Immersive Worlds

What is an Immersive world?

The easiest way to describe an immersive world is to loosely call it a "3D web" experience – many who are part of an immersive world might find that too shallow a comparison, but it's at least a good starting point. This is because users participate in immersive worlds through browsers designed for accessing the information in these worlds, the same way Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari are designed to allow users to access (and therefore to participate in) the information on the web. The key difference is that the information in an immersive worlds is packaged and designed to resemble 3 dimensional spaces, which opens up many new and exciting oportunities.  

Immersive World Features: 

• Immersive
• Media Rich
• Experiential
• Flexible
• Collaborative
• Scriptable

Immersive World Uses:

• Recreate spaces and experiences users might not otherwise be able to explore
• Create spaces that allow users to practice "real world" activities
• Create spaces that exhibit information in new and thoughtful ways
• Create collaborative environments that bring users together

Immersive World Examples: 

• American Chemical Society Island:
  An island set up for the ACS to exhibit and exchange information and research.
  slurl.com/secondlife/ACS/86/203/25
• Caerleon Planetarium
  Much like a "real world" planetarium, it is a domed space which recreates the night sky from a perspective free from the distortions of lights on earth.
  slurl.com/secondlife/New%20Caerleon/70/224/23
• Deep Sea Marine Aquarium and Sea-Life Centre
  A museum, and aquarium simulation about sea life.
  slurl.com/secondlife/Gooruembalchi/127/224/78
• Molecule Rezzer
  Allows users to request particular molecules to be constructed for viewing with the 3D environment.
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOfhuoRbnCg
• NanoTech Island
  An island that exhibits and teaches about nanotechnology.
  slurl.com/secondlife/Nanotechnology/216/219/23
• Nursing Education in SL
  A site with many examples of uses of SL in the field of nursing.
  http://nln.allenpress.com/nlnonline/?request=get-document&issn=1536-5026&volume=028&issue=03&page=0156
• Pharmatopia
  Pharmacology in Second Life.
  http://scienceroll.com/2009/01/15/pharmatopia-pharmacology-in-second-life/
• Representing working Collabortively with data in 3D models.
  http://scienceroll.com/2009/03/26/not-finally-but-another-practical-use-for-second-life/
• Sl-science-places.dabbledb.com
  Extensive list of science related items created in secondlife.
  https://sl-science-places.dabbledb.com/page/sl-science-places/vbxOGovy#
• SimTeach
  information for Educators using M.U.V.E.'s (Multi User Virtual Environments)
  www.simteach.com/
• Virtual World Watch
  Website which surveys and posts information about the use of immersive worlds in UK universities.
  virtualworldwatch.net/
• Wellness Island:
  An island that allows users to access a counseling and wellness center.
  http://www.slwellness.com/

Immersive World Options:

Currently SecondLife (http://www.secondlife.com/) is the most widely used immersive world.