Publication Frequency
Quarterly (since 2025)
Journal Articles
Search
Search scope
Journal Center
Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd. (APACSCI) specializes in international journal publishing. APACSCI adopts the open access publishing model and provides an important communication bridge for academic groups whose interest fields include engineering, technology, medicine, computer, mathematics, agriculture and forestry, and environment.
Volume Arrangement
2025
2024
Featured Articles
Reconstructing the human body from monocular video input presents significant challenges, including a limited field of view and difficulty in capturing non-rigid deformations, such as those associated with clothing and pose variations. These challenges often compromise motion editability and rendering quality. To address these issues, we propose a cloth-aware 3D Gaussian splatting approach that leverages the strengths of 2D convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and 3D Gaussian splatting for high-quality human body reconstruction from monocular video. Our method parameterizes 3D Gaussians anchored to a human template to generate posed position maps that capture pose-dependent non-rigid deformations. Additionally, we introduce Learnable Cloth Features, which are pixel-aligned with the posed position maps to address cloth-related deformations. By jointly modeling cloth and pose-dependent deformations, along with compact, optimizable linear blend skinning (LBS) weights, our approach significantly enhances the quality of monocular 3D human reconstructions. We also incorporate carefully designed regularization techniques for the Gaussians, improving the generalization capability of our model. Experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art techniques for animatable avatar reconstruction from monocular inputs, delivering superior performance in both reconstruction fidelity and rendering quality.
The Charta of Rigas Velestinlis is one of the most important works of the eighteenth-century Neo-Hellenic Enlightenment and the most characteristic sample of Greek scholar cartography. Printed in Vienna in 1220 copies in 1796-1797, this emblematic map of the Balkan peninsula significantly influenced the development of ideas and perspectives that inspired the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1821. The sixty (60) known remaining copies of this valuable material in Greece and abroad remain stored in the confined spaces of libraries, museums, and archives, strictly guarded for security, conservation, and preservation. This renders their access difficult to both the general public and the educational community. Since the Onassis Library and the General State Archives of Greece—Cartographic Heritage Archives both possess an original copy of this historical document each, they design and implement many educational programs aiming at highlighting its importance and reintroducing it to the public. This paper will present how the usage of new technologies, both in software and hardware, has facilitated the showcasing of cultural heritage artifacts, such as Rigas’ Charta, with an emphasis on technologies and resources that are freely available to everyone. It will also be demonstrated how the digitization projects, the digital libraries, repositories, and platforms implemented by many cultural and research organizations during the last decade, presented the opportunity for the new generation to come in contact with a variety of “locked away” historical documents, like Rigas’ Charta, allowing their reuse and reinterpretation while providing unlimited potential for the collection, research and presentation of facts, evidence and data. Furthermore, the incorporation of this digital cultural wealth in the school curriculum through targeted educational programs and the creative combination with open-source metaverse development tools, unleashed the possibilities of reviving the past, extending the life span of old materials to perpetuity. As a result, this multimodal approach paved the way for the emergence of a new more democratic, open-access, and inclusive educational model.
In this groundbreaking study, we present a novel approach to interspecies communication, focusing on the understanding of chicken vocalizations. Leveraging advanced mathematical models in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, we have developed a system capable of interpreting various emotional states in chickens, including hunger, fear, anger, contentment, excitement, and distress. Our methodology employs a cutting-edge AI technique we call Deep Emotional Analysis Learning (DEAL), a highly mathematical and innovative approach that allows for the nuanced understanding of emotional states through auditory data. DEAL is rooted in complex mathematical algorithms, enabling the system to learn and adapt to new vocal patterns over time. We conducted our study with a sample of 80 chickens, meticulously recording and analyzing their vocalizations under various conditions. To ensure the accuracy of our system’s interpretations, we collaborated with a team of eight animal psychologists and veterinary surgeons, who provided expert insights into the emotional states of the chickens. Our system demonstrated an impressive accuracy rate of close to 80%, marking a significant advancement in the field of animal communication. This research not only opens up new avenues for understanding and improving animal welfare but also sets a precedent for further studies in AI-driven interspecies communication. The novelty of our approach lies in its application of sophisticated AI techniques to a largely unexplored area of study. By bridging the gap between human and animal communication, we believe our research will pave the way for more empathetic and effective interactions with the animal kingdom.
