Should scientists start experimenting with the metaverse?

A thought-provoking article was recently published in Nature Human Behavior by Diego Gómez-Zará, Peter Schiffer and Dashun Wang, on the benefits and limitations of undertaking scientific research activities using metaverse technologies. 

Increased accessibility to scientists and research laboratories

Traditional scientific facilities and meetings are dispersed worldwide, creating difficulties for those not in the same location, or with accessibility constraints of any kind, and current online communication platforms can't fully replicate the in-person interaction, needed for generating new ideas and fostering social connections.

With its virtual 3D worlds, the metaverse could mitigate these issues, allowing collaboration and communication to be more immersive and inclusive. 3D meetings could be recreated and accessed globally, while immersive 3D environments could simulate remote labs, enabling scientists to visit, share, and use these spaces remotely. The UCL School of Pharmacy has done just this, developing a digital replica of their lab accessible through virtual reality (VR). Artificial intelligence (AI) could further enhance these environments by using virtual assistants that could source information, provide recommendations, or translate conversations to overcome language barriers.

Increased reproducibility of scientific findings

The reproducibility of scientific experiments is a vital element for scientific credibility. Instead of relying on handwritten or electronic lab notebooks, scientists could use cameras and sensors to record and replicate lab conditions and procedures within immersive 3D simulations.

Researchers could wear headsets that record their activities from a first-person perspective in 3D. These recordings would capture the researchers, devices, room, materials, and the entire process, which could then be uploaded to the metaverse. Unlike traditional video recordings, the metaverse could integrate the states of materials, objects, and devices manipulated by the researchers, including automatic data streams from lab instruments.

This approach would allow anyone to revisit the experiment. If questions arise, collaborators or reviewers could join the experiment in the metaverse alongside the original researchers, either in real-time or later.

Additionally, implementing blockchain technology could render these recordings immutable and trustworthy, making them especially valuable for expensive experiments or valuable equipment and samples. While the costs and logistical considerations may prevent universal implementation, this solution would be beneficial for high-impact studies where replication might be challenging.

Enhancing knowledge transfer

Training new members of a research group can be challenging due to the varied and complex nature of scientific processes. Traditional training methods, which typically involve one-on-one interactions, are time-consuming, depend on being in the same location, can be disrupted by personnel changes, and often limit the sharing of techniques among groups.

The metaverse, a virtual shared space, has the potential to significantly improve the knowledge transfer process in scientific research. Research teams can use virtual reality technologies to design experiences and share them broadly. New trainees can revisit and experience what previous researchers did, enabling them to learn and replicate lab procedures effectively, potentially with remote trainers. Moreover, training sessions in the metaverse can reduce research inequalities by granting global access to these sessions. 

The CDC has a training platform where learners use a head-mounted display to immerse themselves in a virtual laboratory. Here, they learn to identify lab parts, maintain instruments, apply safe work practices, and conduct emergency procedures. Virtual simulations also provide the added advantage of allowing learners to make expensive mistakes without real-world consequences.

Creating new 'virtual' experimental environments

The metaverse could enable experiments that are difficult to execute in real-world laboratories due to logistical or physical limitations. For example, animal and human behavioural experiments could be undertaken in virtual, immersive environments, that would be prohibitively expensive to run in the real world.

Additionally, the metaverse could offer scientists a virtual immersion into remote, hazardous, or extinct environments, such as Mars. Researchers worldwide could synchronously explore these environments, broadening the scope of scientific exploration to potentially inaccessible locations.

Limitations of using metaverse technology

The article also highlights many of the limitations that currently exist when using metaverse technologies.

Health issues are commonly observed with today's VR technology including fatigue and nausea. There are also concerns that some mental health conditions could be exacerbated in people working extensively in virtual environments.

Cost is another limitation as implementing the metaverse in research requires significant upfront investments in hardware, software, and training. This would favour well-funded science institutions, while less-resourced scientists might struggle to access the metaverse for their work. Linked to this is corporate control. Metaverse platform expertise is concentrated in large corporations and their business goals may not be aligned with the interests of science. Independent sources of funding (perhaps via government institutions) will be required to maintain the integrity of the data and scientific findings.

Lastly, new codes of practice, codes of conduct, policies, and procedures will need to be agreed upon to ensure data privacy, protect individuals from harm, and create a trusted, reproducible environment that adds value to the scientific community.

Conclusion

The authors end the article with: "At present, the research community is not yet engaged in a broadly coordinated effort to develop open, accessible and interoperable metaverse platforms for science, leaving an important opportunity on the table. Charting both the opportunities and hazards of science in the metaverse will help us to make the most of the coming future."

Although the article refers to more academic lab settings, I think the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry would have much to gain from moving some of their research tasks into the metaverse. From enhancing collaborations with scientific partners to upskilling their researchers on new techniques in half the time, the opportunities are endless for those companies willing to take the virtual plunge.

Link to the full article, The promise and pitfalls of the metaverse for science: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01599-5

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