What is metaverse and how does it work?

“Metaverse not only changes our view of the world, but also the way we participate in it”. This famous sentence of Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, shows the depth of the presence of an emerging technology in the future world. Metaverse is a technology that is referred to as the future internet. Internet that will be three-dimensional instead of two-dimensional. The integration of human emotions and immersion in this virtual world is its distinctive feature. But what is the metaverse? how does it work How is it developed and what opportunities does it have?
In this article, we will answer these questions with a complete review of Metaverse, technologies and famous companies that develop it, types, applications, how to access, and other concepts and technical issues related to this field. Join us and get to know one of the main elements of human life in the coming decades.

What is the Metaverse world?
Metaverse is a three-dimensional digital space that combines the online life of a person with his real and simulated life using technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality. Through this technology, the internet that we are using today will be available in a virtual reality space.
Through its hardware and software interfaces, Metaverse integrates and engages human senses such as sight, hearing and even touch with the Internet. In this virtual world, many things in the real world can be done in a simulated form. Education, trade, construction and entertainment are examples of these activities.
If you ask what are the prerequisites to access the Metaverse world? In short, we must mention the Internet and hardware interfaces of virtual reality or VR. Using these tools, you can enter multiple metaverse spaces such as Meta, Aquilus, etc.
The developers of this technology dream of building a digital world with a fusion of physical and virtual reality that people can live in without having to change their devices or their physical location. A dream for which the first steps have been taken today and is no longer a science-fiction story.

How does Metaverse work?

But what is the working mechanism of Metaverse? From a technical point of view, the basis of the functioning of the Metaverse world is similar to the Internet that we have used in recent years. With the difference that websites, services and social networks have more synergy and integration with each other. This integration is more for the purpose of making a world as similar as possible to the real world.
The main user interface of Metaverse are virtual reality headsets that people can connect to the Internet and Metaverse programs more easily, widely and quickly by placing them on their eyes and ears. In theory, however, the ultimate goal of Metaverse is much more than a virtual reality internet.
Everything about Metaverse and its function is summarized in the following four elements:
• Different types of 3D software
• Internet and Internet of Things
Real-time collaboration software
• Blockchain technology and decentralized tools developed on it

What is meant by avatar in Metaverse?

In the metaverse, avatars are our representatives as real people in the virtual world. In fact, each person can have an avatar for himself, like what we have today as a profile picture in virtual networks, through which he communicates with other avatars and metaverse elements. For example, in a virtual business meeting in Metaverse, instead of appearing with their webcams, people are present virtually and through their avatars.
With your avatar, you can go to concerts, travel, shop or play games in Metaverse. You can do all these activities at the same time as your activities in the real world, without necessarily needing to leave the space of Metaverse. These digital tools can take many forms. Some of them include only the head and neck, some have only the upper body, and more complete types are made in the form of a full body.
Different Metaverse platforms allow you to choose or buy your avatar from ready-made options. Some of them allow you to make partial or general edits. Also, in some cases, it is possible to completely build an avatar from scratch and transfer it from one metaverse to another as an object or NFT. You definitely need an avatar to enter the Metaverse and perform activities in it.

History of Metaverse
It may be interesting to know that Metaverse is not a new word. In 1992, this word was mentioned for the first time in a science fiction novel. The name of this novel is Snow Crash and its author is Neal Stephenson. In this book, metaverse means a sustainable virtual world in which social interactions are possible using avatars and virtual games. A world that has been depicted many times throughout the history of science-fiction literature and cinema.
But the idea of ​​turning the metaverse into reality has developed over time, especially with the formation of social networks, and Facebook at the top of them. Other milestones in the history of Metaverse include the following:
• 2003; Production of the Second Life virtual world game
• Year 2006; The start of Roblox as a video game development platform
• Year 2009; The invention of Bitcoin as the world’s first blockchain and digital currency
• 2012; The invention of NFTs or non-fungible tokens, which are considered important assets in the metaverse.
• 2015; The invention of Ethereum as the second largest blockchain in the world with the possibility of executing smart contracts that enables the production of applications in a decentralized manner.
• 2016; Production of Aquilus VR headsets by Facebook
• 2020: launch of Decentraland Metaverse on Ethereum blockchain platform
• Year 2021; Rename Facebook to Meta

