The 7 layers of the metaverse are Infrastructure, Human interface, Decentralization, Spatial computing, Creator economy, Discovery, and Experience.
Table of Contents
Let us understand these 7 layers of the Metaverse in detail
Layer 1: Infrastructure
This layer concerns the technical foundation needed to build a fully working and interoperable Metaverse. The Metaverse is powered by five technological clusters:
- The network and computational power include virtual scene fitting, GPU servers, edge computing, real-time network transmission, and spatial positioning algorithms.
- Artificial intelligence
- Technologies used in video games, such as Unreal Engine and Unity 3D game engines, to create materials including animations, audio, and pictures
- Display technologies like AR, VR, MR, ER, and XR may adapt the user experience to their evolving likes and preferences over time, in addition to providing an immersive audiovisual experience.
- Blockchain engineering. The ownership and circulation of value will be guaranteed via decentralized value transfer methods, smart contracts, and settlement platforms.
Layer 2: Human Interface
The hardware or tools that users will utilize to fully appreciate the Metaverse’s enchantment are discussed at the human interface layer. Gradually we are becoming more reliant on our technology. The reality of the growing proximity between people and technology was addressed in Donna Haraway’s essay “A Cyborg Manifesto” from 1985. Haraway is a well-known expert in technology and science studies.
The author introduced the idea of a “cyborg,” a person with physical prowess beyond that of a typical human made possible by certain mechanical components integrated into their body. At the moment, what she imagined in 1985 is becoming a reality.
We are likely to become somewhat cyborgs as a result of the proximity of our devices to our bodies as they become smaller, smarter, and more portable. Are we going to become full-fledged cyborgs? Even while we don’t yet know the answer to this question, we have a strong reason to think we do, thanks to our smartwatches and smart glasses.
However, this increasing closeness between humans and robots is necessary for a realistic, immersive metaverse experience. We’ll soon be able to interact with the Metaverse in the same way we interact with the physical world, thanks to enhanced spatial computing and the appropriate interface.
Layer 3: Decentralization
The metaverse market will expand at a compounded annual growth rate of 13.1% during the next few years, predicts Roundhill Investments. This expansion will quicken as more people have access to the Metaverse.
The CEO of Epic Games, Tim Sweeney, sees the Metaverse as a “multi-trillion dollar portion of the world economy” that, like the internet as it exists today, would not be owned by any one particular organization. But at the moment, the biggest IT firms moving into the area are the ones spreading all the craze about the Metaverse.
It is obvious that huge enterprises will be crucial to Metaverse’s continued growth and progress. Will they produce the same personal data protection problems that blight the internet today? This raises the question. Let’s use Facebook as an example. The company’s business strategy is centered on user information, and it exploits the information it collects to let outside parties offer its consumer’s personalized advertising.
Imagine a business or other centralized organization in charge of the Metaverse. The controlling authority would have countless opportunities to examine user activity in the Metaverse using the generated data as necessary in this case.
The authorities might then construct the Metaverse’s functionality so that it helps businesses and advertising by granting them access to that data. Regular users would find it challenging to confirm who had access to the data and under what circumstances if it were centrally held. This can result in security problems, which would irritate the users. Blockchain technology is a ground-breaking approach to handling privacy and data protection concerns that could afflict centralized metaverses.
Since blockchain is inherently safe and decentralized, countless blockchain-based applications, or “dApps,” are being developed and used across industries. Financial products can be made available on a decentralized blockchain network using decentralized finance (DeFi). DeFi wallets like MetaMask and Trust Wallet don’t require users to use banks or brokerages.
It is not necessary to have a social security number, a government-issued ID, or other documentation to use the DeFi wallet. In addition, this increases privacy by maintaining anonymity.
Blockchain technology is already being used by a large number of decentralized metaverse projects to deliver user-owned experiences that are censorship-resistant and guarantee interoperability. The well-known instance of the decentralized Metaverse is probably Decentraland.
A decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), which could be voted on to change its policies, governs this decentralized virtual world that is powered by the Ethereum blockchain. These decentralized metaverse universes are already being colonized by people and businesses.
A transparent and verifiable method of carrying out transactions and interactions will be important if the Metaverse is to reach its full potential. This issue can be resolved using both blockchain and crypto assets. Meanwhile, NFTs will make sure there are no disagreements over who owns what in the Metaverse.
Although the Metaverse is undoubtedly amazing on its own, blockchain, crypto assets, and NFTs will undoubtedly be crucial in allowing this technology to realize its full potential.
Layer 4: Spatial Computing
With digital assistants and ride-hailing applications, spatial technology has already made life easier. Fashion has become more entertaining and shopping more practical thanks to the ability for shoppers to try on garments in virtual dressing rooms.
