Linden Labs and IBM have been working for some time on virtual world interoperability and announced today that they successfully teleported avatars from the Second Life Preview Grid into a virtual world running on an OpenSim server. Allowing avatars to move freely through different virtual worlds is a key step to the creation of the metaverse.

Teleporting was made possible by using an open standard for virtual world interoperability based on the Open Grid Protocol. Linden Lab, makers of Second Life, see interoperability between worlds as essential for them to reach their full potential.

The standardization of interoperability protocols for virtual worlds likely has implications for a collaborative Digital Earth environment.

Read more related Spatial Sustain posts:

• What if a global modeling environment were to offer compatibility with multiple file formats?
• The OGC Tackles a Number of Interoperability Hurdles for Better Change Management
• Software Interoperability Greatly Improves Productivity in the Building Process
• It’s Bad If You’re Mapping Me
• What happened to the metaverse?