Main Page
OpenVerse in a nutshell
Europe is advocating for the development of open, inclusive and ethical virtual worlds that emphasise the technological sovereignty of the EU industry. This vision aims to deliver benefits such as enhanced accessibility, increased freedom and control, reduced entry barriers and a more equitable distribution of resources. Furthermore, it places a premium on interoperability, privacy, security and data ownership to promote innovation, creativity and social benefits. The EU-funded OPENVERSE project is dedicated to creating a knowledge base on European virtual worlds. To that end, it will establish a community of stakeholders, test user co-creation and extended reality, explore challenges, and generate standards, technology roadmaps and recommendations. These outputs are intended to guide the future establishment of the Open Virtual Worlds concept in Europe and globally.
EU-funded projects on Virtual Worlds
The following table provides an overview of EU-funded Research and Innovation Projects in the Virtual Worlds domain.
| Acronym | Full Name | Call for proposal | CORDIS Reference | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MASTER | Mixed reality ecosystem for teaching robotics in manufacturing | 101093079 | 01/01/2023 | 30/06/2026 | |
| SHARESPACE | Enriching social interaction in shared hybrid spaces | 101092889 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| THEIA-XR | Extended reality technologies for improved workplace efficiency | 101092861 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| DIDYMOS-XR | Better digital twins to drive the future of cities and industries | 101092875 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| SUN | Lifelike social environments in extended reality | 101092612 | 01/12/2022 | 30/11/2025 | |
| XR4ED | eXtended Reality for Education | 101093159 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| XR2Learn | Immersive technologies for entrancing learning experiences | 101092851 | 01/01/2023 | 30/06/2026 | |
| TrustChain | Building an efficient and safe internet of the future | 101093274 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| FLUAR | FLUAR - A novel solution for fluorescence-guided surgery based on augmented reality | 190144382 | 01/04/2023 | 31/03/2025 | |
| XR5.0 | Human-Centric AI-Enabled Extended Reality Applications for the Industry 5.0 Era | 101135209 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| WATERLINE | Creating a digital water alliance in Europe | 101071306 | 01/10/2022 | 30/09/2025 | |
| TransMIXR | Collaborative immersive media experience creation and consumption through social XR | 101070109 | 01/10/2022 | 30/09/2025 | |
| PRESENCE | A toolset for hyper-realistic and XR-based human-human and human-machine interactions | 101135025 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| XR4Human | Establishing the European standards for extended reality | 101070155 | 01/11/2022 | 31/10/2025 | |
| MAX-R | New software for extended reality productions | 101070072 | 01/09/2022 | 28/02/2025 | |
| BrainCode | Brain-inspired Intelligence for Semantic Video Compression | 101153722 | 01/01/2025 | 31/12/2027 | |
| LUMINOUS | Language Augmentation for Humanverse | 101135724 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| GuestXR | Innovation for immersive interaction with positive social results | 101017884 | 01/01/2022 | 31/12/2025 | |
| VERGE | Edge computing evolution | 101096034 | 01/01/2023 | 30/06/2025 | |
| XTREME | Breaking boundaries in art and music | 101136006 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| Meetween | My Personal AI Mediator for Virtual MEETtings BetWEEN People | 101135798 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2027 | |
| HEAT | Hybrid Extended reAliTy | 101135637 | 01/06/2024 | 31/05/2027 | |
| POPULAR | Augmented reality in the European eyewear industry | 101135770 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| AI4WORK | Human-centric Digital Twin Approaches to Trustworthy AI and Robotics for Improved Working Conditions | 101135990 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| XR2Industry | Tailoring eXtended Reality to Industry's needs | 101135547 | 01/12/2023 | 30/11/2026 | |
| MOTIVATE XR | Maintenance, Support & Operation Training using Immersive Virtual and Augmented Technology for Efficiency with XR | 101135963 | 01/06/2024 | 31/05/2027 | |
| INDUX-R | Transforming European Industrial Ecosystems through eXtended Reality enhanced with human-centric AI and secure, 5G-enabled IoT | 101135556 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| XReco | XR mEdia eCOsystem | 101070250 | 01/09/2022 | 31/08/2025 | |
| 6G-XR | 6G eXperimental Research infrastructure to enable next-generation XR services | 101096838 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2025 | |
| HXR | Holographic eXtended Reality (HXR) for true Augmented Reality (AR) and lifelike immersive displays | 101145548 | 01/03/2024 | 31/10/2025 | |
