The approach between virtual reality and physics promises to revolutionize everything from education to retail
Since Facebook changed its brand to Meta in October 2021, the word metaverse has been popping up everywhere – and it's been talked about as the future of the internet. But, after all, what does this mean?
The word metaverse first appeared in 1992, in the book “Snow Crash”, by Neal Stephenson. In the work, the author predicted a future where we would live as avatars that are in super realistic 3D environments or other virtual reality environments.
Today, the metaverse is a virtual world that we can participate in as if it were a real world. The difference with today's digital environments is that, instead of seeing everything through the screen, we will immerse ourselves through augmented reality and virtual reality.
To do this, you need to use some equipment, such as augmented reality glasses, special headphones and tactile gloves, for example. With these devices, we will be able to do everything we do in the real world in the metaverse, such as attending a work meeting, watching a show or even taking a trip to another country.
This digital reality is created due to the interaction between these devices and can either be shared with others or created by a person for themselves. In any of these cases, it will also be possible to interact with the physical world.
When will we have the metaverse?
In practice, the metaverse is already among us. iFood, for example, was the first foodtech to connect the virtual and real worlds with the launch of the Avalanches snack bar, which is located on the Cidade Alta server, from the game GTA V.
Those who live in São Paulo (SP), for example, can order snacks and collectible combos through the iFood app. Players can be iFood delivery people in the game and earn virtual money to use in the game or discount coupons in real life.
Facebook even changed its name to Meta to invest in this new digital reality. According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the main features of the metaverse should still take 5 to 10 years to become popular.
The adoption of 5G, for example, can speed up the process. But for the metaverse to take off, a lot will still need to be done in terms of computing power, creating high-quality graphics, and crafting a universal framework that allows us to get from one place to the other without problems or interruptions.
Digital trends
The fusion of the real world with the virtual has the potential to change many of the things we do today – especially online. G-commerce, which is electronic commerce within games, for example, is expected to become popular, as are NFTs (Non Fungible Tokens), which are assets that only exist in digital format.
With consumers replicating their real-world habits in the virtual environment, digital assets should be more valued, enabling a new type of business model, D2A, or “direct to avatar” sales. This already happens, for example, in the fashion and gaming industries, which sell accessories that will be used by avatars only in the digital world.
In the world of work, virtual meetings must become more realistic. With augmented reality glasses, we will be able to sit at the same virtual table with colleagues, in 3D, or work more collaboratively, even remotely.
In the same vein, distance learning (EAD) has everything to become more interactive and interesting. Have you ever thought about studying the biology of dinosaurs while walking among them? This is just one of the possibilities of what is to come.
Metaverse Examples
Today, many people already experience the metaverse in complex games, like Roblox and Fortnite. And some companies have already started investing in this new virtual world:
iFood
In September 2021, iFood entered the metaverse with an unprecedented experience in Cidade Alta, a server that uses GTA V to create a fictional city where players can live as any character they want. Players can live the experience of being an iFood delivery person and earn virtual money, reputation and even discount coupons. In addition, they can choose whether they prefer to use an electric eBike, motorcycle or car and where to pick up orders for delivery – from Avalanches, a famous virtual restaurant, or Altamart, the newest market for purchasing various items in the city.
Goal
Facebook has already been investing in this new digital world for years – in 2014, for example, the company acquired Oculus VR to have its own virtual reality glasses. In 2021, the name change to Meta and the revelation of the development of a tactile glove signal its commitment to the metaverse to evolve into a platform that allows realistic experiences.
Microsoft
The company already uses holograms and is developing extended reality (XR) apps on the Microsoft Mesh platform, which combines the real world with virtual and augmented reality. The company has plans to use mixed reality and avatars in Microsoft Teams in 2022.
Epic Games
The creator of Fornite invests heavily in the metaverse in experiences such as an Ariana Grande concert and even an immersive recreation of Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream” speech. Now, it is developing realistic images of “digital humans” in MetaHuman Creator (a clue as to how we can customize our avatar in games in the future).
Roblox
On this gaming platform, users can now build houses and other scenarios. Betting on the metaverse, the company has already entered into partnerships with sneaker brands, for example, for players to wear their shoes in the virtual game – and in the game it is now possible to buy accessories and luxury clothes for the avatar.
