SEOUL has just become the first city to launch its own metaverse. As Singapore, Dubai and Shanghai prepare to follow suit, the world holds its breath in anticipation of a new chapter in the history of human settlements.

At the very least, immersive technologies such as virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) might be expected to facilitate and lighten resident interaction with the cities’ 3D digital twins.

But tech enthusiasts say that cities as we know them could eventually be transformed, with AR and VR simulations revolutionising urban planning and mobility modelling (improving traffic safety and congestion), as well as healthcare and education services. For instance, a Singaporean deep-tech startup specialises in creating virtual patients for MR and VR medical simulations, to be used in the training of healthcare professionals.