Unveiling the Metaverse architecture layer by layer 

The Metaverse platforms are divided into two core types, centralized and decentralized. Before you decide which is a perfect fit for your business, there are many things to consider.

The virtual world might remind you of some sci-fi movies like Matrix, where imagination used to take shape. The metaverse lets us extend our real lives with extraordinary experiences. It’s like a second life that can be designed as per your wishes. You can build your avatar in a 3D environment and explore them across various setups and platforms. Companies like Meta (formally Facebook), Microsoft, and other enthusiasts, are creating a whole new digital world for everyone to live online.

Everybody is trying to use new technology like Metaverse to leverage benefits primarily, They are trying to push their products and trying to leverage the services in the metaverse. And mostly, the challenge here is in terms of the connecting point, from a customer perspective, in terms of the connectivity as such, giving access. Because even though we speak about Metaverse, in a very simple word, it has been done a virtual world needs better infrastructure to root out more in a very efficient way.

Pradeep Balu, AVP, Novac Technology Solutions

The technological progress from Web 2.0 to Web 3.0 also paves the way to develop the imagined world of your dreams into the metaverse. The Web 3.0 elements like decentralization and technologies such as Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT), blockchain, cryptocurrencies, computation, etc. have given birth to a new internet era. The virtual universe where VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), MR (Mixed Reality), Gaming, Social interaction, and commerce come together to create a unique experience that bridges the gap between the real and digital worlds. As many metaverse projects are being introduced and many more are yet to come, it is significant to understand the inherent layers of the metaverse architecture.

Infrastructure

This layer consists of the technological infrastructure needed to build a fully functional metaverse and keep everything running smoothly. The infrastructure layer includes a power grid, cloud computing services, Wi-Fi capabilities, 5G and 6G networks, and advanced GPU technology. This layer is a kind of foundation for the metaverse that runs on powerful computers, network equipment, integrated circuits, advanced display systems, communication components, mixed reality equipment, sophisticated high-resolution cameras, etc.

Human Interface

This layer is all about the hardware and devices that enable users to experience the life-like world of the metaverse. Devices like VR headsets, smart glasses, and haptic technology will enable users to transport themselves to the digital world of the metaverse. They would be able to upload their super-realistic 3D avatar into a virtual world. This hardware will play an essential role in transporting people to these different worlds and making them as realistic as possible.

Decentralization

What if any central authority controls the entire metaverse data? Well, then it would be difficult for users to validate who is accessing what data and under what conditions. Technologies like Blockchain, smart contracts, open-source code, etc. help to decentralize everything so that it's not get controlled by one entity. Blockchain helps to overcome privacy and data security concerns. Decentralized finance (DeFi) is a process that makes financial goods accessible over a decentralized blockchain network utilizing DeFi wallets like Metamask and True Wallet.

Spatial Computing

This layer merges AR and VR and enables creators to develop 3D and super realistic worlds. AR, VR, and XR all fit into this layer. Essentially, the spatial computing layer enables users to interact with both the real and virtual world simultaneously in real-time. To get the desired results in this layer, creators require specialized software and hardware. There are various aspects of the software layer in spatial computing –

• 3D engines (Unity and Unreal Engine)
• Geospatial mapping and interpreting the inside and outside world (Cesium, Descartes Labs, and Niantic Planet-Scale AR)
• Data integration (Internet of Things) along with biometrics
• Voice and gesture recognition
• Human biometrics for identification purposes

Creator Economy

But, without content what would you explore in the metaverse? Hence, content creators will be crucial in shaping the metaverse experience. Thanks to the web app frameworks, now anyone can develop web apps without knowing how to code.

Independent creators will be able to create digital content such as e-books, photos, videos, webinars, and other digital items.

Discovery

The Discovery layer can be described as the Push and Pull layer, where users seek or get information. Push means outbound methods of pushing messages out to the users, and it doesn’t matter whether they ask for it or not. Pull, means the inbound method of seeking information.

