Arizona Water Metaverse

The Arizona Water Metaverse project, launched in 2024, leverages EngageVR to create immersive learning experiences focused on water conservation and Arizona’s water scarcity challenges. This initiative offers a metaverse platform for educators and students to develop sustainable water management strategies through virtual simulations. 

The Arizona Water Metaverse project leveraged immersive technology to address Arizona’s critical water issues by creating virtual environments that facilitate learning, collaboration, and public engagement. The initiative included procuring VR equipment, establishing the EngageVR platform, and organizing collaborative events to inspire innovative ideas addressing water scarcity. A key activity was the AZ Water Idea Jam, where students generated creative concepts, which were then developed by multidisciplinary teams into immersive experiences within the Arizona Water Metaverse.

  • Platform and Equipment: An environment scan led to the acquisition of 10 VR headsets and selection of the EngageVR platform, which supports web, mobile, desktop, and VR devices. EngageVR, now licensed by ASU, enables flexible access for ASU’s community, with 70 users able to engage simultaneously.
  • Idea Jam Event: Organized by the Next Lab team and key stakeholders, Idea Jam catalyzed interdisciplinary innovation. Winning concepts from the event were further developed into virtual scenes that showcase water conservation, simulation, and storytelling for educational purposes.
  • Development of Virtual Experiences: Collaborating with subject matter experts, the team created ASU-branded virtual scenes on EngageVR that enabled the creation of interactive experiences, supporting water-related simulations and narrative explorations.
  • Extended Reach and Accessibility: EngageVR’s compatibility across various devices makes the Arizona Water Metaverse accessible to a broad audience. The platform is poised to serve ASU’s academic community, policymakers, researchers, and the public, enhancing awareness of water issues.
Project showcase:
Lauch date:
  • October 2024
Creators:
  • Ayomide Lawal
  • Charlize Fernandez
  • Devam Chokshi
  • Devanshi Marfatia
  • Elizabeth Leung
  • Hithesh Rai Purushothama
  • Hrushikesh Pandit
  • Joey Orta
  • Maelyn Ortiz
  • Sahil Garg
  • Sanjana Mukherjee

Partners: