The global spread of COVID-19 initiated a rapid societal shift toward remote working, with the use of online conferencing tools for classes and meetings becoming a routine occurrence at universities and companies. Many of you will likely remember how the landscape transformed in 2020. These environments offer advantages, such as the ability to participate from any location, transportation cost and travel time savings, as well as more diverse working styles being facilitated. On the other hand, atmosphere and sense of unity are often not communicated well, and communication is often not smooth because we can only see the reactions of others through a screen. The Metaverse offers the potential to solve this problem.
 
The metaverse is "a 3D virtual space in which large numbers of people can engage in online social activities simultaneously." However, the definition of metaverse remains in flux. Different individuals have their own diverse definitions of metaverse. This book supports the above definition, which has harbored some consensus, and describes it as a "gathering place," a social VR. For example, multiple users can interact freely with one other in spaces such as cities or rooms generated from 3D computer-generated models or photographs using digital representations of themselves, known as avatars. This is not just an alternative to the offline world, but a new form of communication in which users can create, buy, and sell 3D objects and rooms, and even transform their very selves using avatars of completely different genders.
 
The Metaverse is based on virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). It is expected to encompass existing concepts such as online games and digital twins, and a range of social applications, such as various forms of entertainment, communication, business, and training programs, all taking place in virtual spaces.
 
Characterized by its academic, rather than commercial point of view, this book examines and explains the background and history of the emergence of the concept of the metaverse, the consumer versions of VR devices that have appeared since 2016, as well as the advanced technologies and their applications for bringing the metaverse into being. Target readers include not only experts in VR and the metaverse, but also undergraduate and graduate students, as well as working professionals who have read business books on the metaverse.
 
The Metaverse remains in its infancy, both as a definition and a discipline. While it is far from mature, the number of active users and examples of long-term efforts continue to grow in number and steadily expand. Speculative excitement has subsided, and this may be the best time to learn about this new world. We hope that this book will spark an interest in VR and the Metaverse and encourage more researchers and those from the business world to become active in this field.
 

(Written by AMEMIYA Tomohiro, Professor, Information Technology Center / 2023)

Related Info

Award:
The 39^th The Telecommunications Advancement Foundation Special Award  (The Telecommunications Advancement Foundation  March 13, 2024)
https://www.taf.or.jp/award/
 
Interviews:
Series Understanding Shikohin and Its Experiences Through Science
The Future of Virtual Reality, and How its Illusions Deceive Our Senses. Interview with University of Tokyo Researcher Tomohiro Amemiya (Part 1 of 2)  (DIG THE TEA  Feb 24, 2023)
https://digthetea.com/en/2023/02/tomohiro_amemiya_pt1/
 
Series Understanding Shikohin and Its Experiences Through Science
Can VR Become an “Alternate” Reality? Interview with University of Tokyo Researcher Tomohiro Amemiya (Part 2 of 2)  (DIG THE TEA  Feb 27, 2023)
https://digthetea.com/en/2023/02/tomohiro_amemiya_pt2/
 
Lecture:
Metaverse  (The 29^th International Display Workshops  Dec 14-16, 2022)
https://www.idw.or.jp/22archive/metaverse.html
 
International Symposium 1: The Metaverse and XR Technology – Educational Applications and International Collaboration  (Tohoku University  Dec 2-3, 2022)
https://www.tfc.tohoku.ac.jp/future-society-design-program/event/3002.html

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