Inbound: Community-driven content, Real-time presence, Search engines, App stores, and Earned media

Outbound: Display advertising, Social media, emails, and Notifications

1. Experience

If you think it's another virtual space in 3D, then it's not true. Metaverse is more than a digital world, offering an ultimate dematerialized version of physical space, objects, and distance that includes 2D and 3D graphics. And to get the immersive experience, you would need devices like VR headsets. The look and feel can be the same as the physical world or you can digitize the space as per your taste.

Experience is what matters to every user, and metaverse is going to give you that in a digital format that would feel like the real thing. Have you ever missed a live concert and regretted it later? Now, what if you can have the same experience while sitting in the comfort of your home? Metaverse gets you in the crowd without letting others push you or spilling drinks all over you. Depending on the users' interaction and requirements, it might be possible for you to shop for your favorite outfit after wearing it in the digital environment. The possibilities are limitless, the metaverse is going to change the way you play games, shop, bank, etc., and more.

A large aspect of this layer will be the community-created events and assets. The ability to do this easily and with little funds matters the most in this layer. This includes the most commonly known projects and companies and it is this layer that receives the most attention from investors. This is how users interact with a digital environment through applications, games, and shopping experiences such as marketplaces, NFTs, e-sports, and other events.

Here are the top 7 Metaverse platforms

Fueled by the giants like Meta, Microsoft, Epic Games, etc. the metaverse market is expected to reach USD 829 billion by 2028. The graphically rich virtual world still doesn’t exist, but users will get an immersive experience. Though no one can say when it will replace social media networks, the metaverse will certainly unlock a set of new social and financial benefits.

Here is the list of the top 7 metaverse platforms that are likely to replace social media in the future.

Decentraland – The 3D virtual world browser-based platform is based on a blockchain that records cryptocurrency transactions across a network of computers. Users can buy virtual lands on the platform as NFTs via the MANA cryptocurrency, which uses the Ethereum blockchain.

The platform can be used for various things like playing a game, hosting conferences, and trading virtual products in marketplaces.

Sandbox – Sandbox is a blockchain-based game and metaverse world where you can buy and sell digital plots. The company has developed its own Ethereum-based token called SAND.

It’s a secure and stable token to do transactions. Users can play games, build properties, and monetize their virtual experience.

Spatial.io – The platform lets you create immersive events, art galleries, community hangouts, NFT exhibits, creative collaboration, and more. Enjoy immersive 3D environments and create your own space filled with your own custom objects. It also enables users to start in Web 3.0 for free.

SomniumSpace – An Open, Social, VR world with its own economy and its own currency. At Somnium you would get its own set of Marketplace, Games, and more. Additionally, it has a VR world which is fully interconnected and seamless and can be accessed from any device: PC & VR clients for the user's Desktop or an immersive VR experience on mobile devices.

Rooom – It is an all-in-one platform for content creators and event organizers. With Rooom you can create, manage and share impressive 3D, AR, and VR experiences. Here you would get specialized enterprise metaverse solutions, virtual showrooms, 3D product presentations, and virtual events.

Rove. to – Rove metaverse platform opens a world of opportunities for your NFTs: own 3D spaces, display NFTs, find your tribes and hang out with like-minded people. You can build your community on your own metaverse. It is the first truly community-owned metaverse platform where 3D space owners decide how their metaverse is run and how their digital economy works.

HyperVerse – A complete sci-fi platform of virtual worlds. There are multiple planets, and many planets comprise the HyperVerse. It is actually a digital universe with millions of worlds. This universe is not owned by a single entity. Every user can create their tokens, explore the world and make new friends. 

Keep in mind the pros and cons

Every technology has its own pros and cons, and metaverse isn’t an exception. Many see the potential to create a whole new world and experience, while others believe it can be more dangerous than good.

The intersection of physical and digital realities in the metaverse points towards the likelihood of digital information existing in physical spaces. This means that breaches in the digital sphere could have far-reaching consequences in the real world. It is imperative for enterprises to adopt a holistic approach to secure the metaverse and all within. A Zero Trust strategy that removes implicit trust and constantly validates each device, user, and interaction, regardless of whether it happens within the network or outside of it, can help combat attempts at data exfiltration. To leverage this effectively, companies must adopt a platform-approach that leverages next-gen, cloud-delivered tools for better visibility, continuous validation, and automated protection. Lastly, droves of devices will call the metaverse home, so a well-coordinated architecture with strong cybersecurity capabilities built in will be necessary to ensure its safety.

