The Metaverse Explained (Part 1 of 3)

So we've already covered the key components of Web3 (Web 3.0) and how all these new technologies are transforming our worlds from physical to digital. Of all its concepts, the Metaverse is definitely the star of the show so let's get into this alternate world and find out what all the hype is about.

I'll be writing a 3-part series to really break down 'The Metaverse' for full coverage:

• The Basics

• The Digital Economy

• The Digital Resignation

A metaverse is just a virtual world in 3D, that tends to focus on social connections. This world is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets. This is so that the experience is immersive and persistent, keeping it in line with all the things we love in the real world. In relation to Web3, the term “metaverse” covers the new look of the internet’s front-end: what we see when we interact with the online world, how we communicate with other users, and how we then manipulate the data we share and receive.

Metaverse also translates to a digital economy, where users can create, buy, and sell goods. A key factor is also that the metaverse is interoperable in nature, meaning that if you build an avatar with a particular outfit, just as you could have the same profile picture for all your social media accounts, you can use that same avatar in the same outfit across many different platforms at once. Another example is if you've purchased a uniquely designed vehicle in one virtual world, you can feel free to drive around in it, in another virtual world.

What creates the experience of living in the physical world are our 5 senses; taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing. The Metaverse aims to incorporate as many of these senses as possible to truly mimic our waking and walking lives. You can use virtual hands to pick up and manipulate objects and you can use your voice to give instructions to machines and to speak with other people. Through using these technological methods (Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) & Artificial Intelligence (AI)), the metaverse has been thought to play a massive role in the way humans will begin to interact with Web3 tools and applications if not now, in the very near future. I'd say these are the three technologies to watch out for as they make the magic happen...

Lastly, many people wonder whether this is all a ploy in getting all our interactions onto a network for Big Tech companies such as Microsoft and Meta (formerly Facebook) to then use for their own benefit in delivering services to consumers. In actual fact, the metaverse as it stands is not governed by Big Tech but they are definitely chiming into this space because of how it could potentially affect our daily lives and essential parts of the human experience.

Although their involvement could play a huge role in our acceptance and integration of the metaverse into our lives, this 3D virtual world is created out of many contributors including individuals such as you and I. A perfect example is the fact that metaverses have actually existed before it suddenly became a buzzword, via video games such as Fortnite, Minecraft and Roblox. The only difference being that these are 2D environments in comparison to the metaverse we are hearing more and more about. Nonetheless, it has been the individual gamers that have manipulated and enhanced the experience within those gaming metaverses and will be the same way we can all contribute to how we view and interact with the metaverse currently being built. This new age of the internet has one agenda and that's to put all the keys in your hands...

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Liz. #FTWL