In June, Meta launched the 2022 Meta AR/VR Policy Research request for proposals (RFP) in partnership with the Centre for Civil Society and Governance of the University of Hong Kong. Today, we’re announcing the winners of these awards.

The awards are funded by the Meta XR Programs and Research Fund, a two-year, $50 million investment in programs and external research to help in the effort of building the metaverse responsibly.

View RFP

This collaboration with the University of Hong Kong encourages work with the academic community in the Asia Pacific region to develop solution-focused research that identifies positive approaches in thinking through policy issues, challenges, and opportunities in the metaverse and augmented and virtual reality.

The RFP attracted 67 proposals from 44 universities and institutions in the Asia Pacific region. Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a proposal, and congratulations to the winners.

Research award recipients

Principal investigators are listed first unless otherwise noted.

Disability in the metaverse*
Marcus Carter, Gerard Goggin (University of Sydney), Ben Egliston (Queensland University of Technology), Kuansong Victor Zhuang (Nanyang Technological University), Katie Ellis (Curtin University), Wayne Hawkins (Australian Communications Consumer Action Network)

Elderly users’ speech perception and listening effort in virtual acoustics
Justine Hui, Yusuke Hioka, Catherine I. Watson (University of Auckland), Hinako Masuda (Seikei University)

Federated learning for privacy-preserving AI in metaverse
Edith Ngai (University of Hong Kong)

Persuasive communication of safety in the metaverse to children and youth
Dion Goh, Rebecca Pei-Hui Ang (Nanyang Technological University)

Regulating sexual VAWs in metaverse: An interdisciplinary diagnosis
Dyah Pitaloka, Dr. Young-Nam Seo, Dr. Ika Idris, Dr. M. Risqi Saputra (Monash University Malaysia), Dr. Indriaswati Saptaningrum (Atma Jaya Catholic University of Indonesia)

Safety and boundary in a shared metaverse — a cross-cultural investigation
JihHsuan Lin (National Chengchi University), Yu-Hao Lee (University of Florida)

The metaverse: Vehicle for aboriginal digital self-determination & wellness*
Jasper Jerome Garay, Dr. Luke Hespanhol, Dr. Marcus Carter, Dr. Michelle Dickson (University of Sydney)

Virtual presence beyond the visual: A metaverse for the visually impaired
Panote Siriaraya (Kyoto Institute of Technology), Wan Jou She (Nara Institute of Science and Technology), Sulaganya Punyayodhin (Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi)

*Funded by Meta Australia