7 top technologies required for the development of the Metaverse?
How can the 3D virtual world become reality?
The Metaverse is a nascent and ever-evolving virtual space, and its definition varies widely among different people.
The challenge for Metaverse development right now is to compile a comprehensive and solid list of technologies that will help the Metaverse thrive over the next decade.
“We don’t think of the metaverse itself as a specific set of technologies, because it’s made up of multiple technologies,” said Gartner vice president analyst Marty Resnick. “We can think of it as a technology theme.”
At the same time, he believes that spatial computing, digital humans, virtual spaces, shared experiences, games, and tokenized assets all belong to these themes, and they contain a series of technologies that help to enhance the development of the metaverse.
Likewise, Forrester Research describes these types of technologies as “enablers of 3D development environments” that enable complex modeling, according to JP Gownder, vice president and principal analyst.
As such, he explained, organizations will need professionals who are proficient in 3D modeling and familiar with Unity and the Unreal game engine. Other required skills will depend on what is being programmed, e.g. IoT skill set for digital twins .
“Most organizations don’t have these abilities at the present time,” Gownder noted, “so they need to work with outer gatherings or enroll important specialized ability.”
Jason Warnke, senior managing director and global head of digital experience at IT consultancy Accenture, added that the technologies underpinning the metaverse, from game engines to digital twins to extended reality, are merging in new ways to solve real-world problems. .
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Metaverse Enterprise” specifies the following three categories of technologies that define the Metaverse:
Virtual worlds (M-worlds);
Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR);
Web3 and virtual assets.
Among them, M-worlds is an immersive application that can provide companies with new ways to reach audiences, especially Gen Z users. M-worlds can run on mobile devices as well as PCs and AR/VR headsets.
Web3 is in its early stages, but according to the authors of the BCG Guide, “Web3 is already powering a vibrant virtual asset economy, including Crypto, non-fungible tokens, and smart contracts.”
The counseling firm expects Web3 and Customary monetary exchanges will coincide for years to come .
In fact, the authors also state that “most of the value of the metaverse may ultimately lie not in consumers but in business applications.” These applications may include virtual conferences, training sessions, new product designs, and virtual house tours for potential customers.
Based on expert opinion and extensive research, we were able to narrow the list down to the seven most frequently mentioned technologies that will help drive the Metaverse and its development.
◉ Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence plays a central role in the development of robots and chatbots, bringing intelligence to real-world computer vision. However, according to BCG, only 10 percent of companies reported significant AI benefits from their deployments.
The processing power of artificial intelligence can create virtual avatars, enhance the characteristics of digital humans to make them more lifelike, and can be applied to non-player characters who talk to players in game environments.
◉ Internet of Things
The Blockchain Council calls the Internet of Things “a vital pillar of the Metaverse’s infrastructure.” For example, the committee report states that integrating the Metaverse and the Internet of Things could “unlock new opportunities for industrial domains, individual needs, and societal needs.”
IoT will allow virtual spaces to seamlessly access and interact with the real world, while Metaverse will provide 3D user interfaces for clusters of IoT devices, resulting in what the council calls a “user-centric IoT and Metaverse experience”.
For example, in a factory where the digital twin of each machine has sensors, the sensor data can be used to explore the environment and provide feedback.
◉ Extended Reality
AR, VR and MR technologies will change the way businesses visualize and use data by moving from 2D to 3D for more lifelike experiences and digital displays that better synchronize with head movements, BCG said.
When AR glasses become more mainstream, computer vision will help people understand the environment and locate the correct information. And extended reality (XR) is already being used in, for example, Microsoft’s HoloLens, allowing users to experience 3D holographic images.
◉ Brain Computer Interface
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has included the brain-computer interface (BCI) in its list of technologies that will shape the Metaverse, with WEF acknowledging that BCI may be the most far-reaching vision for the Metaverse, as the technology aims to replace traditional control screens and physical hardware . At the same time, WEF also pointed out that the combination of BCI and XR will be positioned as the next computing platform.
◉ 3D modeling and reconstruction
3D reconstructions capture the shape and appearance of real objects and bring the Metaverse to life. The technology includes tools such as 3D modeling to provide 3D frameworks and prototypes of specific processes or products.
According to a report by SkyQuest Technology Consulting, in the long run, the global 3D reconstruction technology market is expected to double in the next few years, reaching approximately $2 billion by 2028.
◉ Space and edge computing
Spatial computing combines AR, VR, and MR to interact with the real world. Edge computing can provide fast response time for user actions that mimic reality, allowing users to immerse themselves in the metaverse. Any kind of space technology, including computer vision, is closely related to the Metaverse.
◉ Blockchain
Today, Gownder said, blockchain doesn’t seem to have much to do with businesses and their employees.
However, there is currently a lot of discussion focused on how to use blockchain technology to protect digital content and data in the Metaverse. Blockchain can make the Metaverse Technology more decentralized and avoid some delays or single points of failure.