Thanks to spatial computing, you will eventually be able to work, shop, and engage as avatars in an intricate, 3D digital environment that closely mirrors the real one. Spatial computing integrates MR, VR, and AR to make the “metaverse” concept a reality.
The idea of a parallel, three-dimensional, digital cosmos that communicates with the physical world and never closes down can be made a reality using spatial computing. If a game incorporates spatial computing, for example, you can play it while viewing your immediate real-world environment as the background.
Characters in the game will be able to interact with the real-world things in your environment, such as sitting on a couch in your living room, in addition to simply detecting them. In essence, spatial computing enables simultaneous, real-time interaction with the actual and virtual worlds.
With the ability to access and alter 3D places, spatial computing has developed over time into a significant class of technology that enhances our experiences. Sophisticated hardware and software are needed for spatial computing to function as intended.
Layer 5: Creator Economy
The goal of the Metaverse is to build a fully immersive 3D environment with interconnecting virtual regions that closely resemble the actual world. These environments, supported by AR, VR, and other related technologies, will be created with the intention of drawing users who will be able to accomplish just about anything there.
It is clear that the virtual world has enormous potential for economic development. As the idealogy of the Metaverse gains popularity, it is almost probable that the number of businesses building metaverse locations will increase significantly.
The development of this new universe will heavily depend on content producers. They have been having a lot of success on social media sites and will continue to be a key factor in the expansion of Metaverse’s virtual reality. According to experts, the creator economy will grow into a multimillion-dollar business thanks to the Metaverse. Who exactly makes up the creator economy?
Independent creatives that create digital products, including e-books, webinars, art, and blog entries, as well as digital material like photographs and videos. It makes sense that as the Metaverse develops, this group of producers will strive to profit from it. They will design their own metaverse communities where their fans can meet, hang out, and engage with them.
Creators will be able to smoothly transition their audience to the Metaverse thanks to technological advancements. However, creators must concentrate on skill development if they want to get the most out of the Metaverse.
The creative economy will get access to a new promising market thanks to the Metaverse. The authors, user community, and Metaverse all benefit, which is the finest part.
Layer 6: Discovery
This layer discusses the experiential learnings that come about as a result of constant informational “push and pull.” The “push and pull” of information is what introduces consumers to novel experiences.
While “push” is more outgoing and comprises processes that alert users to what experiences are available in the Metaverse, “pull” represents an inward system where users actively seek out information and experiences.
In actuality, corporations find the discovery layer to be the most lucrative. Here are some examples of how discoveries are made both within and externally. An important source of inbound traffic for finding metaverse experiences will be community-driven content. In actuality, it is among the most economical ways for those who are inclined to learn about the Metaverse.
People will spread the message about something if they are interested in it. They discuss the idea, their experiences, and all the relevant events they take part in. Any such content can instantly be shared, making it an asset for marketing. Such community-driven content can also aid in the dissemination of knowledge regarding the Metaverse’s concepts, supporting technologies, and experiences.
Another effective facilitator of incoming discovery is real-time presence. Learning about metaverse experiences will come from more than just content; it will also come from being aware of what other people interested in the Metaverse are doing now.
After all, interpersonal relationships through shared experiences are what the Metaverse is all about. You can view what your friends are playing when you sign in to Steam, Battle.net, Xbox, or PlayStation.
Such gaming platforms have deftly increased in-game interaction by utilizing real-time presence. By enabling users to select whatever rooms they want to join based on their friends’ whereabouts, non-gaming platforms like Clubhouse have also taken advantage of the strength and adaptability of real-time presence.
The real-time presence will be essential to improving users’ interactive experiences in the Metaverse, which will improve their comprehension of this virtual world. The ability of the Metaverse to digitize social structures and create a decentralized identity ecosystem would allow for the frictionless sharing of knowledge and experiences while transferring power from a small number of monolithic entities to social groups.
Display advertising, notifications, emails, and social media are some of the most efficient outbound discovery methods. The dissemination of pertinent information to the audience by metaverse developers using outbound methods can also lead to the identification of metaverse experiences.
Layer 7: Experience
Contrary to popular belief, the concept of the Metaverse is more than just a 3D representation of the real world for our passive observation. It will instead be an accurate portrayal of spatial dimensions and distances, with physical things dematerialized thanks to photorealistic graphic features.
Since the Metaverse dematerializes physical space, the limits that materiality imposes may no longer exist within it. The Metaverse’s VR has the ability to give experiences that the actual world cannot. This is a major reason why many well-known brands are investing in large interactive live events or MILEs.
