(MENAFN- EIN Presswire)
SINGAPORE, April 3, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- Headquartered in Singapore, digital architect Smobler has been appointed Chief Designer of the world's first disability-led accessibility park in the open metaverse. With notable achievements such as pioneering the first phygital wedding at Singapore's historic Alkaff Mansion to developing BhutanVerse with the Kingdom of Bhutan, Smobler brings a wealth of experience and innovation to the forefront of digital accessibility initiatives.
Smobler will create new breakthroughs with A11yVerse, a disability-led, community-based online company that uses web3 technology to create learning, networking and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities (PwDs). The partnership aims to empower PwDs to make an independent living and participate in the thriving creative and digital economy.
Nat Lim, Founder of A11yVerse says,“New norms created by the pandemic contributed to the growth of the digital economy. These have, in turn, brought about a wave of unprecedented challenges and promising opportunities in the world of digital media, arts, cryptocurrency, non-fungible tokens and metaverses.”
According to a study by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's Report on“Issues faced by People with Disabilities in Singapore”, 62% of PwDs surveyed reported that they“did not feel included, accepted, or given opportunities to contribute or reach their potential by society”.
The issue of inclusive practices in the workplace were also examined by researchers Justin Lee, Mathew Mathews, Wong Fung Shing and Zhuang Kuansong in a study entitled“Beyond the Business Case: Different Models of Including People with Disabilities at Work”. The research underscores how various work initiatives and policies claiming to be inclusive can actually“lower expectations [and] propagate negative public attitudes about people with disabilities" as they are often designed by non-disabled counterparts. The researchers note that inclusion practices without careful thought can leave“oppressive, patronizing and exclusionary” effects on the disabled community.
Multi-hyphenate social entrepreneur, Co-Founder and CEO of Smobler, Loretta Chen, shares that the open metaverse will serve as an intentional space for community building to advance a collective, effective allyship,“We cannot be what we do not see. Through fun play, increasing familiarity, mass adoption and positive role modeling, we can create systemic change for PwDs as stakeholders in society. They have not been able to fully partake in the economic progress in the last decades dominated by Milton Friedman's rhetoric of shareholder capitalism. We intend to fully ride this wave of conscious capitalism, heightened sense of diversity, equity and inclusion to make this not just a moment in time but a movement towards a Metaverse for Good.”
The accessibility park will adopt universal design principles and will be e-accessible to persons with disabilities. The first phase will focus on building up a social hub or community area, sensory gardens as well as a virtual museum to honor and celebrate notable disabled artists, past and present.
“We are proud to welcome A11yVerse's community to The Sandbox . They are well aligned with our Metaverse for Good mission espoused by our ecosystem and through their collaboration with Smobler, who is a pioneer leading this change” says Sebastien Borget, COO & Co-Founder of The Sandbox.
“We have a unique chance to shape the metaverse as a better virtual society where everyone feels they belong; where our differences and disabilities are understood and accepted as part of our digital identities. Let us take this as an opportunity to do better in all the worlds we inahbit.”
Plans are currently underway to develop and conduct training programmes for PwDs in digital art and voxel creation, story-telling and performance as well as arts and events management in the metaverse in due course. Participants are expected to grow in confidence, be empowered to effect change through everyday choices and enhance quality of life.
About Smobler
Smobler is a turnkey metaverse architect headquartered in Singapore with a strong emphasis on blockchain based gaming, event production, outreach and education. Smobler has created a suite of world's first such as a metaverse wedding, Tools of Rock concert venue and a disability park with SG Enable. Working with legacy brands such as Airbus, Mahindra, Meta, DBS, GoPro and BMW, Smobler creates innovative projects such as Metaverse for Good and has been featured by Forbes, Vogue, Channel News Asia and more. Smobler initiated the inaugural cross chain project with Clay Nation, Cardano and Polygon. In addition, Smobler is curating a series of proprietary IPs such as 3VEREST, Cobbleland and Aloha Surfer. Smobler is backed by the world's biggest open metaverse, The Sandbox and Brinc. For more, log on to .
About A11yVerse
A11yVerse is a creative and social organisation that is revolutionizing accessibility in the metaverse by placing inclusivity at the heart of its disability-led practice. With a commitment to removing physical and attitudinal barriers in phygital experiences, A11yVerse empowers communities to thrive by enabling gainful employment and active participation in the cultural, economic, and social spheres. Through collaboration, advocacy, and transformative initiatives, A11yVerse redefines the possibilities of accessibility, fostering a world where no one is left behind. Join our movement at .
About The Sandbox
The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is one of the decentralized virtual worlds that has been fueling the recent growth of virtual real estate demand, having partnered with major brands including Warner Music Group, Ubisoft, The Rabbids, Cut the Rope, Gucci Vault, The Walking Dead, Invincible, Snoop Dogg, Adidas, Deadmau5, Steve Aoki, SM Entertainment, The Smurfs, Care Bears, and Atari. Building on the existing The Sandbox IP that has more than 40 million global installs on mobile, The Sandbox metaverse offers players and creators a decentralized and intuitive platform to create immersive 3D worlds and game experiences and to safely store, trade, and monetize their creations. For more information, please visit and follow the regular updates on Twitter, Medium, and Discord.
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Agnes Tung
A11yVerse
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Gianna Bui
Smobler
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World's First Disability-Led Accessibility Park in the Metaverse
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