|
Our virtual universe research is of an exploratory nature. Researchers
from various groups are working together to find answers to questions
such as:
| · |
How can we make virtual universes safe and secure places? |
| · |
How can we retain our privacy — and how can we obtain
guarantees about characteristics of the real person "behind"
an avatar? |
| · |
What kind of new interactions can we realize in virtual universes? |
| · |
How can we map the real world into the virtual world and vice
versa? |
The ultimate question, though, is how can our customers and how
can we benefit from virtual universes — are we witnessing the
next World Wide Web with exciting new possibilities and features,
or is it just yet another Internet fad?
Our virtual universe research is fairly hands-on. The Zurich Research
Lab has its own SecondLife
island called Zurela. It is part of the larger IBM Research Islands
archipelago (a group of IBM Research islands belonging to IBM research
labs around the world).
|
