ETSI GR ARF 010 V1.1.1 (2025-05)

Augmented Reality Framework (ARF); Virtual World Standards Landscape Report

DGR/ARF-0010

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Technical Committee: ARF - Augmented Reality Framework
• Current Stage: 12 - Citation in the OJ (auto-insert)
• Due Date: 04-Jun-2025
• Completion Date: 12-May-2025

Standards Content (Sample)

GROUP REPORT
Augmented Reality Framework (ARF);
Virtual World Standards Landscape Report
Disclaimer
The present document has been produced and approved by the Augmented Reality Framework (ARF) ETSI Industry
Specification Group (ISG) and represents the views of those members who participated in this ISG.
It does not necessarily represent the views of the entire ETSI membership.
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Reference
DGR/ARF-0010
Keywords
augmented reality, metaverse, standards
landscape
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All rights reserved.
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Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 7
Foreword . 7
Modal verbs terminology . 7
Executive summary . 7
Introduction . 8
1 Scope . 9
2 References . 9
2.1 Normative references . 9
2.2 Informative references . 9
3 Definition of terms, symbols and abbreviations . 10
3.1 Terms . 10
3.2 Symbols . 11
3.3 Abbreviations . 11
4 Emerging Virtual Worlds . 14
4.1 Enabling technologies are maturing . 14
4.2 Virtual world standardization efforts follow . 16
4.2.1 Introduction. 16
4.2.2 Low collaboration . 17
4.2.3 Low industry participation . 17
4.2.4 Notable exceptions . 18
4.3 Contrasting standardization approaches . 18
4.3.1 Introduction. 18
4.3.2 Timing is important . 19
4.3.3 Supporting documentation . 21
4.3 Trends in standards and technical reports . 23
4.3.1 Introduction. 23
4.3.2 Domain focus . 23
4.3.3 Specialization . 26
4.3.4 Technical Reports support standardization activities . 27
4.4 Standards adoption . 29
4.5 Conclusions . 30
5 Eight virtual world domains . 30
6 Infrastructure . 32
6.1 Domain Scope . 32
6.1.1 Introduction. 32
6.1.2 Networks and Connectivity . 32
6.1.3 Computational resources . 33
6.1.4 Content delivery and optimization . 33
6.2 Standards Development Organizations . 33
6.3 Standards Working Groups . 34
6.4 Standards . 34
6.5 Technical Reports . 34
6.6 Conclusions . 35
7 Data Management . 35
7.1 Scope . 35
7.1.1 Introduction. 35
7.1.2 Data protection . 36
7.1.3 Data collection and processing . 37
7.1.4 Data compression, resilience and optimization . 37
7.1.5 Data integration and interoperability . 37
7.2 Standards Development Organizations . 37
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7.3 Standards Working Groups . 38
7.4 Standards . 38
7.5 Technical Reports . 38
7.6 Conclusions . 39
8 Artificial Intelligence . 39
8.1 Scope . 39
8.1.1 Introduction. 39
8.1.2 AI-powered content generation and design . 40
8.1.3 AI-powered interaction and recognition . 40
8.1.4 AI-powered intelligent virtual entities . 41
8.1.5 AI-assisted environment and experience optimization . 41
8.1.6 Real-time AI-assisted adaptation . 41
8.2 Standards Development Organizations . 41
8.3 Standards Working Groups . 42
8.4 Standards . 42
8.5 Technical Reports . 42
8.6 Conclusions . 43
9 Reality Capture . 43
