A Unified Framework for Underwater Metaverse with Optical Perception

TL;DR

The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the underwater Metaverse framework in simulating complex underwater environments, thus validating its potential to provide high-quality, interactive underwater virtual experiences.

Abstract

With the advancement of AI technology and increasing attention to deep-sea exploration, the underwater Metaverse is gradually emerging. This paper explores the concept of underwater Metaverse, emerging virtual reality systems and services aimed at simulating and enhancing virtual experience of marine environments. First, we discuss potential applications of underwater Metaverse in underwater scientific research and marine conservation. Next, we present the architecture and supporting technologies of the underwater Metaverse, including high-resolution underwater imageing technologies and image processing technologies for rendering a realistic virtual world. Based on this, we present a use case for building a realistic underwater virtual world using underwater quantum imaging-generated artificial intelligence (QI-GAI) technology. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the underwater Metaverse framework in simulating complex underwater environments, thus validating its potential in providing high-quality, interactive underwater virtual experiences. Finally, the paper examines the future development directions of underwater Metaverse, and provides new perspectives for marine science and conservation.

Figures (5)

• Figure 1: Keywords clustering results and timeline distribution in underwater research and Metaverse studies. Keyword clustering analysis highlights the relationship between research directions and key terms. As shown in Fig. 1(A), in Metaverse research, virtual reality interaction technology forms the largest cluster and has an early stage in the field. The rise of blockchain and artificial intelligence technologies have propelled the development of the Metaverse's structure and environment studies. Increasingly, there is a focus on user experience, emphasizing enhanced interactivity, realism, and engagement to create more immersive and captivating virtual environments. As shown in Fig. 1(B), in underwater research, the clustering analysis identified 10 clusters, with underwater applications being the largest and earliest-starting cluster. With the development of underwater networks and detectors, there is growing focus on constructing reliable systems for underwater data collection and analysis. Consequently, underwater image reconstruction, digital twin, and visual analysis have become the main research subjects (Data from Web of Science: https://www.webofscience.com).
• Figure 2: We can divide underwater Metaverse framework into three key layers: the Physical World, the Underwater Metaverse Engine, and the Virtual World. Each of these layers not only carries out its unique functions and responsibilities but also closely interconnects with each other, together forming a complete ecosystem of the underwater Metaverse. The precision and efficiency of the physical layer are crucial for constructing a virtual environment with a strong sense of realism. The engine layer not only ensures the dynamics and authenticity of the virtual world but also provides the necessary computational support to facilitate complex virtual interactions. The collaborative effort of rendering technology, digital avatars, and virtual objects creates a richly diverse and highly interactive underwater world
• Figure 3: Underwater Metaverse technology and applications represent a revolutionary advancement, combining key Metaverse technologies with ocean exploration to offer an unprecedented way to understand and experience the underwater worldLee2021. This field integrates various technologies such as VR, AR, visual, AI, and generative algorithms to create a realistic and highly interactive virtual underwater environment. With the continuous advancement of technology and the growth of applications, the underwater Metaverse is expected to play an increasingly important role in the future.
• Figure 4: (a) is a schematic diagram of underwater entangled photon quantum imaging. (b) shows the loaded modulation pattern in DMD. In the quantum image, the white squares indicate areas on the DMD that remain open. Only reference photons in the open areas can be scanned by the DMD and collected by the single-photon detector. (c) and (d) represent the constructed imaging optical path and the underwater quantum imaging experimental setup.
• Figure 5: The impact of GAI steps on generated content. The images on the left are the input underwater quantum light source and classical light source images, and the image on the right is the corresponding generated content. As can be seen, more steps trigger more natural content, showing fuller details and contours, as shown in the green box.