The 4 Epochs of the Metaverse

Abstract

The concept of the Metaverse has attracted considerable attention since 2021, primarily due to the rebranding of “Fakebook” to “Meta” and its promise of delivering a more immersive online experience. However, the origins of this term can be traced back to Neal Stephenson's sci-fi novel, “Snow Crash”, published in 1992. In the current study, an extensive articles review has been conducted, including academic sources, technology blogs, business reports, and social media posts. The main goal is to create a comprehensive timeline of the Metaverse and its underlying technologies. By categorizing 26 significant milestones into four distinct periods, the study introduces a framework called "4 Epochs of the Metaverse." The suggested framework challenges previously established linear timelines found in literature by identifying time periods that are based on content, rather than on chronological order. The findings emphasize that the Metaverse is not a new phenomenon, but, rather, a concept that has evolved over time since 1905 and can be classified under 4 dynamic periods, which are named Epochs. The study provides an in-depth description of the origins and evolution of the Metaverse, serving a dual purpose for researchers and practitioners: it provides insights into the transformative potential and future possibilities of the metaverse, while it lays the groundwork for further exploration and innovation in this phygital (physical + digital) environment.

Keywords

• Metaverse
• blockchain
• NFTs
• timeline
• digital twin

References

1. Akour, I. A., Al-Maroof, R. S., Alfaisal, R., Salloum, S. A. (2022) A conceptual framework for determining metaverse adoption in higher institutions of gulf area: An empirical study using hybrid SEM-ANN approach. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100052. Doi:10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100052
2. Allam, Z., Sharifi, A., Bibri, S. E., Jones, D. S., Krogstie, J. (2022) The Metaverse as a Virtual Form of Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges for Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability in Urban Futures. Smart Cities, 5(3), 771–801. Doi:10.3390/smartcities5030040
3. Almoqbel, M. Y., Naderi, A., Wohn, D. Y., Goyal, N. (2022) The Metaverse: A Systematic Literature Review to Map Scholarly Definitions. Companion Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing, 80–84. Doi:10.1145/3500868.3559448
4. Alvarez-Risco, A., Del-Aguila-Arcentales, S., Rosen, M. A., & Yáñez, J. A. (2022). Social Cognitive Theory to Assess the Intention to Participate in the Facebook Metaverse by Citizens in Peru during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(3), 142. Doi:10.3390/joitmc8030142
5. Anderson, J., & Rainie, L. (2022) The Metaverse in 2040. Pew Research Org Report. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2022/06/PI_2022.06.30_Metaverse-Predictions_FINAL.pdf Accessed 10 November 2022
6. Ante, L. (2021) Smart contracts on the blockchain – A bibliometric analysis and review. Telematics and Informatics, 57.101519. Doi:10.1016/j.tele.2020.101519
7. Aurigi, A (2022) Smart cities, metaverses, and the relevance of place. IET Smart Cities, 4(3), 157–159. Doi:10.1049/smc2.12030
8. Bale, A. S., Ghorpade, N., Hashim, M. F., Vaishnav, J., Almaspoor, Z. (2022) A Comprehensive Study on Metaverse and Its Impacts on Humans. Advances in Human-Computer Interaction, 2022, e3247060. Doi:10.1155/2022/3247060

9. Barricelli, B. R., Casiraghi, E., Fogli, D. (2019) A Survey on Digital Twin: Definitions, Characteristics, Applications, and Design Implications. IEEE Access, 7, 167653–167671. Doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2953499
10. Basso, A. (2017) Advantages, Critics and Paradoxes of Virtual Reality Applied to Digital Systems of Architectural Prefiguration, the Phenomenon of Virtual Migration. Proceedings, 1, 915. Doi:10.3390/proceedings1090915
11. Bayram, A. (2022) Metaleisure: Leisure Time Habits to be Changed with Metaverse. Journal of Metaverse, 2(1), 1-7. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jmv/issue/67967/1065227 Accessed 11 November 2022
12. Belk, R., Humayun, M., Brouard, M. (2022) Money, possessions, and ownership in the Metaverse: NFTs, cryptocurrencies, Web3 and Wild Markets. Journal of Business Research, 153, 198–205. Doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.08.031
13. Bibri, S. E. (2022) The Social Shaping of the Metaverse as an Alternative to the Imaginaries of Data-Driven Smart Cities: A Study in Science, Technology, and Society. Smart Cities, 5(3), 832–874. Doi:10.3390/smartcities5030043
14. Bouraga, S. (2021) A taxonomy of blockchain consensus protocols: A survey and classification framework. Expert Systems with Applications, 168, 114384. Doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2020.114384
15. Bourlakis, M., Papagiannidis, S., Li, F. (2009). Retail spatial evolution: Paving the way from traditional to metaverse retailing. Electronic Commerce Research, 9(1), 135–148. Doi:10.1007/s10660-009-9030-8
16. Buhalis, D., Lin, M. & Leung, D. (2023). Metaverse as a Driver for Customer Experience and Value Co-Creation: Implications for Hospitality and Tourism Management and Marketing. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 35(2), 701-716. Doi:10.1108/IJCHM-05-2022-0631
17. Castronova, E. (2001). Virtual Worlds: A First-Hand Account of Market and Society on the Cyberian Frontier. SSRN Electronic Journal. Doi:10.2139/ssrn.294828
18. CNBCTV18. (2022). Explained: The history of Metaverse. cnbctv18.com. Retrieved on 28/11/2022 from https://www.cnbctv18.com/technology/explained-the-history-of-metaverse-12015212.htm
19. Collins, C. (2008) Looking to the Future: Higher Education in the Metaverse. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2008/9/looking-to-the-future-higher-education-in-the-metaverse Accessed 16 November 2022
20. Cornell.edu. (2007). Cornell Chronicle. News.cornell.edu. https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2007/10/johnson-school-professor-uses-virtual-reality-class Accessed 03 December 2022
21. Cultural Reader. (2012) Simulacra and Simulation by Jean Baudrillard – Summary. Cultural Reader. https://culturalstudiesnow.blogspot.com/2012/10/simulacra-and-simulation-by-jean.html Accessed 19 November 2022
22. Damar, M. (2021) Metaverse Shape of Your Life for Future: A bibliometric snapshot. Journal of Metaverse, 1(1), 1-8. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jmv/issue/67581/1051371 Accessed 14 November 2022
23. Daskalakis, N., Georgitseas, P. (2020) An Introduction to cryptocurrencies: The crypto market ecosystem. London: Routledge.
24. Decentraland. (2022). Twitter post on 06/11/2022, 15:00. https://twitter.com/RLTY_Live/status/1577992293147185152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1578007954049191938%7Ctwgr%5E736124a63b93f7d4d5305dd858dddfe5b75e711f%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailycoin.com%2Fmacron-shows-up-on-decentraland-first-presidential-speech-in-the-metaverse%2F Accessed 11 December 2022
