Kindai University, NTT Docomo launch students’ metaverse platform

Kindai University and NTT Docomo Kansai Branch have jointly launched a virtual communication platform on the metaverse for students.

The “Kindai University Metaverse” features “event rooms” where students from the Faculty of Informatics will hold events and “permanent rooms” where students can freely communicate with each other in their avatars. A bulletin board at the entrance to the virtual space will display the conversations taking place in the permanent rooms so as to allow other students to join in.

In the meantime, the university is conducting a survey to assess how the Covid-19 pandemic has been affecting students’ school life, in particular the building of new relationships under Covid restrictions.

The platform is based on NTT XR Space WEB (DOOR), a virtual space operated by NTT ConoQ, a new XR company established by NTT DOCOMO in October 2022.

On January 17 and 25, a VTuber-themed quiz will be held, and on January 23 and 25, students can attend a job hunting consultation to talk anonymously using their avatars with DOCOMO employees. The project’s executives will assess the virtual platform’s effectiveness in creating new communication.

Kindai University is in charge of event planning, operation, communication with students and research while Docomo is responsible for providing and designing the virtual space platform “DOOR.” The target audience was students of all faculties and grades at the Osaka-based university.