Five basic pillars in the development of Metaverse
The answer to the question of what Metaverse is and how it works becomes clearer by explaining the technologies used in its development. These technologies are the pillars of this technology that we will explain below.
• virtual reality; The first pillar of the metaverse

Virtual Reality (VR) is a virtual space with experiences simulated from the real world. Physical, mental and emotional engagement with this world is realized through hardware interfaces and especially VR headsets.
But what is the role of VR in the Metaverse space? In response, it should be said that the contents that the user deals with in this world are mainly produced through the instant transformation of the contents of the real world using VR technology. 360-degree video cameras play an essential role in realizing this goal and allow the user to experience virtual reality in the moment with greater immersion. The Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headsets produced by the Meta company are among the most well-known virtual reality tools.

• Augmented Reality; Combining the real and virtual worlds
While in virtual reality we live completely in a virtual world, augmented reality allows us to combine digital and online experiences. We are already using AR in many of our digital devices. For example, Google Maps, self-driving cars, and architectural and interior design computing applications use this technology to provide digital information about real-world elements.
In fact, augmented reality through smartphone screens or headsets enriches our understanding of real-world elements by providing graphic, textual, or audio digital information about them. If you ask what is the role of AR in the world of Metaverse? We must say that this technology fills the void between this world and reality. Google, Meta, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are among the most important companies developing AR technology with the production of various wearable gadgets and software.

• 3D modeling

The three-dimensional environment of Metaverse requires modeling with special hardware and software systems. Scanning and mapping the surrounding space using advanced cameras is the most important thing these systems do. In this way, the user will have an immersive experience in his virtual environment. 3D modeling systems, for example, allow a metaverse user to exercise in a simulated environment such as their home, without interacting with surrounding objects.

• Internet of Things
We have heard a lot about the Internet of Things in recent years in areas such as intelligent systems, traffic control and self-driving cars. But what is the role of this technology in Metaverse? Receiving information from the physical elements around us is done with the Internet of Things (IoT). In this way, various objects are connected to a central Wi-Fi system and send their information to it through their sensors and digital systems.
In addition, the Internet of Things helps Metaverse users to be active in this environment with high safety. The issue of safety comes from the fact that VR headsets usually cut off the user’s connection with his physical environment and increase the possibility of him bumping into objects. Devices equipped with the Internet of Things can inform the user about the coordinates of his physical location by sending voice alarm messages and so on.

• Blockchain; Financial communication facilitator in Metaverse

What facilitates financial communication and ownership of objects and assets in the metaverse and basically makes it possible is the block chain. This technology based on network and computer programming is simply a decentralized ledger or database. The important feature of this technology is the great difficulty of removing the blocks produced in it or changing them. Each block contains codes that contain proprietary information of its owner. Such a system is very useful in the digital currency industry and its sub-branches such as NFTs. Thanks to the blockchain, people can prove their ownership of these types of assets, buy, sell or transfer them.
An important part of ownership of assets in Metaverse is done with digital currencies and its infrastructure technology, i.e. blockchain. In this way, it becomes possible to carry out commercial and financial activities with real and usable income in the real world. Because basically, digital currencies can be converted into fiat currencies or common currencies such as dollars and so on.
However, it cannot be said that blockchain is the only solution for tech giants like Meta to store their data in Metaverse. Many experts believe that they prefer to use the capacity of their own databases for this purpose.

What is the method of accessing Metaverse space?

Many novice users ask how they can access or enter Metaverse. As we said before, the tools that a user must have in order to enter this space are the Internet, a digital device such as a mobile phone, laptop, computer, and tablet, and VR user interfaces. Your system also needs to have medium to high computing and graphics processing capabilities.
By connecting to the internet and setting up your headset, you need to log into one of the Metaverse platforms. If you are asking what is the best Metaverse platform? In response, we must mention the following:
Horizon Worlds belongs to Meta company.
• Roblox
Decentraland
Axie Infinity
• Somnium Space
Fortnite game
The atmosphere of these platforms is mainly game in nature. It means that you have to do a certain activity by entering them. The degree of freedom of these activities and their similarity with the real world is different. Almost all of them have their own native token for in-app transactions. For example, the native token of Horizon Worlds is known by the same name and the abbreviation HZN. These tokens have different prices.
Also, entry to some of these platforms is free, while others require payment with native tokens. Performing many activities in Metaverse will also require payment. The best and fastest way to get Metaverse tokens is to buy them from reliable and reliable digital currency exchanges. Next, you should transfer your tokens to decentralized digital currency wallets such as Metamask and Trust Wallet. Before that, make sure about the compatibility of your wallet with the desired Metaverse platform.

