Can meeting in a virtual environment help facilitate the development of IEEE standards? That's one of the goals behind the IEEE Standards Association's new presence in Second Life, the 3-D virtual world where users can interact, hold meetings, create interactive environments for demonstrating new technologies, and more.
IEEE isn't the only organization making itself known in Second Life (SL). As Linden Labs, the company behind SL puts it, "Visionary corporations from around the globe, such as Michelin, IBM, and Xerox, have all established and grown significant presences in Second Life. They are working in Second Life in a wide variety of ways--from holding meetings, conducting training, to building product prototypes or simulating business situations in a safe learning environment."
Meeting in SL can provide numerous benefits to IEEE-SA development groups. Events can be held without concern for travel or international time zones. The virtual meeting space provides a more immersive experience than other online meeting tools, and allows both group and one-on-one communication. Individuals and groups can collaborate online, or set up virtual demonstrations or prototypes that can be viewed at any time.
