Next Article in Journal
Pre-Service Teachers’ Assessment of ChatGPT’s Utility in Higher Education: SWOT and Content Analysis
Previous Article in Journal
Scaled Model for Studying the Propagation of Radio Waves Diffracted from Tunnels
Previous Article in Special Issue
Augmented Reality in Industry 4.0 Assistance and Training Areas: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Electronics
Volume 13
Issue 10
10.3390/electronics13101984
electronics-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles thumb_up
...
Endorse textsms
...
Comment
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
Article

Where Are We Now?—Exploring the Metaverse Representations to Find Digital Twins

by
Mónica Cruz
* and
Abílio Oliveira
*
ISTAR-IUL, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Electronics 2024, 13(10), 1984; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13101984
Submission received: 3 April 2024 / Revised: 10 May 2024 / Accepted: 17 May 2024 / Published: 19 May 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Perception and Interaction in Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Reality)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
The Metaverse promises to change our lives and how we usually interact with the world. However, it can only evolve with technological development and entertainment engagement advances. To investigate more leads regarding this concept, we have a main search question: How are the Metaverse, gaming, and digital twins represented in Academia? To answer it, we need to verify and determine how the Metaverse is defined, how gaming, as an entertainment industry, is represented, and how Digital Twins are defined by scientific knowledge. It will also be important to analyze how these concepts are intercorrelated. Here, we present a documental study—meta-analysis—of the most relevant indexed scientific papers published in the last ten years, according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Leximancer software will help us determine the main concepts and themes extracted from these articles—namely from the Keywords, Abstracts, Methodologies, and Conclusions sections. This study allows us to understand how these concepts are perceived, contribute to a scientific discussion, and give suggestions for future research and new leads on approaching these concepts.

1. Introduction

The significance of technology in our daily lives is undeniable, acting as a pervasive force that shapes our interactions, work dynamics, and learning experiences. The intricacies of modern existence underscore technology’s essential role in personal, societal, and economic advancement. This all-encompassing influence is not merely a convenience but a transformative factor that has redefined the very fabric of human civilization, affecting communication, work methodologies, learning approaches, and entertainment modalities.
Since it appeared in gaming, the Metaverse concept has rapidly gained prominence, introducing immersive experiences facilitated by virtual reality technology [1]. These experiences not only serve as vital means of communication but also act as promoters of well-being [1]. The development of the Metaverse opens up new frontiers for innovation, prompting a continuous need for technological enhancement to redefine our digital existence further.
Digital Twins, a relatively recent concept, can enhance decision-making, optimize performance, and streamline processes across diverse industries. As a bridge between the physical and digital realms, Digital Twins emerge as potent tools for facilitating a deeper understanding of complex systems. But how can the Digital Twins help develop the Metaverse concept? Can they guide the technology needs for this concept?
And so we ask: How are the Metaverse, gaming, and Digital Twins represented in Academia? In this context, we also aim to understand (1) how the Metaverse is defined; (2) how gaming, as an entertainment industry, is represented; (3) how Digital Twins are represented by scientific knowledge; and (4) how these concepts are intercorrelated.
This research constitutes a segment of a doctoral investigation that conducted a comprehensive documentary analysis—meta-analysis—of the most pertinent scientific papers indexed within the last five years across prominent scientific databases, namely B-On, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The study meticulously utilized each paper’s Titles, Keywords, Abstracts, Introductions, and Conclusions sections. Employing qualitative data from these sections, we applied the Leximancer software to conduct a textual or content analysis on the document texts, identifying high-level concepts. This process yielded vital ideas and actionable insights through models, enabling the creation and examination of a map highlighting emerging concepts and dimensions related to the Metaverse, gaming, and Digital Twins.
As a qualitative research tool under CAQDA (Computer-aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software), Leximancer facilitates observing relationships between the primary ideas within these concepts. Additionally, it serves as a valuable resource for exploring and deriving potential future studies, delving deeper into these emerging concepts and uncovering their interconnections.
The current study has been structured according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines [2,3], starting with a general introduction and a concise literature review. Following these sections, we comprehensively explain the methodology, focusing on the themes and key concepts derived from the analyzed articles. Subsequently, we present the study’s findings, followed by a discussion that considers the implications of the results. The study concludes with recommendations and suggestions for future research endeavors.

2. Background

2.1. Metaverse

Neal Stephenson’s groundbreaking 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash” marked the inception of the Metaverse concept, envisioning a collective virtual shared space formed by the convergence of physical and virtual reality [4]. This expansive digital realm incorporates augmented reality, virtual reality, and the internet, offering users a continuous and immersive experience. As technological progress continues, the Metaverse has become a focal point for innovation, as evidenced by the ambitious vision proposed by companies like Facebook (now Meta), striving to create an immersive space surpassing current online interactions [5]. Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, envisions the Metaverse as the next evolutionary step for the internet, providing a three-dimensional digital environment for people to interact, work, and socialize [5].
The fusion of “meta” and “universe” in the term itself conveys a sense of transcendence and an encompassing digital world where daily life and economic endeavors can unfold [6]. This dynamic environment constitutes a three-dimensional virtual realm grounded in the physical world but liberated from physical constraints, facilitating interpersonal interactions through customizable avatars [7]. Participants engage in diverse social, economic, and cultural activities within this space [8].
The term “Metaverse” is an intermediary layer between our reality and the digital realm [9], denoting an expansive 3D virtual shared space. This conceptual space enables various activities facilitated by augmented and virtual reality technologies [10]. Some perspectives emphasize the Metaverse as a massively scaled and interoperable realm of real-time virtual worlds, experienced simultaneously and continuously by unlimited users through virtual and augmented reality technology [11,12]. Additionally, the Metaverse is conceptualized as an extension of the internet, with a consensus that it will possess interoperability and interconnectedness [13].
Despite being nascent, the Metaverse concept promises a transformative impact on how we connect, collaborate, and engage with digital content. Advancements in technology suggest that the Metaverse may become integral to daily life, unlocking new possibilities for creativity, communication, and commerce in an increasingly interconnected world.
Functioning as a post-reality universe and a collaborative, multiuser environment, the Metaverse seamlessly integrates physical and digital virtuality. This integration results in multisensory interactions and networked environments akin to the immersive experiences of massive multiplayer online video games [14]. The Metaverse converges various elements, embodying facets of online gaming, social networking, augmented reality, and virtual reality, providing a platform for extensive digital engagement [15]. The synergy between these elements highlights the Metaverse’s potential to reshape the landscape of digital experiences and interactions in the foreseeable future.

