Technology, in its relentless march forward, often takes concepts straight out of science fiction and turns them into reality — in this case, virtual reality. We're talking about a digital universe where you can not only communicate, but also work, socialize, and play.
FullOffice Learning put together this article to give you a broad rundown of what the Metaverse is all about — that virtual-world concept that Facebook, Google, Nvidia, and Microsoft are all betting on.
The Metaverse is a virtual world, one we'll connect to using a set of devices that will make us feel like we're really inside it, interacting with everything in it. It'll feel like actually teleporting into a brand-new world through VR headsets and other gear that let us interact with it. That said, the Metaverse isn't meant to be a fantasy world — it's more like an alternate reality where we can do the same things we do today outside the house, without ever leaving the room.
In mid-2021, Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), confirmed that the company was working on its own metaverse. A string of initiatives developed over the past two decades are really what gave this technology the push it needed.
On the hardware side, VR headsets and glasses have been key to linking both worlds together. Standout technologies here include Oculus (now owned by Facebook), Microsoft's HoloLens glasses, HTC's Vive systems, and PlayStation VR headsets.
The metaverse (or metaverses) will likely become the gateway to most digital experiences, a natural successor to what the internet is today.
Among the initial uses the Metaverse could have:
- Concerts:
These would let you step virtually into a 3D concert, after initially watching it on a 2D screen.
- Work:
Facebook is pushing forward Infinite Office, a space that lets users build their ideal workplace through virtual reality.
- Video games:
Another possibility is that a user who earns a reward in one video game could then show it off outside that title, in other spaces within the same metaverse, to display it to virtual friends.
We're still a long way from all being able to connect to one interactive metaverse. That virtual universe still needs to be built, and so does the technology that will let us connect to it. Even so, over the next few years you'll likely hear and read a lot about the metaverse, since it's expected that several companies will start building out everything needed to connect us to it.
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