What is Spatial Computing, The Metaverse & XR For The Interested

An Explainer — What is Spatial Computing, The Metaverse, & XR For The Interested

What is Web 3.0? I’m glad you asked.

Web 3.0 is a real thing. Web 3.0 refers to the third generation of internet services. Although there is no set definition for Web 3.0, the concept can be contextualized in discussions around the first and second generation of internet services. Referring to things such as 1G →5G and many more.

Web since its founding has evolved in its function, going from the simple visual read-as-you-go text-based GUI of the early days of the web w/ Web 1.00.

To the more popularized applications of the web that you see every day on your journeys across cyberspace, into the ever-changing, ‘just-over-the-horizon’, Web 3.00.

A version of the WWW that will change the way we communicate, work and play — forever… As it seeks to transform the very interactions between man and machine, into a true symbiosis of the software and the hardware that reads & writes reality while making something truly special, all the while, teaching and learning at its heart as AI and humanity prosper, for it.

What is Web 3 ? - And what you need to know to get started.

“Web 1.0 : Read only web. In this initial version of the web, a user was able to only read the content. Applications included: news sites, portals, search engines etc.

Web 2.0 : Web 1.0 + interaction. This version of web applications enabled users to interact. So for example a user can comment, like a post etc. Applications include social networks, chatting apps etc.

Web 3.0 : Web 2.0 + Trust & verifiability. Web 2.0 applications harvested users’ content and data to make money, taking away the privacy and control from the users. Web 3 is a movement to shift the power back to the users — making the web open, secure, resilient and private”

There are countless companies, brands/and intricacies involved in the creation and synthesis of something called ‘The Metaverse’. Here are some of the people, corporations, tech giants involved as of Apr 13, 2021:

Metaverse Key Players — April 13th, 2021

It is now April 2nd, 2022, as of the time of my writing this and the list grows, ever more expansive.

It is the most ambitious project the world is collaboratively focusing on since the birth of digital computing, outright and has been given time to formulate since the time that the ancient Mayans walked the Earth. (Yes, the ancient Mayans had knowledge of Spatial Reality/had Spatial knowledge.)

Spatial Reasoning in Tenejapan Mayans

But in recent years, as recent as Douglas Engelbart, (Here is Doug’s annotated copy of “As we may think”, which belonged to Vannevar Bush.) as well as Ivan Sutherland, and even Vannevar Bush,; The Metaverse has become a modern-day project, that by day is something that the entire planet collaborates on.

Daily we have pushed ourselves forward to evolve further. Nightly we dreamed about doing so and it was always something that we did by building and creating this new thing, this new reality, something that we can only hope to build to create in due time — the dreams which we desire when the sun goes down and our heads touch the pillows, in the morning when dawn breaks; By building the Metaverse.

Reading further: This is Qualcomm’s definition of XR (Extended Reality): A term used to describe the ‘direct experience’ of ‘The Metaverse.’

“XR is the future of mobile computing. We are making mobile XR a reality.​”

Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term encapsulating Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), and everything in between. Although AR and VR offer a wide range of revolutionary experiences, the same underlying technologies are powering XR.”

This is the Reality-Virtuality Continuum:

It tells us where an experience lies on the most basic spectrum of XR.

Everything in this new model of computing is encapsulated by XR, (Extended Reality) in this new form of computation.

Moving on to hardware models — Glasses, for now, it seems at least, will also be one of the primary computing outputs for the direct experience for viewing and creating The Metaverse in the future. But there are, of course, other methods surfacing, that do not require any Head-Mounted Display.

Methods such as the more successful ‘LightField Lab’ as well as the snake oils-y Euclideon Unlimited Detail Real-Time Rendering Technology Preview — (Never Surfaced):

Here’s more on LightField lab though

See Lightfield Lab for more info:

Light Field Lab

Here are some relevant quotes from key figureheads in the space regarding the future of computation models and The Metaverse.

