The concept of the “metaverse” is increasingly entering mainstream conversations, yet for many, its true meaning remains elusive. It’s understandable, given that our technology has yet to evolve to a point where we can fully immerse ourselves in a genuine metaverse.
Simply put, a metaverse is envisaged as a digital universe where individuals can engage in all the activities they undertake in their physical existence. This virtual realm is intended to be navigated through digital avatars, serving as our alter-egos in this brave new world.
The concept of the metaverse, while seemingly novel, actually has deep roots in our history. The term itself was first coined by Neil Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction novel, “Snow Crash”. However, the underpinning technology had been envisioned by many, dating back even further.
In 1838, Sir Charles Wheatstone, a prominent scientist, introduced the idea of binocular vision, a process that merges two images to construct a three-dimensional view. This groundbreaking principle paved the way for the development of the stereoscope, a device that employs the illusion of depth to fabricate an immersive visual experience. This innovation would later inspire the creation of modern VR glasses.
Fast forward to 1935, Stanley Weinbaum, an American science fiction author, painted a vivid picture of a pair of goggles in his book “Pygmalion’s Spectacles”. These were no ordinary goggles; they offered an all-encompassing sensory experience, encompassing touch, sound, taste, sight, and smell.
The evolution continued in 1956 when Morton Heilig conceived the first VR machine. This contraption simulated a motorbike ride, incorporating auditory cues, scents, and a vibrating chair with 2D visuals to deliver an impressively immersive experience.
While the metaverse technologies have undoubtedly advanced since these early innovations, a fully-realized metaverse remains just out of reach. Predicting the timeline for its full manifestation remains a speculative endeavor, as we continue to push the boundaries of possibility.
An array of companies, both established and emerging, are fervently working towards the realization of metaverse platforms – expansive digital worlds that transcend our current online experience. Renowned entities like Meta, Decentraland, Sandbox, and Horizon Worlds, to name a few, are blazing the trail in this innovative frontier, investing heavily in the creation of their unique metaverses.
However, the journey towards a truly immersive metaverse experience is still in its nascent stages. One crucial hurdle lies in the lack of decentralization. Presently, these burgeoning metaverses are governed by individual entities who shape their evolution and dictate the rules of engagement. This centralized control raises concerns about equitable distribution of rewards, where users’ contributions to the digital realm may not be adequately compensated, with the lion’s share of profits accruing to the corporate entities.
Additionally, the technological infrastructure required for an authentic metaverse is yet to be fully developed. As we stand at the precipice of this exciting new digital era, these challenges underline the need for continued innovation, collaboration, and equitable governance structures within the metaverse landscape.
Metaverse technologies exist, otherwise, we would not be talking about the development of a digital world. So, what those key technologies are? Let’s have a closer look at them and check how they can develop to finally enable us to experience a really persistent virtual world.
Artificial intelligence is the foundation for many technological developments, and a metaverse is not an exception. AI and machine learning can be used to improve a digital world and digital business in many ways:
The Internet of Things IoT is considered one of the important pillars of a virtual world. This is one of the most important metaverse technologies because it is expected that the IoT will connect physical and digital worlds and thus, make a real metaverse possible.
The Internet of Things will provide unique opportunities for technology companies and businesses. As an example, it already enables the creation of a digital twin – an exact copy of a real object but in a virtual world. Then, sensors collect all the data from this digital twin and analyze them to detect errors and improve results.
We still cannot imagine all the opportunities that the IoT in a virtual world can open to tech giants but the benefits of this technology are evident.
Augmented reality is the enhancement of the real world by making it brighter and more vibrant. Among other multiple technologies used to adorn physical spaces or to boost the metaverse experience, AR enables to connect physical worlds with digital ones. Along with virtual reality VR, augmented reality AR lays the foundation for metaverse development.
At the moment, AR relies on external devices to provide the required experience, or in the best case, users can benefit from an AR cloud. But in the future, it is expected to move from an AR cloud and external devices to seamless experiences that will blur the borders between physical worlds and virtual space.
Immersive experiences are the key to the mass adoption of a virtual environment. Augmented reality AR, VR, and mixed reality already exist. But they have some drawbacks that impede their wide application.
Virtual reality technology cannot provide really immersive experiences. VR sets are still massive and not very comfortable, and their prices are far from affordable.
Augmented reality glasses suffer from the same drawbacks as VR sets.
When these metaverse technologies advance more, they will not only be able to provide the virtual reality experience we expect but will be able to connect the physical world with virtual worlds and eliminate borders between them.
Some specialists believe that brain-computer interfaces are going to be the next stage of VR and AR sets development, along with a massive change in the way we use devices in general.
Now, we rely on screens, glasses, heads up displays, etc. – on external devices to experience virtual worlds. This is one of the major challenges we need to overcome when we speak about real virtual experiences.
