs are unique digital tokens that represent ownership or proof of authenticity of digital assets, often encompassing digital art, virtual real estate, collectibles, and more. Leveraging blockchain technology, NFTs offer a secure and transparent method for creators and collectors to trade and interact with digital content in the metaverse
Xavatar is a media, educational, and therapeutic platform specializing in immersive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) content, as well as seamless interconnectivity across various devices such as mobiles, tablets, and computers. It is aimed at improving the lives of patients with chronic mobility and communication disorders, including dementia, Alzheimer's, autism, chronic immobility, isolation, and long-term hospitalization. The project represents a fusion of digital technologies including the Metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI), and Web3, all designed to enhance healthcare interactions and patient support. This opinion piece explores the transformative potential of Xavatar, highlighting its role in shaping future healthcare landscapes through innovative, empathetic, and engaging digital solutions.
Open access
Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education
This research paper critically assesses the future viability of the metaverse, a virtual world where users can interact with each other and digital objects, in light of the recent challenges faced by the non-fungible tokens (NFT) market.The paper identifies and analyzes the key challenges faced by the metaverse, including scalability, sustainability, and legal/regulatory issues, drawing on relevant literature.It then examines how these challenges were addressed in the NFT market and evaluates the potential implications for the metaverse.The paper also highlights potential ways to mitigate these challenges in the metaverse and concludes by discussing the theoretical and managerial implications of the research findings.The study's limitations and future scope for research are also discussed.
The rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and the emergence of the Metaverse is a significant paradigm shift in the digital landscape. NFTs are unique digital assets verified by blockchain technology that have revolutionized ownership and provenance in the digital realm. Concurrently, the Metaverse, a collective virtual shared space, is evolving into a multifaceted environment where NFTs play a pivotal role in shaping economies, identities, and interactions. This chapter covers NFTs the transforming digital ownership, art in the digital age, Metaverse, economy and commerce, social structures in the Metaverse.
The metaverse combines with reality and creates an alternate universe. The availability of technological advances enables us to perform new tasks or efficiently complete ordinary duties. The “metaverse,” or extended reality, opens up fresh opportunities for fascinating telepathy as well as has the potential to simplify routine tasks. As much as these technologies assist us in this work, education, healthcare, consumption, and pleasure, they also pose several challenges. The chapter tackles the questions of why and when customers will accept an entirely integrated area for a variety of operations, such as buying things and making purchases of Banking services. Examining the potential of Metaverse banking, this study looks into interesting avenues for future development that will influence how financial environments change in virtual spaces. The research anticipates a financial transformation with a focus on Blockchain, virtual assets, smart contracts, decentralized finance (DeFi), and immersive technology.
Since the early developments of Web3 and the Metaverse, the fashion industry has been actively launching initiatives, especially through gamification, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and shopping experience. Up until now the academic literature relating to the implications for fashion brands in a digital fashion marketing context has been scarce. Through a systematic content analysis of 235 articles published between 2021 and 2023 in Vogue Business and The Business of Fashion, this research has focused on the main brands and uses of the Metaverse, as well as their real applications. Through a thorough analysis, this research reveals that the most active fashion sub-industries on the Metaverse are those relating to luxury, sportswear and beauty, with Nike, Gucci and Hermès emerging as the leading brands. Furthermore, when it comes to fashion and the Metaverse, the most popular topics relate to NFTs and gamification, to the point that they are used as synonyms of the Metaverse. This practice creates confusion, not only in terms of the meaning of the term “metaverse”, but also regarding its implications for fashion brands. Finally, the study identifies issues that demand further analysis in subsequent academic research regarding the notion of falsity and the Metaverse.
The present study is based on the role of NFTs and crypto currencies in unleashing the potential of metaverse. Retail which is as old as human history has gone through various paradigm shifts such as introduction of physical currency in the trade, introduction of e-commerce, digital payments, and now a new dimension—i.e., metauniverse, non-fungible tokens, and cryptocurrency—has been added to it, which is shaped up with the use of artificial intelligence. Metaverse has become a social amalgamation of virtual reality, real-world, and electronic dimension. It seems like meta universe and crypto currency are natural partners, as metaverse which is based on augmented reality; it does require a digital currency which can be used by virtual avatars at meta retail stores. So crypto currency which is a digital currency can be used in meta universe. The crypto currency is based on block chain technology which gives the avatars a sign of security and safety.
