METAVERSE

Publications

A selection of scientific papers produced by our team, addressing multiple facets of the Metaverse – from user interaction to ethical implications. These contributions, resulting from in-depth research, are presented to share discoveries and stimulate dialogue within the academic community.
The Metaverse is a new concept that aims to revolutionize the way people perceive the time and space in which they live. Thus, through Metaverse, the convergence between the real and the virtual world is achieved on the basis of a combination of augmented reality, virtual reality, and other emerging technologies. The Metaverse has the potential to transform many aspects of society, from entertainment and gaming to education, health, culture, economy business, and social interaction. One of the key benefits of the Metaverse is its ability to connect people from all over the world in a virtual space. This could have a significant impact on the way we work, communicate, and socialize. It could also provide new opportunities for collaboration and innovation, as people from different parts of the world can easily connect and work together. The Metaverse could also have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach education and could open up new opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds. It could also provide new opportunities for content creators, such as virtual concerts, performances, and exhibitions. In this paper we intend to present the project “Advanced research in Metaverse and emerging technologies for the digital transformation of society“ and to analyze the most important implications of Metaverse in many aspects of society.
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Virtual worlds, real technologies: an insight into Metaverse and its principles

Authors:

  • Dr. Eng. Ionuț PETRE
  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Eng. Mădălina ZAMFIR
  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
  • Răzvan-Alexandru DUȚESCU
The Metaverse concept describes a virtual collective space where users engage with simulated or computer-generated environments, enabled by cutting-edge technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and 5G Networks. This convergence allows the creation of complex virtual worlds, enhances user interactions, enables dynamic environments, facilitates seamless integration across platforms, and ensures scalability and persistence, alongside several privacy, security, ethical and legal challenges to be considered. The constant advancement of these technologies is pivotal in shaping a future where the line between physical and virtual realities blurs, unlocking limitless possibilities in realms such as communication, entertainment, education, and business. This leads to novel opportunities for exploration and user engagement. This paper aims to present an overview of the leading technologies driving the transition from the current Internet to the Metaverse, enabling users to interact naturally and intuitively with digital objects and environments. The study explores well-established interactive simulation technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality, along with emerging technologies like somato-sensory interfaces, holographic imaging, and brain-computer interaction interfaces. Emphasizing their potential, the paper demonstrates how these technologies can offer users unparalleled levels of involvement in interactive activities spanning gaming, socializing, education, and business.
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Exploring relevant technologies for simulating user interaction in Metaverse virtual spaces

Authors:

  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Eng. Ion-Alexandru MARINESCU
Originally seen as a specialized aspect of Web 3.0, the Metaverse has experienced a significant transformation, now emerging as a multi-trillion-dollar industry. The educational sector holds a crucial role within this industry, utilizing the Metaverse as an inventive tool for both educators and students. Interactions within the Metaverse are anticipated to heavily rely on an extensive flow of user-derived data. This encompasses the potential to track personally identifiable biometric information using wearable devices or advanced technologies. These advancements raise ethical and legal concerns related to privacy and accessibility. Given these concerns, it is appropriate to initiate meditation on the ethical aspects and establish guidelines and frameworks regarding user interactions. The purpose of this paper is to initiate a dialogue about the ethical consequences of Metaverse-centered education, providing a nuanced comprehension of the ethical facets of this emerging field. Our objective is to highlight a broader perspective on a potential solution. In this sense, we suggest a set of Metaverse Ethical Principles that can enrich the understanding of this poorly explored territory. These principles aim to ensure the respon-sible, fair, and comprehensive implementation of the Metaverse in the field of education.
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Exploring ethical considerations in Metaverse from the education perspective

Authors:

  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Eng. Mădălina ZAMFIR
  • Dr. Carmen-Elena CIRNU
  • Eng. Ion-Alexandru MARINESCU
  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
This paper investigated the potential key aspects related to cybersecurity in Metaverse, regarding cyber threats and cyber crimes, challenges and risks, along with potential security measures that must be taken into account for a safe activity and an enjoyable user experience. Starting from real cases of security incidents in Metaverse, potential strategies and principles for ensuring cybersecurity in virtual environments were presented. An analysis of the user-avatar relation was carried out to synthesize the benefits and risks that the user may face in the virtual environment, when using digital devices and immersive and emergent technologies, in the interaction and collaboration with the other avatars.
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Who is Threatening My Avatar in Metaverse?