Pros of Metaverse

Connecting the world without any geographical barrier – Virtually we all are being connected over different platforms, metaverse will take that to the next level. There will be no geographical boundaries, you can have an immersive experience in the virtual world irrespective of where you live. It’s a world without boundaries where anyone can meet anybody. On top of that, you can make new friends from the comfort of your home.

Immersive collaboration experiences – The pandemic pushed every individual to shift online. Most people have learned to operate some tools extensively for online communication. Now, even when things have started going back to normal, industries are still using those online tools for communication, be it education, medical, e-commerce, or any other. Metaverse offers an immersive experience and is one step ahead of these virtual tools. It can help to create any type of environment – college, office, or any other virtually designed space.

More than social networks – During the lockdown, we had only one option to interact with our friends and family – social media. We all were dependent on social networks, despite it not being the most interactive experience. Now with metaverse, things will change, users would be able to experience it as they interact in person with their friends and loved ones. Whether it is office meetings, or parties and concerts, they all can be managed in the metaverse.

Create new business opportunities – Like social media, the metaverse is also going to create numerous new business opportunities. We will soon witness a new form of marketing and advertising, as metaverse isn’t restricted to a tiny mobile screen only. it is accessible through different VR tools and devices as well. Not only that, in the metaverse, the shopping experience would be like virtualized storefronts with highly interactive engagement, curated shows, and customer service, meaning before buying, you can touch and feel the product using the haptic technology (experience of touch through vibration, forces, and motion).

Cons of Metaverse

Cybercrime – Metaverse works on the concept of decentralization, which means the government would have less power to fight against cybercrime. It is a serious concern since the internet has been introduced. Governments are spending millions of dollars to secure you from these crimes and attacks. But I am afraid metaverse will open more gates to the cybercriminals to perform all sorts of illegal activities, such as fraud, money laundering, services trafficking, illegal goods, child exploitation, cyberattacks etc.

Privacy and security issues – From the beginning of the Internet era, privacy has always been a concern and people are more concerned with the way their data is being collected and sold to advertisers, and others. In the metaverse, we would use technology like AR, VR, XR, etc. for a truly immersive experience, all of these come with major privacy challenges. These technologies will be able to track your eye movements, physical reactions (emotions and physical reactions), etc. which means they can collect enormous amounts of data for marketing or other purposes.

public, the bad guys can gain more power over you. They would get more opportunities to attack others.

Metaverse will introduce more new type of devices, hardware, networking. Which means the attack surface available for those benefitting from ransomware, malware, etc just went up significantly.

While enterprises are grappling with simple click stream data and user privacy, Metaverse opens up the door for collecting even more nuanced private data such as biometrics from wearable virtual devices. Coupled for disinformation risk, one can easily see the attack surface for privacy risk goes up with Metaverse. It will also lead to broader Health Risk, which is already well understood with the rise of 24x7 media and Social Media. Depression, anxiety, and cardio vascular health issues have been linked to Social Media. With the addition of Metaverse, one can expect those to increase because Metaverse further promotes sedentary and seclusive lifestyle. Deepfakes, Cyber-bullying challenges can become even more intense.

What is key in recognizing these risks, assessing their impact, and appropriately mitigating them to ensure there is a resilient way forward - for each human being, companies, extended third parties, and broader societies.

Addiction problems – The gaming industry seems to be very excited and one of the first movers in the metaverse. And like gaming addiction, users can also fall for the metaverse addiction. If you live in your dream place, you won’t be able to leave it for a longer time except for your essential physical needs like eating and sleeping. We have to be more alert with our kids and teenagers, as they are the most at such risk. Metaverse would replicate the real world, making it difficult to differentiate between the real and the virtual lives. It will become the biggest challenge to balance real and virtual life.

Virtual bullying – Cyberbullying isn’t new after all and metaverse won’t be an exception. Strangers tend to be cruel and one can face malicious behaviors. Despite several laws and campaigns to prevent cyberbullying, no one can claim to stop it completely. In the virtual world, where your identity will be