The Metaverse is an immersive, interactive, and collaborative shared virtual 3D environment where people are represented by avatars and interact in real-time. The Metaverse is still an unexplored phenomenon that has recently become interesting to researchers. In general, there is scarce literature regarding the Metaverse, and when it comes to the servicescapes and esports industry, it is much scarcer. Knowing that the video game industry and esports (competitive video gaming), a business that attracts millions of people, are significant parts of the Metaverse, this qualitative research aims to analyze and explain how the Metaverse as a servicescape for esports is understood from the perspective of esports actors. The Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyze eight semi-structured interviews with experienced professionals within the esports industry. It was found that the Metaverse platform could serve as a servicescape for not only the esports industry but potentially for other industries as well. Even though the Metaverse phenomenon is considered to be surrounded by uncertainty and is still developing, it has a great potential for businesses to expand their marketing and business practices online in an immersive, engaging, and innovative way. The findings of this research will contribute to the literature by opening a window to understanding the complexity of the Metaverse platform as a servicescape and esports industry. In addition, these findings can be used to further research the Metaverse platform as a servicescape for marketing and business practices online.

This metaverse and computer vision-powered application is designed to serve people with low vision or a visual impairment, ranging from adults to old age. Specifically, we hope to improve the situational awareness of users in a scene by narrating the visual content from their point of view. The user would be able to understand the information through auditory channels as the system would narrate the scene's description using speech technology. This could increase the accessibility of visual-spatial information for the users in a metaverse and later in the physical world. This solution is designed and developed considering the hypothesis that if we enable the narration of a scene's visual content, we can increase the understanding and access to that scene. This study paves the way for VR technology to be used as a training and exploration tool not limited to blind people in generic environments, but applicable to specific domains such as military, healthcare, or architecture and planning. We have run a user study and evaluated our hypothesis about which set of algorithms will perform better for a specific category of tasks - like search or survey - and evaluated the narration algorithms by the user's ratings of naturalness, correctness and satisfaction. The tasks and algorithms have been discussed in detail in the chapters of this thesis. / Master of Science / The solution is built using an object detection algorithm and virtual environments which run on the web browser using X3DOM. The solution would help improve situational awareness for normal people as well as for low vision individuals through speech. On a broader scale, we seek to contribute to accessibility solutions. We have designed four algorithms which will help user to understand the scene information through auditory channels as the system would narrate the scene's description using speech technology. The idea would increase the accessibility of visual-spatial information for the users in a metaverse and later in the physical world.

Cryptocurrencies are experiencing a significant surge, with the total valuation surpassing two trillion US dollars at specific points. This remarkable growth is underscored by the existence of over 23,000 different cryptocurrencies as of 2024, according to CoinMarketCap. These digital assets aim to break down borders and enhance access to financial services, fostering a more inclusive global economy. However, the swift ascent and widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies come with considerable risks. The growing popularity and promise of these digital assets have opened up new avenues for malicious actors. Cybercriminals are exploiting public infrastructures, the cloud, the metaverse, and various websites to mine, distribute, and magnify the negative impacts of cryptocurrencies. These activities jeopardize the security and integrity of such systems, posing risks to users. Tackling these security challenges continues to be a crucial priority. This dissertation investigates the security vulnerabilities of cryptocurrencies across various infrastructures. We focus on three distinct types of infrastructure and analyze how these vulnerabilities interact with the security landscape in each context. The study categorizes infrastructure into three groups, representing different stages in the evolution of information technology: current, emerging, and future infrastructures. Among other interesting insights, our findings reveal a skewed distribution of cryptojacking websites concentrated in regions with high internet penetration and significant malicious activity. Additionally, we identify an intersection between cryptomining pools and public cloud infrastructure, with a prevalence of cryptomining pools in the cloud and malicious activities originating from these pools, disproportionately affecting two major cloud providers. Finally, we observe malicious activities in the metaverse domain, noting that the popularity of metaverse coins does not correlate with specific security patterns. Overall, this dissertation provides a comprehensive understanding of the security challenges posed by cryptocurrencies and offers insights into mitigating these risks in the form of system-specific actionable recommendations.

A obesidade, atualmente, é um dos problemas mais importantes de Saúde Pública no Brasil e em outros países do mundo. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) considera que, atualmente ela seja o principal problema de saúde. O sucesso do tratamento das doenças crônicas, como é o caso da obesidade, depende, fortemente, da participação e do envolvimento do indivíduo, enquanto sujeito ativo de seu tratamento. O apoio por meio de ações educacionais, mediante evidências clínicas e/ou sensoriais, levou um maior comprometimento do indivíduo. Com o mesmo intuito, a Teoria da Autodeterminação vem embasar esta Tese. Existem seis tipos de motivação, os quais variam, qualitativamente, conforme a internalização das regulações externas para o comportamento, chamada de “contínuo de autodeterminação”. A tendência crescente da obesidade exige programas para perda de peso inovadores, com grande nível de personificação e interatividade. Embora os programas comportamentais com base no face a face provaram ser os mais eficazes, são caros, muitas vezes inacessíveis. O uso de metaverso (um tipo de mundo virtual) tem surgido como alternativa para realização de vários tipos de experiências, porque oferece ao usuário a sensação de realidade, permitindo, inclusive, a interação com objetos 3D. O Sistema de validação desta Tese agregou à tal ferramenta a sensação de interação humana, apoio social e engajamento com a utilização de agente conversacionais e pedômetro. Dessa forma adicionou a possibilidade de trabalhar tecnologias da Web, de metaverso e utilização de sensores que interagiram a fim de promover motivações, apoiando, diretamente, o envolvimento e aprendizagem, como subsídio de mudança de comportamento e ganhos em qualidade de vida, durante a pesquisa. Conclui-se que novas tecnologias de metaverso e agentes conversacionais, associados a um pedômetro, podem ensejar a motivação de sujeitos obesos para o autocuidado e a perda de peso - vislumbra-se uma nova e provocante maneira de ofertar motivação para mudança de comportamento. / Obesity is currently one of the most important public health problems in Brazil and in other countries of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that it is currently the main health problem. The success of treating chronic diseases, such as obesity, depends heavily on the participation and involvement of the individual as an active subject of treatment. Support through educational actions, through clinical and / or sensorial evidence, led to a greater commitment of the individual. With the same intention, the Theory of Self-determination supports this thesis. There are six types of motivation, which vary, qualitatively, according to the internalization of external regulations for behavior, called the "self-determination continuum". The growing trend of obesity requires innovative weight loss programs with a high level of personification and interactivity. Although face-to-face behavioral programs have proven to be the most effective, they are expensive, often inaccessible. The use of metaverse (a virtual world type) has emerged as an alternative to perform various types of experiments, because it offers the user a sense of reality, allowing interaction with 3D objects. The validation system of this thesis has added to the tool the sensation of human interaction, social support and engagement with the use of conversational agents and pedometers. In this way, he added the possibility of working with Web technologies, metaverse and the use of sensors that interacted in order to promote motivations, directly supporting the involvement and learning, as a subsidy of behavior change and gains in quality of life during the research. It is concluded that new metaverse technologies and conversational agents, associated with a pedometer, can lead to the motivation of obese subjects for self-care and weight loss - a new and provocative way of offering motivation to change behavior is envisaged.

A obesidade, atualmente, é um dos problemas mais importantes de Saúde Pública no Brasil e em outros países do mundo. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) considera que, atualmente ela seja o principal problema de saúde. O sucesso do tratamento das doenças crônicas, como é o caso da obesidade, depende, fortemente, da participação e do envolvimento do indivíduo, enquanto sujeito ativo de seu tratamento. O apoio por meio de ações educacionais, mediante evidências clínicas e/ou sensoriais, levou um maior comprometimento do indivíduo. Com o mesmo intuito, a Teoria da Autodeterminação vem embasar esta Tese. Existem seis tipos de motivação, os quais variam, qualitativamente, conforme a internalização das regulações externas para o comportamento, chamada de “contínuo de autodeterminação”. A tendência crescente da obesidade exige programas para perda de peso inovadores, com grande nível de personificação e interatividade. Embora os programas comportamentais com base no face a face provaram ser os mais eficazes, são caros, muitas vezes inacessíveis. O uso de metaverso (um tipo de mundo virtual) tem surgido como alternativa para realização de vários tipos de experiências, porque oferece ao usuário a sensação de realidade, permitindo, inclusive, a interação com objetos 3D. O Sistema de validação desta Tese agregou à tal ferramenta a sensação de interação humana, apoio social e engajamento com a utilização de agente conversacionais e pedômetro. Dessa forma adicionou a possibilidade de trabalhar tecnologias da Web, de metaverso e utilização de sensores que interagiram a fim de promover motivações, apoiando, diretamente, o envolvimento e aprendizagem, como subsídio de mudança de comportamento e ganhos em qualidade de vida, durante a pesquisa. Conclui-se que novas tecnologias de metaverso e agentes conversacionais, associados a um pedômetro, podem ensejar a motivação de sujeitos obesos para o autocuidado e a perda de peso - vislumbra-se uma nova e provocante maneira de ofertar motivação para mudança de comportamento. / Obesity is currently one of the most important public health problems in Brazil and in other countries of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that it is currently the main health problem. The success of treating chronic diseases, such as obesity, depends heavily on the participation and involvement of the individual as an active subject of treatment. Support through educational actions, through clinical and / or sensorial evidence, led to a greater commitment of the individual. With the same intention, the Theory of Self-determination supports this thesis. There are six types of motivation, which vary, qualitatively, according to the internalization of external regulations for behavior, called the "self-determination continuum". The growing trend of obesity requires innovative weight loss programs with a high level of personification and interactivity. Although face-to-face behavioral programs have proven to be the most effective, they are expensive, often inaccessible. The use of metaverse (a virtual world type) has emerged as an alternative to perform various types of experiments, because it offers the user a sense of reality, allowing interaction with 3D objects. The validation system of this thesis has added to the tool the sensation of human interaction, social support and engagement with the use of conversational agents and pedometers. In this way, he added the possibility of working with Web technologies, metaverse and the use of sensors that interacted in order to promote motivations, directly supporting the involvement and learning, as a subsidy of behavior change and gains in quality of life during the research. It is concluded that new metaverse technologies and conversational agents, associated with a pedometer, can lead to the motivation of obese subjects for self-care and weight loss - a new and provocative way of offering motivation to change behavior is envisaged.

