Theme

Influence of the Metaverse on Digital Life

This special issue aims to serve as a comprehensive platform for researchers from engineering, life science, social science, information science, and related interdisciplinary fields to present their latest findings, technological advancements, and critical perspectives on the profound and multifaceted impact of the metaverse on digital life.

The global experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated changes in our lifestyles, fostering a growing momentum toward the active utilization of online digital spaces collectively referred to as the “Metaverse”. Built upon foundational technologies such as immersive and realistic presentation techniques (typified by Virtual Reality) and high-speed networks, large-scale community spaces within the metaverse are increasingly providing opportunities for connection across geographical and national boundaries in the real world to many people. Furthermore, the near-complete digitalization of reality, exemplified by Digital Twin technology, has significantly facilitated realistic simulations and analyses.

The applications of the metaverse now encompass a wide array of fields including, but not limited to, design, education and training, visualization, collaborative work, social interaction, healthcare, and scientific research. This rapid expansion and integration into various aspects of our lives present novel challenges and opportunities across diverse academic disciplines.

Research areas expected to be covered

• Engineering
  ○Core technologies for the metaverse (e.g., VR/AR/MR devices, haptics, spatial computing, blockchain, and AI for virtual worlds)
  ○High-speed and low-latency networking for immersive experiences
  ○Digital Twin applications across various industries (manufacturing, healthcare, smart cities, and environmental modeling)
  ○Virtual reality and augmented reality in education, training, and simulation

• Life Science
  ○Healthcare applications of the metaverse (telemedicine, therapy, rehabilitation, and medical training)

• Social Science
  ○Social interaction, community building, and virtual identity in the metaverse
  ○Economic models, business opportunities, and challenges in virtual economies
  ○Ethical, legal, and policy issues related to metaverse development and use
  ○Privacy, security, and trust in virtual environments

• Information Science
  ○Human-computer interaction design for intuitive and effective metaverse experiences
  ○Visualization and data representation in 3D/immersive spaces
  ○The psychological and physiological impacts of prolonged metaverse use

• Interdisciplinary Research such as:
  ○Cultural and artistic expressions within virtual worlds
  ○Challenges and opportunities for inclusivity and accessibility in the metaverse
  ○The future evolution and convergence of the physical and digital worlds

Submission Guidelines

Please refer to the following URL for submission guidelines before submitting your paper to the special issue. The format of the paper can also be downloaded from this page.

Peer-reviewing Process

The review process is the same as for regular paper submissions.

Submission Deadline

October 31, 2025

Publication Fee (excluding tax)

	Article	Technical Article	Review Article
Students	100,000yen	10,000yen/page	100,000yen
Editorial Board Member or Alliance Partner	135,000yen	16,000yen/page	135,000yen
Others	150,000yen	20,000yen/page	150,000yen

※As a rule, manuscripts should not exceed 10 pages. Additional publication fee may be charged for excess pages of published papers. For more information, please refer to the Instruction to Authours.

Publishing Schedule for the Special Issue

In March 2026 (The special issue will be published only on the Digital Life website.)

The Editorial Board Member for the Special Issue

Co-Editor-in-Chief: Mitsunori Makino (Chuo University)