25. Dhelim, S., Kechadi, T., Chen, L., Aung, N., Ning, H., Atzori, L. (2022) Edge-enabled Metaverse: The Convergence of Metaverse and Mobile Edge Computing. TechRxiv. Doi:10.36227/techrxiv.19606954.v1
26. Dionisio, J. D. N., Iii, W. G. B., Gilbert, R. (2013) 3D Virtual worlds and the metaverse: Current status and future possibilities. ACM Computing Surveys, 45(3), 1–38. Doi:10.1145/2480741.2480751
27. Duan, H., Li, J., Fan, S., Lin, Z., Wu, X., Cai, W. (2021) Metaverse for Social Good: A University Campus Prototype. Proceedings of the 29th ACM International Conference on Multimedia, 153–161. Doi:10.1145/3474085.3479238
28. Dubey, V., Mokashi, A., Pradhan, R., Gupta, P., Walimbe, R. (2022) Metaverse and Banking Industry – 2023 The Year of Metaverse Adoption. Technium: Romanian Journal of Applied Sciences and Technology, 4(10), Article 10. Doi:10.47577/technium.v4i10.7774
29. Duranske, B. (2007) Metanomics launches, Announces 2007 speakers. Virtuallyblind.com. http://virtuallyblind.com/2007/09/13/metanomics-07-speakers/ Accessed 11 November 2022
30. Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Baabdullah, A. M., Ribeiro-Navarrete, S., Giannakis, M., Al-Debei, M. M., Dennehy, D., Metri, B., Buhalis, D., Cheung, … Wamba, S. F. (2022). Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 66, 102542. Doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102542
31. Edwards, B. (2022) There is no Metaverse (yet). HowtoGeek.com. https://www.howtogeek.com/777037/there-is-no-metaverse-yet/ Accessed 04 December 2022
32. EUBlockchain. (2022) Metaverse. European Union Blockchain Observatory & Forum. https://www.eublockchainforum.eu/sites/default/files/reports/Metaverse_Report_Final_1.pdf Accessed 11 November 2022
33. EY webpage. (2023). What’s possible for the gaming industry in the next dimension? Ey.com. Retrieved on 02/-5/2023 from https://www.ey.com/en_us/tmt/what-s-possible-for-the-gaming-industry-in-the-next-dimension
34. Fan, Z., Chen, C., & Huang, H. (2022). Immersive cultural heritage digital documentation and information service for historical figure metaverse: A case of Zhu Xi, Song Dynasty, China. Heritage Science, 10(1), 148. Doi:10.1186/s40494-022-00749-8
35. Faraboschi, P., Frachtenberg, E., Laplante, P., Milojicic, D., Saracco, R. (2022) Virtual Worlds (Metaverse): From Skepticism, to Fear, to Immersive Opportunities. Computer, 55(10), 100–106. Doi:10.1109/MC.2022.3192702
36. Felluga, D. (2002) Modules on Baudrillard: On Simulation. Introductory Guide to Critical Theory. https://cla.purdue.edu/academic/english/theory/postmodernism/modules/baudrillardsimulation.html Accessed 16 November 2022
37. Flaherty, S. (2020) ‘The Machine Stops’: E.M. Forster’s Esoteric critique of H.G. Wells ‘A Modern Utopia’. History, 105(366), 422-445. Doi:10.1111/1468-229X.13022
38. Forbes (2022) There is no Metaverse today, but be prepared. Forbes.com. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forrester/2022/03/31/there-is-no-metaverse-today-but-be-prepared/?sh=1dbb639b236b Accessed 14 November 2022
39. Forster, E.M. (2015). The Machine Stops. New Delhi: Prabhat Prakashan, kindle version.
40. Gadekallu, T. R., Yenduri, G., Ranaweera, P., Pham, Q.-V., Huynh-The, T., Wang, W., da Costa, D. B., Liyanage, M. (2022) Blockchain for the Metaverse: A Review. arXiv2203.09738 Doi:10.48550/arXiv.2203.09738
41. Gelernter, D. (1992). Mirror worlds: Or the day software puts the universe in a shoebox…How it will happen and what it will mean. New York: Oxford University Press.