Art gamification (and digital/media arts) for special school: New thinking shifts for inclusive metaverse’s engineering
Article ID: 2274
Vol 5, Issue 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54517/m.v5i1.2274
Vol 5, Issue 1, 2024
Received: 5 August, 2023; Accepted: 1 October, 2023; Available online: 20 October, 2023; Issue release: 30 June, 2024
Download PDF
Abstract
The paper briefly describes the incorporation of several complementary subjects of art, technology, digital, and media to support the implementation of educational accessibility. The general goal is to promote the accessible metaverse for special schools related to the participation of students with different types of disability, assuming the motivation of digital/media arts activities in various interactive tools. This methodology was carried out in a documentary review to investigate the different elements of the virtual world through a metaverse analysis and new interactive tools such as school gamification. The key steps include investigating accessibility needs, creating interactive media, providing training, implementing virtual reality, and promoting social interaction; however, there are ten pillars to highlight the potential of metaverse engineering for inclusive learning in special schools, fostering creativity and collaboration while ensuring accessibility. In conclusion, metaverse educational accessibility in special schools for digital/media arts enables progress and learning through interactive tools, promoting social interaction and inclusion.
Keywords
media arts; art education; educational technology; inclusive school; student; teacher; metaverse engineering; theory
References
Zallio M, Clarkson PJ. Designing the metaverse: A study on inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility and safety for digital immersive environments. Telematics and Informatics. 2022, 75: 101909. doi: 10.1016/j.tele.2022.101909
Zallio M, Clarkson PJ. Inclusive Metaverse. How Businesses Can Maximize Opportunities to Deliver an Accessible, Inclusive, Safe Metaverse that Guarantees Equity and Diversity. Technical Report ENG-TR.013. Engineering Design Centre Inclusive Design Group, University of Cambridge; 2022.
Parker C, Yoo S, Lee Y, et al. Towards an inclusive and accessible metaverse. In: Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA 2023); 23–28 April 2023; Hamburg, Germany. pp. 1–5. doi: 10.1145/3544549.3573811
Fernandes F, Werner C. Accessibility in the metaverse: Are we prepared? In: Proceedings of the XIII Workshop on Aspects of Human-Computer Interaction for the Social Web; 17 October 2022; Diamantina, Brazilian. pp. 9–15. doi: 10.5753/waihcws.2022.226618
Dahalan F, Alias N, Shaharom MSN. Gamification and game based learning for vocational education and training: A systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies. 2023. doi: 10.1007/s10639-022-11548-w
Camacho-Sánchez R, Rillo-Albert A, Lavega-Burgués P. Gamified digital game-based learning as a pedagogical strategy: Student academic performance and motivation. Applied Sciences. 2022, 12(21): 11214. doi: 10.3390/app122111214
Thiell ML. Exploring using game-based learning and gamification in a secondary classroom to increase engagement. Available online: https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gradprojects/216/ (accessed on 12 October 2023).
de Carvalho CV, Coelho A. Game-based learning, gamification in education and serious games. Computers. 2022, 11(3): 36. doi: 10.3390/computers11030036
Bernaschina D. ICTs and media arts: The new digital age in the inclusive school. Alteridad. 2019, 14(1): 39–50. doi: 10.17163/alt.v14n1.2019.03
Bernaschina D. Incorporation of media arts for Chilean young students with special learning needs. Journal of International Education and Practice. 2022, 5(2): 23–28. doi: 10.30564/jiep.v5i2.5038
Chen X, Zon D, Xie H, Wang FL. Metaverse in education: Contributors, cooperations, and research themes. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. 2023, 1–18. doi: 10.1109/TLT.2023.3277952
Bogdanic J, Vuk S. Gamification in art education as a learning approach to sustainable development. In: Proceedings of the 4th Interdisciplinary and Virtual Conference on Arts in Education; 11–12 May 2022; Madrid, España. pp. 257–262.
Tagie G, Merman H, Taharuddin NS, Ibrahim NA. Gamification in art and design appreciation. Kupas Seni. 2022, 10(2): 93–103. doi: 10.37134/kupasseni.vol10.sp.2.9.2022
Parmigiani D, Benigno V, Giusto M, et al. E-inclusion: Online special education in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology, Pedagogy and Education. 2021, 30(1): 111–124. doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2020.1856714
Hurwitz S, Garman-McClaine B, Carlock K. Special education for students with autism during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Each day brings new challenges”. Autism. 2022, 26(4): 889–899. doi: 10.1177/13623613211035935
Yakut AD. Educators’ experiences in special education institutions during the COVID-19 outbreak. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs. 2021, 21(4): 345–354. doi: 10.1111/1471-3802.12533
Glessner MM, Johnson SA. The experiences and perceptions of practicing special education teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning. 2020, 1(2). doi: 10.55354/2692-3394.1013
Toquero CMD. ‘Sana all’ inclusive education amid COVID-19: Challenges, strategies, and prospects of special education teachers. International and Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences. 2021, 10(1): 30–51. doi: 10.17583/rimcis.2020.6316
Delgado-Valdivieso K, Sevilla-Vallejo S, Suarez-Monzón N. Gamification and artistic education. History of education and application to the classroom with educational needs. Journal of Namibian Studies: History Politics Culture. 2023, 33(2): 3253–3275. doi: 10.59670/jns.v33i.967
Seigneur JM, Choukou MA. How should metaverse augment humans with disabilities? In: Proceedings of the 13th Augmented Human International Conference (AH 2022); 26–27 May 2022; Winnipeg, MB, Canada. pp. 1–6. doi: 10.1145/3532525.3532534
Codish D, Ravid G. Detecting playfulness in educational gamification through behavior patterns. IBM Journal of Research and Development. 2015, 59(6): 6:1–6:14. doi: 10.1147/JRD.2015.2459651
Ratan R, Lei Y. What is the metaverse? 2 media and information experts explain. Available online: https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-metaverse-2-media-and-information-experts-explain-165731 (accessed on 12 October 2023).
