Chulalongkorn builds chemistry metaverse for hands-on science learning

By AI, Created 11:25 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Chulalongkorn University researchers have created a 3D chemistry metaverse that lets students practice lab work, use advanced instruments and solve simulated problems in a virtual Faculty of Science. The project aims to broaden access to science training, reduce lab safety risks and connect university learning more closely to industry needs.

Why it matters: - The Chemistry Metaverse could make science training more accessible for students who lack access to expensive equipment or physical labs. - The platform is designed to reduce safety risks while giving learners repeated practice on complex tasks. - The project is meant to align chemistry education with job-ready skills through outcome-based learning.

What happened: - Chulalongkorn University researchers developed an immersive 3D Chemistry Metaverse under the Metaverse of Academic Nexus for Global Opportunities, or MANGOs. - The platform recreates a virtual digital twin of the university’s Faculty of Science. - Students can enter the virtual space to run experiments, operate instruments and work through simulated problems. - The project grew out of an idea from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chadin Kulsing, a chemistry researcher and gamer. - Prof. Dr. Lunchakorn Wuttisittikulkij from the Faculty of Engineering helped turn the concept into a cross-disciplinary project.

The details: - The metaverse combines chemistry, electrical engineering and 3D game development. - The virtual lab removes real-world constraints tied to cost, equipment shortages and safety hazards. - Students can experiment without consequences in the virtual environment, which is intended to strengthen safety awareness and scientific reasoning. - The platform uses outcome-based education and focuses on practical competencies. - Universities can work with industry partners to build modules for specific skills, including operating complex instruments and optimizing chemical processes. - Learning is organized as tiered “quests” that move users from beginner to professional levels. - Available modules include virtual titration exercises and forensic investigations using DNA samples. - Advanced tools such as gas chromatography are available in the virtual environment even when many undergraduates cannot access them in person. - The platform includes scent-release technology that creates “virtual smells” tied to digital objects, including plants in a simulated herb garden. - The metaverse also serves as a virtual research center with databases of chemical compounds and natural products. - Those databases could support industries such as cosmetics and perfumery. - More information is available in Chulalongkorn University’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The project reflects a broader push to turn gaming mechanics into academic engagement. - The multi-sensory design suggests Chulalongkorn is trying to make virtual science training feel closer to real laboratory work. - International interest from partners in Australia, Italy and Southeast Asia points to possible cross-border use beyond one campus. - Adoption will still depend on each institution’s policies, which could slow rollout.

What’s next: - Developers say the long-term goal is a global network of connected virtual campuses. - Chulalongkorn and external partners in Australia, Italy and Southeast Asia are exploring integration. - The platform’s reach will likely expand as institutions decide whether to adopt the system and build their own modules.

The bottom line: - Chulalongkorn’s Chemistry Metaverse turns a laptop into a virtual lab and tests whether immersive gaming can make science education safer, more scalable and more practical.