42. Gibson, W. (1984) Neuromancer. New York, ACE
43. Grieves, M., & Vickers, J. (2017) Digital Twin: Mitigating Unpredictable, Undesirable Emergent Behavior in Complex Systems. In: Kahlen, J., Flumerfelt, S., Alves, A. (eds) Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Complex Systems. Cha, Springer Doi:10.1007/978-3-319-38756-7_4
44. Guo, J., Chow, A., Wigand, R. T. (2011) Virtual wealth protection through virtual money exchange. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 10(3), 313–330. Doi:10.1016/j.elerap.2010.10.003
45. Gursoy, D., Malodia, S., Dhir, A. (2022) The metaverse in the hospitality and tourism industry: An overview of current trends and future research directions. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 31(5), 527–534. Doi:10.1080/19368623.2022.2072504
46. Hannekes, B. (2022) A brief history of NFTs. Web3 University webpage. Retrieved on 27/11/2022 from https://www.web3.university/tracks/build-your-first-nft/brief-history-of-nfts
47. Harley, D. (2022) ‘’This would be sweet in VR”: On the discursive newness of virtual reality. New Media & Society, (ahead-of-print). Doi:10.1177/14614448221084655
48. Harris, J.W. (2021) When did E.M. Forster’s ‘The Machine Stops’ become science fiction?. Classics of Science Fiction. https://classicsofsciencefiction.com/2020/08/21/when-did-e-m-forsters-the-machine-stops-become-science-fiction/ Accessed 21 November 2022
49. Hartmann, D., & Van der Auweraer, H. (2021) Digital Twins. In: Cruz, M., Parés, C., Quintela, P. (eds) Progress in Industrial Mathematics: Success Stories. Cham, Springer. Doi:10.1007/978-3-030-61844-5_1
50. Hewa, T., Ylianttila, M., Liyanage, M. (2021) Survey on blockchain based smart contracts: Applications, opportunities and challenges. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 177, 102857. Doi:10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102857
51. Hollensen, S., Kotler, P., Opresnik, M. O. (2022) Metaverse – the new marketing universe. Journal of Business Strategy. 44(3), 119-125. Doi:10.1108/JBS-01-2022-0014
52. Hudson-Smith, A., & Batty, M. (2022) Ubiquitous geographic information in the emergent Metaverse. Transactions in GIS, 26(3), 1147–1157. Doi:10.1111/tgis.12932
53. Huggett, J. (2020). Virtually real or really virtual: Towards a heritage metaverse. Studies in digital heritage, 4(1), 1-15. http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7535-9312
54. Huynh-The, T., Pham, Q.-V., Pham, X.-Q., Nguyen, T. T., Han, Z., Kim, D.-S. (2022) Artificial Intelligence for the Metaverse: A Survey (arXiv:2202.10336). arXiv. http://arxiv.org/abs/2202.10336
55. Interesting Literature (2021) A summary and analysis of E.M. Forster’s ‘The Machine Stops’. InterstingLiteracture.com. https://interestingliterature.com/2021/02/em-forster-the-machine-stops-summary-analysis/ Accessed 21 November 2022
56. Ioannidis, S. A. (2023). A Blockchain-Based Tourism Industry: How Promising Can It Be?. In G. Kurubacak, R. Sharma, & H. Yıldırım (Eds.), Glocal Policy and Strategies for Blockchain: Building Ecosystems and Sustainability (pp. 27-50). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-4153-4.ch002
57. Ioannidis, S. and Kontis, A.P. (2023). The Emergence of Metaverse in Tourism Lierature: A Mixed Content Analysis. Proceedings MTCON2023. 15-18 March, Istanbul. (ahead-of-print)
58. Ioannidis, S. and Kontis, A.P. (2023). Metaverse for tourists and tourism destinations. Information Technology & Tourism. (ahead-of-print) Doi:10.1007/s40558-023-00271-y
