The metaverse is one of the most hyped new technologies of recent years, but it’s too early to say what role it might eventually play in logistics operations. One problem: The concept is still so new that the very definition of the term is still in flux.
However, the analyst firm IDTechEx says one thing is clear—the gateway to the metaverse will be those virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) headsets typically used by videogame players. By donning the bulky goggles, users are able to plug into a digital feed of “extended reality” from an online world.
Examples of these goggles include the Oculus-brand headset made by Meta (the company formerly known as Facebook), which is designed to connect wearers to a metaverse that the company calls Meta Horizon Worlds. Another is Microsoft Corp.’s HTC Vive headset. And those are just two of the many headsets on the market today.
IDTechEx says that just as the headset market has many vendors, the online world will soon contain many metaverses.
Whatever headset they choose, businesses could potentially use them to connect employees to logistics functions online. Time will tell, but these goggles may prove to be the latest example of how supply chain professionals are harnessing new technologies to tackle longstanding business challenges.