What is the use of metaverse?
It is true that the main environment of today’s Metaverse platforms is game-oriented; But this technology has now also found many applications. It is predicted that in the future, many human activities can be performed with a simulated equivalent in the metaverse. In the following, we introduce some important applications of this technology.

Application of metaverse in business and trade
Today and in the middle of 2023, more than ever before, the remote business management model is used. Corona disease, despite all its negative effects, was one of the main factors of such a change. Holding online meetings on Zoom, Elocom, Google Meet or other online event platforms has become a common practice in many businesses today. This fact is the basis for the entry of Metaverse into the world of business and trade.
You must be asking what is the use of metaverse in this field? In response, we must say; By using this technology, business communication will be more real and tangible than today’s virtual meetings. It is now possible to hold meetings on platforms such as Horizon Worlds. A more immersive space where each member appears at the meeting table with their avatars.

The use of metaverse in the art and entertainment industry
Entertainment industry is one of the largest industries in the world in terms of financial turnover. This industry ranges from music concerts and movies to online games. Currently, Metaverse platforms are mainly used for games and entertainment.
But what is the reason for the attractiveness of the game in Metaverse? In addition to the attractiveness and fun of the game itself as a pleasurable activity for many people, we must also point out the revenue opportunities of these platforms for gamers. For this reason, in recent years, we have witnessed a huge migration of professional gamers of online and video games to this industry.
By playing games in the Metaverse and completing stages, gamers receive rewards in the form of tokens that can be traded with real digital currency tokens or fiat currency. Buying virtual land is also a popular activity in the Metaverse today, and many look at it as an investment.
In another example, we can point to the Fortnite platform, where several large concerts have been held recently. The audience of these concerts were gamers and actually users of this platform. Holding sports events in Metaverse is another function of this industry in the field of entertainment. Removing geographical restrictions to attend these events is one of the most important reasons for their popularity.

The impact of metaverse on the education industry

But what is the meaning of education in the Metaverse world? Education, like business, has become increasingly virtual and online in recent years. A process that, despite its many advantages, has also brought disadvantages. Eliminating the human connection between the teacher and the learner as well as the learners with each other, reducing mobility and challenges related to the mastery and control of the teacher over the classroom have been the most important of these disadvantages. Training in Metaverse has the advantages of both face-to-face and online methods and overcomes their limitations to a great extent.
Even now, some higher education institutions in the world, such as the universities of Alabama, New Mexico, California State University, West Virginia, and Maryland, have started Metaverse or are preparing for it. They do this with the help of well-known companies in this industry, such as Meta. Educational metaverses can be built on top of existing platforms or be independent. In our country, whispers are heard about the entry of Tehran and Sharif University of Technology into this field.
You may ask what are the goals and benefits of Metaverse training. In response, we can briefly mention the following:
• Removing the time and place limitations of education and contributing to the equality of educational facilities in the world
• Reducing training costs for institutions and participants
• Increasing people’s sensory connection with each other regarding online education
• The possibility of gaining new and impossible experiences in the real world, such as traveling to unknown and distant places in order to gain a better understanding in learning.
• Ease of access to educational resources
• The possibility of doing experiments and educational experiences that are dangerous in face-to-face education and impossible in online education.
•
Other ways to earn from Metaverse

As we have already mentioned, Metaverse has become a space for earning money, especially through prizes won in games. But what are the other methods of generating income in Metaverse? Before answering this question, we must know the mechanism of financial transactions in this space, which requires sufficient familiarity with the digital currency industry, blockchain, and especially NFTs.