Here’s another article about one of my favorite companies, Magic Leap, Inc., as well as there company website:

Enterprise augmented reality (AR) platform designed for business | Magic Leap

See the article here:

The Untold Story of Magic Leap, the World's Most Secretive Startup

In fact, I created this whole playlist for videos on the guys over at Magic Leap, Inc. and put it in chronological order:

WIRED — 2016, Inside Magic Leap, The World’s Most Secretive Start-Up

I recommend watching their ‘concept video’ first. It’s sort of a marketing video that details the possibility of Spatial Computing in a very consumer-friendly, visual way. Here it is:

But also don’t be shy to watch their actual ‘shot through the lens’ videos:

Demo video 1:

Demo video 2:

Demo video 3:

Demo video 4:

Magic Leap, Inc. was essentially a (start-up) company created in 2010/2011 that decided to make synthetic images that merge with real spaces like this:

The date of creation is sort of unclear, though. But the rough estimate is that Magic Leap, Inc. was founded sometime between 2010–2011.

So that they can blend seamlessly with our daily routine.

Via, an older version of the Wikipedia page here is a definition of The Metaverse:

“The Metaverse is a collective virtual shared space, created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space, including the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality, and the Internet. The word “metaverse” is a portmanteau of the prefix “meta” (meaning beyond) and “universe”; the term is typically used to describe the concept of a future iteration of the internet, made up of persistent, shared, 3D virtual spaces linked into a perceived virtual universe.”

Also, via Wikipedia on the current Wiki page:

“A metaverse is a network of 3D virtual worlds focused on social connection. In futurism and science fiction, it is often described as a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets.

The term “metaverse” has its origins in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash as a portmanteau of “meta” and “universe.” Various metaverses have been developed for popular use such as virtual world platforms like Second Life. Some metaverse iterations involve integration between virtual and physical spaces and virtual economies. Demand for increased immersion means metaverse development is often linked to advancing virtual reality technology.

The term has been used as a buzzword to exaggerate development progress of various related technologies and projects for public relations purposes. Information privacy, user addiction, and user safety are concerns within metaverses, stemming from challenges facing the social media and video game industries as a whole.”

However, I strictly disagree that there’s any such thing as ‘A Metaverse’ I only believe in ‘The Metaverse’.

“There can be only one.”

See Tony Parisi’s page if you need a refresher:

I’ll leave a link to a specific page a little later on.

The funny thing about the word ‘Metaverse’, much like Web 3.00 is that there really is no real way to define what the word actually means. It’s like defining reality. Or the answer to life the universe and everything. Simply read this quote from ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, By Douglas Adams:

“O Deep Thought computer,” he said, “the task we have designed you to perform is this. We want you to tell us….” he paused, “The Answer.”
“The Answer?” said Deep Thought. “The Answer to what?”
“Life!” urged Fook.
“The Universe!” said Lunkwill.
“Everything!” they said in chorus.
Deep Thought paused for a moment’s reflection.
“Tricky,” he said finally.
“But can you do it?”
Again, a significant pause.
“Yes,” said Deep Thought, “I can do it.”
“There is an answer?” said Fook with breathless excitement.
“Yes,” said Deep Thought. “Life, the Universe, and Everything. There is an answer. But, I’ll have to think about it.”
…
Fook glanced impatiently at his watch.
“How long?” he said.
“Seven and a half million years,” said Deep Thought.
Lunkwill and Fook blinked at each other.
“Seven and a half million years…!” they cried in chorus.
“Yes,” declaimed Deep Thought, “I said I’d have to think about it, didn’t I?”

[Seven and a half million years later…. Fook and Lunkwill are long gone, but their descendents continue what they started]

“We are the ones who will hear,” said Phouchg, “the answer to the great question of Life….!”
“The Universe…!” said Loonquawl.
“And Everything…!”
“Shhh,” said Loonquawl with a slight gesture. “I think Deep Thought is preparing to speak!”
There was a moment’s expectant pause while panels slowly came to life on the front of the console. Lights flashed on and off experimentally and settled down into a businesslike pattern. A soft low hum came from the communication channel.