The purpose of this study is to collect data on crimes that encompass the technological and software aspects referred to as the "new generation," and to analyze case studies and legal incidents related to crimes committed within the scope of the metaverse and cryptocurrency. The starting point of the study is the analysis of court decisions related to metaverse and cryptocurrency crimes. Within the scope of the study, thousands of court decisions have been scanned using text mining techniques. The keywords "metaverse," "bitcoin," "digital currency," "cryptocurrency," and "digital money" have been included in the search algorithm for the word corpus. Although no court decision containing the word "metaverse" was found, 37 decisions were identified in which the other terms from the word corpus were mentioned. The oldest decision dates back to July 12, 2019, while the most recent decision is dated March 23, 2023. In addition to the decisions of first-instance courts, the decisions of appellate and higher judicial authorities have also been examined within the framework of text mining studies.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) significantly contribute to the establishment of VIP culture by embodying exclusivity, uniqueness, and privileged access, inherent to their nature. They enable creators and brands to offer exclusive ownership or access to digital or physical assets, aligning with the VIP ethos of rarity and status. Through NFTs, experiences, artworks, or digital collectibles become status symbols, fostering a new dimension of exclusivity in digital spaces. This intersection of technology, art, and exclusivity amplifies VIP culture, allowing it to extend beyond traditional boundaries into the realm of digital collectability and virtual experiences, thus redefining what it means to be part of the "in-crowd" in the digital age.
Emi Aoki, Bach Xuan Tran, Nathan Uhunsere, Susan Tripathy · 7 authors
Abstract Recent advances in Augmented Reality (AR) devices and their maturity as a technology offers new modalities for interaction between learners and their learning environments. Such capabilities are particularly important for learning that involves hands-on activities where there is a compelling need to: (a) make connections between knowledge-elements that have been taught at different times, (b) apply principles and theoretical knowledge in a concrete experimental setting, (c) understand the limitations of what can be studied via models and via experiments, (d) cope with increasing shortages in teaching-support staff and instructional material at the intersection of disciplines, and (e) improve student engagement in their learning. AR devices that are integrated into training and education systems can be effectively used to deliver just-in-time informatics to augment physical workspaces and learning environments with virtual artifacts. We present a system that demonstrates a solution to a critical registration problem and enables a multi-disciplinary team to develop the pedagogical content without the need for extensive coding. The most popular approach for developing AR applications is to develop a game using a standard game engine such as UNITY or UNREAL. These engines offer a powerful environment for developing a large variety of games and an exhaustive library of digital assets. In contrast, the framework we offer supports a limited range of human- environment interactions that are suitable and effective for training and education. Our system offers four important capabilities – annotation, navigation, guidance, and operator safety. These capabilities are presented and described in detail. The above framework motivates a change of focus – from game development to AR content development. While game development is an intensive activity that involves extensive programming, AR content development is a multi-disciplinary activity that requires contributions from a large team of graphics designers, content creators, domain experts, pedagogy experts, and learning evaluators. We have demonstrated that such a multi-disciplinary team of experts working with our framework can use popular content creation tools to design and develop the virtual artifacts required for the AR system. These artifacts can be archived in a standard relational database and hosted on robust cloud-based backend systems for scale up. The AR content creators can own their content and Non-fungible Tokens to sequence the presentations either to improve pedagogical novelty or to personalize the learning.
Abstract NFTs, or non‐fungible tokens (NFTs), are a new form of ownership registration based on blockchain technology that allows digital assets to be exchanged with guarantees of ownership and originality of the artwork involved. This has boosted the trade of these assets and companies have been quick to incorporate NFTs into their marketing strategy, either with their own tokens or by collaborating with established companies in the metaverse. Building on the frameworks of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2), this study contributes to the literature by analysing the determinants of individuals' adoption of NFTs through two studies. Study 1 relies on qualitative interviews with technology insiders to provide initial insights into these determinants. Study 2 tests the hypotheses developed and compares the results between non‐buyers and buyers in order to analyse the intention to purchase and repurchase NFTs. This study contributes to the UTAUT2 with two new individual‐specific variables of interest for the adoption of this type of product: social capital, and the fear of missing out. Finally, this study concludes with guidelines for companies on how they can use NFTs in their marketing campaigns.