A obesidade, atualmente, é um dos problemas mais importantes de Saúde Pública no Brasil e em outros países do mundo. A Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS) considera que, atualmente ela seja o principal problema de saúde. O sucesso do tratamento das doenças crônicas, como é o caso da obesidade, depende, fortemente, da participação e do envolvimento do indivíduo, enquanto sujeito ativo de seu tratamento. O apoio por meio de ações educacionais, mediante evidências clínicas e/ou sensoriais, levou um maior comprometimento do indivíduo. Com o mesmo intuito, a Teoria da Autodeterminação vem embasar esta Tese. Existem seis tipos de motivação, os quais variam, qualitativamente, conforme a internalização das regulações externas para o comportamento, chamada de “contínuo de autodeterminação”. A tendência crescente da obesidade exige programas para perda de peso inovadores, com grande nível de personificação e interatividade. Embora os programas comportamentais com base no face a face provaram ser os mais eficazes, são caros, muitas vezes inacessíveis. O uso de metaverso (um tipo de mundo virtual) tem surgido como alternativa para realização de vários tipos de experiências, porque oferece ao usuário a sensação de realidade, permitindo, inclusive, a interação com objetos 3D. O Sistema de validação desta Tese agregou à tal ferramenta a sensação de interação humana, apoio social e engajamento com a utilização de agente conversacionais e pedômetro. Dessa forma adicionou a possibilidade de trabalhar tecnologias da Web, de metaverso e utilização de sensores que interagiram a fim de promover motivações, apoiando, diretamente, o envolvimento e aprendizagem, como subsídio de mudança de comportamento e ganhos em qualidade de vida, durante a pesquisa. Conclui-se que novas tecnologias de metaverso e agentes conversacionais, associados a um pedômetro, podem ensejar a motivação de sujeitos obesos para o autocuidado e a perda de peso - vislumbra-se uma nova e provocante maneira de ofertar motivação para mudança de comportamento. / Obesity is currently one of the most important public health problems in Brazil and in other countries of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that it is currently the main health problem. The success of treating chronic diseases, such as obesity, depends heavily on the participation and involvement of the individual as an active subject of treatment. Support through educational actions, through clinical and / or sensorial evidence, led to a greater commitment of the individual. With the same intention, the Theory of Self-determination supports this thesis. There are six types of motivation, which vary, qualitatively, according to the internalization of external regulations for behavior, called the "self-determination continuum". The growing trend of obesity requires innovative weight loss programs with a high level of personification and interactivity. Although face-to-face behavioral programs have proven to be the most effective, they are expensive, often inaccessible. The use of metaverse (a virtual world type) has emerged as an alternative to perform various types of experiments, because it offers the user a sense of reality, allowing interaction with 3D objects. The validation system of this thesis has added to the tool the sensation of human interaction, social support and engagement with the use of conversational agents and pedometers. In this way, he added the possibility of working with Web technologies, metaverse and the use of sensors that interacted in order to promote motivations, directly supporting the involvement and learning, as a subsidy of behavior change and gains in quality of life during the research. It is concluded that new metaverse technologies and conversational agents, associated with a pedometer, can lead to the motivation of obese subjects for self-care and weight loss - a new and provocative way of offering motivation to change behavior is envisaged.