2.2. Digital Twins

The Digital Twins concept, established in 1991 [16], was initially designed for NASA’s Apollo program to enhance their spacecraft simulation models [17,18]. It was later introduced by Michael Grieves in 2002 at a conference at Michigan University [19,20]. Since then, it has become a significant technology trend, particularly gaining prominence in 2017, and is now widely used in various fields such as technology, academies [21], and engineering [22].
Digital Twins are essentially digital copies of physical objects [23,24], like a building or facility [25], that can mirror the real-world entity in real time [23]. They facilitate two-way communication between digital and physical objects [26], thereby helping organizations monitor, analyze, and optimize product lifecycle performance [23]. They are used to stimulate the components involved in the system [27] and find applicability in various industries, such as healthcare [28], urban planning [29], education [17], and design [30].
Data from sensors and other sources, such as BIM models [31], are collected to create Digital Twins. These represent the current state of the physical object or system [26,31]. They can be integrated with other emerging technologies [32,33], ensuring confidence, traceability, compliance, authenticity, quality, and security [34]. They have been implemented in academic spheres for diverse applications, ranging from diagnosing power electronic converters [35] to exploring parallel societies and social interactions [36,37]. They also have utility in the dynamic capture of robotic information [38], the development of digital double-edge networks [39], and various other innovative cross-disciplinary fields [31].
Digital Twins, defined as the collection of digital artefacts from components and a system, can evolve with real systems [40]. They connect to IT systems to use available digital information [40], serving as an evolution of monitoring, diagnostics, and optimization tools [30]. A digital twin is a comprehensive simulation that integrates multiphysics, multiscale, and probabilistic elements to replicate a real-world vehicle or system as initially built [41]. This simulation uses advanced physical models, sensor updates, fleet history, and other relevant data to accurately mirror the life and behavior of its corresponding physical counterpart [41].
A digital twin is a real-time virtual representation of a tangible, real-world physical system, acting as an indistinguishable digital counterpart for practical applications [42]. It is used for the analysis and prediction of the system’s behavior, the optimization of its performance, and the ability to control it remotely [42]. The integration of the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and software analytics into Digital Twins creates simulations that forecast the performance of a product or process [42].
The use of Digital Twins offers diverse advantages, including improved efficiency [43], reduced operational costs [44], promoting more sustainable processes, and facilitating predictive maintenance [45]. Digital Twins technology leverages real-time data to generate simulations that accurately forecast the performance of processes or projects. It integrates seamlessly with the Internet of Things, software analytics, and artificial intelligence, enhancing overall productivity [17]. While the predictions for the Digital Twins market are favorable, its full potential requires addressing significant limitations and challenges, as this technology depends on societal readiness and the maturity of technology [46]. Despite most applications still being in the early stages, the potential for transformation in various domains is significant [46].

2.3. Digital Twins vs. Metaverse

Digital Twins play an essential role in constructing the Metaverse, transforming the real world into a virtual space through comprehensive twinning [47]. This process involves continuous real-time communication between Digital Twins and their real-world counterparts, allowing the Metaverse to mirror the current state of reality [48,49]. Digital Twins are digital representations of physical entities or processes created based on data connections, serving as virtual “clones” aligned with real-world counterparts [50]. This enables the exploration of the entire life cycle of physical substances and processes, seamless data transmission between the virtual and real realms, and the realization of real-time, bidirectional information feedback [20,47].
The adaptability of Digital Twins extends across various fields, showcasing their flexibility [51,52]. In relation to the Metaverse, they manifest in diverse forms [47]. The connection between Digital Twins and the Metaverse finds resonance in quantum mechanics, particularly in the phenomenon of quantum entanglement [53]. Much like the instantaneous communication observed between entangled quantum particles, the interaction between reality and the virtual world in the Metaverse reflects a state of immediate sensing and communication [54]. This connection draws parallels between quantum entanglement and the realization of Digital Twins, manifesting the Metaverse where the real and virtual worlds achieve complete consistency [47].
Taking a broader perspective, the Metaverse is an expansive, enduring, and cohesive realm comprising diverse virtual environments, including Digital Twins networks, social networks, digital publishing networks, virtual 3D networks, cyber-physical infrastructures, cloud infrastructures, and blockchains [55]. Lee et al. [56] introduced the term digital twin-native continuum, outlining three developmental stages of the Metaverse. The initial stage primarily involves Digital Twins and digitizing the real world. In the subsequent stage, Digital Twins and other virtual entities come together to create isolated cyber-physical environments called many virtual worlds. Ultimately, these numerous virtual worlds become interconnected, forming the complete Metaverse. This focuses on envisioning the Metaverse as a space where large-scale simulations can be collaboratively conducted through extensive networks of interconnected Digital Twins [55].
As the Metaverse evolves, incorporating Digital Twins can enhance the realism and functionality of the virtual environments, providing a more accurate representation of physical objects and systems within the Metaverse. In this way, it contributes to a more immersive and potential reshaping of how we interact and perceive both virtual and physical spaces, unlocking new possibilities for collaboration, exploration, and problem-solving across different industries.

2.4. Gaming

The gaming world has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, evolving into a multi-billion-dollar industry that transcends traditional boundaries [55,56,57,58]. Video games have risen to the status of global entertainment, captivating a diverse worldwide audience. The immersive nature of modern gaming experiences, facilitated by advanced graphics, realistic simulations, and compelling narratives, has elevated the medium to new heights. As a result, gaming is not just a pastime but a cultural phenomenon that shapes social interactions and influences popular culture [57,58,59,60].
Online gaming has played a pivotal role in revolutionizing the industry, fostering a dynamic ecosystem where players can connect and compete in real time, irrespective of geographical distances [61]. Massive multiplayer online games (MMOs) have gained prominence, providing expansive virtual worlds for players to explore and collaborate. World of Warcraft and Fortnite have become virtual spaces where millions of users engage in cooperative and competitive gameplay, forming intricate online communities [61].
As technology advances, emerging trends such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are poised to redefine the gaming experience [62]. Virtual reality headsets provide an immersive, 360-degree environment, while augmented reality overlays digital elements in the real world. These technologies can create even more engaging and interactive gaming environments, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the gaming world [62].
The integration of virtual reality and augmented reality into gaming represents a transformative shift, offering players an unprecedented level of immersion and interaction. This evolution aligns with the industry’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge experiences beyond traditional gaming norms. As virtual and augmented reality technologies continue to advance, the gaming world is poised for further innovation, promising thrilling and captivating experiences for players worldwide. The convergence of these technologies holds the potential to shape the future of gaming, pushing the boundaries of creativity and player engagement to new frontiers.

2.5. Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Gaming

The connection of the Metaverse, Digital Twins, and the gaming world forms a captivating nexus that shapes the landscape of digital experiences. The concept of the Metaverse, as initially envisioned in 1997 [63] and explored in 2005 [64], represents a virtual shared space where users engage in immersive experiences surpassing traditional online interactions. This evolving digital realm goes beyond being a mere extension of the internet, fostering interconnection and providing a platform for varied activities. Digital Twins bring a layer of realism to this virtual space by serving as replicas of physical entities [41,65]. In the gaming world, incorporating Digital Twins enhances the authenticity of virtual environments, contributing to a more immersive and engaging player experience.
Having the potential to replicate real-world entities in virtual spaces, Digital Twins find a significant application in the gaming world. As discussed, Digital Twins create lifelike characters, environments, and objects, enhancing the overall realism of virtual worlds [65]. This integration becomes evident in the Metaverse, where players can interact with and manipulate digital counterparts, closely mirroring real-world physics and dynamics. The result is a dynamic and responsive gaming environment beyond traditional boundaries.
Furthermore, the Metaverse is more than just a gaming platform. It is a dynamic social space where users interact. This combination of Metaverse and Digital Twins thus enhances social interactions within the digital realm, fostering a more immersive and authentic experience. As these technologies continue to advance and converge, the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds blur, opening up unprecedented possibilities for interconnected and lifelike digital environments [66,67].

