Meta (formerly Facebook) has filed several applications with the US Patent Office at once, describing the principles of operation of its own metaverse (a digital world that combines three realities: virtual, augmented and physical), reports the Financial Times.
A virtual store will operate in the metaverse, where users can purchase various goods. For example, the Meta store will sell copies of real-life objects in the physical world.
Some patents describe the interaction of a person with a virtual reality helmet, which is a prerequisite for entering Mark Zuckerberg’s metaverse. The headset will be able to track the user’s facial expressions, and the sensors on the body – his movements. One of the patents is a “skin replicator”. Asked by journalists to comment on the patents filed, Meta responded that “patents don’t always cover the technology used in our products.”
“Meta’s plans are quite feasible, but in the long term. Everything will depend on a huge number of factors: from modern technical capabilities and the search for qualified personnel who will implement these plans, to political risks (states may begin to limit the work of the metaverse if it leads to growth It is also important how accessible this development will be for a wide range of users. Therefore, the development of the first version may take from 5 to 15 years,” says Ivan Samoylenko, managing partner of B&C Agency.
According to Evgenia Lampadova, founder of the LAMPA communications agency, the creation of a metaverse will help the company retain its audience and attract younger users.
Meta plans to spend $10 billion annually on the development of the metaverse.