Here at themetabite.com we define the Metaverse as: “the hyperconvergence of the physical and digital worlds”, that is, the merging of the real world and virtual worlds to the point at which they become indistinguishable from one another.
Based on our current best guess, we expect to be able to access this boundaryless, persistent, immersive, hyper-realistic virtual world sometime between 2035 to 2040. We also expect technology to have advanced to the point at which this world is accessed via Brain-Computer Interface, or BCI, which enables artificial output to be sent directly into our central nervous system. BCI technology will help trick our brains into believing that virtual versions of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch, are real.
This technology will provide us with three different realities to choose from. The physical world, which we currently inhabit, the Metaverse, a virtual world that releases us from the constraints of the physical world, and a virtual-physical hybrid, or ‘virtical’, of the two. It is this physical-virtual hybrid that we believe will enhance our homes.
With everyone accessing Metaverse via a Brain-Computer Interface, people will be able to set their virtual presence on a ‘virtical’ sliding scale from zero (completely present in the physical world) to 100 percent (completely present in the Metaverse). It’s the bit in-between where things get really interesting.
Entering the physical-virtual hybrid world via BCI will allow us to overlay information onto the physical world, just like augmented reality (AR), but without the need for headsets or smart glasses. But what will we use it for? Well, just imagine you’re working from home, the kids are at school and you’re thinking about what to have for lunch. You could, with a literal blink of an eye overlay a digital replica of your office onto a part of your home, allowing you to interact with co-workers in a virtual office environment in real-time. You could do the same with a digital replica of your child’s classroom, whilst checking on their heartrate, adrenaline, and cortisol levels. If they seem particularly distressed, you can provide immediate comfort by projecting yourself into a virtual-physical environment just for you and your child. And when it comes to lunch, you could survey the contents of your kitchen without leaving your seat. The physical-virtual hybrid world will allow you to literally see through walls, inspecting what’s in your cupboards, what recipes are available based on the contents of your fridge, what’s ready to go at your local café, or, what’s currently available from your nearest takeaway.
And it need not end there. There are an infinite number of ways in which the Metaverse will be able to augment your home experience. One of the benefits of the Metaverse will be to provide a platform with which we will be to visualize data from, and interact with, the myriad of Internet of Things (IoT) devices that will populate our future homes. Which means: the power to visualize the energy consumption of any device in your home, in real-time; the ability to identify and appraise every possession in your home, and receive alerts associated with items that have recently increased in value or are particularly sought after by collectors; the ability to visualize your home improvement plans, whether it’s a renovation or extension, by overlaying Metaverse-based ideas onto the physical fabric of your existing home; or simply the power to check on your kids while they’re sleeping, without disturbing them, and without moving from the sofa.
But what else might we be able to do? Please leave a comment below!
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