The metaverse stands as a virtual realm encompassing interconnected digital spaces, enabling users to engage, communicate, and partake in activities through avatars and digital representations of themselves. It's a fusion of AR, VR, and the internet, resulting in a shared virtual space. This concept encapsulates an expansive virtual universe where people can interact socially, conduct economic transactions, pursue education, find entertainment, and more. As discussed by Uddin et al. (2023), the metaverse aims to seamlessly bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms, allowing users to navigate various virtual domains effortlessly.
An essential aspect of the metaverse is immersion, where users are deeply engrossed within the digital environment. This immersive encounter is accomplished through advanced technologies like VR headsets, haptic feedback systems, and spatial computing (Richter & Richter, 2023). By integrating these technologies, the metaverse provides an elevated sense of presence and interactivity. A crucial characteristic of the metaverse is its enduring nature. In contrast to conventional online platforms, the metaverse maintains its continuity, with virtual spaces persisting and evolving even when users log out (Jo, 2023). Interconnectedness is a foundational feature of the metaverse. Users can smoothly navigate between diverse virtual realms and spaces, encouraging cross-platform social interactions (Aljanabi, 2023). This interconnected nature facilitates a smooth exchange of information, assets, and experiences.
Moreover, the metaverse encourages user-generated content and personalization. Users possess the capability to generate, modify, and trade virtual assets, resulting in a thriving digital economy (Zhi et al., 2023). The metaverse's influence isn't limited to entertainment; it encompasses various sectors. In the realm of education, it provides immersive learning encounters through simulations and collaborative settings (Soni & Kaur, 2023; Shafiq et al., 2021)). Concerning healthcare, it facilitates applications for telemedicine and medical training simulations (Suh et al., 2023; Zaman et al., 2022; Chatrati et al., 2022). Businesses are also delving into the metaverse for virtual conferences, product launches, and collaborative workspaces (Nagarajan, 2023).
In summation, the metaverse symbolizes a transformative digital domain that merges VR, AR, and the internet. It encourages immersion, interconnectedness, durability, and user-driven content generation. As technology progresses, the metaverse's potential applications across various domains are becoming increasingly apparent Figure 1 and Figure 2 show the example of VR and AR devices.
Figure 1. DeGuzman (2021b)