“Good Morning,” said Deep Thought at last.
“Er..good morning, O Deep Thought” said Loonquawl nervously, “do you have…er, that is…”
“An Answer for you?” interrupted Deep Thought majestically. “Yes, I have.”
The two men shivered with expectancy. Their waiting had not been in vain.
“There really is one?” breathed Phouchg.
“There really is one,” confirmed Deep Thought.
“To Everything? To the great Question of Life, the Universe and everything?”
“Yes.”
Both of the men had been trained for this moment, their lives had been a preparation for it, they had been selected at birth as those who would witness the answer, but even so they found themselves gasping and squirming like excited children.
“And you’re ready to give it to us?” urged Loonsuawl.
“I am.”
“Now?”
“Now,” said Deep Thought.
They both licked their dry lips.
“Though I don’t think,” added Deep Thought. “that you’re going to like it.”
“Doesn’t matter!” said Phouchg. “We must know it! Now!”
“Now?” inquired Deep Thought.
“Yes! Now…”
“All right,” said the computer, and settled into silence again. The two men fidgeted. The tension was unbearable.
“You’re really not going to like it,” observed Deep Thought.
“Tell us!”
“All right,” said Deep Thought. “The Answer to the Great Question…”
“Yes..!”
“Of Life, the Universe and Everything…” said Deep Thought.
“Yes…!”
“Is…” said Deep Thought, and paused.
“Yes…!”
“Is…”
“Yes…!!!…?”
“Forty-two,” said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm.”

― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Getting back on track with what The Metaverse is, why it will shape our lives, and how it’s so important, here are some ground rules for The Metaverse:

The Seven Rules of the Metaverse

The Seven Rules of the Metaverse By Tony Parisi

Here Tony lists his 7 most key rules that should shape the foundation of what ‘The Metaverse’ is to become, the first of which is that there is only one ‘Metaverse’. I strictly concur.

Tony Parisi - Medium

Here are some of my own as well: (Plus a couple of friends Sean & Gerald, who wrote them w/ me I could not have done it w/out their help) Tony’s are different.

1. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse OPEN SOURCE FOR ALL.
2. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse EASY TO USE FOR ALL.
3. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse a SYMBIOTIC ECOSYSTEM FOR ALL.
4. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse AVAILABLE/ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL.
5. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse INCLUSIVE/DIVERSE FOR ALL.
6. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse DEVELOPER/NOOB FRIENDLY FOR ALL.
7. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse AFFORDABLE FOR ALL.
8. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse UNDERSTANDABLE FOR ALL.
9. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse CROSS-PLATFORM FOR ALL.
10. Thou shalt make The #Metaverse A SOCIAL GATHERING PLACE, & A SAFE HAVEN FOR QUESTIONS, IDEAS, FREE EXPRESSION, CREATIVITY/CREATION FOR ALL.

Bill of Rights of the users of the #Metaverse:

1. Right to Internet access: The right to Internet access, also known as the right to broadband or freedom to connect, is the view that all people must be able to access the Internet in order to exercise and enjoy their rights to freedom of expression and opinion and other fundamental human rights, that states have a responsibility to ensure that Internet access is broadly available and that states may not unreasonably restrict an individual’s access to the Internet.
2. All users should have a right to privacy and have full access to the information collected about them, and full control over it.
3. All instances of the Metaverse will be accessible FOR ALL people, save where restricted by law.
4. The Metaverse must be oriented towards possibility, and be carefully moderated to ensure this.
5. The Metaverse should be a democratic platform, with decisions made by its users for the benefit of all.
6. The decisions made by the users of the platform should be for the benefit of the users of The Metaverse, not to hurt/harm them.