Authors:

  • Eng. Mădălina ZAMFIR
  • Andreea - Cătălina CRĂCIUN
As a virtual highly immersive and interactive world, Metaverse can unlock its potential in many different fields through a diversity of tools and technologies. We will analyze the way Metaverse may be used to simulate different scenarios and test the effectiveness of smart city technologies in a virtual environment before implementing them in the real world. By providing a platform for virtual town halls, public meetings, and feedback mechanisms, the Metaverse can enable citizens to participate in the planning and decision-making processes that shape the future of their cities and raise citizen engagement and participation in the development of smart cities. By experimenting on this theme, even academia may benefit as the learners gain practical knowledge of smart city concepts such as IoT, AI, and sustainability, enabling them to develop the skills needed to participate in the development and maintenance of smart cities. In this paper, we intend to study a few possible scenarios of Metaverse evolution in the field of education (to understand how Metaverse may be used as a platform for collaborative learning and experimentation), of smart cities (to help policymakers and stakeholders imagine a better town for each citizen), and to explore their intersection through potential Metaverse-based educational innovations in the development of smart cities.
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Educational Innovations Based on Metaverse in the Development of Smart Cities

Authors:

  • Dr. Ella Magdalena CIUPERCĂ
  • Alin Zamfiroiu
  • Ramesh C. Sharma
In the rapidly evolving landscape of educational technology, the advent of eLearning systems has brought about transformative changes, accompanied by an escalating wave of cyber threats. This paper addresses the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures in the realm of eLearning systems, focusing on the multifaceted challenges posed by cyber threats in virtual educational environments. The article also emphasizes the significance of a prevention guide and an adaptive cybersecurity approach in virtual classrooms. It provides a framework for applying a set of security rules and identifies key security principles to fortify eLearning systems against cyber threats. To define the appropriate security rules for eLearning systems, the following domains were considered: Authentication and Authorization, Data Encryption, Regular Software Updates and Patch Management, Monitoring and Incident Response, Secure Communication Channels, User Education and Awareness. Future works could involve the implementation and validation of the proposed framework and principles in real-world educational settings.
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Ensuring Cyber Resilience: A Thorough Guide to Securing Virtual Classrooms

Authors:

  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Eng. Mădălina ZAMFIR
  • Dr. Carmen-Elena CIRNU
  • Eng. Ion-Alexandru MARINESCU
  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
While false information has always represented a challenge to societal trust, democratic engagement, and public discourse, new technological advancements have led to the emergence of deepfakes and created a new challenge related to disinformation. The Metaverse, as a platform for immersive virtual experiences, also raises concerns about misinformation, privacy, and security. In this article, we analyse the possibilities of addressing the risks of deepfakes but still harnessing the technology for positive outcomes within the Metaverse. We systematically reviewed the literature using the PRISMA methodology and discussed several use cases that show the potential ethical use of the technology.
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Can Deepfakes Benefit the Metaverse in an Era of Disinformation? Insights from a Systematic Review

Authors:

  • Dr. Ella Magdalena CIUPERCĂ
  • Dr. Ing. Alexandru STANCIU
Society is undergoing a profound digital transformation, where efforts to build a virtual replica of the physical world promise to revolutionize the quality of life. Among the obvious benefits are hybrid work formats, increased access to education, easy access to information for citizens, improved socialization, and economic efficiency through cost reduction. The success of these initiatives depends on the implementation of AR/VR technologies, the development of high-speed networks and Web 3.0, artificial intelligence, IoT and Cloud infrastructure, as well as the social acceptance of these innovations.
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The City Halls of the Future and Immersive Technologies in Service of Citizens

Authors:

  • Dr. Ec. Ioana Petcu

The Romanian Journal of Informatics and Automation – RRIA is an open-access scientific journal, published quarterly, edited by the National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics – ICI Bucharest.

