The 2022 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona will have a discussion on the metaverse as a technology. Virtual reality glasses and experiences that are meant to shock and astound are everywhere. However, there is one usage that lends itself less to spectacularity among the many possibilities in this area: education.

The Mobile's official speech referred to 5G as one of the enabling technologies for these digital worlds, and the metaverse couldn't be left out. Many exhibitors are displaying their virtual reality glasses and immersive experiences in the pavilions at the show. The idea was also presented in conferences this year. And it looks like it will happen in our personal lives very soon as well. 25 percent of individuals will spend at least one hour a day in the metaverse by 2026, according to analyst Gartner.

The scope of the notion extends well beyond simply donning VR goggles and chatting with other avatars. There is more to the metaverse than 3D virtual reality and virtual reality. Begin in two dimensions and on standard screens to get the full experience. According to Orange CTO Michal Trabbia, the most important thing is that you have your avatar and are in a virtual world where you can interact, socialize, and play with other people" (CTIO). Metaverses can already be seen in popular games such as Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft.

According to the operator's manager, the most obvious application for this technology is in gaming. However, there are many more industries where technology will have an impact. ' Some of the exhibitors at the Mobile World Congress are concerned with education.

In the year 2026, one of the Ericsson pavilion demos predicts immersive classes at the university level. As he envisions it, the following scenario may play out: students in a classroom would wear virtual reality goggles, while the teacher in the classroom would appear to be present in person. Holograms of her appear in front of students, with the subject of study in the background, in this case a type of plant. An Eric Blomquist, Ericsson's director of strategy execution, predicts that "the boundaries between digital and virtual will begin to merge" in education.

This new technology needs use cases. In fact, Telefónica announced at the fair a new initiative through its Wayra accelerator to uncover new metaverse-related entrepreneurs. Connectivity, devices, virtual worlds, digital identity, or NFT will be the focus of Open2metaverse's research efforts. As part of this deal, the corporation has established the role of chief metaverse officer, which Yaiza Rubio will hold.

During a meeting concerning the metaverse's gymnastics and sports, Meta officials, according to Trabbia, were energized. "Education is highly intriguing as a use case, because you can learn more quickly and efficiently owing to virtual and augmented reality, for example, in disciplines such as anatomy," says Orange's managing director. When the skin is peeled back, you can view every organ and the path blood takes throughout the body."

Virtual tours of the Notre-Dame Cathedral are available in the operator's showroom, three years after the fire that destroyed it. As Trabbia adds, "We can go back in time and see how Notre-Dame was built and how it changed over time." Within a few minutes, you'll be able to see it. Learning about history and architecture while being immersed in a digital world

Marvrus, a Korean start-up, aims to incorporate these kinds of experiences into its platform. It is an educational virtual world. The South Korean exhibitor's head of strategy, Danny Cho, explains why they do it. Intended for children in the age range of 8 to 15 years old, the alpha generation. They also learn in a way that is very different from how the rest of us do. They are far more accustomed to spending their free time in a virtual world. It is common for them to play games like Minecraft and Roblox. Education, in my opinion, must go in search of these students, no matter where they may be.

Meemz, a virtual reality platform, was capable of traversing a video game. In the future, you will be able to drive an avatar around and visit various destinations, which will serve as virtual lessons or learning experiences. Our goal at Mobile World Congress is to meet potential worldwide business partners. Cho explains that in education, "we need professionals to introduce content" because of its specificity.

Metaverse socializing and the future of the metaverse

Of course, these technologies aren't a reality right now. They're still under construction and are in need of finishing touches. An avatar and its digital belongings can be used as a worldwide identifier for everyone, regardless of where they are or what they do. This will allow for more sociability and interconnectedness amongst the various platforms.

To be successful, Ericsson says, you must be able to connect with others. She depicts a New Year's Eve in 2030 in the perspective of a lone resident trapped in her flat. With holographic communication, her family is able to participate in the celebration from their own home," says the author. From the perspective of Blomquist, "her family is in her living room and at her family's home, she is with them." Every user has their augmented reality glasses positioned perfectly. However, the characteristic isolation of virtual reality is avoided due to the combination of physical and digital environment.

We will soon be sharing virtual space as well as physical space, according to Blomquist, who explains what digital twins are and how they work. A digital copy of the entire city may exist." To celebrate a special occasion, we can all watch fireworks in the virtual city."

It is clear that Marvrus has his own plans for the future. Customers can request personalized metaverses from the Korean corporation. Aside from providing design and development patterns that anyone can use to create their own metaverses, it also aims to do so. A metaverse building block similar to WordPress's web pages. Despite the fact that he acknowledges there are significant obstacles.

An effort to provide the groundwork for a mass acceptance of this technology is a long-term goal, but it is also a short-term one. Because without a sufficient number of users, it is impossible to socialize.