Metaverse search system: Architecture, challenges, and potential applications

Abstract

Like numerous new websites created globally every day on the web, new spaces are constantly produced in the metaverse and interconnected to each other through the Internet. The continuous expansion of the metaverse space requires a search system that supports efficiently navigating and retrieving globally distributed spaces. Current metaverse search systems are limited to text-based retrieval within local platforms, and web search systems have critical limitations to apply to the metaverse. In this study, we propose an architecture for a metaverse search system that overcomes these limitations, enabling global space search across the distributed metaverse. We analyze the gaps between the web and the metaverse, identify challenges and technologies in developing a metaverse search system, and explore potential applications from different user perspectives. This study sets the foundation for a seamless browsing experience in the metaverse, enabling users to navigate three-dimensional spaces easily and freely, similar to surfing the traditional web.