Problem statement - While reading earlier conducted research on how the Metaverse can be adopted into organizations' operations, a knowledge gap was identified. It was observed that despite the hype around the Metaverse, there is no empirical research on how organizations can adopt the Metaverse into their operations and how this can influence sustainable development.  Purpose - This study aims to explore what values the Metaverse can bring to organizations in the context of sustainable operations management. The goal is to develop a framework that can guide organizations to develop their use of the Metaverse within operations management in a sustainable way. Method - In order to answer the purpose of this study, qualitative research with inductive reasoning was conducted. Empirical data was collected by interviewing eight people in five different companies. The data was later coded through the grounded theory coding.  Result - From the empirical data eight categories were identified. The interviewees expressed their views of the Metaverse today and in the future. It was stated that the Metaverse can be applied to organizational processes, the development of products and/or services,  marketing and sales, human encounters, and competence development. Limitations - This study includes eight participants from five different companies in the technology sector which decreases the generalizability. Two of the included participants, namely, the experts, can be viewed as biased as they have an interest in spreading a positive picture of the Metaverse. Furthermore, one of the experts provided this research with five participants who also can be seen as biased. Implications - This study has both theoretical and practical implications. By exploring the potential of the Metaverse within operations management and how it consequently impacts sustainable development, the researchers of this study filled the knowledge gap in the traditional literature of operations management and expanded it, adding new aspects, which is the theoretical implication. As regards practical implications, this study highlights findings that can guide companies on the way to reduce their negative environmental impact, contribute to social sustainability and enhance economic growth. Conclusion - The Metaverse can be seen as a universal tool that can be applied almost anywhere in organizations' operations. Organizations can use it for experimentation, testing and construction in a virtual environment. Scenario simulations can help forecast breakdown, measure energy consumption, and track emissions. Organizations can establish showrooms, apartment shows, test groups, meetings, and social hangouts. The Metaverse can change the way people interact and acquire knowledge. Therefore, it can change the way how we think of and perform operations management.

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Uppsatsen tar upp vad ljudets roll är på en ljusfestival utifrån kreatörer och kompositörers perspektiv med hjälp av djupintervjuer. Uppsatsens teoretiska ramverk är fokuserat på teorier om interaktivt ljud. Ambitionen är att bidra med ny kunskap och fördjupad förståelse som i sin tur kan ligga till grund för vidareutveckling av ljusfestivaler. I fråga om interaktivitet har den teknik som används i augmented reality och metaverse framstått som speciellt intressant. Uppsatsen har två övergripande frågeställningar vilka är: På vilka sätt kan ljudet påverka den personliga upplevelsen av ett audiovisuellt konstverk? Den andra frågan lyder: Vad bidrar ljudet med till den totala upplevelsen av en ljusfestival? Resultatet visar blev att ljudet bidrar till att höja upplevelsen och att placeringen av ljudet hade stor effekt på ljusfestivaler. För att samla in data så har djupintervjuer gjorts med kreatörer inom området för ljusfestivaler. Resultatet visar att ljudet bidrar till att höja upplevelsen och att placeringen av ljudet hade stor effekt på ljusfestivaler. Kreatörer och kompositörer ofta saknar den kompetens som krävs för att utveckla ljusfestivaler, vad som jag i uppsatsen benämner som multikompetens. Det handlar både om hur ljud kan skapas till kreatörens verk och påverkan från omgivande. Resultaten visar att intresset för att använda både ljud och ljus successivt ökar hos visuell kreatörer, audiovisuella kreatörer och kompositörer. Det finns dock de som på senare tid har börjat att skapa ljud eftersom man tycker att det kan bidra till en större upplevelse för betraktaren.

Research Question: What are the drivers for consumers to co-create in the metaverse and howcan companies use them to increase engagement in co-creation? Purpose: The purpose of this study is to get insight into how companies canincrease consumer engagement for participation in co-creation activitieswithin the metaverse. By enlightening the research community and businesses about the consumer perspective on the metaverse and the cocreation possibilities and what their drivers would be to engage in cocreation, companies can better target these individuals and ultimately increase their brand value.  Method: Qualitative methods with an abductive approach Conclusion: The strongest driver for consumer engagement in co-creation within themetaverse is hedonic benefits. Although, the hedonic benefits are thestrongest driver, economic benefits were almost as strong, and as suchthese two types of drivers in combination work as complements andgenerate more engagement in co-creation than any other benefits for mostco-creators. Moreover, to increase engagement, facilitators such ascommunities, safe spaces, and interactivity play an important role to createintimacy, emotional connection, and immersive experiences. Throughthese, trust can be fostered, and customer experiences enhanced,ultimately leading to increased engagement in co-creation.