Ratten V. The post COVID-19 pandemic era: Changes in teaching and learning methods for management educators. The International Journal of Management Education. 2023, 21(2): 100777. doi: 10.1016/j.ijme.2023.100777
Wood G. The global market for management education. In: Dameron S, Durand T (editors). The Future of Management Education, 1st ed. Routledge; 2022. pp. 13–27. doi: 10.4324/9781003095903-3
Bastian A, Liza LO, Efastri SM. Revolutionizing education: How digital literacy is transforming inclusive classrooms in post-COVID 19. Journal of Public Health. 2023, 45(3): e609–e610. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdad058
Nelson A. How COVID-19 has affected special education students. Available online: https://now.tufts.edu/2020/09/29/how-covid-19-has-affected-special-education-students (accessed on 12 October 2023).
Fabiano A. Metaverse and new educational and inclusive paradigm. Some reflexions. Journal of Inclusive Methodology and Technology in Learning and Teaching. 2023, 3(2): 1–12.
López-Belmonte J, Pozo-Sánchez S, Moreno-Guerrero AJ, Marín-Marín JA. We’ve reached the GOAL. Teaching methodology for transforming learning in the METAVERSE. A teaching innovation project. Metaverse Basic and Applied Research. 2023, 2(30). doi: 10.56294/mr202330
Yusril AN. E-accessibility analysis in user experience for people with disabilities. Indonesian Journal of Disability Studies. 2020, 7(1): 106–109. doi: 10.21776/ub.ijds.2019.007.01.12
Kaddoura S, Al Husseiny F. The rising trend of metaverse in education: Challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations. PeerJ Computer Science. 2023, 9: e1252. doi: 10.7717/peerj-cs.1252
Yu W, Chua TJ, Zhao J. Virtual reality in metaverse over wireless networks with user-centered deep reinforcement learning. Available online: https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.04349 (accessed on 12 October 2023).
Yu W, Chua TJ, Zhao J. User-centric heterogeneous-action deep reinforcement learning for virtual reality in the metaverse over wireless networks. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications. 2023. doi: 10.1109/TWC.2023.3277226
Lacity M, Mullins JK, Kuai L. What type of metaverse will we create? Available online: https://bpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/wordpressua.uark.edu/dist/5/444/files/2022/10/2022_02_BCoEWhitePaperMetaverse5493.pdf (accessed on 12 October 2023).
Lévy P, Zapata Ros M. Visions of three-dimensional or virtual workspaces, metaverses, and education. Virtual reality and learning: Presentation of the special issue and conclusions. Distance Education Journal. 2023, 23(73): 1–8. doi: 10.6018/red.554591
Felix A. An accessible, disability-inclusive metaverse? Available online: https://www.edf-feph.org/an-accessible-disability-inclusive-metaverse/#:~:text=In%20the%20Metaverse%2C%20users%20can,such%20as%20sign%20 language%20interpretation (accessed on 12 October 2023).
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
Copyright (c) 2023 Diego Bernaschina
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This site is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
Academic Supporter
Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Zhigeng Pan
Director, Institute for Metaverse, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, China
Honorary Editor-in-Chief
Prof. Jianrong Tan
Academician, Chinese Academy of Engineering, China
Indexing & Archiving
.jpg)
.jpg)
News & Announcements
2025-04-23
Metaverse Scientist Forum No.3 was successfully held on April 22, 2025, from 19:00 to 20:30 (Beijing Time)...
2025-04-21
We received the Scopus notification on April 19th, confirming that the journal has been successfully indexed by Scopus...
2025-04-15
We are pleased to announce that we have updated the requirements for manuscript figures in the submission guidelines. Manuscripts submitted after April 15, 2025 are required to strictly adhere to the change. These updates are aimed at ensuring the highest quality of visual content in our publications and enhancing the overall readability and impact of your research. For more details, please find it in sumissions...
2025-04-14
On April 14, 2025, Prof. James Hutson from the United States delivered a lecture titled “Designing Neurosanctuaries in the Metaverse: Adaptive Virtual Spaces for Cognitive Restoration and Mental Health”...
