Brunel University has joined forces with Cambridge and Meta to explore how the Metaverse can help people with disabilities in their daily lives.
When the internet was invented in the late eighties, it was seen as a breakthrough in the way we communicate and share information. Today, the Metaverse is hailed as the next big thing that will change our lives even more.
A mix of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 3D computer-generated environments, the Metaverse has the potential to give us all superpowers and make the world a more inclusive place – especially for people with disabilities.
Now, Brunel University partners with Cambridge and Meta to explore how the Metaverse can help people with disabilities.
Social virtual reality
Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the million-dollar project will explore how to make the Metaverse accessible to people whose lives are affected by age, disease or disability.
The project is called “Social virtual reality”, and it aims to explore how the virtual world can be more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities and help them overcome problems they face in the physical world.
The researchers want to explore how the Metaverse can be used as a tool to level the playing field and give people with disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else.
What is Virtual Mobility
Researchers have developed the concept of “virtual mobility” to describe how new technologies can offer an accessible alternative to regular activities that require a lot of mobility.
For example, during the pandemic, many people have used video conferencing platforms to work from home or take classes online instead of going to an office or school.
The Metaverse is a perfect example of how virtual mobility can improve the lives of people with disabilities.
By using the Metaverse, people with disabilities can have the same experiences as everyone else without having to worry about the barriers that come with physical disabilities.
According to researchers at Brunel University, the Metaverse has the potential to change the lives of people with disabilities by:
Social life
Even traditional social media offers many benefits for people with disabilities, and the Metaverse will only amplify these effects. It could potentially help people with disabilities make friends, find romantic partners, and socialize without worrying about their physical limitations.
Education
Remote learning has become more popular in recent years, but the Metaverse can take it to the next level. Immersive technologies such as VR can give disabled people access to higher education, engagingly delivered without physical presence.
Work
We, as humans, can adapt to new ways of working within days. The pandemic has shown us that. Almost 85% of people across generations see themselves performing a noticeable portion of their work in the Metaverse.
This is good news for people with disabilities, as they have the same opportunities to work and earn an income regardless of their physical capabilities.
Equal opportunities for everyone
The Metaverse, like the internet before it, has the potential to level the playing field and give everyone – regardless of their abilities – an equal opportunity to participate in society.
It can democratize opportunity and give people with disabilities the same social, economic and educational opportunities as anyone else.
This is just the beginning of how the Metaverse can help people with disabilities. As technology develops, we will only see more and more ways it can improve their lives.