Will there only be one Metaverse in the future? Since October 2021, many virtual worlds suddenly called themselves “Metaverse”, but is that justified? What is the meaning behind the pervasive term Metaverse? How can it be approached from a pragmatic and research-oriented point of view, and maybe separated a bit from pure marketing? This paper tries to contextualise the term and thereby offer an orientation for readers from different industries. Based on a review of past and present activities, we will propose our own definition of the term Metaverse. This is applied to analyse different application scenarios before the paper continues with a general discussion. In a direct comparison, we will tabulate some worlds that already call themselves a Metaverse and check them against criteria from our own definition. In conclusion, we present relevant focal points for a potential future Metaverse resulting from this comparison.

In this article, we compare a Google Tango tablet with the Microsoft HoloLens smartglasses in the context of the visualisation and interaction with Building Information Modeling data. A user test was conducted where 16 participants solved four tasks, two for each device, in small teams of two. Two aspects are analysed in the user test: the visualisation of interior designs and the visualisation of Building Information Modeling data. The results show that the Tango tablet is surprisingly preferred by most users when it comes to collaboration and discussion in our scenario. While the HoloLens offers hands-free operation and a stable tracking, users mentioned that the interaction with the Tango tablet felt more natural. In addition, users reported that it was easier to get an overall impression with the Tango tablet rather than with the HoloLens smartglasses.

We present a 5G mixed reality toolbox that supports hands-free remote assistance in industrial settings. It provides mixed reality and virtual reality views for on-site and office workers linked via a shared digital space. Working on actual machines in a real production line, our system uses the actual CAD-data of those machines to provide for a realistic prototyping-environment. We focus on data-scarcity with cloud-services to protect intellectual property, while embracing the possibilities offered by new technology, such as remote rendering over wireless networks. The presented prototype exhibits several key characteristics of an industrial metaverse application.

Recent combinations of interactive technology, humans, and water have resulted in “WaterHCI”. WaterHCI design seeks to complement the many benefits of engagement with the aquatic domain, by offering, for example, augmented reality systems for snorkelers, virtual reality in floatation tanks, underwater musical instruments for artists, robotic systems for divers, and wearables for swimmers. We conducted a workshop in which WaterHCI experts articulated the field's grand challenges, aiming to contribute towards a systematic WaterHCI research agenda and ultimately advance the field.