The metaverse represents a new link in the telecommunications era where the physical and the digital intermingle thanks to virtual reality and augmented reality tools. But what will change in our lives?
One of the great possibilities that the metaverse promises is greater connectivity in every way. As explained by José Ramón Ubieto, psychoanalyst, professor of Psychology and Educational Sciences Studies at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and co-author, along with Liliana Arroyo, of the book ¿Bienvenido Metaverso? Presence, body and avatars in the digital age, we will no longer have to leave the house to go to the theater or a concert and we will see actors and musicians replaced by holographic versions of themselves.
The same for classes, conferences or talks where, in addition, we can interact with elements of the space designed for such use (digital whiteboards, graphics, etc.).
According to Pierre Bourdin, professor at the UOC’s Informatics, Multimedia and Telecommunications Studies, this will be one of the big deals for metaverse providers. “Each supplier is a kind of door to the metaverse. Therefore, they will all look for users, who are potential customers, to enter through their door, as is the case with shopping malls: the idea is that you go to the supermarket and walk past the windows of other stores,” he explains.
This hybrid world between the physical and the digital will also mark our personal relationships. “As this virtual reality increases, the value of presence, with the mystery that always involves meeting others, will gain ground “, says José Ramón Ubieto, collaborating professor at the UOC’s Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences. “There are already studies that show that the digital favors routine and the face-to-face boosts creativity, something that should be taken into account in work meetings by videoconference, for example,” he adds.
Reference: Press Release 2022 Universidad Oberta Catalunya “Metaverse: this is how it will condition our future”