59. Jack Morton WorldWide (2021) The Metaverse Creation. Metaverse timeline. https://metaverse-timeline.com/ Accessed 01 December 2022
60. Jones, M.S (2022) Virtual World History. Part I. matthewscottjones.com. https://matthewscottjones.com/history-of-virtual-worlds Accessed 11 November 2022
61. Katz, J. (2022). Gaming in the Metaverse: online safety in another dimension. Public.io. Retrived on 02/05/2023 from https://www.public.io/blog-post/gaming-in-the-metaverse-online-safety-in-another-dimension
62. Kim, J. (2021) Advertising in the Metaverse: Research Agenda. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 21(3), 141–144. Doi:10.1080/15252019.2021.2001273
63. Koo, C., Kwon, J., Chung, N., Kim, J. (2022) Metaverse tourism: Conceptual framework and research propositions. Current Issues in Tourism, 1-7. Doi:10.1080/13683500.2022.2122781
64. Kumar, S., Chhugani, J., Kim, C., Kim, D., Nguyen, A., Dubey, P., Bienia, C., Kim, Y. (2008) Second Life and the New Generation of Virtual Worlds. Computer, 41(9), 46–53. Doi:10.1109/MC.2008.398
65. Lacity, M., Mullins, J.K., Kuai, L. (2022) What type of metaverse will we create? BcoE Whitepaper of Metaverse. 1-32, University of Arkansas. https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/5/444/files/2022/10/2022_02_BCoEWhitePaperMetaverse5493.pdf
66. Lawton, G. (2022) History of the Metaverse Explained. TechTarget website. https://www.techtarget.com/searchcio/tip/History-of-the-metaverse-explained Accessed 21 November 2022
67. Lee, L.-H., Braud, T., Zhou, P., Wang, L., Xu, D., Lin, Z., Kumar, A., Bermejo, C., Hui, P. (2021) All One Needs to Know about Metaverse: A Complete Survey on Technological Singularity, Virtual Ecosystem, and Research Agenda. Journal of Latex Class Files, 14(8), 1-66. http://arxiv.org/abs/2110.05352
68. Lee, S.-G., Trimi, S., Byun, W. K., Kang, M. (2011) Innovation and imitation effects in Metaverse service adoption. Service Business, 5(2), 155–172. Doi:10.1007/s11628-011-0108-8
69. Lim, W. Y. B., Xiong, Z., Niyato, D., Cao, X., Miao, C., Sun, S., Yang, Q. (2022) Realizing the Metaverse with Edge Intelligence: A Match Made in Heaven. IEEE Wireless Comunications, (arXiv:2201.01634). http://arxiv.org/abs/2201.01634
70. MacNeil, J. (2019) The Machine Stops is Published, November 1, 1909. EDN webpage. https://www.edn.com/the-machine-stops-is-published-november-1-1909/ Accessed 14 November 2022
71. Marr, B. (2022) A Short History of the Metaverse. Bernardmarr.com. https://bernardmarr.com/a-short-history-of-the-metaverse/ Accessed 14 November 2022
72. Martin, E. (2022). ‘’When was Dungeons and Dragons invented? A history of D&D’’. Bookriot.com. Accessed 02/02/2023 from https://bookriot.com/when-was-dungeons-and-dragons-invented/
73. Melcher, J. (2022) 5 novels that predicted the metaverse. Exodus.com. https://www.exodus.com/news/novels-that-predicted-the-metaverse Accessed 11 November 2022
74. Messinger, P.R., Stroulia, E., Lyons, K., Bone, M., Niu, R.H., Smirnov, K., Perelgut, S. (2009) Virtual worlds — past, present, and future: New directions in social computing. Decision Support Systems, 47(3), 204–228. Doi:10.1016/j.dss.2009.02.014
75. Meta (2021) Founder’s Letter. Meta.com. https://about.fb.com/news/2021/10/founders-letter Accessed 21 November 2022
76. Moro-Visconti, R. (2022) From physical reality to the Metaverse: A Multilayer Network Valuation. Journal of Metaverse, 2(1), 16–22. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/2247581 Accessed 04 December 2022
