New EU Initiative on Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds – meet Horizon 2020 projects and their contributions

On 11 July 2023, the European Commission adopted a new strategy on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds to steer the next technological transition and ensure an open, secure, trustworthy, fair and inclusive digital environment for EU citizens, businesses and public administrations.

The strategy aims to empower people by reinforcing skills, and support a European Web 4.0 industrial ecosystem to scale up excellence. Furthermore, it will promote virtual public services and shape global standards for open and interoperable virtual worlds.

HaDEA has been managing Horizon 2020 projects developing virtual world technologies to be applied in different fields. Discover the projects and their contributions below:

• SOCRATES is proposing conVRself, a VR platform that helps patients tackle the root causes of their obesity. The project is adapting the conVRself technology for use in a clinical setting. It will demonstrate the efficacy of embodiment technology and use conVRself as a proof of concept for other behavioural disorders.
• Möbius is working to modernise the European book publishing industry by remodelling the traditional value chains and business models. It is developing software tools that allow the production of new immersive and interactive book experiences, such as 3D audio and binaural reproduction of the reading experience.
• PrismArch created a Virtual Reality (VR) aided design environment that enhances the overall decision-making and reshapes the design process in architectural projects for optimal results. This tool enables collaborative design manipulation and accurate assessment of new design decisions.

Background

Horizon 2020 was the EU’s multiannual funding programme between 2014 and 2020. H2020 provided Research and Innovation (R&I) funding for multi-national collaboration projects alongside individual researchers and SMEs via special funding instruments. Horizon 2020 was continued by the Horizon Europe Programme, which will run until 2027.

Useful links

Q&A: EU initiative on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds (europa.eu)