Introduction
The concept of virtual worlds is strongly related to the current innovations of new media communication. This book offers an interdisciplinary approach to virtual world studies focused on aesthetics and semantics principles from science, technology, media arts and design. It is important for researchers and practitioners interested in this area to understand the actual criteria for creating virtual worlds’ as well as their further evolution, regarding system architecture, information visualization and human interaction.

Objective of the Book
This book gives in-depth coverage of the state-of-the-art among the best international research experiences of virtual world concept creations from a wide range of media culture fields, at the edge of artistic and scientific inquiry and emerging technologies. It will be written for professionals, researchers, artists and designers who want to improve their understanding of the strategic role of virtual worlds within the development of digital communication.

Target Audience
The target audience of this book will be composed of professionals and researchers, designers, artists, and creative developers, working in various fields (e.g., information and communication sciences, art and design, education, psychology, sociology, neurosciences, computer science, and information technology). Moreover, the book will provide insights and support to innovative and creative studies concerned with the development of virtual worlds within different types of working and research communities.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
– Virtual world projects, concepts, methodologies in design, arts & humanities, science and technology
– Virtual reality, augmented and mixed reality studies and applications
– Human computer interaction and user interfaces studies and applications
– Human issues in virtual worlds
– Social communities in virtual worlds
– User generated 3D content
– Innovative 3D graphics, Web, Web3D, multimedia studies and applications
– Advanced interfaces and Interactive 3D immersive systems
– Real-time interactive networked media in Mobile mixed reality
– Wearable interfaces and tangible interfaces for 3D media
– Online videogames and edutainment projects
– Virtual worlds in education and training
– Virtual heritage projects
– Animated humanoid (avatars), virtual life, body and mind extensions, metacreations studies
– 3D modelling, animation,s imulation studies and applications
– Information visualization within arts and scientific visualization
– Virtual worlds in industrial systems design
– Artwork, performances, installations media arts concepts and projects
– Imaginary and creative virtual worlds

Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before June 30, 2009, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by July 31, 2009 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by September 30, 2009. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Publisher
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference) and “IGI Publishing” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in the second half of 2010.

Important Dates
June 30, 2009: Proposal Submission Deadline
July 15, 2009: Notification of Acceptance
September 30, 2009: Full Chapter Submission
November 15, 2009: Review Results Returned
January 15, 2010: Final Chapter Submission

Editorial Advisory Board Members:
Ramos Felix, CINVESTAV GDL, Mexico
Reyes García Everardo, Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Toluca, Mexico
Uribe Mendoza Bernardo, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Colombia
Sourina Olga, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Watanave Hidenori, Tokyo Metropolitan University , Japan
Paul Catanese, Columbia University, Chicago, USA