When Facebook changed its name to Meta, people wondered why this specific word ‘Meta’ for it? But Facebook did not intent to hide its intentions behind changing its name. Meta is a short for Metaverse which is about creating 3D version of the internet. But on a broad spectrum, Metaverse is a concept in which the world or may be the entire universe is created in computer system for you to experience everything virtually using advanced technology.
We have been seeing such things in different science-fiction, dystopian movies where a person gets to experience everything from his home using virtual reality glasses and using gadgets for movement to even experience the sense of touch and smell.
When you think about it, it all sounds so catchy and dreamy. Imagine a life like this where you have a choice to move from the real world to the world of your choice; where you get to be anything you want.
The idea is further pushed by advanced technology of preserving your consciousness after your death and install it into a software where you are alive forever, in a world where you are free to move around as whoever or whatever you want to be.
This is the idea of freedom we think we can only dream of, however as the things that are currently going in the silicon valley with latest advancement in such technologies, this might actually come true to some extent in near future.
People with money don’t like the idea of dying so they would spend a lot of it to find a solution. Living in the virtual world forever would excite them a lot, thus creating a strong market for such ideas to promote and flourish.
Many such high-tech gadgets are already underway such as Reskin, a new open source touch-sensing skin created by Meta AI researchers which may allow users to experience the sense of touch in the virtual world in future.
Facebook Reality Labs has been working on the tools for augmented reality such as AR glasses, wristbands, gloves etc. We also see VR gadgets like Oculus with its entire VR kit. Other than that, we have Teslasuit which is another supercool gadget to experience gaming more realistically. It uses electro-muscle stimulation which allows your body to adjust to different conditions in the virtual world. OmniOne is another such gaming device created for a free movement in virtual worlds. However, these devices have its limitations as of now but the future is clear.
Now that we see Silicon Valley being serious in their work towards bringing Metaverse to life, we should learn more about it too.