77. Mozumder, M. A. I., Sheeraz, M. M., Athar, A., Aich, S., Kim, H.-C. (2022) Overview: Technology Roadmap of the Future Trend of Metaverse based on IoT, Blockchain, AI Technique, and Medical Domain Metaverse Activity. 2022 24th International Conference on Advanced Communication Technology (ICACT), 256–261. Doi:10.23919/ICACT53585.2022.9728808
78. Mystakidis, S. (2022) Metaverse. Encyclopedia, 2(1), 486–497. Doi:10.3390/encyclopedia2010031
79. Nair, V., Garrido, G. M., Song, D. (2022) Exploring the Unprecedented Privacy Risks of the Metaverse (arXiv:2207.13176). arXiv. http://arxiv.org/abs/2207.13176
80. Narin, N.G. (2021) A Content Analysis of the Metaverse Articles. Journal of Metaverse, 1(1), 17-24. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jmv/issue/67581/1051382 Accessed 14 November 2022
81. Ning, H., Wang, H., Lin, Y., Wang, W., Dhelim, S., Farha, F., Ding, J., Daneshmand, M. (2021) A Survey on Metaverse: The State-of-the-art, Technologies, Applications, and Challenges (arXiv:2111.09673). arXiv. http://arxiv.org/abs/2111.09673
82. Niu, X., & Feng, W. (2022) Immersive Entertainment Environments—From Theme Parks to Metaverse. In N. A. Streitz, S. Konomi (eds.) Distributed, Ambient and Pervasive Interactions. Smart Environments, Ecosystems, and Cities (pp. 392–403). Springer International Publishing. Doi:10.1007/978-3-031-05463-1_27
83. Njoku, J. N., Nwakanma, C. I., Amaizu, G. C., Kim, D.-S. (2022) Prospects and challenges of Metaverse application in data-driven intelligent transportation systems. IET Intelligent Transport Systems, n/a(n/a). Doi:10.1049/itr2.12252
84. Onyx (2022) Opportunities in the metaverse. JPMorgan.com. https://www.jpmorgan.com/content/dam/jpm/treasury-services/documents/opportunities-in-the-metaverse.pdf Accessed 02 December 2022
85. Papagiannidis, S., Bourlakis, M., Vafopoulos, M.N. (2008) Banking in Second Life: Marketing Opportunities and Repercussions. 1st Biannual International Conference 'Strategic Developments in Services Marketing’. Doi:10.2139/ssrn.1887570
86. Pokhrel, A., Katta, V., Colomo-Palacios, R. (2020) Digital Twin for Cybersecurity Incident Prediction: A Multivocal Literature Review. Proceedings of the IEEE/ACM 42nd International Conference on Software Engineering Workshops, 671–678. Doi:10.1145/3387940.3392199
87. Pookulangara, S., Kim, J., Josiam, B., Thombre, A. (2014) Intent to purchase from 3-D virtual environments: An exploratory study. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 5(4), 269–282. Doi:10.1080/20932685.2014.927659
88. Radoff, J. (2021) Books about the Metaverse. Medium.com. https://medium.com/building-the-metaverse/books-about-the-metaverse-b73f033f98f4 Accessed 21 November 2022
89. Rubio-Tamayo, J., Gertrudix Barrio, M., García García, F. (2017) Immersive Environments and Virtual Reality: Systematic Review and Advances in Communication, Interaction and Simulation. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 1(4), 21. Doi:10.3390/mti1040021
90. Russell, P.M. (2005) ‘IMAGINE, IF YOU CAN’: Love, Time and the impossibility of utopia in E.M. Forster’s ‘The Machine Stops’. Critical Survey, 17(1), 56-71. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41556094
91. Sixdegrees (2020) Homepage. http://sixdegrees.com/ Accessed 19 November 2022
92. Smart, J., Cascio, J., Paffendorf, J. (2007) Metaverse Roadmap Overview. Metaverseroadmap.org. https://www.metaverseroadmap.org/overview Accessed 14 November 2022
93. Sotheby’s (2022) Quantum. Sotheby’s Website. https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-a-curated-nft-sale-2/quantum Accessed 19 November 2022