This challenge can be overcome by the development of brain-computer interfaces. This is not a new technology, there are already some companies working on it. Brain-computer interfaces will enable us to control virtual spaces with our brain, without any external devices or appliances.
3D modeling and reconstruction will enable the virtual reality world to look like our physical world. This metaverse technology captures the shapes and appearances of real objects to recreate their digital twins.
This technology is going to boost the development of digital business on a decentralized web. Virtual real estate, virtual commercial spaces, and virtual items become available to users just like it happens in real life.
Spatial computing is needed to interact with the real world. So, spatial computing is about the spatial dimension.
Edge computing provides a quick response time to users’ actions. It, in turn, helps to mimic the user’s actions in the real world and feel immersed in virtual spaces.
When it comes to the majority of metaverse projects, they use blockchain technology for virtual gaming. And the main application of blockchain technology is to enable digital currencies (cryptocurrencies).
In the future, blockchain is expected to enable decentralized digital experiences. A blockchain metaverse is going to be transparent, and the control over it will be on its users.
Non-fungible tokens are a new phenomenon but they have already found their place in metaverse projects. NFTs enable users to own, sell, buy or exchange unique digital assets such as art pieces, digital real estate, in-game objects, etc. NFTs are the foundation of the digital economy. They enable seamless and safe value transfer from one user to another transparently.
A digital identity is another important sector where NFTs can be applied. Digital avatars are going to represent real persons in a virtual world, and thus, it will be important to identify who is who.
We already use VR technology to play games in multiple metaverse projects. But in the future, virtual reality VR will allow video game developers to seamlessly connect physical locations with virtual spaces, something that enables users to have really immersive experiences.
When we talk about Web3, we mean a decentralized internet. There won’t be several metaverse companies each one controlling its own digital ecosystem. Instead, the entire metaverse will rely on its users who will set rules, create content, and earn based on their contribution.
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations
Decentralized autonomous organizations are online communities governed by smart contracts. DAOs consist of users who contribute in one or another way to the network. Such users can vote to impact the development direction of a project.
DAOs are supposed to enable decentralized governance of a project. The DAO’s ethics and rules are incorporated on the blockchain and are transparent and accessible to anyone, unlike policies of centralized entities that manage the real world.
Members of a DAO can submit their proposals on changes. If these proposals are accepted by the majority of DAO members, they can be implemented. Projects whose governance relies on a DAO are valued in the virtual world because such projects enable decentralization.
Reliance on Human-Computer Interface (HCI) technology
Another major problem that inhibits the mass adoption of the metaverse is its complexity. Metaverse technology is still in its infancy stage and thus, many things need to be improved. In this regard, the metaverse relies on human-computer interface (HCI) technology.
The human-computer interface can be described as a point of communication between a computer and a human. In other words, it is a device that enables human-computer interaction. Brain-computer interfaces are one of the ways that enable HCI. But along with them, other models exist, such as:
This aspect of metaverse technology is still not researched properly. But it sure will have a great impact on the digital world’s development.
Presently, the digital landscape is populated by a multitude of metaverses, each operating under distinct currencies, rules, and business models. This diversity in virtual environments has led to the concept of a ‘multiverse’ rather than a single, unified metaverse.
However, envision a metaverse that amalgamates these multiple realms into a cohesive digital ecosystem. Despite the potential for varied business models, this unified metaverse would facilitate seamless navigation for users across different platforms, using the same digital avatars.
Moreover, this integrated metaverse would allow for universal accessibility of virtual assets. Whether it’s virtual real estate, digital currency, in-game items, or skins, users could utilize their virtual possessions across various ecosystems within the metaverse. This fluid interchangeability could fundamentally transform our interaction with the digital world, bringing us closer to a truly unified virtual reality.
A metaverse will rely on multiple technologies, and for now, it is still unclear how the metaverse development is going to evolve. However, we can assure you that a metaverse will rely on multiple technologies that, in combination, will provide unique immersive experiences. And at later development stages, a metaverse may merge with the physical world.
Predicting the advent of a fully-realized metaverse is no easy task. The evolution of the metaverse extends beyond the confines of advanced technologies like machine learning or human-computer interaction (HCI). It’s not merely about transcending Zoom calls and gaming experiences, but about integrating this expansive digital reality into our daily lives.
The metaverse demands a paradigm shift in user consciousness. Users need to embrace the benefits of a unified, decentralized, and user-managed digital space. This socio-cultural transition poses a greater challenge than the technological hurdles we face.
However, once this shift in consciousness occurs, the mass adoption of the metaverse will be inevitable. We stand on the cusp of this digital revolution, awaiting the day when the metaverse becomes an integral part of our everyday existence.
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