Keynote – Colin J. Parris, VP, Digital Convergence, IBM Research

Whereas MTV Networks’ keynote focused on consumer engagement in virtual worlds and how advertisers might benefit, Colin Parris was more interested in business uses for virtual worlds.

Citing open source communities as an example of collaboration across borders, he found that virtual worlds likewise foster an environment of large-scale collaboration, thus leading to more innovation. Accelerating this collaboration would have a large impact on society and business.

In addition, immersion in an experience-rich environment could lead to faster learning outcomes for individuals and teams. Complex data could be visualized within a virtual world and depicted in real-world verisimilitude. Not only could virtual worlds aid in remote learning, but perhaps they could increase productivity, revenue, and profit.

But to reach this new horizon, more advances are needed. Parris called upon the community to improve the user experience (with easier-to-use interfaces, more robust systems, improved graphics, and better tools), manage trust and identity issues in regards to privacy, security, and griefing, and to integrate virtual worlds together and to the web to foster widespread adoption and innovation. In this way, more business and societal applications would be likely to be developed.

Panel: Integrated Marketing – Merging Virtual Activities with Real World Activities

As was shown in a case study on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Whyville and Second Life, virtual world activities can correspond with real-world actions. The CDC sought to educate children about the benefits of getting a flu shot.

Whyville Users Getting Inoculated For The Virtual Bug

In Whyville, random avatars were infected with a bug that turned some chat words into *achoo*’s. The bug was easily spread through virtual contact and the avatars soon learned that they needed to get a virtual flu shot to get rid of it.

Likewise, the American Cancer Society hoped to get a real-world message across in 2005 when it held its first Relay for Life on Second Life. Randall Moss, Manager of Futuring and Innovation Center, who ran the effort at the time, admitted he wasn’t sure it would work. The race was devised by volunteers and had $0 overhead.

Yet, it raised 4200 in Linden dollars and had growing enthusiasm. In 2006, a Special Edition Pink Dominus Shadow car was created by volunteers for the winner of the race. Compared to 2005, when nothing was expected, 2007 has a fundraising goal of $75K and the race is expected to cross 30 regions, the equivalent of 480 acres.