[EIDETIC INSIGHT] 2021: Metaverse Pt 2: Where We Go From Here

by Kenneth Nienhuser

Last month, we dived into the ways the Metaverse has become a part of our daily lives, in no small part due to the isolation that resulted from 2020. This month we will discuss the future of the Metaverse, and where things could potentially lead to going forward.

Telehealth, Virtual Care

The rise of telehealth during 2020 could be accredited both to the pandemic as well as the increase in the use of 5G and VR technology. The ability for doctors to be able to diagnose patients from the safety and security of their own homes, allowing both patient and practitioner to avoid the potentially dangerous contact of the COVID19 virus, is not to be understated, but the potential for this technology reaches far beyond the current pandemic. Nursing homes, rural communities, even areas of conflict, could greatly benefit from having highly trained doctors and nurses lend their diagnosis from afar. 

Source : Riot Games

5G and Streaming

Streaming services are experiencing boosts in activity from the rise of 5G technology, allowing audiences to stream their favorite entertainment platform anytime, anywhere. This only stands to grow as audiences flocked to streaming services during the pandemic as other forms of entertainment became limited or unavailable. Add that to streaming innovations like the League of Legends Pro View which allows audiences to change their POV during streams to follow the action, and the advancement of VR technology for streaming like Wowza and Delight VR allowing content creators to offer streams in 360 degree views, and streaming will certainly continue to reign as a staple in our lives in the Metaverse.

Source : KT

Business through Virtual Spaces

Companies all over the world in 2020 had to face the possibility that the future of business may not be face-to-face. It may, in fact, be conducted through the virtual spaces of the Metaverse, as South Korean telecommunications giant, KT, illustrated through their virtual agreement signing with FarEasTone Telecommunications in April of last year. The agreement to jointly develop 5G services between the Taipei and South Korean companies was conducted through KT’s virtual platform, Engage. 

If companies can save money and resources by conducting meetings and important events through digital platforms like Engage or other VR services, surely it would make sense to engage more with this technology as the experiences become more fluid and natural.