Rules for the Metaverse:

1. The Mom Rule. (If I wouldn’t use it on my mom — I will NOT ship it!)
2. Love each other. ❤
3. Have Fun & Enjoy! :-)

Now, here is my personal wishlist of things that I’d love to see in The Metaverse:

• A Contest.
• Millions & Millions of Easter Eggs. (Personal references to one’s work, within the work. A la, the Adventure videogame authored by Warren Robinett)
• A sense of “mission and agency” in the world. A sense of “reason & I am here to do this”. A sense of “I have to do this or save this person, or else!”. A sense of “The world is at stake and I’m the only one who has the knowledge and the ability to save it.” The sense of “I HAVE to do this, right now!!”. A sense of, “I am the main character.”
• NPCs That act as guides, Knowledge banks/compendiums of information from all over the “known/growing” Metaverse, personal trainers, for new skills and, coaches on skills that will help you level them up once learned, merchants, that can send you on side quests to find something, and bring it back unharmed, that they will trade you for.
• Symbiosis with software/hardware in a form that allows humans to understand better.
• A Sci-Fi/Fantasy customizable ‘journey’ that takes you on branching/divergent paths.
• Stories that grow on different branches (I can take this route to get to my destination and fight Godzilla with King Kong on my side and wind up at the same destination, or I can befriend them both and take down Dr. Doom in space. and wind up there as well)
• NPCs are a living & breathing part of the environment/ecosystem. They can be Vikings, merchants, a space fairing civilization, an anthropomorphic ant colony in the ant-civilization, or maybe you just shrunk down inside of an anthill to defeat a rogue spy that threatens life on Mars in dimension 29b — Or maybe it’s to defeat a small part of the micro-planet, where everything is tiny, (the planet is coming to life and attacking you) or maybe you are just tiny…
• and inside of a human body, for this experience (You’re a blood cell, now).
• NPCs can be your guides from place to place and will teach you anything from spells to carpentry, to blacksmithing, to piloting. (You might need special equipment for this one) But they can also be real people too.
• People that get paid via blockchain contract do basically anything in The Metaverse, each and every time. Repeatably.
• To be given a score/grade each time a task is completed.
• Smart Clothing that allows the wearer to be tracked, which can be disguised as regular clothing.
• A Metaverse Gov’t. One that is TRULY, FAIRLY, & ACTUALLY, run “By The People, For The People, Of The People.” and runs on the same principles as those in the preamble the Founding Fathers of the U.S. Constitution sought to protect. A Metaverse Constitution for the governing body(ies) of the Metaverse which is based on the ideals found in the preamble:
• Waring/Factioning & Self-Referencing Faction Systems, from & between different MetaWorlds of all shapes and sizes, with each other. Gamified reality.
• The Oasis from Ready Player One (RPO) as a MetaGalaxy, inside of ‘The Metaverse’, with endless Metaworlds inside.
• Everyday Adventure. Everyday Magic. Everyday Opportunity.
• The Hour Blue Story World.
• The Message.
• The Yo-Yo.
• Honorary Yo-Yos.
• Millions of Gunters Searching for Eggs & Expanding The Story/Meta Worlds of The Metaverse
• A Reason for Being. Ikegai. 42.

I have even more stuff that even more people sharing their ideal society inside of XR and assisted/extended/artificial reality. Some others have said that they would love to see the following:

Wishlists

Read up, also:

Here is a list of known HMDs (Head Mounted Displays) or ‘Glasses’ that have been made to view and experience The Metaverse:

Now onto the Web 3.00 question:

Web3 - Wikipedia

“Web3 (also known as Web 3.0 and sometimes stylized as web3) is an idea for a new iteration of the World Wide Web based on blockchain technology, which incorporates concepts such as decentralization and token-based economics. Some technologists and journalists have contrasted it with Web 2.0, wherein they say data and content are centralized in a small group of companies sometimes referred to as “Big Tech”. The term “Web3” was coined in 2014 by Ethereum co-founder Gavin Wood, and the idea gained interest in 2021 from cryptocurrency enthusiasts, large technology companies, and venture capital firms.

Some experts argue that web3 will provide increased data security, scalability, and privacy for users and combat the influence of large technology companies. Others have raised concerns about a decentralized web, citing the potential for low moderation and the proliferation of harmful content, the centralization of wealth to a small group of investors and individuals, or a loss of privacy due to more expansive data collection. Others, such as Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey, have argued that web3 only currently serves as a buzzword.”

