Core technologies for virtual worlds (RIA) (Virtual Worlds and Photonics Partnerships)

The main goal of this opportunity is to advance technologies that make Virtual Worlds more immersive, interactive, and realistic. It aims to improve how people experience and interact within digital environments, supporting the development of a user-centered Web 4.0. The focus is on two areas: enhancing multimodal immersion by combining eXtended Reality with advanced technologies (Area A), and developing innovative photonics for better projection, sensing, and perception (Area B). The initiative promotes a sustainable digital ecosystem in Europe, prioritizing values such as privacy, ethics, and inclusiveness. Projects are expected to contribute to the European digital landscape and align with these core values.

• Develop core technologies that enable the creation and evolution of virtual worlds, focusing on immersive, scalable, and interoperable systems.

• Address technological challenges related to the integration of photonics and other advanced technologies in virtual environments.

• Contribute to the advancement of virtual worlds by providing foundational technologies that support their development and integration into various applications.

Example Projects:

• Developing a new virtual reality headset that uses advanced photonics for better image quality and user comfort (Area B).
• Creating a platform that enables more natural interaction in virtual environments by integrating voice, gesture, and eye-tracking technologies (Area A).
• Designing immersive educational experiences that prioritize privacy and inclusiveness, with input from social science experts.

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment (depreciation or rental)
• Consumables and materials
• Dissemination and communication
• Access to research infrastructure
• IPR and certification
• Audit costs
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate)
• Internally invoiced services

• Budget for this Call: 43.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 7
• Maximum value per project: 6.000.000€
• Minimum value per project: 5.000.000€

• Must be a consortium of at least three independent legal entities from at least three different eligible countries, with at least one partner from an EU Member State.
• All participants must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe associated countries and demonstrate financial and operational capacity per Horizon Europe Annex B and C requirements.
• The project must focus on developing core technologies for virtual worlds, aiming to enhance interaction and immersion at both application and component levels.
• Proposals should allocate tasks for cohesion activities with both the Virtual Worlds and Photonics Partnerships, including the CSA HORIZON-CL4-2025-03-HUMAN-17 (Specific support for the Virtual Worlds Partnership and the Web 4.0 initiative).
• Standard Horizon Europe ethics, integrity, exclusion, and compliance rules apply.