- The Metaverse offers an immersive experience, and to fully immerse oneself in it, a comprehensive understanding of the entry process is required. .
- Whatever functions it might serve, to access each, there is a requirement of certain hardware and software.
Entering the metaverse is basic to access its functionalities of it. To visit the virtual world, specialized equipment is required, specifically purposed to inculcate the various bodily senses. While there is more than just the hardware requirement, we can enlist VR headset, glasses, gaming engine, haptic gloves, suits, mics, speakers, and gaming engines. Among these, the VR headset is the fundamental component, without which accessing the Metaverse is not possible.
The technology that makes metaverse possible
With computer user interface dramatically evolving over decades, metaverse is the next advancement. It is a user immersed virtual reality digital world where users can experience virtual environments and carry out tasks. It is made possible by the aggregation of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and gaming engine.
Metaverse has gained enough attention for its utility or arguable lack thereof. But the question arises how do we access it? There are multiple aspects of media requirements, including software to run the program, software and hardware to construct 3D environments, hardware as an “entry door” to the digital space and in some cases, even AI, and blockchain and other Web3 services.
There are already many browser-based 3D virtual world platforms on which the metaverse exists. Major players include —
- Meta
- Decentraland
- Sandbox
- Crypto Voxels,
- Somnium Space
- Topia
- Axie Infinity
- Gala
- Enjin Coin
- Metahero
- Star Atlas
- Bloktopia
- High Street
- Magic Leap
- Oculus
- Niantic
- Epic Games
- Unity Technologies
- High Fidelity
- VR Chat
- Mozilla Hubs
- Neos VR
- VR World
- Horizon
- The Metaverse Roadmap
Apart from Meta, numerous companies have hopped on to explore Metaverse and all the utilitarian avenues it has to offer. Companies extensively planning on it are — Atari, Adidas, Google, Nike, Sony, Microsoft and Nvidia. It is an exciting development because, even though there are not enough inroads laid right out now to make the tech optimally attainable to the end consumer, it just adds to the footfall.
Requisite elements to channel entry into the metaverse
- VR Headset: They allow users to visualize the virtual environment and experience it in “4D”. They can use their head movements, hand and leg movements, and hand gestures to carry out actions in the virtual reality that they can see via the headsets. Facebook has launched its Oculus Quest series of headsets. Other companies which facilitate the same are — HP, Valve, Sony and PlayStation.
Besides, there are certain platforms, especially for gaming that don’t need a headset. For example, Minecraft, Roblox, Epic Games and Fortnite are all gaming apps that use virtual reality and augmented reality without using heavy hardware like headsets.
- Computer or Console: Some metaverse experiences can be accessed via regular computers and gaming consoles while some might need specialized softwares.
- AR Device: Augmented Reality devices can be smart glasses or certain software applications that enable display and interaction of elements of the digital world to be entered into the real world.
- Optimised Browser: Some metaverse platforms may be available on certain browsers only.
- Haptic Gloves: These are wearable gloves that may enable the users to feel tactile sensations giving an even more enhanced experience of the virtual reality. However, this technology is still in the developmental stage.
- Sensory Suits: This one is a relatively futuristic technology touted to stimulate all our senses including touch, cold, pressure, movement etc., as opposed to just sight and sound right now.
- Digital Currency: The metaverse economy will be obviously digitized so it makes sense to make use of already available digital currency for transactions that can be translated into real life. Cryptocurrency and NFTs can be effectively utilized to drive the economic aspects of the Metaverse. For example, Decentraland uses native currency MANA while Cryptovoxels uses ETH.
