From Smart Cities to the Metaverse

Technology Clusters Driving Innovation and Sustainability
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-041-27419-3
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 252 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm

As the physical and digital worlds converge, how will our urban environments adapt?

From Smart Cities to the Metaverse: Technology Clusters Driving Innovation and Sustainability provides a comprehensive exploration of the technological forces reshaping modern life. By bridging the gap between urban infrastructure and immersive digital ecosystems, this book examines how Artificial Intelligence, Augmented/Virtual Reality (AR/VR), Blockchain, Edge Computing, Internet of Things, Future Communication, and Digital Twins can be harmonized to create resilient, sustainable, and secure future cities.

Through a curated selection of research and case studies—ranging from AI-enhanced education and Islamic Fintech to decarbonizing data centers and personal data protection —this volume offers essential insights for researchers, students, academics, urban planners, and technology professionals. It serves as a roadmap for harnessing the power of modern technology clusters while prioritizing human-centric design and long-term urban sustainability.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate, Professional Reference, and Undergraduate Advanced

Autoren/Hrsg.

Habbal, Adib

Katuk, Norliza

Nordin, Noradila

Fachgebiete

• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Informatik Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion Ambient Intelligence, RFID, Internet der Dinge
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Technische Informatik Quantencomputer, DNA-Computing
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Informatik Künstliche Intelligenz

Inhaltsverzeichnis

SECTION I: CORE TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMART CITIES AND THE METAVERSE

CHAPTER 1

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES AND CHALLENGES IN SMART CITIES AND THE METAVERSE

Adib Habbal, Norliza Katuk, and Noradila Nordin

CHAPTER 2

LEARNING IN METAVERSE: AI-ENHANCED IMMERSIVE EDUCATION ECOSYSTEMS FOR SMART AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES

Dipima Buragohain and Sushank Chaudhary

CHAPTER 3

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY FOR SMART CITIES AND THE METAVERSE: ENABLING TRUST, SECURITY, AND DECENTRALISATION

Fady Alkhateeb

CHAPTER 4

ISLAMIC FINTECH AND DIGITAL INHERITANCE IN THE DIGITAL AGE: BLOCKCHAIN, DIGITAL ASSETS AND PATHWAYS TO SUSTAINABILITY

Nur Syaedah Kamis and Norazlina Abd Wahab

CHAPTER 5

EDGE COMPUTING: POWERING THE FUTURE OF SMART CITIES AND THE METAVERSE

Harshad Pitkar

CHAPTER 6

THE CONVERGENCE OF SMART CITIES AND THE METAVERSE: A REVIEW OF IOT-DRIVEN NETWORKING AND FUTURE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Farizan Salleh

SECTION II: IMMERSIVE SYSTEMS AND DIGITAL URBAN EXPERIENCES

CHAPTER 7

A CROSS-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON MUSEUM AUGMENTED REALITY STORYTELLING EXPERIENCES

Noradila Nordin, Mohamad Adri Nordin, and Nur Nabihah Mohamad Nizar

CHAPTER 8

IMMERSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE METAVERSE

Azyan Yusra Kapi, Azrina Suhaimi, Mohamad Faizal Ab Jabal, and Harshida Hasmy

CHAPTER 9

DECARBONISING THE DIGITAL TWIN – MALAYSIA’S PATHWAY TO NET-ZERO DATA CENTERS

Anas Abdul Rahman

CHAPTER 10

PATHFINDING WITH DIGITAL TWINS FOR SMART CITIES

Ratna Zuarni Ramli, Azyan Yusra Kapi, Azrina Suhaimi, and Zeyad Abd Algfoor

SECTION III: SECURE, SUSTAINABLE, AND TRUSTED SMART FUTURES

CHAPTER 11

PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION IN DIGITAL-BASED WATER SERVICE SYSTEMS

Muhammad Nazrul Abd Rani

CHAPTER 12

RESPONSIBLE CYBERSECURITY: ETHICAL CONDUCT AND SUSTAINABLE GOVERNANCE IN THE INFORMATION AGE

Mohd Hasbullah Omar and Athirah Rosli

CHAPTER 13

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY CLUSTERS FOR SECURITY, PRIVACY, AND TRUST IN SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL ECOSYSTEMS

Norliza Katuk, Muhammad Ali Fauzi, and Mhd Furqan

CHAPTER 14

AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY FOR COMBATING PLANT AND ORCHARD DISEASES

Elmurod Bozorov and Mirshod Abdullayev

Über Autor(innen)

Adib Habbal (Senior Member, IEEE) earned a PhD in computer science, specialising in networked computing, at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). He is an internationally recognized Associate Professor of Computer Engineering and holds multiple appointments at leading higher education institutions. He is the Founding Head of the Innovative Networked Systems (INETs) Research Group at Karabük University, Türkiye. Dr Habbal's research has garnered significant funding from various prestigious organisations. His prolific output includes over 100 refereed publications in top-tier journals and conference proceedings, particularly in the areas of future Internet technologies and cybersecurity. His current research interests include applied AI/ML, cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain technology, and digital trust.

Norliza Katuk is an Associate Professor of cybersecurity at the School of Computing, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM). She earned a bachelor's degree in information technology at Universiti Utara Malaysia in 2000, a master's degree in computer science at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in 2002, and a doctoral degree in information technology at Massey University, New Zealand, in 2012. In her current role as the Deputy Director for Global Engagement at the Centre for International Affairs and Cooperation (CIAC), she leads international partnerships and academic mobility initiatives that enhance the university's global presence. Her research interests include information security and privacy, cybersecurity awareness, internet technology, IoT, disaster management, e-learning, and human-computer interaction. As a prolific scholar, Dr Katuk has published widely in international journals and serves as a reviewer for several esteemed publications.

Noradila Nordin is a Senior Lecturer in Computing and Digital Technology at the School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering, University of East London, United Kingdom. She received a BEng (First Class Honours) in Computer Engineering in 2010 and an MSc (Distinction) in Telecommunications Engineering in 2011 from Queen Mary University of London. She was awarded the King’s Scholarship by the Government of Malaysia, and completed her PhD in Electronic and Electrical Engineering at University College London in 2017, where her research focused on multichannel cross-layer routing for sensor networks. She has held academic positions at INSANIAH University College, Universiti Utara Malaysia, and the University for the Creative Arts before joining the University of East London in 2026. Her research interests include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, human–computer interaction, and the application of emerging technologies to enhance learning, support wellbeing, and address societal and technological challenges.