2.6. Leximancer Software and Qualitative Research

We opted to utilize the CAQDA software Leximancer for our research, placing it in the category of typical data mining [68]. Leximancer is an efficient tool for conducting textual analyses on documents and extracting high-level concepts, key ideas, and actionable insights by applying models, interactive visualizations, and data exports. Utilizing machine learning, Leximancer identifies critical concepts based on their similarity and association with other words, subsequently generating and classifying a glossary for each dataset.
Leximancer, functioning as a text mining tool, can automatically generate merging concepts from text without requiring specific inputs [69]. This feature enables it to extract key concepts using concept maps, shedding light on trends, providing a swift understanding of new domains, and offering global scopes. The reliability and stability of Leximancer’s analysis have been demonstrated, showing comparability to intercoder reliability [70]. It consistently produces stable maps for studies [69], facilitating in-depth data analysis and result gathering. This contribution is vital to qualitative research theoretical analysis, substantial context, and overall research confidence and sureness [6], which are imperative for any researcher. Leximancer has become widely utilized across various academic research domains, including business, the public sector, social sciences, cultural studies, education, leisure, and tourism [71], solidifying its status as a valuable asset for diverse research endeavors [68].
In our exploration, we identified qualitative research as the most suitable approach for comprehending various concepts, ideas, and dimensions related to our primary themes [68]. This method provided the flexibility to delve into the relationships between categories, allowing us to recognize their potential and transformations throughout the research process [72]. Consequently, we could concentrate on observing these aspects without needing extensive measurement, aligning with the qualitative nature of our study [73].
Qualitative research, whether adopting a more naturalist model observing voice and subjectivity or a constructionist approach examining emerging natural features in the social world, hinges on transforming life into extraordinary features [74]. This approach allows for uncovering significant aspects of the individual [13], granting access to subjective meanings beyond the scope of other methods. This phenomenon is recognized as the pluralization of life worlds [75]. It is crucial to note that qualitative research has evolved in tandem with technological advancements, influencing its trajectory [75].
In the realm of qualitative research, the role of technology is increasingly prominent. Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) and Computer-aided Qualitative Data Analysis (CAQDAS) now play pivotal roles in data analysis, supporting the entire qualitative data analysis process [76]. QDA software significantly contributes to the validity of the analysis [77,78], enables research consolidation [76,79], and streamlines sample decisions [80]. And facilitating data management through various techniques such as retrieving indexed text segments, constructing electronic cross-references, and defining linkages between index worlds, variables, and filters [68].
Despite concerns voiced by some authors about potential distractions, technology, particularly QDA software, has demonstrated a substantially positive impact on the research process. It simplifies data management, enhances analysis, and opens up new possibilities beyond initial expectations [81,82]. Integrating technology into qualitative research has become instrumental in navigating the complexities of data analysis and fostering a more efficient and insightful research journey.

3. Methods

This section will detail our methodology. It is divided into the Data Gathering section, where we explain how we made the selection, describing the exclusion and inclusion criteria and sample characteristics. The Preparing and Analyzing Data section will describe the data analysis process using the Leximancer software. Finally, we will discuss the Concept Data Results, where we analyze the results of the Leximancer analysis.

3.1. Data Gathering—Articles

To conduct our study, we extensively explored major scientific database platforms, specifically B-On, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Our focus was on searching for indexed scientific articles, commencing with the initial consideration of four primary keywords: Metaverse, Gaming, Virtual Reality, and Digital Twins. In the initial phase of our research, it became apparent that employing these four keywords did not yield satisfactory results. Consequently, we reevaluated our approach and split them into two pairs.
The initial pair, comprised of Metaverse and Digital Twins, was chosen to delve into the intricate relationship between these two concepts. This exploration aims to enhance our understanding of how Metaverse and Digital Twins intersect and complement each other. The second pair consisted of Digital Twins and Gaming, providing a focal point to unravel the connections and synergies existing between Digital Twins and the gaming world. The rationale behind selecting these pairs stems from prior research insights that highlighted the Metaverse’s foundational role in the gaming world [1,11,83,84], emphasizing the pivotal role of the gaming realm in shaping and advancing the Metaverse concept [15].
Our decision to exclude the virtual reality concept from the initial keyword search was guided by its inherent presence in a computer-generated environment [12]. Virtual reality naturally integrates into this setting, forming a seamless connection between the Metaverse and users [85]. By omitting virtual reality as a distinct keyword, we aim to focus explicitly on the organic and inherent integration of virtual reality within the broader Metaverse context. This strategic exclusion aims to streamline our exploration and analysis, concentrating on the core dynamics between Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Gaming.
For selecting the 24 articles/scientific papers (Table 1), we considered inclusion and exclusion criteria. For the inclusion criteria: having at least two keywords mentioned from the main four used; having at least one of these keywords mentioned in the title; mentioning at least three key concepts mentioned in the text; the concept of the article is aligned with the goal of our study. As for the exclusion criteria, they should not be included in any inclusion points. We have not made a publication year limitation; however, since Digital Twins has been a recent concept since 2017 [42], it is justified that the relation between this concept only started appearing around 2019. Please see Figure 1 that shows the PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for systematic reviews.
The majority of the articles were from 2023 (54.1%), and the remaining were from 2022 (29.2%), 2021 (8.3%), 2020 (4.2%), and 2019 (4.2%) (Table 2). Looking at the article types, we can observe that the majority are Journal Papers (83.3%), and the remaining are Conference Papers (12.5%) and pre-print (4.1%) (Table 3).
It is possible to observe the diversity of publishers, perhaps because of the novelty of the theme, but the most recurrent are IEEE (29.2%), MDPI (25%), and Elsevier (12.5%) (Table 4).

3.2. Preparing and Analysing Data—Procedure

After meticulous selection based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 24 articles were carefully chosen for our study. All freely available PDFs were systematically arranged into a dedicated folder to streamline our organization process. Subsequently, we extracted comprehensive data from each article, covering essential elements such as titles, abstracts, keywords, introductions, conclusions, year of publication, published as, and published by. This information was then consolidated into a structured Excel spreadsheet, representing each category in distinct columns. The rationale behind incorporating elements such as titles, abstracts, keywords, introductions, and conclusions was strategic, each contributing unique value to our research [99,100,101,102].
Following the meticulous data collection, we systematically generated five distinct text files: titles, abstracts, keywords, introductions, and conclusions. Each file was methodically populated with data extracted from the corresponding articles, ensuring a coherent alignment with the designated file titles. For instance, the titles file contained all article titles, and this consistent pattern persisted across the other files. These text files, repositories of extracted information, were then meticulously uploaded and analyzed one by one using Leximancer. Special attention was given to language standardization, including merging similar words, addressing singular and plural forms, and eliminating insignificant words such as definite and indefinite articles (e.g., a, an, or the). Subsequently, concept maps were constructed through Leximancer, offering a nuanced analysis aligned with our research question, objectives, and theoretical–conceptual literature reviews. We used the following configurations for all the concept maps created: visible concepts—100%; theme size—50%. These concept maps, visually depicting primary concepts distilled from the articles, are crucial in representing thematic groupings with shared textual elements [103].
It is essential to note that these concept maps, generated through Leximancer, provide visual clarity to the primary concepts extracted from the articles (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 5). Each cluster of concepts represents a thematic grouping that shares common textual elements [103]. Importantly, these concept maps can be replicated as necessary, offering a dynamic and adaptable tool for ongoing analysis [103].

