Development and Implementation of a Space in the VRChat Metaverse to Explore a Scientific Research Environment

Pérez-Mamani A.; Dávila-Diaz N.; Baltodano-Payahua J.; Zavala-Culis A.; Ramos-Cosi S.; Meyluz P.-C.; Alva-Mantari A. · SSRG International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering (2026) · DOI: 10.14445/23488549/ijece-v13i1p104

Resumen

In this study, the issue presented was that, although technology has advanced, access to scientific research laboratories is limited to institutions with adequate resources that prevent rapid and widespread public access to these research venues. The article's purpose was to build a fully functional scientific research laboratory in the VRChat metaverse. The purpose of this article was to develop a fully functional scientific research laboratory within the VRChat metaverse. The approach taken utilized Unity and the VRChat SDK to design the virtual and collaborative space, including the interactive 3D models and scientific animation, in addition to testing the virtual lab via a Likert scale survey under five critical dimensions, which were satisfaction, accessibility, interactivity, user experience, and content. The data gathered indicates that the virtual laboratory provides access to education and scientific research, as indicated by an average score of 4.58, showing the extent to which this is the case. This same tool allowed users to interact effectively with the different virtual elements, indicating that these laboratories can be considered valid educational resources in academic and scientific research contexts. In summary, we could argue that this research is evidence that the metaverse, as a medium for virtual laboratories, offers a viable and effective way of achieving some of these experiences that have a long tradition of being difficult or impossible to replicate due to physical limitations.

Instituciones: Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades