Internet of Places (IOP) in the Metaverse Era: Redefining Human Interaction with Urban Space

With the emergence of novel digital technologies, the concept of urban spaces has undergone a fundamental transformation. The transition from the Internet of Things (IoT) to the Internet of Places (IOP) and its integration with the metaverse has opened new horizons for human interaction with urban space. This study aims to explain how human interaction with urban space is redefined in the context of the Internet of Places and the metaverse. This research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method, employing qualitative methods with an interpretive approach, based on a systematic review of reputable sources published between ۲۰۱۵ and ۲۰۲۵. Using thematic analysis, the findings identify four levels of human interaction with urban space: perceptual interaction (enriching sensory and aesthetic experience), functional interaction (optimizing services and urban management), social interaction (formation of virtual-real communities), and existential interaction (identity, place attachment, and spirit of place). The results indicate that the Internet of Places, by emphasizing the semantic layers of space, and the metaverse, by creating a blended physical-virtual world, synergistically redefine the human-city relationship. By presenting an integrated four-level interaction model, this research provides a theoretical framework for urban planners and designers to consider new dimensions of interaction in designing future urban spaces.

کلیدواژه ها:

Internet of Places ، Metaverse ، Human-Space Interaction ، Smart City ، Augmented Reality ، Digital Twin City