3.3. Concept Data Results

According to the titles extracted (Figure 2), we can observe that the Leximancer software has produced three main themes: two have similar relevance, Digital and Twin (Table 5), and the other, Digital Twin, has a 100% relevance (Table 5). These were the main concepts expressed in all the titles of the 24 articles. This result highlights the importance of the Digital Twins concept as a creator and builder of the dynamic digital complement of physical objects reflecting real-world entities in real time [23,24,25] and showing the readers the most central concept they aim to develop in their research.
Table 5. Titles relevance table.
Table 5. Titles relevance table.
ConceptsCountRelevance (%)
Digital Twins4100
Digital375
Twin375
Electronics 13 01984 g002
Figure 2. Titles concept map.
Figure 2. Titles concept map.
Electronics 13 01984 g002
We can observe the keywords extracted from the articles (Figure 3), which have four main themes: COVID, Digital, Reality, and Twins (Digital Twins). We can see in Table 6 the relevance percentage of the main concepts. We can observe the connection and relationship that the Digital Twins have with the Metaverse through the concept and transformation of the Reality concept and the technological accent from the Digital and Virtual worlds. This allows us to understand that concepts, such as Digital Twins, Reality, and Virtual, are almost lifecycle main components for the existence of the Metaverse. As for the COVID theme, mention is natural since some of the articles mention using these concepts to overcome COVID-19 pandemic difficulties.
Table 6. Keywords relevance table.
Table 6. Keywords relevance table.
ConceptsCountRelevance (%)
COVID5100
Digital5100
Reality5100
Twin (Digital Twins)5100
Twins (Digital Twins)5100
Virtual5100
Digital480
Metaverse480
Electronics 13 01984 g003
Figure 3. Keywords concept map.
Figure 3. Keywords concept map.
Electronics 13 01984 g003
According to the abstracts analysis, we can observe six main themes: Digital Twins, Technologies, Worlds, Use, Future, and 3D (Figure 4). Table 7 represents the percentage of relevance of the main concepts, with Digital Twins (100% relevance) and Technologies (60%) being the most relevant main themes.
The results confirm what we previously found, with the keywords analysis, that the Digital Twins concept is connected with the Metaverse and that these two concepts are connected to the virtual worlds. Technologies are the base connection of the Digital Twins and should be seen as a development for the future. Digital Twins or the Technologies depend on their use by users through their needs, mainly for game or gaming actions. The 3D concept appears connected to the virtual environment because it is essential to create the most engaging virtual worlds possible for the user.
Table 7. Abstracts relevance table.
Table 7. Abstracts relevance table.
ConceptsCountRelevance (%)
Digital Twins48100
Digital4594
Virtual4185
Metaverse3981
Technologies2960
Worlds2144
Use1940
Paper1429
Immersive1429
Construction1327
Users1123
Development1123
3D1021
Physical1021
Study1021
Industry1021
Presents919
Various919
Research817
Urban817
Data817
Social817
Intelligence817
Propose817
Need715
Game715
Vsps (Virtual Service Providers)612
Future612
Process510
Electronics 13 01984 g004
Figure 4. Abstracts concept map.
Figure 4. Abstracts concept map.
Electronics 13 01984 g004
Observing the results of the introduction, Figure 5 shows six main themes: Technology, Virtual, Potential, Industry, Used, and Paper. As for the concept with the higher percentages of relevance, we have the Virtual (100%) and the Metaverse (87%); see Table 8.
Once again, we can observe the importance of the virtual concept for creating the potential for the Metaverse concept. Without this technology, we could not see the connection between the Metaverse and Digital Twins concepts because the Digital Twins concept is considered something that will help the learning process so they can be integrated with its technology in future industries. The concept paper emerges naturally since technology plays an essential role in the online environment.
Table 8. Introductions relevance table.
Table 8. Introductions relevance table.
ConceptsCountRelevance (%)
Virtual186100
Metaverse16287
Digital11059
Technology10657
DTS (Digital Twins)10154
World9249
Physical8244
Users5328
Used5228
Data4424
System4323
AR (Augmented Reality)4122
Reality4122
Real3921
Social3921
Development3921
VR (Virtual Reality)3318
Construction3318
3D3217
Environment3217
Various3117
Potential3117
Immersive2916
Research2815
Applications2715
Paper2715
Experience2614
Industry2614
Concept2513
Information2513
Urban2513
Future2513
Learning2513
Create2413
Models2312
Interaction1910
Time1910
Online179
Model179
Service158
Work148
Electronics 13 01984 g005
Figure 5. Introductions concept map.
Figure 5. Introductions concept map.
Electronics 13 01984 g005
As for the conclusions analysis (Figure 6), we can see five main themes: Virtual, Technology, Data, Virtual Reality, and Model. In Table 9, we can see that the most relevant concepts are Technology (100%), Digital Twins (89%), Virtual (68%), and the Metaverse (58%).
As the other analysis shows, the main focus is on technology and technological development. Digital Twins technology has demonstrated its potential when approaching digital virtual reality and worlds, showing the potential it can bring to the Metaverse concept. It is also important to understand that the models created by the data given to the technology have a significant role in developing technology or more technological contributions to train and gain more virtual reality insights.
Table 9. Conclusions relevance table.
Table 9. Conclusions relevance table.
ConceptsCountRelevance (%)
Technology79100
Digital Twins7089
Virtual5468
Metaverse4658
Digital4354
Future3544
Data3443
Development3342
Worlds3139
Reality2937
Paper2633
Construction2532
Research2329
Physical2228
Used2228
Proposed2127
Potential1924
Applications1823
Urban1722
Training1620
Model1620
Industry1620
Environment1418
Various1418
Process1418
Convergent1316
Implementation1316
Information1316
VR (Virtual Reality)1215
Focus1215
Based1215
Realistic1114
Enable1013
Design1013
Electronics 13 01984 g006
Figure 6. Conclusions concept map.
Figure 6. Conclusions concept map.
Electronics 13 01984 g006

4. Discussion

Our findings gave us essential findings regarding the Metaverse, Gaming, and Digital Twins representations, contributing to understanding a more profound knowledge of these individually and their relation.
As for our first objective, how the Metaverse is represented, we can observe the relationship between the Digital Twins and virtual reality. The virtual reality concept appears naturally since the Metaverse can be defined as a computer-generated environment [12] that connects users through avatars [85], creating an immersive virtual environment [68] centralizing platforms in different activities [104] through this technology. As for the Digital Twins concept relation, we could understand that they are a part of the technology use or can be used by the Metaverse since they are connected with digital and virtual reality. In this way, we understand that the Digital Twins concept allows the Metaverse to achieve complete consistency between the real and virtual worlds [47]. Some authors also claim that the Digital Twins are part of the three development stages of the Metaverse [55], showing the potential significant transformation with incorporated technology [104].
Regarding the gaming industries being represented, our second objective, we can understand that it is clearly stated as a means by which users allow themselves to be immersive and engage with the Digital Twins and the Metaverse technologies, showing its potential as an entertainment media art promoter of these technologies. The gaming industry has potentialized technology, becoming a lived experience [6], using technology to create engaging and immersive experiences that can evolve with technology development [83]. We cannot forget the importance of the gaming world because it is the founder of the Metaverse [1,11,84]. This media art entertainment is the focal point where the animation will combine virtual reality [84] and join the technology evolution to generate new user experiences by creating new realities, languages, and types of communication to a single or global scope and, therefore, transform the society [105].
Regarding our third objective, how the Digital Twins are represented, we could see that they are considered the core means to connect the technology to the Metaverse concept. It shows that the future is promising since it can and is evolving and has numerous applications. They are changing how virtual and digital worlds build physical objects essential to online communication. These results are precise and show us the Digital Twins’ purpose, which is to develop or facilitate [25] digital replicas of physical objects [23,24], allowing the creation of a dynamic digital counterpart that mirrors the new real-world entity in real time [23]. It also brings the ability to monitor, analyze, and optimize performance in industries [19], enabling two-way communications between digital and physical objects [24] and linking between worlds [24]. The Digital Twins, in this way, show us their importance as a technology and in Academia [21], being able to extend their applicability through diverse industries such as healthcare [28], urban planning [29], education [17], design [30], and entertainment, through the gaming world.
As for our last objective, how these concepts are intercorrelated, we were able to see a clear path in their relation. The Metaverse will continue to use technology evolution to engage users in virtual and immersive experiences, using the gaming industry to reach users. The Digital Twins will be used as a technological set to optimize and enhance the Metaverse concept, aiming for an even deeper immersive experience through the Metaverse user’s interactions, allowing the Metaverse to become closer to its complete version [55]. In this way, the connection to these concepts (Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Gaming) will become a nexus that will shape the landscape of digital experiences, surpassing traditional online interactions. Digital Twins bring a layer of realism to the virtual space [41,65], which, incorporated with the gaming world, will enhance the authenticity of the virtual environments, creating a more immersive and engaging player experience. The integration of these combinations becomes evident in the Metaverse because players will interact and manipulate digital counterparts, closely mirroring real-world physics and dynamics, resulting in a dynamic and responsive gaming environment beyond traditional boundaries.

