Realizing the metaverse: a communications and networking perspective

The Metaverse, a version of the internet in which online interactions take place in real time within fully realized virtual spaces, has been promised as the next frontier in wireless communication. It has drawn huge investment from Silicon Valley and widespread media attention. However, the technologies required to make the Metaverse a reality are still in their infancy, and significant barriers must be overcome if this massive step is to be taken.

Realizing the Metaverse provides a systematic overview of these challenges and their likely solutions. Focusing on five key areas—infrastructure, access, intelligence, security, and future developments—it offers one of the first comprehensive, formalized treatments of the Metaverse as a nascent reality. It promises to be an integral contribution to the future development of Metaverse technologies.