Our world has seen many changes and transformations in technology fields that have helped people live better lives in the past. In the same way, the word “metaverse” has been added to the list of new technologies.
Let’s take a closer look at what it can do and how safe it is:
What is the Metaverse, and how does it work?
The metaverse is an idea for a very realistic virtual world called the “metaverse” (VR) when it comes to virtual reality. Its name is made up of two words:
- When you start with the prefix “meta,” it comes from a Greek word that means “outside.”
- The world.
In the book “Snow Crash,” which came out in 1992, author Neal Stephenson came up with the term. He utilized it to mean “a computer-created universe.”
In Stephenson’s vision, a metaverse is an advanced level of the internet where people can use avatars or holograms to communicate, socialize, travel, buy, or work together in a virtual 3D environment. If you wish, today’s metaverse will be the future “generation” of that vision.
What Are the Future Possibilities of the Metaverse?
Thanks to the most up-to-date VR and AR technologies, a whole new way of communicating or doing business will be possible in the metaverse. In the future, remote work will get better. People who work online from any place could even meet their coworkers in the metaverse in their virtual form. People can use VR technology to travel in the metaverse to different places.
Collaboration and getting new ideas out there will be easier. There will be a lot of new jobs because of new technology. Most people think that cryptocurrency will become the most common way to make money. Blockchain technology will be critical to the development of the metaverse. For virtual 3D stores, there will be a lot of business changes. The game industry will start and rise to the top.
We don’t know yet.
Businesses will not start working right away. The future of business will change. In the metaverse, more people will be able to buy things online and use e-commerce sites. People won’t have to go to a store to try out new products before buying them. VR and AR technologies will let them look at different products from different brands from anywhere in the metaverse.
The metaverse will make virtual in-store experiences more interactive. People who have VR/AR headsets will be able to try out certain items in the store even if they aren’t there. Also, blockchain technology would be very popular in the metaverse. Cryptocurrency and blockchain technology would be in charge of the money transactions in the metaverse.
What Is the Impact of the Metaverse on Existing Businesses?
The metaverse is becoming more accepted by big businesses. When technology changed, Facebook, for example, played a big part in it. It changed its name to Meta. In October 2021, Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook/Meta, announced that the company would rebrand and change its name.
People will be able to connect, grow businesses, play games, shop, entertain, or do anything else they want using the most up-to-date VR and AR technologies. Another company, Microsoft, is also moving forward with its metaverse. For the last few years, it has also been trying to use metaverse in its new ideas.
It can take an online meeting or video conference to the next level with a sci-fi test: Mesh for Microsoft Teams. Mesh for Microsoft Teams is Microsoft’s way to communicate. It has a mixed-reality feature that lets people meet in real-time, anywhere, by hologram. Mesh can be used on a cell phone, too. This type of remote online meeting is thought to be more personal, attractive, and fun because of the software that makes it happen.
How Can Today’s Industries Benefit from the Metaverse?
As more and more large companies begin to think about moving their businesses to the metaverse, some industries could benefit from its use.
Healthcare
Using augmented reality in the healthcare field can help train and improve the skills of future medical professionals. Like the Microsoft Hololens, surgical tools and technology can help doctors speed up surgery.
Military
Military applications of VR and AR technology have also set standards. For example, Tactical Augmented Reality (TAR) is similar to night-vision goggles (NVG) in that it lets people see more. It also has more features. It can show a soldier’s exact location and the positions of ally and enemy forces.
TAR devices are attached to helmets in the same way that NYGs are. They can be used on any day or night, and they work the same way. This makes them a good choice over handheld GPS devices and eyewear. It has also been used in real estate, education, and manufacturing.
What Are the Security Risks in the Metaverse?
Researchers have found some possible problems with putting the metaverse into use. People who become addicted to VR and AR devices might not be able to connect with the real world as much as they should. The 3D virtual world could also make people unhappy in the real world. People will spend more time in the metaverse and not do as much work in the real world. If future generations become addicted to the virtual world, it could be very bad.
If you want to keep your metaverse safe, you have to deal with cybersecurity problems. We’ve already seen a few major cybercrime incidents on social media platforms and in places where people work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. As more people go online, cybercrimes, online abuse, and online fraud are likely to rise in the metaverse.
People in the metaverse will not be able to avoid having their online security breached because the metaverse is a virtual community. Finally, the hardware used for the metaverse can bother people. Some people who use the metaverse may not like wearing VR glasses because they don’t like wearing them. VR glasses can also cause long-term health problems, so they should be small and easy to wear.
Conclusion
Most people would be able to do almost everything they do when they’re in real life in the metaverse virtual world. Thus, we can say that the metaverse would impact our lives, from our future industries to our social activities to our daily human interactions.
There are a lot of big tech companies trying to build this virtual reality platform more safely. However, there are still a lot of rumors because of recent cybercrime. The future that the metaverse will bring is being formed, but it hasn’t arrived yet. Only time will tell what this new land will bring.