OTwerelden

OTwerelden is a term used in Dutch-language discussions of technology, media, and design to describe a family of interconnected environments in which physical reality and digitally mediated spaces converge through operational technology (OT). In this sense, OT refers to the networked devices, sensors, controllers and software that operate within industrial, commercial, and consumer contexts, although the exact expansion of the acronym varies by author. OTwerelden are not a single fictional place but a framework for imagining multiple layers of reality that users can access, influence, and move between.

In practice, the concept encompasses virtual, augmented, and hybrid spaces where data flows and device intercommunications shape experiences and behaviors. The boundaries between wall, street, screen, and object become permeable, creating scenarios where actions in one layer have effects in another. Identity, privacy, and governance are recurring concerns in discussions of OTwerelden, because control over data streams and device permissions directly affects exposure and agency.

In literature and media studies, OTwerelden are used as narrative devices to explore the social implications of pervasive computing and the Internet of Things, including surveillance, platform power, and digital inequities. In design and game design, the concept helps articulate how players or users move through interconnected spaces, each with its own rules, affordances, and risks.

The term remains comparatively niche and lacks a formal, universal definition. It is often deployed heuristically to frame discussions about emergent technologies, hybrid realities, and the politics of data infrastructure.

Related concepts include virtual reality, augmented reality, the Internet of Things, ubiquitous computing, smart cities, and transmedia storytelling.