#12 The Metaverse - why, what, how?
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Hello and welcome back to the Future of UX podcast, where we explore possible futures for user experience, design and take a deep dive into new tech and what's going on in the tech and design industry. My name is Patricia Reines. I'm your host.

and I'm a UX and innovation designer and consultant from Berlin. And in this episode, we will talk about my favorite topic, the metaverse. So we will clarify once and for all

what it is, what it means and what impact it has. So to say it a little bit differently we will talk about three things in this podcast episode. First we will talk about the metaverse, what it is, so we will have a little explanation so that we really know what we are talking about.

Then we will talk about the development, so how the metaverse is being developed currently and number three the potential impact of the metaverse. So it will be super interesting. So I would say let's dive right in. So the explanation of the metaverse. So what is the metaverse?

One thing before we are starting that I actually really need to emphasize is there is no real metaverse there yet, right? So when we are talking about the metaverse, no one really knows exactly how it will be. There are just predictions of things are just going to evolve. And the metaverse at the moment is a buzzword that's been floating around the tech world for quite a while now.

Yeah, but what exactly is it now? So to put it simply, the metaverse is a virtual world where people can interact with each other and the virtual object using avatars or digital representations of themselves.

So imagine a kind of 3D internet where a user can have access of a wide range of virtual experiences such as socializing with friends, attending virtual events, shopping, gaming and more. And it's like a virtual version of the real world but you can access it through the device of, you know, a computer or VR headset. And from my personal perspective,

I would describe the metaverse as some kind of like a digital overlay of the physical world, right? So you can't really separate it, but you have some kind of like, you know, thinking about like you're going to a supermarket and you're searching for a certain kind of apple that you can use for like an apple cake.

then your AR glasses are going to guide you through the Apple Station and might even show you the vitamins included or even recommend you some kind of apples that are perfect for baking. So in my description of the Metaverse I would definitely include the augmented part as well. So the Metaverse is some kind of like a virtual digital world that kind of like is an overlay on the physical world.

there are parts that are completely shut off where you need to go into like a virtual room like a vr room for meetings for example where you don't want any distractions and there are parts that are combined with the physical world some kind of like an overlay mixed reality things um where you can have these kind of worlds like melting together okay let's come to question number two which is probably even more interesting

How is the metaverse being developed? And we all know that the metaverse is still in its very early stages of development. But companies like Facebook, Google and Microsoft are investing heavily in creating their own versions of the metaverse. And even I have been working on metaverse projects for the last two years now with different companies, with different goals and solutions and different ideas. So there's a lot going on.

And these companies really see it as the next big thing in technology and a potential new platform for businesses to reach consumers.

So they're seeing the time at the moment like the early stages of the internet back then. Means the metaverse is the internet 2.0. So some experts believe that the metaverse will become a new economy where virtual goods and services can be bought and sold and the virtual world can be used for business transactions and collaborations. So sounds very futuristic.

And the metaverse is being developed through a combination of efforts from various industries and organizations. These include, of course, technology companies, game developers and virtual reality startups, as well as research institutions and government agencies. Let's have a look at a few of these key areas. So number one: Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.

The Metaverse relies on these advanced VR and AR technologies to create a fully immersive and seamless virtual world.

Companies such as Oculus or Valve or startups like Magic Leap are working on more advanced VR and AR headsets and software that can be used to create the metaverse. And not only these companies, but also Apple and Google and Facebook. Sometimes information are leaking to the outside, so we can already find a lot of info about it.

And point number two, we have gaming. So many companies that are developing the metaverse are leveraging their expertise in gaming development to create virtual worlds that can be explored and interactive with. And these include, for example, companies like Epic Games, Unity Technologies, which are developing the tools and platforms that will be used to create metaverse content, right? So the 3D gaming

content or worlds are very similar to what we are thinking about the metaverse.

Point number three is blockchain. And blockchain technology is seen as a key enabler of the metaverse, as it allows for secure, decentralized ownership and control of virtual assets. Companies like Enjin or Decentraland are using blockchain already to create virtual worlds where users can own and trade virtual assets.

And then we have point number four, which is the networking. So high speed and low latency networks are crucial for the metaverse and it will need to support millions of users interacting in real time. And this is really, really, really important because we need real time here. So companies like 5G Labs or Cloudflare

are working on developing the infrastructure needed to support the metaverse. So this is like such an important element of the metaverse and we are not quite there yet. And then point number six is governance and standards. So in addition to technology development, there is a need to establish governance and standards for the metaverse. We also don't have that yet. To really ensure that it's safe, that it is secure and inclusive for all users,

and organizations like the metaverse governance organizations are working on developing governance models and standards for the metaverse. So it's a really complex task to develop the metaverse and it requires the collaboration of many different industries and organizations and this is also a little bit problematic.