Open access
Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
Digital Marketing and Social Media
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
<strong><strong></strong></strong><p>This paper explores the multifaceted landscape of Non-Fungible Tokens beyond their role in digitizing artworks. It delves into the intersection of art, utility, and cultural preservation within the NFT realm. The discussion revolves around the duality of “art for art’s sake” and functional utility, sparking ongoing debates about the essence of art in both the analog and digital realms. The convergence of contemporary aesthetics with practical token utility challenges conventional definitions, offering an alternative to narrative retrieval and contributing to cultural preservation in the virtual sphere. As one enters the NFT ecosystem, a utopian quest for autonomy in healthy production becomes evident, albeit not without formidable obstacles. The paper examines the promise of NFTs to liberate creators from intermediary control and the entwined complexities accompanying their evolution. It sheds light on the cautious and ethical approach required for the mass adoption of these technologies, contrasting this with the current global context characterized by rampant consumerism, individualism, and the relentless pursuit of easy financial gains.<strong></strong></p>
Joaquín Cerdá Boluda, Marta C. Mora, Nuria Lloret, Stefano Scarani · 5 authors
The emergence of the Metaverse is raising important questions in the field of human-machine interaction that must be addressed for a successful implementation of the new paradigm. Therefore, the exploration and integration of both technology and human interaction within this new framework are needed. This paper describes an innovative and technically viable proposal for virtual shopping in the fashion field. Virtual hands directly scanned from the real world have been integrated, after a retopology process, in a virtual environment created for the Metaverse, and have been integrated with digital nails. Human interaction with the Metaverse has been carried out through the acquisition of the real posture of the user's hands using an infrared-based sensor and mapping it in its virtualized version, achieving natural identification. The technique has been successfully tested in an immersive shopping experience with the Meta Quest 2 headset as a pilot project, where a transactions mechanism based on the blockchain technology (non-fungible tokens, NFTs) has allowed for the development of a feasible solution for massive audiences. The consumers' reactions were extremely positive, with a total of 250 in-person participants and 120 remote accesses to the Metaverse. Very interesting technical guidelines are raised in this project, the resolution of which may be useful for future implementations.
Amar Johri, Anu Sayal, N Chaithra, Janhvi Jha · 8 authors
The "Metaverse," a term popularized by Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash, has been discussed in the science fiction community for decades, but technological advancements have only recently made it a reality. The Metaverse is an all-encompassing, interconnected virtual environment where users can freely communicate with one another and digital content. This article examines how various technologies, primarily Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), have contributed to the development of the Metaverse (AR). These innovations have revolutionized the way we interact with digital media by enabling us to have genuine, realistic experiences. In addition, we examine the Metaverse technologies that make it possible to construct a fully realized, functional virtual world. Among these are recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), cryptocurrencies, spatial and peripheral computing, and other fields. Our research investigates the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies, as well as how they may influence the future of the Metaverse. Furthermore, the article explores the darker aspects of the Metaverse, particularly the emergence of the "dark verse," which underscores the potential for organized illicit activities within the Internet due to insufficient oversight and governance of the Metaverse.
Metaverse, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and cryptocurrencies highlight their relevance in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Web 3.0, a concept associated with the metaverse, focuses on greater user control, enhanced 3D graphical experiences, and the semantic web, which involves a shift from HTML-based page construction to an underlying database structure. The chapter emphasizes the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing in enabling intelligent human–machine dialogue and the emergence of avatars as innovative virtual figures within the metaverse. The challenges and opportunities of the metaverse are explored, including concerns about privacy, hardware accessibility, and large companies’ management of virtual worlds. The characteristics of the metaverse, such as immersion, interactivity, personalization, content creation, and communication, are outlined. Avatars, visual representations of individuals, or fictional characters in online spaces are discussed in the context of the metaverse, emphasizing their role in enhancing social interaction and user engagement. The case study of MetaHuman Creator, developed by Epic Games, is an example of a tool that enables the creation of photorealistic and customizable virtual humans for use in the metaverse.
Wuxia Bao, Liselot Hudders, Shubin Yu, Emma Beuckels
With the emergence and popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the luxury brand industry has experienced an increase in their use of NFTs. This study employs multiple-case studies, thematic analysis method, and grounded theory to analyze 40 luxury NFT campaigns from 2021 and 2022. The analysis applies a sociotechnical perspective, integrating the technical factors of NFTs and the social factors of luxury value. The study identifies the values, attributes, and strategies of NFT-based virtual luxury. Based on the findings, this study introduces the concept and definition of virtual luxury to understand and advance luxury brands in the Metaverse . This study theoretically contributes to the luxury industry by envisioning a virtual transformation of luxury brands.
Open access
Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
Muna Elsadig, Manal Abdullah Alohali, Ashraf Osman Ibrahim, Anas W. Abulfaraj
The Metaverse platform offers 3D immersive experiences through virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technologies. Blockchain-based Metaverse has garnered recent interest due to its decentralization, anonymity, and other security features. Integrating blockchain into Metaverse promotes the formation of a shared ecosystem and provides digital asset tracking, privacy protection, and security in both virtual and physical environments. This paper explores the role of blockchain in creating and managing the Metaverse platform. It is intended to provide a helpful reference for researchers and practitioners in the field of the blockchain-based Metaverse. The main topics covered include the concept and characteristics of the Metaverse; its different use cases, architectures, and technologies; Metaverse as a service provider; Metaverse management; Metaverse users and data; and blockchain-based Metaverse in terms of roles, technologies, applications, and challenges. In addition, recent advances in the blockchain-based Metaverse and challenges such as scalability, interoperability, and edge resource sharing will be discussed. The paper will conclude by highlighting open research issues and future directions, including improving immersion, scalability, security, and integration with existing systems.