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Omniscape CEO and Co-Founder Robert Rice joined the CoinGeek Weekly Livestream to talk about the metaverse, AR/VR, and what his company is working on. Will Omniscape be BSV blockchain’s first unicorn? Learn the answer to that and much more by watching this week’s episode.
Hijacking Bitcoin and the London Blockchain Conference reminder
Wuckert begins by saying he finally finished Hijacking Bitcoin by Roger Ver and Steve Patterson. He agrees with so much of it and is glad someone else said it so well, but he disagrees with some points, such as that ‘cryptocurrency’ will change the world. Check out his full Hijacking Bitcoin review here.
The London Blockchain Conference 2024 is coming up in a few short weeks, too. There’s still time to secure your tickets and attend virtually or in person.
What has Omniscape been up to? What is the state of the Metaverse today?
Rice says they have been busy, but it’s one of those ‘tortoise wins the race’ situations. They’ve been building in the background and are now ready to roll some stuff out. Metaverse apartments, 3D content uploads, AR/VR content, and NFTs are some of the things in the pipeline.
Wuckert notes there have been a few boom/bust cycles in tech and the industry in general. Could we see a more mature metaverse ecosystem six months from now? Rice thinks so, agreeing that the time is right. Omniscape is well positioned for the upswing, and the metaverse is definitely coming back as the initial hype around AI dies down. It’s the industry that can encompass all others, he says.
Who are the major players? Wuckert is aware of Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta (NASDAQ: META), and a few others. Rice says they haven’t really done much, noting that Meta has spent billions on this just to give avatars legs. They may be getting all of the attention now, but the landscape is set to change.
At this point of the stream, they play the Omniscape fun reel. It shows a few things the tech can do, such as drive leads and sales, engage and amaze, and measure and analyze, all underpinned and secured by blockchain technology. Clearly, the metaverse can do a lot and change a lot of businesses for the better.
What will cause the tech to break through? What’s holding it back?
Talking of the hardware needed to facilitate the metaverse, such as VR headsets, Wuckert points out that he hasn’t yet found the right thing that makes him want to buy. Also, when he’s shopping, he wants an interactive experience with the product.
Rice says AR/VR is good for sneakers, watches, and other items. He also points out that Gen Z, who spend lots on games like Fortnight, may want to buy these items for their avatars. He predicts that in a couple of years, this will be nuts.
Regarding hardware, there are still some issues with power, weight, etc., but we’ll get past them. Once people figure out these headsets and glasses are ways to interact with the world rather than passively watch and be entertained, that will be a big breakthrough.
Viewer questions and answers
As always, Wuckert invites the CoinGeek Weekly Livestream viewers to ask questions at the end. Here are some of the best ones.
Will something like Neuaralink be required for a full ‘Ready Player One’ experience?
Rice is torn on this point. While he’s the type to try anything, any such thing would require intercepting what happens between the brain and spine and the brain and eyes. That’s probably not going to happen just yet.
What is Omniscape building? What’s the dream?
It’s building the ‘Oasis in the Matrix’ the right way, Rice says. It’s a small team, and things will take time, but they have some patents and IP and aim to build the big thing everyone is waiting for.
Will Omniscape be the unicorn of BSV blockchain?
Rice hopes so. BSV blockchain needs some unicorns, and it’s solid foundational tech. The relationships and deals being done now will cause the firm to break out quickly when the time comes.
What other wearables could become popular other than glasses?
Rings and necklaces are two, Rice says. Necklaces could give you the power to project messages onto surfaces, such as pranking friends by saying they owe you money on their chests, etc. That’s a basic example, but much more is possible.
Watch: Unravelling the Metaverse at the CES Tech Las Vegas 2022