Virtual Worlds: A New Open Access Journal of Virtual Reality, Augmented and Mixed Reality Technologies, and Their Uses

In the past, virtual and augmented reality research has been driven by fruitful research on vision and image generation. We are now entering an era in which AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) research is likely to be integrated into research in the field of ubiquitous computing and its focus on sensors, processors, and actuators embedded and connected in smart environments, things, and wearables. We need to pay more attention to issues such as artificial intelligence for world and user modeling, (user-centered) design, interaction design, user experience, multisensorial and crossmodal aspects of experience and interaction, smart wearables, presence, and societal and ethical questions, all the more true when AR and VR technologies become an essential part of our society and start to dominate our daily activities. Indeed, we would then be entering an era of pervasive AR and VR.