These events, which are held on websites like Roblox and Decentraland, give an idea of how interactive activities and events in the Metaverse can appear. Unable to obtain a front-row concert seat?
In the Metaverse, every seat will provide a front-row view. Experiences are everything in the Metaverse. The excitement it has generated and the investments it has drawn are all a result of the realistic experiences it will soon provide.
With its interactive and real-time features, a true metaverse can revolutionize a variety of human experiences, from gaming and social interactions to retail, theatre, and e-sports.
What is the Metaverse Market Map
The Metaverse Environment is a sophisticated, quickly developing market that hasn’t yet been thoroughly mapped. The most effective approach to communicate this way is through a thorough market map that is supported by a unique grading scheme. Three broad categories can be used to categorize the metaverse market:
- Blockchain technology and the economy
- Network and hardware infrastructure
- User Experience: Mixed Reality and Discovery
5 ways Metaverse will change the Enterprise
1. Training
VR will alter how we learn new skills and advance in our careers. For instance, using VR, construction industry students might interact with their virtual surroundings and visit locations that perfectly resemble those they would find on a real construction site.
Without a doubt, training and learning in the Metaverse will disrupt education and increase access to training and degrees. Everyone will be able to study visually and practically, and they can become qualified for almost any career.
2. Mental Wellness
Mental health disorders are already treated by virtual reality (VR). Already, people with phobias, addictions, depression, and PTSD use virtual reality as a safe haven to address their illnesses. More widespread commercial VR adoption, meanwhile, would come with concerns.
VR may make mental health issues worse, comparable to how social media and the internet already have an impact on people. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook and Meta, has a poor track record when it comes to online security and mental health, which could be problematic for the Metaverse in terms of people’s mental health.
3. Work from Home
Right now, working remotely means giving up many workplace privileges. Chatting in the workplace kitchen, meeting new people in person. However, thanks to Metaverse, you can accomplish things from your own house.
We will be able to build virtual worlds in the Metaverse where we can engage in deep VR interactions. Working /remotely will experience fast development in the following five to ten years, introducing new dimensions to remote working. 2D video calls will be replaced by 3D immersive environments.
As work from home becomes a strategy to entice the top employees, businesses will need to evolve and offer the experience. Businesses will be able to expand their employee catchment areas thanks to the Metaverse because they won’t require employees to live close to their actual offices.
4. Exercise and Recreation
Peloton, a device, can interpret speed using stationary bikes as an example. Heart rate is recorded by smartwatches. Even smartphones have the ability to recognize when a person is walking or ascending stairs.
Since the release of the Nintendo Wii, cameras have been capable of recording body motion. These are a few illustrations of how we have already begun to translate training from the real world into virtual reality.
5. Effectiveness vs. Efficiency
People will be able to cooperate and create online in inventive and innovative new ways thanks to the Metaverse. Businesses must, however, take precautions to prevent employee burnout brought by spending excessive time engaged in virtual environments in the Metaverse.
The goal of hybrid working will change from the home-office divide to maximizing efficiency in both virtual and real workplaces. To ensure that wholesome Metaverse working practices are in place, HR will need to create new hybrid working policies. This will guarantee that people are both effective and efficient.
Finally,
The Metaverse has emerged as a major topic of conversation among potential investors, tech enthusiasts, and everyday people due to tech companies like Google, Apple, Facebook, and Microsoft openly displaying their obsession with the concept and committing huge sums of money to make it a reality.
Everyone is interested in learning what the Metaverse is, where it is, and what it is capable of. Given that the Metaverse does not yet exist in its whole, full-fledged form, understanding it can be difficult.
Knowing the Metaverse’s seven layers is an excellent starting point for comprehension. Each layer represents a significant feature of the Metaverse and is interdependent with the other six layers in order to function.
FAQ’s
Q.1 What is the Metaverse Market size?
Ans. Verified Market Research estimates that the size of the Metaverse Market will increase from its estimated value of USD 27.21 billion in 2020 to USD 824.53 billion by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 39.1% from 2022 to 2030.
Q.2 Has any enterprises changed as per Metaverse?
Ans. When it comes to making high-performance graphics cards or GPUs, Nvidia is the industry leader. It is a key player in the metaverse technological community.
Q.3 Will Metaverse impact user Experience?
Ans. For a technology product to become widely used, user experience is essential. Just take a look at the historical background of the smartphone to see how the company that produced a better product, not the one that introduced the technology first, captured the attention of the general market.
Q.4 Will the Gaming industry be impacted by Metaverse?
Ans. Many industry observers that the gaming sector will play a significant role in the early development of the Metaverse. The majority of them (97%) think the gaming sector is Metaverse’s current hub, and all of them anticipate that businesses from all sectors will do the same in the near future.