9.1 Scope . 43
9.1.1 Introduction. 43
9.1.2 Environmental data acquisition and mapping . 44
9.1.3 Human capture, recognition and interaction . 45
9.1.4 Digital Twins and Internet of Things integration . 45
9.2 Standards Development Organizations . 45
9.3 Standards Working Groups . 45
9.4 Standards . 46
9.5 Technical Reports . 46
9.6 Conclusions . 46
10 Human Interface Systems and Devices . 47
10.1 Scope . 47
10.1.1 Introduction. 47
10.1.2 Immersive experience form factors . 48
10.1.3 General purpose components . 49
10.1.4 Selection, control and interaction components . 49
10.1.5 Feedback mechanisms . 50
10.1.6 Metrology for systems and displays . 50
10.2 Standards Development Organizations . 50
10.3 Standards Working Groups . 50
10.4 Standards . 50
10.5 Technical Reports . 51
10.6 Conclusions . 51
11 Immersive Experiences . 52
11.1 Scope . 52
11.1.1 Introduction. 52
11.1.2 Delivery, recording and communication . 53
11.1.3 Realism and immersion . 54
11.1.4 Authoring and design . 54
11.1.5 Distributed architectures . 54
11.1.6 User interaction design and usability . 55
11.2 Standards Development Organizations . 55
11.3 Standards Working Groups . 55
11.4 Standards . 55
11.5 Technical Reports . 56
11.6 Conclusions . 56
12 Virtual Society . 57
12.1 Scope . 57
12.1.1 Introduction. 57
12.1.2 Governance and frameworks for civil society . 58
12.1.3 Ethics and accessibility . 58
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12.1.4 Open social structures and interactions . 58
12.2 Standards Development Organizations . 59
12.3 Standards Working Groups . 59
12.4 Standards . 59
12.5 Technical Reports . 59
12.6 Conclusions . 60
13 Virtual Economy . 60
13.1 Scope . 60
13.1.1 Introduction. 60
13.1.2 Identity and representation of entities . 61
13.1.3 Verification of authenticity, ownership, provenance and traceability . 62
13.1.4 Digital Goods and Services . 62
13.1.5 Transactions and Business Models . 62
13.1.6 Governance and Regulations . 63
13.2 Standards Development Organizations . 63
13.3 Standards Working Groups . 63
13.4 Standards . 63
13.5 Technical Reports . 64
13.6 Conclusions . 64
14 Cross-Domain Standards . 65
14.1 Scope . 65
14.1.1 Introduction. 65
14.1.2 Benefits of cross-domain standards . 65
14.2 Standards . 65
14.3 Conclusions . 65
15 Industry-Specific Standards . 66
15.1 Scope . 66
15.2 Manufacturing industry . 67
15.2.1 Introduction. 67
15.2.2 Standards . 67
15.3 Architecture and Construction . 67
15.3.1 Introduction. 67
15.3.2 Standards . 68
15.4 Healthcare. 68
15.4.1 Introduction. 68
15.4.2 Standards . 68
15.5 Conclusions . 68
16 Conclusions . 68
16.1 Introduction . 68
16.2 High number and diversity . 69
16.3 Collaboration . 70
16.4 Lack of standards for standardization information . 70
16.5 Standards Adoption . 71
Annex A: Methodology . 72
A.1 Introduction . 72
A.2 Definition of eight virtual world domains . 72
A.3 Data collection . 72
A.4 Data processing . 74
A.5 Data analysis . 75
A.6 Data presentation . 75
Annex B: Standards Development Organizations . 78
B.1 Introduction . 78
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B.2 Radar charts for top 20 standards development organizations . 78
B.3 Standards Development Organizations in the Data Set . 98
Annex C: Bibliography . 120
History . 124

