In the last period we hear more and more about Metaverso, from the media, which deal with this new technology. What is it about? And what are its origins?
The word metaverse derives from the union of two words:
“Meta”, from the Greek “beyond”, and “towards”, abbreviation of the Latin “universus”.
The Metaverse, he says Matthew ball, is an expansive network of persistent and real-time rendered 3D worlds and simulations that support the continuity of identity, objects, history, payments and user rights and can be experienced synchronously by an almost unlimited number of subjects.
The Metaverse is a virtual environment that you can create and explore with other people, regardless of their physical location.
Let's do some clarity
Some theories related to the Metaverse distinguish between "online worlds", "multiverses" and "metaverses":
● Online worlds are simple digital spaces, (social networks, Google);
● The metaverse is a virtual universe, the synthesis of all our digital experiences, (Meta, Active Worlds)
● The multiverse is a collection of universes (metaverses) connected together in a network.
The term Metaverse was originally used by Neal stephenson who talks about it in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. In this novel, Neal uses this term to refer to a three-dimensional virtual world inhabited by avatars of real people.
The Metaverse yesterday and today
The first virtual worlds appeared over the years '70, when we find the first experiments of "metaverses" through role-playing video games performed online by multiple users at the same time. Nowadays the Metaverse, the platform of the future, increasingly involves hi-tech giants, who are aiming for new forms of communication, work and entertainment. In fact, new technologies are emerging that will allow the development of less centralized virtual worlds, such as cryptocurrency and digital token non-fungible (or NFT), which allow users to have personal control over a specific virtual area.
What are NFTs
NFTs can be easily explained with a practical example: if you want to buy a shirt or any virtual item in Metaverse A platform, NFTs can create a permanent receipt and allow you to redeem the same shirt in Metaverse B and Z platforms.
Many NFT designers are selling collectible avatars such as models created by Polygonal mind, which allow people to buy 3D avatar like NFT and then use them in multiple virtual worlds.
The NFTs could be the real solution to the counterfeiting of artistic works, to have a safe and incorruptible copyright of the product. For example, if you create your own NFT and publish it on the platform, any user to have it has no other way than to buy it. This can play a fundamental role in art, music and all products on the market.
We emphasize that NFTs aren't just about big companies like Gucci e Nike, but each user can create their own Token. In recent months, a market is emerging around this that will revolutionize digital commerce.
For the first time, NFT was also used in the automotive world. L' Alfa Romeo was the first brand to introduce this new technology. We are talking about a special cryptographic token that represents the deed of ownership and the certificate of authenticity written on the Blockchain, of a single asset, which in this case is the car itself. The Blockchain "chain of blocks" is an immutable structure, shared between users. This structure is defined as a digital register based on the traceability, transparency and verification of the data contained within it. This technology will allow the user to trace the entire "life cycle" of the Alfa Romeo Tonale, providing information such as the history of acceleration or braking, ordinary and extraordinary maintenance and kilometers traveled. The user, but, above all, any future buyer who decides to buy a used Tonale, can thus be informed about important information that increases the residual value of the car.
Could the Metaverse be considered a second Internet in the future?
In an interview, Mark Zuckerberg described the metaverse as "an embodied internet", basically an updated version of the internet where people can have "different experiences that could not be had on a normal application.
(Pig iron: Twitter-Superplastic)
Fashion: Gucci does not stand by and watch
One of the most famous Italian companies in the world is Gucci, which also continues with the exploration of the virtual world: from the collaboration with super plastic It is born supergucci, an ultra limited series of NFTs.
they are digital works in a very limited number and of high value, which draw inspiration from the motifs, iconic images and distinctive symbols of Gucci, reinterpreted by Janky & Guggimon. The virtual works are accompanied by a ceramic sculpture handmade in Italy and created jointly by Gucci and Superplastic. Even Gucci like other big fashion houses uses The Sandbox. Alessandro Michele creative director of Gucci created one online store, Gucci Vault. is a multipurpose platform that includes numerous refurbished and customized archival items, ready for sale. Gucci has created a number of clothing items, including virtual sneakers that you wear but can't walk on. These shoes exist only on the smartphone screen, it is a sort of filter to put on to take photos to share on social networks or to walk around the gaming platforms.