| ASP-belong | Augmented Social Play (ASP): smartphone-enabled group psychotherapeutic interventions that boost adolescent mental health by supporting real-world connection and sense of belonging | 101080665 | 01/09/2023 | 31/08/2027 | |
| CORTEX2 | COoperative Real-Time EXperiences with EXtended reality | 101070192 | 01/09/2022 | 31/08/2025 | |
| SONICOM | Transforming auditory-based social interaction and communication in AR/VR | 101017743 | 01/01/2021 | 30/06/2026 | |
| SPIRIT | Scalable Platform for Innovations on Real-time Immersive Telepresence | 101070672 | 01/10/2022 | 30/09/2025 | |
| GuestXR | GuestXR: A Machine Learning Agent for Social Harmony in eXtended Reality | 101017884 | 01/01/2022 | 31/12/2025 | |
| CAPHE | Communities and Artistic Participation in Hybrid Environment | 101086391 | 01/01/2023 | 31/12/2026 | |
| AVATAR | Unlocking the Power of Medical Images for Surgeons | 190147557 | 01/06/2023 | 31/05/2025 | |
| NANOVR | Nanoscale Design using Virtual Reality | 866559 | 01/05/2022 | 30/04/2027 | |
| B-prepared | Building PREPAREDness with Collaborative Knowledge Platform, Gamification and Serious Game in Virtual Reality | 101121134 | 01/10/2023 | 30/09/2026 | |
| NEPTUN | New approach to innovative technologies in manufacturing | 101079398 | 01/11/2022 | 31/10/2025 | |
| e-DIPLOMA | Electronic, Didactic and Innovative Platform for Learning based On Multimedia Assets | 101061424 | 01/09/2022 | 31/08/2025 | |
| CyberSecDome | An innovative Virtual Reality based intrusion detection, incident investigation and response approach for enhancing the resilience, security, privacy and accountability of complex and heterogeneous digital systems and infrastructures | 101120779 | 01/09/2023 | 31/08/2026 | |
| EXPERIENCE | The “Extended-Personal Reality”: augmented recording and transmission of virtual senses through artificial-IntelligENCE | 101017727 | 01/01/2021 | 30/06/2025 | |
| MEMENTOES | iMmersive gamEs for Museums as vehicles to Engage visiTOrs in Empathetic reSponses | 101061496 | 01/10/2022 | 30/09/2025 | |
| EO4EU | AI-augmented ecosystem for Earth Observation data accessibility with Extended reality User Interfaces for Service and data exploitation | 101060784 | 01/06/2022 | 31/05/2025 | |
| CREATIVR | Creativity in Virtual Reality | 101108938 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2026 | |
| ADVHANDTURE | Computational Design of Multimodal Tactile Feedback within Immersive Environments | 101088708 | 01/10/2023 | 30/09/2028 | |
| TIMELAPSE | TIMELAPSE. A VR application for speeding up time passage during chemotherapy | 101137707 | 01/06/2024 | 30/11/2025 | |
| AccessVR | Developing Experience-Centric Accessible Immersive Virtual Reality Technology | 101115807 | 01/01/2024 | 31/12/2028 |
The OpenVerse project
Our Mission
The purpose of OPENVERSE is to establish European Virtual Worlds characterised by openness, transparency, inclusivity, ethical and environmental responsibility, and to enhance EU’s technological sovereignty.
Vision & Strategy
The vision of the OPENVERSE project is to create inclusive, open, and ethically responsible European Virtual Worlds, enhancing the European Unions’s technological sovereignty in the global arena.
Its strategy involves integrating diverse technological expertise, fostering collaborative innovation, and ensuring interoperability, privacy, and security in digital environments.
OPENVERSE aims to lay the foundational framework for these virtual worlds, combining user co-creation with extended reality technologies, addressing legal and ethical challenges, and guiding future policy and industry standards for a globally influential Virtual Worlds.
Goals
- Inclusivity & Accessibility: To create an open digital ecosystem that’s accessible and equitable.
- Interoperability & Security: Ensuring seamless integration and secure data management across virtual platforms.
- Innovation & Collaboration: To nurture a space where creativity and technological advancements flourish through collaborative efforts.
Benefits
- OPENVERSE promises a transformative impact on how digital experiences and resources are accessed and distributed.
- It enhances user control, privacy, and fosters a more ethical digital environment.
- The initiative aims to be a catalyst for new, user-driven innovations and social engagement.
What is OpenVerse
OPENVERSE is a Coordination and Support Action (CSA), funded under Horizon Europe programme. It’s rooted in the ambition to elevate the European Union’s landscape, responding to the global tech competition and fostering technological sovereignty.
Main objetives
- Foster innovation, creativity, and social benefits through a collaborative environment
- Improve accessibility, control, lower entry barriers, and equitable resource distribution
- Ensure interoperability, privacy, security, and data ownership, allowing different Virtual Worlds to interoperate
The team
Meet our multisciplinary consortium: a unique alliance of tech companies, academic institutions, and industry associations, united by a common vision to shape the future of the European Virtual Worlds.