Twenty urban spots in Shanghai have now become “major application scenarios for the metaverse,” according to a recent announcement by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economics and Informatization. These “metaverses” places span seven different social fields, such as business operations, education, branding, and entertainment, with the aim of providing city residents with more “smart” public services. Ruijin Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, will establish a “metaverse wing” to provide advanced services such as a virtual reality (VR) inspection room for patients. Also in the field of health and medicine, a “metaverse diagnostic system” has been installed at Shanghai Eye and ENT Hospital, an affiliate of Fudan University, allowing doctors to use 3D remote diagnostic equipment to help patients. The use of the metaverse in various fields such as tourism and healthcare is a rising trend in Chinese cities, industry experts say. The development of metaverse technology allows citizens to enjoy more personalized services, digital economy expert Wang Peng, a researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. Furthermore, expanded industrial chains based on metaverse technical innovation could create more jobs in the city, he noted.
Metaverse
Standing out among the top 20 spots is Shanghai’s urban landmark, the Oriental Pearl Tower, which has long been a tourist hot spot that intrigues visitors from all over the world. Since 2020, the tower has been working on establishing metaverse-related facilities, operations and souvenirs, Guo Yifeng, general manager of Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower Co, told the Global Times on Monday. Visitors can now experience the tower’s interactive installations as an attraction that allows visitors to “fly” over Shanghai’s bustling Lujiazui shopping area with the help of VR technology, Guo explained. In 2022, the tower held an augmented reality (AR) light show on the Bund and released digital collector’s items such as a set of ecards with dynamic images and background music. The cards, which cost 8.8 yuan ($1.31) each, are designed not only as digital souvenirs but also as online discount coupons, Guo said. These attempts have added new appeal and energy to the already renowned tower, Guo said. “We hope that these new projects [metaversos] can enrich people’s visiting experience and make our online marketing more accessible and engaging,” he told the Global Times. Other cases, such as turning Shanghai’s main shopping street, Nanjing Road, into a virtual mall that allows consumers to buy items using digital yuan, show how Shanghai, China’s main international metropolis, is catching up by embracing the technology of the future . Wang predicted that in the coming years, the metaverse concept and related technology will be used in more industries such as education.