Each of them are working on different aspects of the metaverse and in the end the metaverse will take time to be fully developed and it will continue to evolve as technology advances and more people become involved in its development, right? Like the same with the internet. If you're thinking about the very early stages, like how much it really has advanced and how much it has really changed throughout the years. Then we come to

the segment number three or the point number three which is the potential impact of the metaverse. So when we are thinking a little bit into the future what is the impact of the metaverse and the whole concept. So the metaverse has the potential to really change the way we live and work. This is not only just like a basic idea or slogan but it could really become a new way for people to socialize and interact with each other. We have already seen that

you know, doing COVID where we all spend so much time at home, like how many things that have actually shifted to the digital space.

Instead of flying somewhere to a meeting, we do a Zoom call, we have virtual meetings. But we also meet up with friends online to play games or even to just FaceTime with our friends who are living a little bit more far away. So also the social part and the working part has definitely changed.

And the whole concept of the metaverse could definitely open up new opportunities for education, entertainment and even healthcare. So in the future, doctors could use the metaverse to conduct virtual consultations with patients and students could attend virtual classes in the metaverse. The possibilities are endless.

And what we're already seeing is this is happening at the moment on our phones, on our desktop, on our laptops. So you can already go to a virtual doctor's appointment. You can already attend virtual classes. It's not in a 3D space. This is just an add-on, but we are in the transitioning to this kind of state.

So the metaverse really has the potential to have a significant impact on a wide range of areas, including technology, entertainment, economy, and of course society as a whole. And some of the parts I would say include...

First of all, technology, right? So the development of the metaverse will drive advantages in virtual reality, augmented reality and also other technologies. So it will also require the development of a new infrastructure such as really high speed networks and data sensors to support the metaverse. The second point here is the entertainment.

So the metaverse will provide new opportunities for entertainment such as virtual gaming and also socializing and education. It will allow users to interact with each other and with virtual content in new and more immersive ways. So also social media is going to shift and change and will move probably to a more like three-dimensional space at some point.

We have the economy, which is point number three. The metaverse has the potential to create new economic opportunities such as of course virtual real estate, digital goods and other virtual assets that can be bought, sold and traded. It could also change the way we work, shop and interact with each other and do that part-time in a virtual space. Point number four is the society.

So the metaverse has the potential to bring people together from all over the world and create new forms of social interaction. It could also change the way we communicate, learn and share information. However, it also has the potential to really reinforce existing inequalities and create new forms of social division. And honestly, this is...

Also a topic that I find especially important, it's like super, super, super important when it comes to education, to have a more equal society and way to share knowledge, to educate people and also to bring opportunities to people, to help them to create the life they want and to really educate themselves and the areas that they're interested in and that they are skilled in.

Yes, and then point number five is of course healthcare. This is definitely also like a super important topic that, you know, where the metaverse has a lot of impact. Of course, the metaverse can provide any kind of new opportunities for healthcare, such as even like virtual therapy, therapy, sorry, virtual rehabilitation and remote consultations.

And also that is already happening. So there are a lot of virtual therapies that, you know, especially since COVID, that you can just do via Zoom. So a lot of therapists are doing their sessions via Zoom or virtual, right? Because like their clients are maybe traveling or for different kind of reasons.

And then the last point is that Metaverse will definitely have a high impact on education. So the Metaverse will provide new opportunities for education such as virtual classrooms, virtual labs and virtual field trips.

And especially the VR or 3D space is so interesting when it comes through making experiences, right? Like where you really provoke emotions and learning and emotions are so highly connected, right? Because like there's so much research about it that

When you have certain emotions with like a task, with something you learned, you're more and more likely to really remember it. So emotions and really provoking emotions are such an important part when it comes to learning and educating.

So the two dimensional space of like, you know, all these digital tools like Zoom are not ideal for really learning, right? Because you're alone in your room and it's a little bit more difficult to provoke emotions. So the three dimensional space is a little bit easier. Okay.

So I just want to summarize that real quick. When we're talking about the metaverse, first, what is the metaverse? The metaverse is some kind of like a 3D internet where users can access a wide range of virtual experiences. It will have parts of like a virtual experiences where you need VR glasses like completely shut out and have no access to the physical space. And you definitely will have parts where they're kind of like

in between where you have digital assets or digital elements on top of the physical world. The second thing that is really important how the metaverse is being developed

There are some things that need to be included, of course the technology, so VR and AR, the gaming industry, blockchain, networking and also governance and standards. And point number three, the potential impact of the metaverse. The important areas there are for sure the technology, entertainment, economy, society, healthcare and education.

Wow. So the metaverse is still in its early stages, but it's very clear that it has the potential to really change the way we interact with technology and with each other. And you will have to wait and see how it develops. But it's definitely a trend to keep an eye on in the future.

One thing that I definitely need to mention is there are of course some legal concerns and problems about this whole concept that I'm going to address in another episode. This would just like be too much for this episode, but I'm definitely going to talk about that. I think it's like super important. So if you had some aha moments in this podcast or if you just find it really helpful, let

I would be so happy to get like a review from you from like in either Spotify or like your preferred podcast platform. I would really, really, really appreciate that. It would be a huge support. So thank you so much for that. Offer free to share it with a colleague or a friend if you find that helpful. And yes, thank you so much for tuning in. See you in the next episode.