Continuing the initiative of the Buletinul Român de Informatică – BRI, which first appeared in 1980 and, beginning in 1991, changed its name to the Romanian Journal of Informatics and Automation, it can be said that this publication has been issued continuously for over 40 years.

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Special issue RRIA - Romanian Journal of Informatics and Automation / Vol. 34, No. 3, 2024
This study presents a novel approach to inclusive education by integrating augmented reality (XR) and generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into an immersive and adaptive learning platform designed for students with special educational needs. Building upon existing solutions, the approach uniquely combines XR and generative AI to facilitate personalized, accessible, and interactive learning experiences tailored to individual requirements. The framework incorporates an intuitive Unity XR-based interface alongside a generative AI module to enable near real-time customization of content and interactions. Additionally, the study examines related generative AI initiatives that promote inclusion through enhanced communication tools, educational support, and customizable assistive technologies. The motivation for this study arises from the pressing need to address the limitations of traditional educational methods, which often fail to meet the diverse needs of learners with special educational requirements. The integration of XR and generative AI offers transformative potential by creating adaptive, immersive, and inclusive learning environments. This approach ensures real-time adaptability to individual progress and accessibility, addressing critical barriers such as static content and lack of inclusivity in existing systems. The research outlines a pathway toward more inclusive and equitable education, significantly enhancing opportunities for learners with diverse needs and contributing to broader social integration and equity in education.
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Framework Design for Reinforcing the Potential of XR Technologies in Transforming Inclusive Education

Authors:

  • Dr. Eng. Ionuț PETRE
  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
  • Dragoș-Cătălin BARBU
  • Lidia BĂJENARU
This paper explores the adoption of Virtual Reality (VR) and Extended Reality (XR) in professional training, demonstrating their potential to revolutionize learning by providing immersive, interactive environments that mimic real-world scenarios. Our review spans several sectors, including healthcare, engineering, and defense, and assesses how VR and XR enhance engagement, knowledge retention, and training efficiency. Results indicate that these technologies not only personalize learning experiences but also reduce costs and increase training accessibility. Finally, we present a framework for a multipurpose VR training application. The conclusion highlights the need for continued research to fully harness the capabilities of VR and XR in training programs.
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Virtual Reality in training: A multidimensional analysis oftechnologies, challenges and paradigms

Authors:

  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
  • Răzvan-Alexandru DUȚESCU
  • Mihai APOSTOL
  • Ionuț Andrei MOCANU
Data governance stands at the intersection of powerful and often contradictory forces, forming a complex nexus that shapes digital society. It revolves around three fundamental axes. Each presents its own challenges and distinct need for balance. On one hand, national sovereignty asserts the right of states to regulate and protect the data of their citizens and institutions. They view this data as a strategic resource. On the other hand, the global flow of data is vital for the digital economy. Multinational companies and global online platforms depend on the ability to transfer data across borders. They need this to offer integrated services and stay competitive. Then there's technological innovation. It's the engine of progress in many fields, such as the Metaverse, which relies on access to massive volumes of data. Every new dataset collected and every new technology implemented creates fresh vulnerabilities and security risks. These range from data breaches to the misuse of information. So, it's crucial that technological development adheres to "privacy by design" principles and a culture of cybersecurity. We must ensure that progress doesn't come at the expense of our safety and privacy.
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Connections in the Metaverse. Data Governance.

Authors:

  • Dr. Eng. Ionuț PETRE
  • Dr. Dragoș IORDACHE
  • Dr. Ella Magdalena CIUPERCĂ
  • Dr. Eng. Alexandru STANCIU
  • Eng. Mădălina ZAMFIR
  • Dr. Carmen-Elena CIRNU
  • Eng. Ion-Alexandru MARINESCU
  • Monica Barbu, Phd.
  • Ionuț GIURA