Marine Corps Looks Ahead to the Metaverse for Training Purposes

Overcoming Hurdles Like Networking and Change Management

A Congressional Research Service report on the metaverse defines the term as an experience rather than a “specific configuration of devices, platforms, applications and services.” The key to a metaverse environment, the report states, is an immersive 3D experience for the user with real-time, reliable network access that works across multiple platforms.

“The networking is, from a technical standpoint, the biggest challenge and the biggest limiter,” says Department of Energy CIO Ann Dunkin. “Our biggest challenge beyond the technology is getting people on board, working in the space successfully.”

Eovito has worked in a virtual meeting space and describes it as “an uncanny valley. The ability to read nonverbal clues — everybody’s emotional intelligence zero in that situation. It’s a lot further along than people think, but it’s not at scale.”

Dunkin personally finds the headsets heavy and uncomfortable, but “when you can create that immersive situation in a way that feels more comfortable, we’ll be heading in that direction. I never want to bet against the industry coming up with something good.”

MORE FROM FEDTECH: The SpaceVerse is Space Force’s version of the metaverse.