On the Metaverse and Brain-Computer Interfaces
Last week, Intel Corp.’s Raja Koduri (General Manager - Accelerated Computing Systems and Graphics Group) said: “the metaverse may be the next major platform in computing after the world wide web and mobile … This technology that enables immersive virtual worlds to augment the real world opens up so much possibility and it is what keeps me excited to work every day.
“There are reasons to believe that we are on the cusp of the next major transition in computing. … The explosion of decentralized digital finance technologies inspires business models that encourage everyone to play a role in creating these metaverses …
“We need several orders of magnitude more powerful computing capability, accessible at much lower latencies across a multitude of device form factors. To enable these capabilities at scale, the entire plumbing of the internet will need major upgrades … Beyond the hardware improvements, we also need new algorithms and software architectures as well to reach our goal."
Separately, comments on brain-computer interfaces, from a white paper by IBM and the Future of Privacy Forum, included: “Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are a prime example of an emerging technology that is advancing new areas of human-machine interaction. Today, BCIs are primarily used in the healthcare context for purposes including rehabilitation, diagnosis, symptom management, and accessibility.
“When connected to the Internet, BCIs can be classified as a type of wearable or implanted instrument within the Internet of Bodies, a network of devices connected to, and generating information from, the human body … As computers become more integrated into daily human experience, new ways of commanding computer systems and experiencing digital realities have gained in popularity, with novel uses ranging from gaming to education.”
“The emergence of such technologies across various sectors poses numerous benefits and raises significant questions about user privacy.”
OUR TAKE
An increased focus on 3D (geospatial) computing will refine/expand the definition of Metaverse environments - and BCI technologies are part of this evolution.
These platforms will be transformative as they address needs in many sectors including health care, gaming, entertainment, manufacturing, education/training, architecture/design, marketing, and the military.
Developers will need new skills and infrastructures to assure that applications are safe, useable, and reliable.
These platforms will create a lot of data - and require better ways to store, manage and secure personal and business information.