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Intellectual Property Rights
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Foreword
This Group Report (GR) has been produced by ETSI Industry Specification Group (ISG) Augmented Reality
Framework (ARF).
The present document provides a deep analysis of standards and standardization activities conducted in various
Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) and other fora, as available at the time of publishing. The analysis is
performed on all public information about standardization activities that impact development of virtual world
technologies and the creation of value using these technologies, including enabling technologies, components, services
and human interface systems and devices. It also examines standards that address challenges common across all types
of virtual worlds including transactions, governance, cybersecurity and privacy.
Modal verbs terminology
In the present document "should", "should not", "may", "need not", "will", "will not", "can" and "cannot" are to be
interpreted as described in clause 3.2 of the ETSI Drafting Rules (Verbal forms for the expression of provisions).
"must" and "must not" are NOT allowed in ETSI deliverables except when used in direct citation.
Executive summary
The present document is the result of research conducted for the Virtual Worlds Interoperability and Standards Status
and Opportunities (ViWISSO) project, co-funded by the European Commission and the European Free Trade
Association (EFTA). After introducing the scope of virtual worlds and purpose of the research, the present document
describes the current trends underpinning the emergence of virtual worlds. The following clauses present details about
interoperability standards, working groups and standards development organizations focusing on technology in eight
domains, based on analyses performed on the largest data set about virtual world standards and standardization
activities compiled to date.
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This standards landscape and the analyses conducted in its preparation demonstrate that many stakeholders have
recognized the need to define interfaces and protocols for virtual worlds interoperability. Hundreds of standards
designed to overcome virtual world interoperability obstacles have been published. However, ViWISSO project
research also reveals that companies most heavily invested in the potential rewards from the success of virtual worlds
have rarely implemented interoperability standards in their products, tools or services.
Introduction
Virtual world technologies provide access to and interactive experiences for users within persistent, 3D environments.
Delivered using augmented, virtual or mixed reality human interfaces, virtual world experiences blur real and synthetic
spaces and objects enhancing and enriching in new and unpredictable ways the daily lives of citizens while they are
socialising, working, learning, making transactions, playing and engaging in creative activities. As described in the
European Commission's Communication COM(2023) 442 (see Bibliography) "An EU initiative on virtual words", a
vibrant and healthy ecosystem of innovative European stakeholders will build upon the convergence of advanced
technologies (e.g. AI, 5G/6G, IoT, etc.) to deliver persistent 3D real-time immersive environments.
An interconnected virtual world ecosystem will offer many economic and societal benefits. However, there are also
many challenges to overcome before the promise of virtual worlds can be delivered at scale. Recognizing that, to
flourish, the virtual world ecosystem will need support from the public sector to balance their investments with
reasonable levels of risk, the European Commission has embarked on numerous programs focusing on virtual worlds.
For there to be high innovation and return on investment, there also needs to be integration with existing technology and
opportunities for collaboration across the ecosystem. Further, virtual world technology providers will need to agree on
protocols interfaces or policies where data (including metadata) will be protected and under user control.
Interoperability standards will also permit data interchanges between virtual worlds without loss or compromise of
information or value.
Low interoperability between virtual world components, tools, services and content is recognized as a major obstacle to
integration and the creation of new value through collaboration. In addition to interoperability, for businesses and
citizens to engage in virtual world economies, the technologies that they adopt will also need to ensure security for
protection of privacy and other fundamental rights. Prior to raising its investments in programs to increase
interoperability, security and privacy for virtual world users, the EU seeks a definitive, objective assessment of
available standards. Standards and standardization activities for the development of a healthy virtual world ecosystem
are the focus of the research conducted in the context of the Virtual Worlds Interoperability Standards Status and
Opportunities (ViWISSO) project. The results are provided in the present document.