NFT stands for Non Fungible Token. Unlike exchangeable tokens, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, these digital assets are unique and are actually objects and assets that can be acquired in the virtual world. The value of an nft depends on the digital asset that is connected to it in the blockchain and its information is stored in the corresponding block.
Avatars, gaming gadgets, cars, concert tickets, clothes, and everything else we see as objects in the metaverse are actually nfts. Of course, nfts are also used outside the metaverse environment. Buying and selling nft in the primary and secondary markets inside and outside the metaverse and developing nfts and making them are methods of earning dollars in this space.
Other ways to earn money in Metaverse include the following:
• Development of dApp software related to Metaverse
• Providing services to other Metaverse users
• Making and developing metaverse games
• Participate in games developed by others
Introduction of important Metaverse companies
We already mentioned the important platforms of Metaverse. These platforms are each developed by large companies, some of which are household names. In the following, we introduce the Metaverse backers in the world.
Meta; Metaverse leader in the world

As you know, Meta is an American company that used to operate under the name of Facebook. But today, Facebook is only one of the activities of this company. It was in October 2021 that Mark Zuckerberg, the young CEO of Facebook, posted this sentence on his Twitter:
“From now on, we are first and foremost Metaverse; Not Facebook.
But what is the role of meta in the metaverse? This company is actually the main developer of this technology. With this decision, Zuckerberg removed the need to be a member of Facebook in order to use other Metaverse services of this company. The most important Meta product in the Metaverse industry is the Quest headset, which has sold millions of copies. Another well-known product of this company is the Oculus headset.
These headsets include hundreds of games, apps, entertainment tools from travel to cooking and more. You only need a mobile phone to use these VR headsets. Zuckerberg has announced his goal to accelerate social network platforms and the necessary tools to bring life to Metaverse as much as possible. In 2021, Horizon Worlds was launched by Meta as a virtual reality space. In this platform, users can move using their avatars and help the development of VR with their activities.
Epic Games studio
Most of the online, mobile and video games we have ever played or heard of were developed by Epic Games. Among the well-known games of this studio, the following can be mentioned:
• Grand Theft Auto V (GTA)
• Dying Light Enhanced Edition
• VALORANT
• Honkai: Star Rail
• Dead Island
• MORDHAU
The most popular game of this company with more than 350 million users from all over the world is Fortnite, which we previously explained. The company also designed the Unreal Engine game development software, which is used by many small game developers.
Epic Games entered Metaverse in 2021 with more than one billion dollars of capital. This company considers its purpose to be different from Meta and has announced that it plans to provide a space for users to interact with each other as well as users with brands. A space where there is no news of extensive brand advertisements.
Microsoft is the third giant of Metaverse

In any field related to computers and technology, it is unlikely that we will not see traces of Microsoft. But what is the role of this company in the development of Metaverse? In a first step, Microsoft has decided to allow its users to join shared holographic experiences by integrating Metaverse into its Teams service. Microsoft’s Teams service is the strongest competitor of Zoom software. A software that is used to hold online meetings, online classes and webinars. It seems that the combination of this company’s Teams service with Metaverse is a step towards surpassing this serious competitor.
Microsoft has used a set of tools based on artificial intelligence to generate avatars, manage meetings, render from space and synchronize users with each other in its Metaverse Teams service. The company also collaborates with other companies such as Accenture to create its 3D spaces. This three-dimensional space is called Microsoft Mesh. It is possible to access and be present in Microsoft Mesh from anywhere and on any device with the help of Mixed Reality.
Mixed reality is very similar to augmented reality and, like it, does not interrupt the user’s interaction with the real world. with the difference that instead of adding real objects to the virtual world and reading their information, it adds virtual objects to the real world. Access to mixed reality, like VR, requires a headset and unlike AR, it cannot be used only with mobile devices.
Is the metaverse our future universe?
Despite all the progress that has been made so far in the development of the metaverse, there is still a lot of work to be done to fully realize this idea. Improvements in some areas, such as meeting and entertainment, seem to happen faster than others. However, considering the huge investments made by big companies like Meta, it is clear that the pioneers of this industry are determined to realize their dream. What is certain is the definite presence of the metaverse in the future life of mankind. Businesses should also prepare for it in any field they operate in.