KZero recently released the updated Virtual World graphs for the second quarter of 2009. Perhaps the biggest story behind these updates is the new statistic of 579 million registered users for virtual worlds!
Virtual World Accounts Q2 2009: Age 25+
Virtual World Accounts Q2 2009: Ages 15 to 25
So let’s begin this post with a brief and simple definition of a Mirror World (MW for short): Mirror worlds are virtual spaces that model physical space. Now with that out of the way let’s further say that mirror worlds are the reflection of the real world.
Is it possible and is the sense of realism really there yet? Let me add in this disclaimer: It depends upon the platform. Some platforms that I have dabbled in have really failed to impress, while others tend to leave a good taste in my mouth. Perhaps the more popularly known mirror world is Google Earth (a free, web-based, open-standards digital map of Earth). However, I have been pretty impressed with Twinity which couches itself as: A 3D mirror world based on real cites and real people. The first cities developed thus far in the Twinity app. are Berlin and Singapore. Virtual Berlin for instance offers a full array of shops, galleries, cafés, bars, etc. With more to come in 2009 from Twinity- Orchard Road and Marina Bay are on deck for future release.
Would potential VW users more willingly adapt to the whole idea of virtual worlds if they were more closely mirrored after the real world? Maybe so.
What are some of the benefits of mirror world environments?
-Connecting the real to the virtual world – Mixed Reality
-Reflection of reality
-Offer compelling visuals and more realistic environments
-Virtual tourism/ In-world attractions
-Ability to bring real-world businesses into a virtual environment
-Educational relevance
-Mission planning/execution
Look for more mirror worlds to emerge in the future. I vote for them as I would much rather visit Berlin virtually and avoid all the hassles of missed flight connections and lost luggage. Virtual Berlin here I come!
With the convergence of social networking on the rise- I must look at the question: Can Twitter really transform the way we train & learn?
A recent article in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal outlined a few key points of Twitter use that really provides relevancy.
• Regional emergency preparedness organizations are looking at Twitter as a way to reach millions of people during a disaster.
• NASA is using it to regularly update interested parties about the status of space shuttle flights.
So back to the question: Will Twitter transform the way we train people? Probably not but it does allow for collaboration and real-time information/news updates; more mission-oriented than training. Clearly there is value in ‘tweeting’ for first responder Incident Command that needs to reach a large audience when a large disaster occurs. But if you look at it from the standpoint of real training apps, well, not so much. This doesn’t mean that we won’t continue to search for Twitter training apps, but right now we’re coming up dry. But Twitter certainly is interesting…
And now even a real-time Twitter sentiment search is available- yes, I have always wanted to search for all the happy people on Twitter ?
And now Twitter has reached the Classroom
A weekly wrap-up on what’s going on within the Virtual World sphere and beyond! Click on any of the below titles to read the full story.
Metaversum Opens Doors on Virtual Singapore
Snowglobe viewer 1.1 released for Second Life
Virtual Worlds May Be the Future Setting of Scientific Collaboration
Government workshop on evaluation of broadband included Second Life users
Did I miss a headline? Let me know-simply post a comment below.
Decision Integration Visualization and Support (DIVAS™)
DIVAS™ is a highly advanced modeling application allowing simulation users and facilitators to use provided tools to manipulate and analyze highly variable scenarios. Using Visual Purple’s FloChart™ technology, DIVAS™ reveals the format of the simulation model with a graphic map and set of authoring tools, thus allowing non-programming savvy users to analyze possible outcomes through experimentation and manipulation of newly acquired information, multiple decision possibilities, and various unique events. Within a simulation, DIVAS™ supports randomization of the environment to enhance realism while leading users through information collection and informed decision making based on likely outcomes.
By Ed Heinbockel, President and CEO, Visual Purple, LLC
Linden Lab recently released a case study that chronicles a comparatively basic virtual world experience with yet decidedly impressive results. I was able to experience this Second Life-based sim. Very basic, requires a full hands-on effort (a team of role-players so not very cost-effective to deploy); no real sim logics or NPC logics that we normally provide. So, it is not an efficient way to train nor does it guarantee a quality of experience that Visual Purple sims enjoy. In spite of these technical handicaps, they still turned in some impressive results:
1) Students who complete the program consistently have a 39% higher success rate at testing milestones than those that did not complete the virtual practice sessions. They also score better grades—roughly 30% higher that their counterparts who receive traditional classroom training…”
2) “The program has risen from a 56% testing success rate in 2007 to 93% by the end of 2008.”
3) “No single technological addition has ever impacted grades at the college in such a positive way…”
LouiseBrooks theme byThemocracy
