4 Things You Need To Know About The Metaverse This Week 

Mixed Reality Might be a Few Years Away, According to Meta

According to Facebook owner Meta Platforms Inc, technology that links the virtual and real worlds might be accessible to consumers in a few years. A virtual-world action, such as connecting with a virtual game avatar and real-world baseball bat, may be caused by a person wearing an MR headset using a real-life item. It’s one of the three types of expanded reality technologies related to the metaverse. Gamers in augmented reality can’t touch the digital realm using a physical item, so mobile games like Pokemon Go are challenging. On the other hand, Meta’s Oculus enables users to connect to their surroundings, immersing them in a completely virtual environment. 

Meta’s statements were made during a Zoom conference with advertising firms to educate advertisers about the metaverse, according to a present representative from an advertising agency. Meta’s first roundtable meeting with agencies was about the metaverse. As a result of the prediction that mixed reality will be built in phases, the metaverse, which Meta had previously said might take a decade to develop, gets more detail. 

The Metaverse May Impact the Future of Work

The COVID virus has shown us how quickly technology can transform the way we work. So many employees and workers left their workplaces and retreated to the new realm of work-from-home as COVID-19 swept across the globe. We learned how to curate our backgrounds and conceal that we hadn’t taken a bath during lockdowns as work gatherings moved to Zoom. 

The metaverse seems to have a lot of potential in terms of virtual working. The metaverse will serve as a virtual office environment, a place for virtual training, and an employee hang-out, according to this article from Quartz at Work. Since there will be less concern about what books on the shelf in the background say about you as a professional in the metaverse, your virtual workspace will be supplied by your employer. In addition, your avatar may be designed to conceal you as the person you most want to be, whatever real-life circumstances it covers, and your hair can be styled accordingly. 

As technology evolves, we can expect more everyday tasks we take for granted in our current lives to become available as virtual interactions. Of course, you could do those things online instead of commuting or waiting in line at the post office. But with so much on offer and no set boundaries on how you might use it, who knows where this metaverse journey will lead? 

In the Metaverse, Big Names are Making a Mark

The race to build the virtual worlds that will populate the metaverse is being led by some of the world’s most powerful corporations, such as Meta and Microsoft. On the other hand, several big companies are getting ready to take advantage of the potential metaverse economy by starting work on the foundations of the virtual world.  

According to the Guardian, “Walmart, Samsung, and PricewaterhouseCoopers are all developing plans to operate in the metaverse,” as well as McDonald’s’ recent submission of 10 trademark applications. According to Bloomberg, the metaverse economy could be worth $800 billion in 2024.  

The metaverse could become the new place to hang out and work. With its ability to create entirely immersive environments, it’s no wonder that companies are looking into ways to use it for both business and pleasure. Soon we may be able to work in our favorite outfit or on a project we’re passionate about without ever leaving our homes. The possibilities are endless! 

Active Theory

Eddie Benson, a strategist with Active Theory, a metaverse builder for corporations, said that accessibility and inclusiveness are vital to building any metaverse ecosystem. “We must create technology and design solutions that welcome all and accommodate people from all over the globe with varying degrees of technological expertise, internet connection, and sometimes with older generation mobile gadgets,” he added. In addition, each experience is accessible via a web URL, thanks to Active Theory’s use of web technology. “We believe that other makers, artists, and brands that embrace accessibility may become important players in the metaverse narrative in years to come,” he added. 

AWS

According to the co-founder of Techstrong Research, Daniel Kirsch, there is also a significant opportunity for infrastructure firms. The metaverse is impossible to achieve without ubiquitous 5G and dependable high-speed Internet connections. Moreover, scalable cloud computing is required for the metaverse’s immense amounts of data and networking. “Microsoft Azure is seen as the enterprise cloud by many, while AWS and Google Cloud Platform are for the metaverse startups with high-risk tolerances,” he stated. “These recent developments should be considered an open invitation to developers.” 

Madeium

Madeium has constructed an autonomous multi-blockchain ecosystem for creative businesses and sectors, compared to how Microsoft and Meta imagine the future of the metaverse with locked systems attempting to “own” it. Designers, celebrities, startups, and fresh personal brands may use the peer-to-peer technology developed by a Portland-based firm to access a platform devoid of corporate restrictions. Jesse Rademacher, co-founder and CEO of Madeium, said that Facebook has repeatedly demonstrated that they put profits ahead of people.  

NVIDIA

When building the metaverse, Arthur Iinuma, president of Santa Clara-based web developer ISBX, advised enterprises to keep an eye on NVIDIA. NVIDIA Omniverse Platforms is a collection of 3D, virtual, and augmented reality environments that the computer chip manufacturer has released. The platform will allow designers and engineers to produce precise replicas of real-life infrastructures and worlds for a more realistic gaming experience and provide photorealistic simulation and collaboration tools for game developers. 

Collaboration tools, real-time connections, streaming services, and distribution of workstations and servers are also available. Speech AI, computer vision, and natural language processing are also used in omniverse avatars to make them interactive. 

A Virtual Stadium in the Metaverse is Being Constructed by Manchester City and Sony

The excitement of the English Premier League may soon be available to fans worldwide in the metaverse. Manchester City, the league champions, has collaborated with Sony to create digital fan experiences. “The goal of this alliance is to develop a worldwide internet fan community where supporters may communicate with the club and one other inside an online ‘metaverse’ that will be a virtual representation of the Etihad Stadium,” their statement read. In addition, anyone can watch events in the metaverse.  

Manchester City, England’s top soccer club, currently calls Etihad Stadium home. The firm said on Friday that it had signed a three-year contract with Sony, allowing experts to utilize image analysis and skeletal-tracking technology from subsidiary Hawk-Eye via virtual reality. As a result, Manchester City expects that supporters will enjoy the benefits of a virtual stadium. Although COVID limits continue to apply to particular travel possibilities, fans eager to taste a game environment may find the capability to attend games in an immersive metaverse setting. 

By building the virtual Etihad Stadium, the squad is removing geographic obstacles for supporters who want to be a part of a live or recorded match. In addition, Liverpool FC may be interested in Manchester City’s foray into Web3 and the metaverse. Liverpool news firm “The Outlet” stated that the Reds might follow suit to boost revenue. With a new partnership with Tezos announced on February 10, rivals Manchester United have also pushed into the Web3 ecosystem. Tezos will assist create digital products and be the team’s official crypto and training kit, partner. 

Viewers may get the most incredible experience of watching sports in an engaging metaverse setting, despite COVID restrictions restricting certain travelers’ journey possibilities. By building the virtual Etihad Stadium, this blue club is breaking down geographical limitations for fans who want to watch live or recorded games.