Numerous virtual universes, but no "metaverse". There are already 141 virtual worlds inhabited by the Avatars of hundreds of millions of people, each with its own set of laws, features, and economic models. There are now 308 international projects being carried out by 220 firms throughout the world, in regions where corporations are making their first investments. Despite this activity, the actual metaverse does not yet exist since interconnection between virtual worlds is not yet feasible. Therefore, the potential of the new digital cosmos must be found. This is shown by the study of the new Augmented and Metaverse Reality Observatory of the School of Management at Politecnico di Milano, which predicts some of the research findings that will be presented in their entirety on April 20. The Observatory has initially attempted to describe the notion of the metaverse as an immersive, permanent, interactive, and interoperable ecosystem comprised of linked virtual worlds in which individuals may socialize, work, trade, play, and create while using extended reality tools." Certainly, the metaverse will be the next big revolution of online engagement in shared and linked virtual places in which people may travel, exchange, and communicate through their digital representation - says Valeria Portale, Director of the Observatory -. However, its future remains unwritten.
|