94. Spence, C. (2020). Senses of place: architectural design for the multisensory mind. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 5(1), 46. Doi:10.1186/s41235-020-00243-4
95. Spence, J. (2008) Demographics of Virtual Worlds. Journal For Virtual Worlds Research, 1(2). https://jvwr-ojs-utexas.tdl.org/jvwr/article/view/360
96. Srivastava, S. (2023). How could metaverse be a game changer for the virtual gaming industry? Appinventiv.com. Retrieved on 02/05/2023 from https://appinventiv.com/blog/metaverse-gaming/
97. Stephenson, N. (1992) Snow Crash. New York, Bantam Books
98. Taylor, C. R. (2022). Research on advertising in the metaverse: A call to action. International Journal of Advertising, 41(3), 383–384. Doi:10.1080/02650487.2022.2058786
99. Thomason, J. (2021) Metahealth – How Will the Metaverse Change Health Care? Journal of Metaverse, 1(1), 13-16. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/jmv/issue/67581/1051379 Acessed 19 November 2022
100. van der Merwe, D. F. (2021) The metaverse as virtual heterotopia. Proceedings of The 3rd World Conference on Research in Social Sciences. 3rd World Conference on Research in Social Sciences. Doi:10.33422/3rd.socialsciencesconf.2021.10.61
101. van Rijmenam, M. (2022) Step into the Metaverse. New Jersey, Wiley
102. verdict.co.uk (2022). Metaverse: A recent history in popular literature. Verdict webpage. Accessed 02/01/2021 from https://www.verdict.co.uk/metaverse-literature-fiction
103. Viveiros, L.C., Aikes Junior, J. (2018) Augmented Reality and its aspects: a case study for heating systems. Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340144636_Augmented_Reality_and_its_aspects_a_case_study_for_heating_systems Accessed 21 November 2022
104. Wang, D. (2022) Kevin McCoy: The metaverse is going to be powered by game engines. Coindesk Webpage. https://www.coindesk.com/layer2/metaverseweek/2022/05/26/kevin-mccoy-the-metaverse-is-going-to-be-powered-by-game-engines/ Accessed 28 November 2022
105. Wang, Y., Su, Z., Zhang, N., Xing, R., Liu, D., Luan, T. H., Shen, X. (2022) A Survey on Metaverse: Fundamentals, Security, and Privacy. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 1–32. Doi:10.1109/COMST.2022.3202047
106. Weinbaum, S.G. (1935) Pygmalion’s Spectacles. New York, Stellar Publishing
107. Wells, H.G. (2022) A Modern Utopia. New York: Sheba Blake Publications Co, kindle version.
108. Wiederhold, B. K. (2022). Ready (or Not) player one: Initial musings on the metaverse. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 25(1), 1-2. Doi:10.1089/cyber.2021.29234.editorial
109. Wiederhold, B., & Riva, G. (2022) Metaverse Creates New Opportunities In Healthcare. In (eds) Wiederhold, B., Riva, G Annals Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine, 20, 3-7. San Diego, Interactive Media Institute.
110. Witt, L., Kperogi, F.A., Sinclair, G.W., Bohrer, C., & Negash, S. (2016). Journalism: How One University Used Virtual Worlds to Tell True Stories. International Symposium On Online Journalism, 6(1), 5-32.
111. Xu, M., Ng, W. C., Lim, W. Y. B., Kang, J., Xiong, Z., Niyato, D., Yang, Q., Shen, X. S., Miao, C. (2022) A Full Dive into Realizing the Edge-enabled Metaverse: Visions, Enabling Technologies,and Challenges. (arXiv:2203.05471), 1-44. http://arxiv.org/abs/2203.05471
112. Yang, Q., Zhao, Y., Huang, H., Xiong, Z., Kang, J., Zheng, Z. (2022) Fusing Blockchain and AI With Metaverse: A Survey. IEEE Open Journal of the Computer Society, 3, 122–136. Doi:10.1109/OJCS.2022.3188249