5. Research Limitations and Future Work

The number of papers selected can be considered limited. A more comprehensive sample could reinforce our results or lead us in new directions, exploring broader concepts. Nevertheless, for a meta-analysis, 24 is considered a good sample. Another limitation could be our choice of keywords, and other decisions could allow more or fewer articles. However, these decisions were made with the validation of previous studies.
In future studies, we will continue to analyze these concepts through their evolution and continuously understand how far or close their relationship may be in the future.

6. Conclusions

The surprising developments technology can bring to the Metaverse concept are impressive. The future continuously guides us through different experiences and allows us to learn from the past. Our minds will enable us to keep progressing through the future. Modern society has created awareness of technological needs, not only on a personal level. Technology has come to influence our lives in every aspect. One of the most essential aspects is in the entertainment area, looking up to our need to play. Games have shown us this importance since primitive cavemen. Today, technology enhances our playing, creating different ways of relating and communicating with others and virtual worlds.
Although on a media art level, through films, mankind showed us their fears and challenges dealing with technology evolution, the idea of technology helping humans (WALL-E, Disney movies) may be closer to our reality.
Looking at the relationship between the three concepts (Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Gaming), we see almost an expected life cycle of mutual help since they create a better experience and overcome new obstacles, creating new possibilities for the future. Looking at our results, it seems like a bright future. We cannot forget that life is made up of personal achievements. However, when we join forces with others, the capacity that leads us to discovery is more incredible and, therefore, brighter. The same applies to technological development when the gaming world enters virtual digital achievements through Digital Twins, which can overcome obstacles and help us reach closer to a complete Metaverse concept.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, M.C. and A.O.; methodology, M.C. and A.O.; validation, A.O.; investigation M.C.; resources, M.C.; data curation, M.C.; writing—original draft preparation, M.C. and A.O.; writing—review and editing, M.C. and A.O.; and supervision A.O. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Data Availability Statement

Data are contained within the article..

