OVC's intelligent society VR experience hall opens

The Longlasting Civilization: Intelligent Society VR Experience Hall, the first large-scale metaverse technology and culture experience space in Central China, recently opened in the Wuhan East Lake High-tech Development Zone (Optics Valley of China, or OVC).

Developed over the course of two years by the PKU-Wuhan Institute for Artificial Intelligence, the facility combines science education and intelligent experiences. It is part of the National Intelligent Social Governance Experimental Comprehensive Base's science dissemination project.

The Longlasting Civilization: Intelligent Society VR Experience Hall opens. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

"We themed the hall around the 'Original Intention Plan'. Visitors, in the face of an imagined future crisis, travel back in time to uncover core elements of civilization buried in folklore, ancient cultures, and early human history," explained Lyu Peng, deputy director of the PKU-Wuhan Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

The hall features several key areas, including the CAVE Zone, Time Corridor, and a large VR space, spanning nearly 1,500 square meters. The 30-minute immersive virtual reality experience is based on real social science.

The CAVE Zone uses panoramic projection technology to create an eight-sided immersive space, enveloping visitors in a 3D world of light and shadow and introducing the background of the time-travel adventure.

The CAVE Zone. [Photo/WeChat account of Optics Valley of China]

In the large VR space, visitors don VR equipment to enter intelligent societal scenes that span both history and the future. Through interactive elements and storylines, they experience the evolution of Chinese civilization and future societal development models.

The science fiction industry exemplifies the fusion of culture and technology, with the metaverse driving innovation within this sector. OVC has established a metaverse research institute to expand application scenarios in five key areas – sci-fi + big science, sci-fi + commerce, sci-fi + education, sci-fi + tourism, and sci-fi + digital parks. This initiative aims to build a vibrant sci-fi ecosystem and establish a national beacon for sci-fi innovation.