Can software help my company jump into the Metaverse?

First of all, is important to understand what are we talking about when we talk about "The Metaverse".

The metaverse is a virtual world?that incorporates various technologies, including virtual reality (VR), artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and?cryptocurrencies, to allow users to dive into?(through VR) an imaginative or bring an immersive experience into their world (via AR).

If I could describe what metaverse looks like to me in an image, it would be similar to this one.?

You can get into this kind of "virtual room or buildings" using a headset (Oculus, Hololens, etc), and you have the possibility to interact with others through voice and an avatar.

"People put on their VR headsets, boot up a Metaverse app, and explore various 3D virtual spaces within a digital universe. You might jump from a gaming arena to a nightclub. Relax at a virtual waterfall, or chill in your own personal space that you created to suit your taste. You could invite friends to your space, or visit them in their own creations. You might go shopping in a virtual mall, and buy new digital goods to accessorize your virtual avatar." Neal Stephenson’s?1990s

We already have a Metaverse!

Do you use a device to get into a web browser to jump from a shopping mall (Amazon) to a library (Google) to your personal space (Facebook)? Are there virtual meeting spaces (Teams, Skype)? Well, we can consider the Internet era as a Metaverse!

The "New" version of the metaverse will simply be companies connecting with their own XR apps, you will use gestures and controllers to swipe, grab, and interact with objects in 3D space. So we could say, we’re building useful applications that enable people to work, sell, interact, and hang out in VR/AR.

Microsoft's and Facebook's vision for the metaverse?

Microsoft is taking a hierarchical approach, incorporating their metaverse concept into their project contributions like Mesh for Teams and associating people in mixed reality through work.?

Facebook (Meta), points to a bottom-up approach, bringing all customers into a metaverse that can then grow into a place for both play and work.

List of companies building layers of the metaverse?

Technologies Powering the Metaverse

The technologies behind the metaverse are the real thing when it comes to building the?future of the metaverse. Here is an outline of the top technologies fuelling metaverse development.?

• XR (Extended reality - Virtual reality - Augmented reality): Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality are the two massive engines that play a crucial role in facilitating virtual experiences. They are the essential?metaverse development technologies?for creating the immersive and engaging three-dimensional environments associated with the metaverse.?
• Artificial Intelligence: AI can help in designing more dynamic and realistic digital avatars, also to automate the power for processing data at unbelievable speeds.??It helps in maintaining photorealistic buildings, objects, and physical locations in the metaverse while following the general laws of physics and science.?
• 3D Reconstruction and IoT: 3D reconstruction or spatial computing is important to create realistic spaces in the metaverse.
• Blockchain: Cryptocurrency?is a vital requirement in the metaverse for transferring value. For instance, users can buy virtual real estate in?Decentraland metaverse?with their cryptocurrency.?Blockchain functionalities include digital verification of ownership, governance, value transfer, digital collectability,?interoperability, and accessibility.

Image: BITKRAFT Ventures

How can my company get into the metaverse?

Understanding the metaverse is complicated, especially because it doesn’t exist yet. But if you want to get ahead of the competition, your brand should start strategizing now about how it will enter the metaverse.

While it might seem like an abstract idea, the?metaverse is starting to become more and more popular, so it's essential to get in early while the technology is still developing.

The key is to contact a company that can companion your business that is an end-to-end solution provider and that delivers industry-specific HR strategy, delivery, and managed services.

Conclusion - Towards the future

History is being made right in front of our eyes. The next two decades will be full of mind-blowing innovations that can change the course of history.

Technology is undoubtedly bringing new opportunities for companies, but it’s not for everyone. So, before investing in the metaverse, ask the question: “Is this a useful platform for my business?”