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

  1. Oliveira, A.; Cruz, M. Virtually Connected in a Multiverse of Madness?—Perceptions of Gaming, Animation, and Metaverse. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 8573. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  2. Page, M.J.; McKenzie, J.E.; Bossuyt, P.M.; Boutron, I.; Hoffmann, T.C.; Mulrow, C.D.; Shamseer, L.; Tetzlaff, J.M.; Akl, E.A.; Brennan, S.E.; et al. The PRISMA 2020 Statement: An Updated Guideline for Reporting Systematic Reviews. BMJ 2021, 372, n71. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  3. Page, M.J.; Moher, D.; Bossuyt, P.M.; Boutron, I.; Hoffmann, T.C.; Mulrow, C.D.; Shamseer, L.; Tetzlaff, J.M.; Akl, E.A.; Brennan, S.E.; et al. PRISMA 2020 Explanation and Elaboration: Updated Guidance and Exemplars for Reporting Systematic Reviews. BMJ 2021, 372, n160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  4. Stephenson, N. Snow Crash, 1st ed.; Penguin: London, UK, 2011; ISBN 978-0-241-95318-1. [Google Scholar]
  5. Zuckerberg, M. Founder’s Letter; Meta: London, UK, 2021. [Google Scholar]
  6. Ko, S.Y.; Chung, H.K.; Kim, J.-I.; Shin, Y. A Study on the Typology and Advancement of Cultural Leisure-Based Metaverse. KIPS Trans. Softw. Data Eng. 2021, 10, 331–338. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  7. Mitchell, A.; Murphy, J.; Owens, D.; Khazanchi, D.; Zigurs, I. Avatars, People, and Virtual Worlds: Foundations for Research in Metaverses. J. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 2009, 10, 90–117. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  8. Hendaoui, A.; Limayem, M.; Thompson, C. 3D Social Virtual Worlds: Research Issues and Challenges. IEEE Internet Comput. 2008, 12, 88–92. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  9. Alang, N. Opinion|Facebook Wants to Move to ‘The Metaverse’—Here’s What That Is, and Why You Should Be Worried. Available online: https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/10/23/facebook-wants-to-move-to-the-metaverse-heres-what-that-is-and-why-you-should-be-worried.html (accessed on 5 February 2023).
  10. Damar, M. Metaverse Shape of Your Life for Future: A Bibliometric Snapshot. J. Metaverse 2021, 1, 1–8. [Google Scholar]
  11. Burrows, G. Your Life in the Metaverse; Really Interesting Books: Italy, Torino, 2022. [Google Scholar]
  12. Ball, M. The Metaverse: And How it Will Revolutionize Everything; W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.: New York, NY, USA, 2022; ISBN 978-1-324-09203-2. [Google Scholar]
  13. Ffiske, T. The Metaverse: A Professional Guide: An Expert’s Guide to Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Immersive Technologies; Independently published; 2022; ISBN 9798403364522. [Google Scholar]
  14. Mystakidis, S. Metaverse. Encyclopedia 2022, 2, 486–497. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  15. Ramesh, U.V.; Harini, A.; Gowri, C.S.D.; Durga, K.V.; Druvitha, P. Kumar Metaverse: Future of the Internet. Int. J. Res. Publ. Rev. 2022, 3, 93–97. [Google Scholar]
  16. Grieves, M.; Vickers, J. Digital Twin: Mitigating Unpredictable, Undesirable Emergent Behavior in Complex Systems. In Transdisciplinary Perspectives on Complex Systems: New Findings and Approaches; Kahlen, F.-J., Flumerfelt, S., Alves, A., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2017; pp. 85–113. ISBN 978-3-319-38756-7. [Google Scholar]
  17. Bucchiarone, A. Gamification and Virtual Reality for Digital Twin Learning and Training: Architecture and Challenges. Virtual Real. Intell. Hardw. 2022, 4, 471–486. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  18. Negri, E.; Fumagalli, L.; Macchi, M. A Review of the Roles of Digital Twin in CPS-Based Production Systems. Procedia Manuf. 2017, 11, 939–948. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  19. Furini, M.; Gaggi, O.; Mirri, S.; Montangero, M.; Pelle, E.; Poggi, F.; Prandi, C. Digital Twins and Artificial Intelligence: As Pillars of Personalized Learning Models. Commun. ACM 2022, 65, 98–104. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  20. Kuru, K. MetaOmniCity: Toward Immersive Urban Metaverse Cyberspaces Using Smart City Digital Twins. IEEE Access 2023, 11, 43844–43868. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  21. Yarali, A. Digital Twin Technology. In Intelligent Connectivity: AI, IoT, and 5G; IEEE: New York, NY, USA, 2022; pp. 191–209. [Google Scholar]
  22. Uhlemann, T.H.-J.; Lehmann, C.; Steinhilper, R. The Digital Twin: Realizing the Cyber-Physical Production System for Industry 4.0. Procedia CIRP 2017, 61, 335–340. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  23. Grieves, M. Product Lifecycle Management: Driving the Next Generation of Lean Thinking; McGraw-Hill Education: New York, NY, USA, 2006; ISBN 978-0-07-145230-4. [Google Scholar]
  24. Han, Y.; Niyato, D.; Leung, C.; Kim, D.I.; Zhu, K.; Feng, S.; Shen, X.; Miao, C. A Dynamic Hierarchical Framework for IoT-Assisted Digital Twin Synchronization in the Metaverse. IEEE Internet Things J. 2023, 10, 268–284. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  25. Boje, C.; Guerriero, A.; Kubicki, S.; Rezgui, Y. Towards a Semantic Construction Digital Twin: Directions for Future Research. Autom. Constr. 2020, 114, 103179. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  26. Sepasgozar, S.M.E. Digital Twin and Web-Based Virtual Gaming Technologies for Online Education: A Case of Construction Management and Engineering. Appl. Sci. 2020, 10, 4678. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  27. Havard, V.; Jeanne, B.; Lacomblez, M.; Baudry, D. Digital Twin and Virtual Reality: A Co-Simulation Environment for Design and Assessment of Industrial Workstations. Prod. Manuf. Res. 2019, 7, 472–489. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  28. Fuller, A.; Fan, Z.; Day, C.; Barlow, C. Digital Twin: Enabling Technologies, Challenges and Open Research. IEEE Access 2020, 8, 108952–108971. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  29. da Silva Mendonça, R.; de Oliveira Lins, S.; de Bessa, I.V.; de Carvalho Ayres, F.A.; de Medeiros, R.L.P.; de Lucena, V.F. Digital Twin Applications: A Survey of Recent Advances and Challenges. Processes 2022, 10, 744. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  30. Moore, P.R.; Ng, A.H.C.; Yeo, S.H.; Sundberg, M.; Wong, C.B.; De Vin, L.J. Advanced Machine Service Support Using Internet-Enabled Three-Dimensional-Based Virtual Engineering. Int. J. Prod. Res. 2008, 46, 4215–4235. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  31. Sepasgozar, S.M.E.; Khan, A.A.; Smith, K.; Romero, J.G.; Shen, X.; Shirowzhan, S.; Li, H.; Tahmasebinia, F. BIM and Digital Twin for Developing Convergence Technologies as Future of Digital Construction. Buildings 2023, 13, 441. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  32. Altun, C.; Tavli, B.; Yanikomeroglu, H. Liberalization of Digital Twins of IoT-Enabled Home Appliances via Blockchains and Absolute Ownership Rights. IEEE Commun. Mag. 2019, 57, 65–71. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  33. Ryskeldiev, B.; Ochiai, Y.; Cohen, M.; Herder, J. Distributed Metaverse: Creating Decentralized Blockchain-Based Model for Peer-to-Peer Sharing of Virtual Spaces for Mixed Reality Applications. In Proceedings of the 9th Augmented Human International Conference, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 7–9 February 2018; Association for Computing Machinery: New York, NY, USA, 2018; pp. 1–3. [Google Scholar]
  34. Yaqoob, I.; Salah, K.; Uddin, M.; Jayaraman, R.; Omar, M.; Imran, M. Blockchain for Digital Twins: Recent Advances and Future Research Challenges. IEEE Netw. 2020, 34, 290–298. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  35. Milton, M.; De La O, C.; Ginn, H.L.; Benigni, A. Controller-Embeddable Probabilistic Real-Time Digital Twins for Power Electronic Converter Diagnostics. IEEE Trans. Power Electron. 2020, 35, 9850–9864. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  36. Wang, F.-Y.; Qin, R.; Li, J.; Yuan, Y.; Wang, X. Parallel Societies: A Computing Perspective of Social Digital Twins and Virtual–Real Interactions. IEEE Trans. Comput. Soc. Syst. 2020, 7, 2–7. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  37. Falchuk, B.; Loeb, S.; Neff, R. The Social Metaverse: Battle for Privacy. IEEE Technol. Soc. Mag. 2018, 37, 52–61. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  38. Kaigom, E.G.; Roßmann, J. Value-Driven Robotic Digital Twins in Cyber–Physical Applications. IEEE Trans. Ind. Inform. 2021, 17, 3609–3619. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  39. Lu, Y.; Huang, X.; Zhang, K.; Maharjan, S.; Zhang, Y. Communication-Efficient Federated Learning for Digital Twin Edge Networks in Industrial IoT. IEEE Trans. Ind. Inform. 2021, 17, 5709–5718. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  40. Boschert, S.; Rosen, R. Digital Twin—The Simulation Aspect. In Mechatronic Futures: Challenges and Solutions for Mechatronic Systems and Their Designers; Hehenberger, P., Bradley, D., Eds.; Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2016; pp. 59–74. ISBN 978-3-319-32156-1. [Google Scholar]
