Unlocking the Metaverse: Challenges, Innovations, and the Road Ahead
As it has become a tradition to write about the metaverse around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, I want to share this piece with you.
My previous articles about different use cases of Metaverse you can find here (Metaverse for Daily Job) and there (Exploring the Endless Possibilities of the Metaverse)
You might have noticed less talk about the metaverse lately, with AI and tech like ChatGPT getting more attention. Signs like Decentraland’s token (MANA) dropping to 0.5 USD (down 90% from its highest), and LAND parcels near Genesis Plaza going for less than 1000 USD, might make it seem like the metaverse is quiet. Daily visitors of Decentraland have dipped below 1000.
To propel the evolution of the metaverse and enhance its experience, we must focus on advancing the technology that acts as the bridge between the real and digital worlds. Consider, for instance, VR helmets. While they’ve come a long way, they are still often bulky, heavy, or come with cumbersome tails connecting to batteries. Controllers, too, are a work in progress; the goal is to eliminate them entirely or, at the very least, replace them with wearable gloves.
Dealing with dizziness is another thing to figure out. Imagine this: you’re in the metaverse, running around, but your body is just chilling in a chair. This can make some folks feel really dizzy, and it messes with how cool the metaverse feels. This is motion sickness. It might be a big speed bump for having fun there for many of us.
However, recent presentations of Meta’s VR headset, the Meta Quest 3, have reignited interest in the metaverse. Below the screenshot from Google Trends where interest over time is presented: blue line — “Metaverse”, red line — “Meta Quest 3”.
Apple is also stepping into the arena with the Apple VisionPro, designed not just for gaming but also for work-related applications. While it’s set to debut in early 2024 with a price tag around 3500 USD, the hope is that it won’t be prohibitively expensive.
Looking forward, I’m super excited about the metaverse getting even better. Picture this: VR making things possible, AI being your personal assistant, and blockchain making it easy for us to transact directly with each other. This mix has the power to shoot us into a really cool metaverse future.