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1 Scope
The present document provides a comprehensive assessment and analysis of 912 standards and 354 technical reports
about virtual worlds domains compiled as of February 14, 2025. The documents, studied for the Virtual Worlds
Interoperability Standards Status and Opportunities (ViWISSO) project, pertain to one or more of eight virtual worlds
subject matter areas ("domains"), as these are defined in the present document.
In addition to analysing the documents, the project also studied the most relevant working groups and the standards
development organizations in which members of these working groups conduct their activities. The present document
includes summaries of working group activities and, based on publicly available attributes, compares the different
virtual world standardization activities to date.
2 References
2.1 Normative references
Normative references are not applicable in the present document.
2.2 Informative references
References are either specific (identified by date of publication and/or edition number or version number) or
non-specific. For specific references, only the cited version applies. For non-specific references, the latest version of the
referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
NOTE: While any hyperlinks included in this clause were valid at the time of publication ETSI cannot guarantee
their long-term validity.
The following referenced documents may be useful in implementing an ETSI deliverable or add to the reader's
understanding, but are not required for conformance to the present document.
[i.1] ISO/IEC 12113:2022: "Information technology — Runtime 3D asset delivery format — Khronos
glTF™ 2.0".
[i.2] ISO/IEC 27001: "Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Information
security management systems — Requirements".
[i.3] ISO/IEC 60601: "Medical electrical equipment".
[i.4] ANSI/CAN/UL 8400: "Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality Technology
Equipment".
[i.5] ISO/IEC Guide 2:2004: "Standardization and related activities - General vocabulary".
[i.6] ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 (clause 2): "Procedures for the technical work — Consolidated ISO
Supplement — Procedures specific to ISO".
[i.7] ISO 26324: "Information and documentation — Digital object identifier system".
[i.8] ISO 10303: "Industrial automation systems and integration — Product data representation and
exchange".
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3 Definition of terms, symbols and abbreviations
3.1 Terms
For the purposes of the present document, the following terms apply:
Artificial Intelligence (AI): technologies using computers and processors, including computer vision, machine
learning, natural language recognition, data processing, and generative algorithms, that perform tasks to produce, refine
and optimize elements of experiences in virtual worlds and, as a result, enrich and enhance the value to users
data management: processes, technologies, and policies for collecting, storing, processing, securing, and utilizing data
within virtual world environments and experiences
NOTE: Effective data management underpins the functionality, scalability, and ethical operation of virtual world
ecosystems.
human interface systems and devices: integrated systems of hardware and software components for acquisition of
context and delivery of immersive experiences to users
NOTE: Together, components create systems and devices that, when used with design principles or guidelines,
facilitate interaction with and immersion in virtual reality and augmented reality experiences.
immersive experiences: enabling technologies and actors involved in generating and packaging assets and behaviours
for interactive, and digitally mediated activities or simulations within virtual worlds or mixed real-and-digital
environments
NOTE: These experiences engage users through sensory inputs (e.g. visual, auditory, haptic) and dynamic
interactions, offering opportunities for many use cases including economic activities, exploration,
learning, entertainment, or collaboration in digitally constructed and mixed digital-physical world
settings.
industry-driven standards development organization: independent entity formed and operating for the purpose of
developing standards to meet requirements of its members and based on contributions from any member organization,
including but not limited to private or publicly traded companies of any size, public agencies or institutes of higher
learning, who pay membership dues, or are invited, and agree to organization's terms and conditions
infrastructure: foundational systems, technologies, and frameworks that enable the seamless operation, scalability of
and interactivity within virtual world environments
NOTE: It encompasses the hardware, software, networking, and computational resources required to deliver
immersive, real-time experiences, ensuring high performance, low latency, and accessibility across
devices and platforms.
internationally mandated standards development organization: organization formed and operating for the purpose
of developing standards to meet requirements of its members who are themselves the standardization bodies of national
member states, not based on payment of member dues
NOTE: Initiation of and contributions to activities are based on consensus of national bodies and their members,
regardless of size. These organizations are recognized by national governments and their results can be
the basis for national or muti-national legislation and regulations.
industry-driven standard: publication approved by membership of and released by an industry-driven standards
development organization
National Standards Body (NSB): organization established and financed by a government for the purpose of
developing, reviewing and publishing standards that are used in the government's jurisdiction
reality capture: technologies for and processes of digitizing physical environments, objects, humans and their
interactions for further use in immersive, interactive, and virtual representations or by agents
NOTE: It involves the use of technologies to collect spatial, visual, and sensory data, enabling the seamless
integration of real-world elements into virtual and augmented reality experiences.
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standard: document or other form of structured information containing a set of agreed-upon technical rules or
specifications that, when approved and implemented independently by two or more entities, ensure that different
technologies or products work together consistently and without transforma
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