In all this, what role does music play?
The Metaverse is now a trend that no one seems to be able to give up. Warner Music Group was one of the first record companies that opened a real concert hall in the virtual world of The sandbox. So far it is only a specific event, but within a few months there will be a real sale of "real estate environments" called Land. Video games like Fortnite have hosted other great concerts and events, such as those of Ariana Grande, marshmallow e Travis Scott. In these events, players are involved in various activities until the singer's avatar is released, all in an interactive environment shared with all users present. This is making it Fortnite a field of experimentation and advertising, creating a parallel world as close as possible to the real world. Among the many also Justin Bieber, organized a live performance in the Metaverse. During the event, Justin performed with some of the songs from his latest album "Justice", spectators were able to interact with him live, thanks to the Wave platform, admiring his digital avatar controlled by himself using the motion-capture suit.
Holograms: Not even death can stop us
This new way of performing has also been tested in other types, where technology has brought back stars of the past to life. All this was possible thanks to the holograms, which were inserted into events and exhibitions. In 2014 during the Billboard Music Awards the hologram of Michael Jackson appeared at the event and brought the famous singer to life. In 2018 a real tour was organized in Paris in which the hologram of the famous was exhibited Maria Callas. All this opens the doors to new interactive worlds that can influence all artistic activities.
Revolution also in education
As for educational institutions, they should prioritize the development of new technological systems and new platforms that will be integrated with face-to-face learning, in order to create infinite learning possibilities, to train students with greater skills. Education in the Metaverse can be extremely revolutionary, education as we know it today is often slow and boring and in some ways can hold back students. The Metaverse could overcome all these difficulties, turning learning into an infinite ocean of experiences.
But is all that glitters gold?
Pollution:
Of the metaverse, however, there are the pro and against. We talked about all the innovations that these technologies will bring into our lives, but even the metaverse hides some not very reassuring sides. The Metaverse is a worldwide interactive digital world; to ensure the functionality of all the information and activities within it, we need very complex computer systems, active 24 hours a day. Hence, very high-powered computers that consume a large amount of energy. They must be located in environments where the temperature must be promptly monitored and maintained in a range that does not cause the systems to overheat. This can cause an environmental impact of carbon dioxide over the 22 tons per year.
Identity crisis:
But what will happen to our true reality? The boundary between these two realities is now almost non-existent. Will we have an identity crisis and that alienated will we take refuge more and more in this parallel world? What if we thought of integrating this new dimension into our real life without replacing it by exploiting its benefits? The solution may lie in the augmented reality, which to date is already used with VR viewers, or with devices such as smartphones. However, these devices still make it uncomfortable and not at all incorporated into our way of life. Some of the largest IT companies in the world, like google, have tried to find the right way to take advantage of this technology. THE google glasses launched in 2014, they are one of the most significant examples of recent years. They include a pair of wearable glasses with a “Head mounted display” that allows you to view various information on the screen without using your hands, with simple voice commands. The experiment failed as current technology is not yet capable of efficiently supporting the project but it will not be long before this will be possible. Through “augmented reality” and therefore using a technological device that can make the two realities interact when worn, we will probably be able to take advantage of the advantages of both.
Job opportunities:
On the other hand, all the technological systems that are necessary to guarantee the existence of the Metaverse, increase the available jobs: IT technicians, designers, electricians and many others. In fact, according to various magazines, the jobs in the Web3, from 2020 to today have exploded of + 398 %. This also in the sales of various products that bring users closer to the new digital world, such as VR viewers, As reported by Statista, there will be an average of 34 million of viewers sold by 2024.
The metaverse promises to be a world revolution, which will radically change our conception and vision of humanity, will be a watershed between the antecedent and the future technology.
Article made by the students of High School of Music GM Galanti of Campobasso as part of the PCTO ROUTE.
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