EMRN 2024 Conference on the Metaverse: Shaping the Future of Virtual Reality

The cutting-edge frontier of virtual reality meets the historic city of Barcelona as the European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN) proudly presents the EMRN 2024 Conference on the Metaverse. Spanning two days from April 9th to April 10th, 2024, this conference promises to be a landmark event in the exploration of the intersection between virtual and physical realities.

The concept of the metaverse, a vast social environment merging virtual and physical realms, is rapidly evolving from science fiction to tangible possibility. EMRN’s conference serves as a crucible for this evolution, bringing together leading researchers, industry pioneers, and policy influencers to dissect, discuss, and define the future of the metaverse.

The European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN) is a collaborative platform dedicated to advancing research and understanding in the field of the metaverse. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, EMRN aims to unlock the transformative potential of virtual reality for the benefit of society and beyond.

Keynote speeches and panel discussions featuring industry experts, policymakers, and researchers.

• Prof. Joan Guàrdia Olmos: A distinguished figure from Universitat de Barcelona, Prof. Olmos brings invaluable insights into the academic landscape and the potential societal impacts of the metaverse.
• Prof. Mel Slater: As the Coordinator of EMRN, Prof. Slater is at the forefront of metaverse research, driving forward the exploration of immersive virtual environments.
• Christina Jackson (Meta): With expertise in the industry, Christina Jackson offers perspectives on the practical applications and commercial implications of the metaverse.
• Dr Nonny de la Peña (Emblematic): Renowned as the “Godmother of Virtual Reality,” Dr de la Peña revolutionized immersive journalism and continues to push the boundaries of virtual storytelling.

The Research Topic call is A Metaverse for the Good: Design, Application and Understanding. Best Paper Prizes offered by Frontiers in Virtual Reality This are the Best Paper Prizes awarded by Frontiers in Virtual Reality.

• Best Paper: Joanna Luberadzka, Enric Guso Muñoz, Umut Sayin and Adan Garriga Torres – Acoustic coherence in extended reality: challenges and strategies

• Runners-Up: Georgiana Cristina Dobre, Marta Wilczkowiak, Marco Gillies, Sylvia Xueni Pan and Sean Rintel – Avatars in mixed reality meetings: A field study of avatar facial realism on felt and perceived emotion
• Runners-Up: Toinon Vigier, Didier Acier, Samuel Bulteau, Solène Thevenet and Yannick Prié – Towards immersive teleclinics in the Metaverse: the case of neuropsychological consultation
• Runners-Up: Lucie Kruse, Catharina Rudschies, Sebastian Rings and Frank Steinicke – Considering Psychotherapy in the Metaverse
• Runners-Up: Anthony Steed – Some Technical Challenges of Scaling from Social Virtual Reality to Metaverse(s)
• Notable Mention Mikołaj Łysakowski, Jakub Gapsa and Piotr Skrzypczynski – Origami Unfolded: Augmented Reality and Machine Learning Integration for Manipulative Training Scenarios

About EMRN: The European Metaverse Research Network (EMRN) is a collaborative platform dedicated to advancing research and understanding in the field of the metaverse. Through interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, EMRN aims to unlock the transformative potential of virtual reality for the benefit of society and beyond.

The full conference schedule and additional details can be found on the conference website https://www.ub.edu/eventlab/EMRN/