  41. Glaessgen, E.; Stargel, D. The Digital Twin Paradigm for Future NASA and U.S. Air Force Vehicles. In Proceedings of the 53rd AIAA/ASME/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference, Honolulu, HI, USA, 23–26 April 2012; Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials and Co-located Conferences. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Reston, VA, USA, 2012. [Google Scholar]
  42. Bordegoni, M.; Ferrise, F. Exploring the Intersection of Metaverse, Digital Twins, and Artificial Intelligence in Training and Maintenance. J. Comput. Inf. Sci. Eng. 2023, 23, 060806. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  43. Clausen, A.; Arendt, K.; Johansen, A.; Sangogboye, F.C.; Kjærgaard, M.B.; Veje, C.T.; Jørgensen, B.N. A Digital Twin Framework for Improving Energy Efficiency and Occupant Comfort in Public and Commercial Buildings. Energy Inform. 2021, 4, 40. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  44. Pan, M.; Xing, Q.; Chai, Z.; Zhao, H.; Sun, Q.; Duan, D. Real-Time Digital Twin Machine Learning-Based Cost Minimization Model for Renewable-Based Microgrids Considering Uncertainty. Sol. Energy 2023, 250, 355–367. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  45. van Dinter, R.; Tekinerdogan, B.; Catal, C. Predictive Maintenance Using Digital Twins: A Systematic Literature Review. Inf. Softw. Technol. 2022, 151, 107008. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  46. Turab, M.; Jamil, S. A Comprehensive Survey of Digital Twins in Healthcare in the Era of Metaverse. BioMedInformatics 2023, 3, 563–584. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  47. Lv, Z.; Xie, S.; Li, Y.; Hossain, M.S.; El Saddik, A. Building the Metaverse Using Digital Twins at All Scales, States, and Relations. Virtual Real. Intell. Hardw. 2022, 4, 459–470. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  48. Dionisio, J.D.N., III; Gilbert, R. 3D Virtual Worlds and the Metaverse: Current Status and Future Possibilities. ACM Comput. Surv. (CSUR) 2013, 45, 34. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  49. Park, S.M.; Kim, Y.G. A Metaverse: Taxonomy, Components, Applications, and Open Challenges. IEEE Access 2022, 10, 4209–4251. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  50. Blair, G.S. Digital Twins of the Natural Environment. Patterns 2021, 2, 100359. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  51. El Saddik, A. Digital Twins: The Convergence of Multimedia Technologies. IEEE MultiMedia 2018, 25, 87–92. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  52. Bruynseels, K.; Santoni de Sio, F.; van den Hoven, J. Digital Twins in Health Care: Ethical Implications of an Emerging Engineering Paradigm. Front. Genet. 2018, 9, 320848. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  53. Horodecki, R.; Horodecki, P.; Horodecki, M.; Horodecki, K. Quantum Entanglement. Rev. Mod. Phys. 2009, 81, 865–942. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  54. Minev, Z.K.; Mundhada, S.O.; Shankar, S.; Reinhold, P.; Gutierrez-Jauregui, R.; Schoelkopf, R.J.; Mirrahimi, M.; Carmichael, H.J.; Devoret, M.H. To Catch and Reverse a Quantum Jump Mid-Flight. Nature 2019, 570, 200–204. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  55. Nguyen, T.N. Toward Human Digital Twins for Cybersecurity Simulations on the Metaverse: Ontological and Network Science Approach. JMIRx Med. 2022, 3, e33502. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  56. Lee, L.-H.; Braud, T.; Zhou, P.; Wang, L.; Xu, D.; Lin, Z.; Kumar, A.; Bermejo, C.; Hui, P. All One Needs to Know about Metaverse: A Complete Survey on Technological Singularity, Virtual Ecosystem, and Research Agenda. arXiv 2021, arXiv:2110.05352. [Google Scholar]
  57. Fitzgerald, D. 2019 Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry. Available online: https://www.theesa.com/resource/essential-facts-about-the-computer-and-video-game-industry-2019/ (accessed on 25 November 2023).
  58. Fitzgerald, D. 2020 Essential Facts about the Video Game Industry. Available online: https://www.theesa.com/resource/2020-essential-facts/ (accessed on 25 November 2023).
  59. Samdo 2021 Essential Facts about the Video Game Industry. Available online: https://www.theesa.com/resource/2021-essential-facts-about-the-video-game-industry/ (accessed on 25 November 2023).
  60. Urbanemujoe 2022 Essential Facts about the Video Game Industry. Available online: https://www.theesa.com/resource/2022-essential-facts-about-the-video-game-industry/ (accessed on 25 November 2023).
  61. Yee, N. The Demographics, Motivations, and Derived Experiences of Users of Massively Multi-User Online Graphical Environments. Presence Teleoper. Virtual Environ. 2006, 15, 309–329. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  62. Hamari, J.; Sjöklint, M.; Ukkonen, A. The Sharing Economy: Why People Participate in Collaborative Consumption. J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol. 2016, 67, 2047–2059. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  63. Damer, B.; Walker, R.; Judson, J.; Dove, J.; DiPaola, S.; Ebtekar, A.; McGehee, S.; Reber, K. Avatars!; Exploring and Building Virtual Worlds on the Internet, 1st ed.; Peachpit Press: San Francisco, CA, USA, 1997; ISBN 978-0-201-68840-5. [Google Scholar]
  64. Castronova, E. Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games; University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA, 2006; ISBN 978-0-226-09627-8. [Google Scholar]
  65. Tao, F.; Zhang, H.; Liu, A.; Nee, A.Y.C. Digital Twin in Industry: State-of-the-Art. IEEE Trans. Ind. Inform. 2019, 15, 2405–2415. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  66. Juul, J. Half-Real: Video Games between Real Rules and Fictional Worlds; MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2005; ISBN 978-0-262-10110-3. [Google Scholar]
  67. Taylor, T.L. Play between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture; MIT Press: Cambridge, MA, USA, 2006; ISBN 978-0-262-20163-6. [Google Scholar]
  68. Cruz, M.; Oliveira, A.; Pinheiro, A. Meeting Ourselves or Other Sides of Us?—Meta-Analysis of the Metaverse. Informatics 2023, 10, 47. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  69. Stockwell, P.; Colomb, R.M.; Smith, A.E.; Wiles, J. Use of an Automatic Content Analysis Tool: A Technique for Seeing both Local and Global Scope. Int. J. Hum.-Comput. Stud. 2009, 67, 424–436. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  70. Smith, A.E.; Humphreys, M.S. Evaluation of Unsupervised Semantic Mapping of Natural Language with Leximancer Concept Mapping. Behav. Res. Methods 2006, 38, 262–279. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  71. Sotiriadou, P.; Brouwers, J.; Le, T.-A. Choosing a Qualitative Data Analysis Tool: A Comparison of NVivo and Leximancer. Ann. Leis. Res. 2014, 17, 218–234. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  72. Aspers, P.; Corte, U. What Is Qualitative in Qualitative Research. Qual. Sociol. 2019, 42, 139–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  73. Becker, H.S. Evidence; University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL, USA, 2017; ISBN 978-0-226-46637-8. [Google Scholar]
  74. Silverman, D. Qualitative Research, 5th ed.; SAGE Publications Ltd.: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2021; ISBN 978-1-5297-1297-1. [Google Scholar]
  75. Flick, U. An Introduction to Qualitative Research, 7th ed.; SAGE Publications Ltd.: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2022; ISBN 978-1-5297-8132-8. [Google Scholar]
  76. Friese, S. Qualitative Data Analysis with ATLAS.ti, 1st ed.; SAGE Publications Ltd.: Los Angeles, CA, USA, 2014; ISBN 978-0-85702-131-1. [Google Scholar]
