[Technology terms that are not surprisingly understood] What is "Metaverse"?To the future that expands economic sphere and physicality

(Image = from Twitter of Adidas Originals)

　Words used in the world of technology change every day. In fact, there are many words that have been heard recently, and that they have already penetrated but are not surprisingly understood. [Image] Adidas's first NFT, which was traded for 2.6 billion yen, has access to metaverse. The second one is about "Metaverse". It is a buzzword that attracts attention as a field that focuses as Facebook changes the company name to "META", but what is this? Metaverse is a "three -dimensional virtual space built on a computer (network)". The etymology is the name of a virtual spatial service that appears in Snow Crash released by science fiction writer Neil Stevensun in 1992, and "Meta", which means "super" and "change", and "the universe". It is a coined word that combines "UNIVERSE", which represents "region, and is often used as a name that represents virtual space in English -speaking countries. These concepts are not new, and they were born in the "cyber space" born in the science fiction masterpiece "Neuromancer" (1984), their Japanese translation "Denno Space", and the Virtual boom of the 90s. Names such as "virtual space" have been often used. Still, why is the word metaberth new attention? It is difficult to clearly define the meaning of the currently used metaharbus. As mentioned above, the concept of metaharas is not new, and virtual spaces on computers are already familiar in games. Technically, using VR goggles and the like is preferred to be able to enter the world in a more immersive style, but it is only a device difference, not a prerequisite for metaverse. So why is metavers being emphasized? One important factor is "economic activity." For example, in many meta -Japanese services, you can buy land in a virtual space, build a building there, and create and sell items for virtual space. This is possible with some MMORPGs, but for example, by using "NFT" to give items in virtual space the rare value of "one item" like the real world. Can do. And by being traded by cryptocurrency, it is possible to link the economy in virtual space and the real world economy. Already for metaberse services, costumes for avatars have been sold as NFTs, and are trading with added value so that they have a premium in the popular sneakers in the real world. In the future, if you shop in real life, you will be linked to the items in the meta spring. Another important factor is communication in metaharas. Even if you have an avatar, the person you interact with Metaverse is a real person. Devices such as VR goggles are still evolving as factors that enhance their reality and physicality. It is also a new element that the "urban -linked meta spring" based on the real world, such as "Virtual Shibuya", has appeared. For example, walking in a city in the real world, AR glasses are displayed in the metabers' cities, so that the virtual world is overlaid on the real world, the same place is multilayer. It is also conceivable to use it so that it can be used. It is literally a "metavers" use that goes beyond the dimensional wall. In this way, the fact that the reality and the virtual space can be connected and the border can be ambiguous is also a new way to use virtual space. Currently, there is a technical limit, and the metaberth space is very CG, but if the so -called "dive" type access is possible, for example, Metaverse is completely alternative to the real world. It may be used as a means. You can imagine a solution to some kind of population problem, or even if meta spring will be available as a means of activity during long -term space navigation (although it is still a science fiction dream story). 。 In October 2021, Facebook was "Meta Platform Inc," the company name was "Meta Platform Inc.(Meta).Metaverse has the potential for the Big 4 in the IT industry to bet on company luck.(Akira Ebihara)

Akira Ebihara