Metaverse is the term Facebook company Meta and others use to refer to the digital realm of extended reality (XR). People have mixed feelings about this pursuit. Whether you are excited about the technology and progress of the future or are very skeptical of it, one thing is for sure. There’s no stopping the progress of tech. However you feel about it all, it’s imperative to understand technology and where all of this is headed. With the right knowledge, we can create a better world. Below are some of the dynamics of what we are now calling the Metaverse.
What is Extended Reality (XR)
Extended reality refers to all the ways in which technology is creating a digital world that is separate albeit a part of the tangible world. It is an umbrella term for all these technologies. You’re probably familiar with virtual reality (VR). VR is complete immersion into a new digital realm with a headset, sound, and more. So far, it’s been used mostly for video games and immersion activities like that, but there are more and more ways to use VR that are just becoming popular.
VR is just the beginning. You might have also heard of augmented reality (AR). AR has applications that are being utilized beyond entertainment. Providing the ability to perform remote tasks like surgeries, AR combines the digital and tangible worlds to get something done. With 5G internet, the doors have opened wide for AR. The possibilities are nearly endless. Mixed reality (MR) is like AR except that it is less about performing tasks in the moment and more about imagining into the future. With MR, you can design around physical barriers. You can allow yourself to imagine. Overall, XR is what makes the Metaverse possible.
What is the Metaverse?
So, the Metaverse is basically the sum of all these technologies. It is mostly virtual reality, but with the goal of creating an entire world in that space. To do so, utilizing every form of XR could be necessary. In the Metaverse, you can go to a comedy show. You can ride a roller coaster. You can buy property and start a business. Whatever you want to do in real life can essentially be done in the digital realm. While currently you can use a headset to engage with the Metaverse now, what is the future of this type of interaction?
XR Contacts
The headsets employed by VR companies are still being perfected. When they first came out, people complained about the dizziness they had. When you move around quickly, you might get the spins or feel nauseous. While these headsets have improved, soon there may be no need for a headset at all. With the advent of XR contacts, you can engage with the digital world through these lenses. The technology needs to be improved and perfected, but AR contact lenses already exist. The technology is already available. Imagine how far it will go in the future.
Life in the Metaverse
Essentially, anything that we do in real life can be done in the Metaverse. The only difference is that some senses won’t be as privy to the digital world—for now. The sense of touch and smell aren’t currently being considered in XR, but this will likely change. Beyond the sensation, you can live a full life in the Metaverse. You can have a family, own a business, buy digital property, and spend digital money. Metaverse crypto can be earned, traded, and spent in the digital realm. Whether you are interested in living a full digital life or just want to buy a video game, blockchain coins can be used to do whatever your heart desires.
The dynamics of the Metaverse are still being determined. There are a lot of moving parts to it. From the ability to do things humans do in real life to immersing yourself totally in the digital world, there are many ways to go about life in the Metaverse. Some people are cautious, and others are going all in. Depending on how you feel about digital life, it is always a good idea to keep up with progress to determine what is best for human lives, prosperity, and society.