Basically, right now, Web 3.00 is not much more than a buzzword used to generate hype and excess funds for others willing to build around the framework of what will essentially be the end goal of something called The Metaverse, however, Web 3.00 does very much exist, and it is going to be an essential part of the framework that fleshes out The Metaverse as it becomes:

But as I said there are countless companies and brands getting involved in The Metaverse, it has become the next gold rush, one of digital manifestation of digital twins, synthetic beings, and endless experience(s).

It’s all used in a sense to build something called Spatial Computing:

Spatial computing - Wikipedia

“Spatial computing was defined in 2003 by Simon Greenwold, as “human interaction with a machine in which the machine retains and manipulates referents to real objects and spaces”.”

It has also been coined in 2007 during the 0631 Dagstuhl workshop by André DeHon, Jean-Louis Giavitto and Frédéric Gruau for a field of research in computer science where space is not an abstract notion but a first-order effect that has to be optimized. The Spatial Computing web site gathers some work done on that subject.

With the advent of consumer virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, companies such as Microsoft and Magic Leap use “spatial computing” in reference to the practice of using physical actions (head and body movements, gestures, speech) as inputs for interactive digital media systems, with perceived 3D physical space as the canvas for video, audio, and haptic outputs. It is also tied to the concept of ‘digital twins’.

With the advent of consumer virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, companies such as Microsoft and Magic Leap use “spatial computing” in reference to the practice of using physical actions (head and body movements, gestures, speech) as inputs for interactive digital media systems, with perceived 3D physical space as the canvas for video, audio, and haptic outputs. It is also tied to the concept of ‘digital twins’.

Here is also a brief history of XR (Extended Reality) by Rony Abovitz:

A Very Brief & Incomplete History Of XR — Part One

Rony Abovitz — Bio:

Rony Abovitz - Founder & CEO Sun and Thunder - Sun and Thunder | LinkedIn

Rony Abovitz is the C.E.O. of an awesome company called Sun And Thunder, LLC. & wrote this mega cool explainer for Xverses on the company page, as well as being the founder, C.E.O. & President of Magic Leap, Inc. Previously he was the founder of MAKO Surgical Corp. — A company that created AI-assisted surgical robotics, for knee, hip, and back-joint pain, which was sold to Stryker on 09/25/2013 — and even earlier, Z-KAT, a similar company at an earlier timeframe.

on xverses​

• https://www.sunandthunderstudio.com/xverses CC Rony Abovitz

Xverses may become one of our most important systems in the coming decades. A way to think about an Xverse is that it can be a synthesis of a large and complex array of technologies: high-speed networks, web, AI, IOT, XR, optics, robotics/automation, sensing, haptics, computing in many forms (quantum, supercomputing, cloud, edge, mobile, embedded), blockchains/NFTs, game engines, stories, characters, and endless worlds.

At Sun and Thunder we advocate the creation of open, decentralized Xverses — with architectures that resemble democratic, open, and free societies. These require peer to peer cooperation, and a set of technologies, ethics and philosophies that best integrate with a free and open world, one that is equitable, safe, and fair.

Our current computing systems and internet are on a path to grow into the capabilities needed to create Xverses that are amazing and wondrous. There will be a clash of ideas between those Xverse systems that are centrally controlled systems that resemble autocratic governments, and those that are balanced and decentralized, which better resemble the ideals of free and liberal democracies.

The Age of Xverses will bring significant economic promise (likely in the trillions of dollars US). The greater promise revolves around how people will connect with each other and also advanced entities in these new digital spaces. How we live and work will very much be shaped by these massive systems, which will likely have a sentient capability that can exceed ours. Ethical guardrails, empathy, and frameworks to center the use of these technologies for the benefit of humanity will be critical.

We believe in an open, free, creative, imaginative, and fair future. If you believe in the same thing, stay tuned :-)

All of this and more can be expected to come from The Metaverse if you see yourself working in this field and you want to explain it to someone, but don’t know how, please refer these people to my article or to Tony Parisi’s, Rony Abovitz or any of the countless other talented individuals who seek to build the future that we all live inside of today.

Until next time. :-)