  77. Kelle, U.; Laurie, H. Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis; Sage: London, UK, 1995. [Google Scholar]
  78. Welsh, E. Dealing with Data: Using NVivo in the Qualitative Data Analysis Process. Forum Qual. Sozialforschung/Forum Qual. Soc. Res. 2002, 3, 26. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  79. Weitzman, E. Software and Qualitative Research. In Handbook of Qualitative Research; Densin, N., Lincoln, Y.S., Eds.; Sage: London, UK, 2000; pp. 803–820. [Google Scholar]
  80. Seale, C. Using Computers to Analyse Qualitative Data. In Doing Qualitative Research: A Practical Handbook; Silverman, D., Ed.; Sage: London, UK, 2000; pp. 154–174. [Google Scholar]
  81. Kelle, U. Computer-Assisted Analysis of Qualitative Data Paper Prepared for the Discussion Paper Series of the LSE Methodology Institute; University of Bremen: Vechta, Germany, 2004. [Google Scholar]
  82. Richards, T.J.; Richards, L. Using Computers in Qualitative Research. In Collecting and Interpreting Qualitative Materials; Densin, N., Lincoln, Y.S., Eds.; Sage: London, UK, 1998; pp. 211–245. [Google Scholar]
  83. Cruz, M.; Oliveira, A. Hi Doctor Strange! Play it again, and discover the Metaverse—Perceptions of the Metaverse among gamers. In Proceedings of the 2023 18th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), Aveiro, Portugal, 20–23 June 2023. [Google Scholar]
  84. Cruz, M.; Oliveira, A.; Pinheiro, A. Flowing through Virtual Animated Worlds—Perceptions of the Metaverse. In Proceedings of the 2022 Euro-Asia Conference on Frontiers of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT), Beijing, China, 16–18 December 2022; pp. 241–245. [Google Scholar]
  85. Han, E.; Miller, M.R.; Ram, N.; Nowak, K.L.; Bailenson, J.N. Understanding Group Behavior in Virtual Reality: A Large-Scale, Longitudinal Study in the Metaverse. In Proceedings of the 72nd Annual International Communication Association Conference, Paris, France, 26 May 2022. [Google Scholar]
  86. Bandyopadhyay, A.; Sarkar, A.; Swain, S.; Banik, D.; Hassanien, A.E.; Mallik, S.; Li, A.; Qin, H. A Game-Theoretic Approach for Rendering Immersive Experiences in the Metaverse. Mathematics 2023, 11, 1286. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  87. Harichandran, A.; Johansen, K.W.; Jacobsen, E.L.; Teizer, J. A Conceptual Framework for Construction Safety Training Using Dynamic Virtual Reality Games and Digital Twins. In Proceedings of the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2–4 November 2021; pp. 621–628. [Google Scholar]
  88. Lv, Z.; Qiao, L.; Li, Y.; Yuan, Y.; Wang, F.-Y. BlockNet: Beyond Reliable Spatial Digital Twins to Parallel Metaverse. Patterns 2022, 3, 100468. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  89. Shibusawa, R.; Nakashige, M.; Oe, K. Duality Board: An Asymmetric Remote Gaming Platform with Mobile Robots and the Digital Twins. In Proceedings of the 2022 17th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), Sapporo Hokkaido, Japan, 7–10 March 2022; pp. 1035–1039. [Google Scholar]
  90. Wang, X.; Yang, J.; Han, J.; Wang, W.; Wang, F.-Y. Metaverses and DeMetaverses: From Digital Twins in CPS to Parallel Intelligence in CPSS. IEEE Intell. Syst. 2022, 37, 97–102. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  91. Elhagry, A. Text-to-Metaverse: Towards a Digital Twin-Enabled Multimodal Conditional Generative Metaverse. In Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 31st ACM International Conference on Multimedia, Ottawa, ON, Canada, 29 October–3 November 2023; ACM: Ottawa, ON, Canada, 2023; pp. 9336–9339. [Google Scholar]
  92. Wang, S.; Vu, L.H. The Integration of Digital Twin and Serious Game Framework for New Normal Virtual Urban Exploration and Social Interaction. J. Urban Manag. 2023, 12, 168–181. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  93. Jamshidi, M.; Dehghaniyan Serej, A.; Jamshidi, A.; Moztarzadeh, O. The Meta-Metaverse: Ideation and Future Directions. Future Internet 2023, 15, 252. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  94. Doungtap, S.; Petchhan, J.; Phanichraksaphong, V.; Wang, J.-H. Towards Digital Twins of 3D Reconstructed Apparel Models with an End-to-End Mobile Visualization. Appl. Sci. 2023, 13, 8571. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  95. Zhang, S.; Lim, W.Y.B.; Ng, W.C.; Xiong, Z.; Niyato, D.; Shen, X.S.; Miao, C. Towards Green Metaverse Networking: Technologies, Advancements and Future Directions. IEEE Netw. 2023, 37, 223–232. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  96. Li, K.; Cui, Y.; Li, W.; Lv, T.; Yuan, X.; Li, S.; Ni, W.; Simsek, M.; Dressler, F. When Internet of Things Meets Metaverse: Convergence of Physical and Cyber Worlds. IEEE Internet Things J. 2023, 10, 4148–4173. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  97. Cheng, R.; Wu, N.; Chen, S.; Han, B. Will Metaverse Be NextG Internet? Vision, Hype, and Reality. IEEE Netw. 2022, 36, 197–204. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  98. Yao, J.-F.; Yang, Y.; Wang, X.-C.; Zhang, X.-P. Systematic Review of Digital Twin Technology and Applications. Vis. Comput. Ind. Biomed. Art 2023, 6, 10. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  99. Jamali, H.R.; Nikzad, M. Article Title Type and Its Relation with the Number of Downloads and Citations. Scientometrics 2011, 88, 653–661. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  100. Cretchley, J.; Rooney, D.; Gallois, C. Mapping a 40-Year History with Leximancer: Themes and Concepts in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology. J. Cross-Cult. Psychol. 2010, 41, 318–328. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  101. Lawrence, S.; Lee Giles, C.; Bollacker, K. Digital Libraries and Autonomous Citation Indexing. Computer 1999, 32, 67–71. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  102. Vintzileos, A.M.; Ananth, C.V. How to Write and Publish an Original Research Article. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2010, 202, e1–e344. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  103. Rodrigues, L.F.; Oliveira, A.; Rodrigues, H. Main gamification concepts: A systematic mapping study. Heliyon 2019, 5, e01993. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  104. Ferrigno, G.; Di Paola, N.; Oguntegbe, K.F.; Kraus, S. Value Creation in the Metaverse Age: A Thematic Analysis of Press Releases. Int. J. Entrep. Behav. Res. 2023, 29, 337–363. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
  105. Castells, M. Communication Power; Oxford University Press: London, UK, 2009. [Google Scholar]
Electronics 13 01984 g001
Figure 1. PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for systematic reviews.
Figure 1. PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for systematic reviews.
Electronics 13 01984 g001
Table 1. The selected articles.
Table 1. The selected articles.
ArticlesPublished ByYear
[46]MDPI2023
[86]MDPI2023
[24]IEEE2023
[87]IAARC2021
[56]ARXIV2021
[31]MDPI2023
[88]CellPress2022
[47]Elsevier2022
[27]Taylor and Francis2019
[26]MDPI2020
[89]IEEE2022
[42]ASME2023
[17]Elsevier2022
[20]IEEE2023
[90]IEEE2022
[91]ACM2023
[92]Elsevier2023
[93]MDPI2023
[55]JMIRx Med2022
[94]MDPI2023
[95]IEEE2023
[96]IEEE2023
[97]IEEE2022
[98]Springer2023
Table 2. Type Articles Years Information.
Table 2. Type Articles Years Information.
Type ArticlesCount%
20231354.1
2022729.2
202128.3
202014.2
201914.2
Table 3. Type Articles Information.
Table 3. Type Articles Information.
Type ArticlesCount%
Journal Paper2083.3
Conference Paper312.5
Pre Print14.2
Table 4. Published By Information.
Table 4. Published By Information.
Published ByCount%
Taylor and Francis14.2
IEEE729.2
MDPI625
Elsevier312.5
ACM14.2
ARXIV14.2
ASME14.2
CellPress14.2
IAARC14.2
JMIRx Med14.2
Springer14.2
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Cruz, M.; Oliveira, A. Where Are We Now?—Exploring the Metaverse Representations to Find Digital Twins. Electronics 2024, 13, 1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13101984

AMA Style

Cruz M, Oliveira A. Where Are We Now?—Exploring the Metaverse Representations to Find Digital Twins. Electronics. 2024; 13(10):1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13101984

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cruz, Mónica, and Abílio Oliveira. 2024. "Where Are We Now?—Exploring the Metaverse Representations to Find Digital Twins" Electronics 13, no. 10: 1984. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13101984

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop