AYDA — a social application for VR and desktop. It’s a place where you can invite your friends with a single click and where new connections are made through mutual friends.
The Problem
A call isn’t a place. In Discord and messengers, friends see windows with faces, but they lack a shared space and a shared activity.
It’s hard to assemble a group. It’s unclear who is free right now and what to play, and organizing things gets lost across a dozen chats.
It’s scary to meet people. In social VR, it feels awkward to approach someone’s group—an avatar doesn’t erase social anxiety.
Who is this for
Friends' groups are already communicating on Discord and in chats; they need a shared space and a reason to gather.
VR enthusiasts have gotten comfortable with their headsets and are looking for something to do next—with whom and what.
Gamers are accustomed to playing with voice chat; here, gaming and conversation happen in one place.
Creative individuals and developers draw, build, and create worlds that need a live audience.
Why now?
The grand «metaverse for everyone» never materialized: large corporations are shutting down VR offices and migrating social platforms to smartphones. Telegram chat attracts users, but only through text and windows. AYDA sits in the middle—a shared space designed specifically for your company.
Solution
Your Space. A permanent company hub where friends feel at home.
Shared Activity. Room formats include: sandbox, puzzle, active play, quiet room, interactive story.
Connection Through Connections. You can see where your friends' friends are—you can join them through a mutual acquaintance.
Invitation Feed. You announce a gathering—people hit «AYDA» and instantly appear in the room.
Call-to-Action Feed
Anyone in the company can announce a gathering: what we’re doing, when, and how many spots are available. The «AYDA» button takes you straight to the room. You can open the feed on your phone—to call those who aren’t currently in a headset or at a computer. Gatherings organized by friends of friends are marked with a star: this is how you meet new people.
Competitors and Alternatives
The main difference from a chat is the expansion of sensory experience. The voice sounds from where the person is standing; gestures and gaze are visible; it is clear who is nearby and what they are doing; and instead of exchanging messages about a task, the task itself is present: a game, a drawing, a puzzle.
Invite your friends into one space—and meet their friends.
Expected Outcome
For the May 2027 defense—a working application: a VR headset, or without the headset—Windows, macOS, and Linux. It will feature a hub and 2–3 rooms, voice communication, and multiplayer on a private server, a calling feed viewable both in the headset and on a phone, and a motion-based invitation system.
During the defense, a committee member will publish the calling prompt from their phone; the others will press «AYDA"—some in the headset, some on a laptop—and everyone will meet in the same room.
Principles of Implementation
Technology. One Unity project: builds for VR headsets (OpenXR) and for Windows, macOS, Linux. Voice, rooms, and the feed run on a dedicated server; the feed is a web application accessible from both the headset and a phone.
Experience. Using hands and gaze instead of controller buttons, with no artificial camera movement—the learning is embedded within the experience itself. Rooms accommodate 2–6 people; the creator of the lure determines who can see it.
Motion—the language of invitation: available slots shimmer, and entering a room feels like stepping inside an image.
What is needed to launch
Team: Currently, the creator handles design, motion graphics, and assembly; we need a network developer, 3D artist, and sound designer. Hardware: We still need 2–3 headsets for multiplayer testing. We require a server for voice, rooms, and the feed, as well as a domain and moderation support. Testing with 3–4 real partner companies—15–20 people—at the department or in a VR club.
