There has been a lot of conversation recently about a new concept called the metaverse. What is the metaverse, what technologies will power it, and what challenges could it face?

What is the metaverse?

The term metaverse has been around since the 90s, but it is only recently that the buzzword has seen media attention thanks to large companies such as Facebook. To put it simply, the metaverse is the concept of bringing the internet and all related technologies into the world around us. Of course, we all have a smartphone in our pocket that gives us internet access, and most of us are dependent on the internet for at least one essential fact of life (bills, rent, email). However, the metaverse is more about bridging the gap between real life and the internet using augmented reality.

To better understand what the metaverse is, let’s paint a picture of what it would look like. The metaverse would see users potentially wear devices that can display augmented information on top of their environment and allow them to interact with this information. Augmented objects in real life would add a new dimension to reality while simultaneously giving the internet existence in the real world.

In many ways, the metaverse can be thought of as an online game that augments itself in real-life and allows players to interact with each other both physically and digitally. However, a significant aspect of the metaverse is that the augmented world seen by users is shared amongst everyone. This means that data can easily be shared, augmented objects can interact with any connected user, and users can instantly get information on other users.

What technologies will power the metaverse?

For the metaverse to function, it will be highly dependent on augmented reality, internet connectivity, and user data.

Augmented reality is any technology that overlays a digital environment on a physical environment that users can interact with. As such, augmented reality is heavily dependent on wearable display technologies capable of combining live video with digital elements.

Alternatively, augmented reality systems can utilise transparent displays that allow users to see the world around them while displaying digital information or glass that can reflect a digital projection straight into the user’s eyes. Technology from Xiaomi can do this with minimal disturbance to the wearer, but other companies such as Facebook and Apple are working towards such technology.

Internet connectivity will play a vital role in the metaverse. It will depend on devices having real-time connectivity to datacenters that allow for data to be shared between users. For computers, this is not a challenge thanks to optic fibre, but mobile devices will be reliant on long-range, high-speed wireless networks. Therefore, the metaverse will most likely be dependent on mobile technologies such as 5G and 6G, which will provide many thousands of simultaneously connected devices with high speed, low latency, and large bandwidth.

User data will also be essential to the metaverse as it will help grow the technology at all levels. User experience and feedback will help improve the quality of augmented systems, while user interactivity will drive metaverse users to create services for use by others.

What challenges could the metaverse bring?

Like with any technology, engineers and researchers alike should be cautious and consider the consequences that such technology could bring. In the case of the metaverse, some major areas need to be given serious concern, mainly surrounding privacy and security.

With regards to security, the metaverse closely links real-life with virtual and augmented worlds. While this dimension of reality will reside in headsets and silicon chips, it could lead to real-life equipment and systems being potentially affected by the metaverse. For example, hackers could take advantage of the widespread integration of technology for their own purposes, including theft of personal data, stalking, data mining, and gaining unauthorised access to restricted areas.

Privacy would be another primary concern for users as an augmented reality device would be akin to a surveillance device. Such a wearable would have camera capabilities, know the exact location of the user, and store details on the user. Furthermore, the metaverse would identify others as each user needs to be a uniquely identifiable connection (similar to IP address). This means that a headset could be used to track and locate people against their will. Individuals using Camera equipment with metaverse services and hardware could potentially be used for data mining.

Overall, the metaverse could start a new technological revolution by connecting all aspects of life with internet technologies. However, such technology could easily be corrupted, and users should tread carefully if they decide to opt into the metaverse.