Orlando wants to be the center of the virtual world. A Florida city has partnered with game engine maker Unity Technologies to create a digital twin of the city.
The city will be the first to test one of the core theories of the metaverse , that the universes of virtual worlds are all interconnected, as in novels such as Avalanche and Ready Player One. Once the realm of science fiction, the vision of metaverse is about to become a reality.
Orlando hopes to show the world the benefits of connecting the virtual world with the real world. Home to Disneyland, Orlando understands the concept of turning dreams into reality. But it also hopes to transcend the Magic Kingdom and become better known as a hub for industries related to the Metaverse, Web3 and augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, gaming and simulation training.
"For as long as I can remember, Orlando has been defined by one thing: the Magic Kingdom," said David Adelson, the city's chief innovation officer. "So it's interesting that in the context of all this cool stuff, there's innovation and technology coming out. For every sector and building block that makes up the metaverse, Orlando has been playing in it for a long time."
i Met Adelson at the recent Enhanced World Expo event in Santa Clara, California, and sat down with him for an interview.
Metaverse-related industries have taken root in Orlando for decades, and now Orlando hopes to become MetaCenter, a metropolitan center known for its fantasy and real-life elements. This sounds like a lot of marketing. is now. Many people doubt that the over-hyped virtual world will actually happen. But the deal with Unity shows the city is serious.
"The parks and attractions that we have are our bread and butter," Adelson said. "But this is also where the Metaverse becomes real. It's where people experience it for the first time through experiential entertainment rides, environments and the technology behind them."
With augmented reality and virtual reality, Orlando has become a The $6 billion defense-related AR and VR market. Adelson said Unity engine maker Unity Technologies has the largest concentration of Unity licenses in Orlando due to its defense focus.
"The developers are in Orlando," Adelson said. "For the AR and VR Chapter, the Florida Chapter is the most active chapter in the world. We have many small companies developing VR and AR for gaming, education and entertainment."
New research from McKinsey & Company suggests that the value of the Metaverse could grow to $5 trillion by 2030. And it's not just games. In fact, according to McKinsey, gaming is expected to be smaller than enterprise markets and e-commerce in virtual worlds.
Companies in the region include Disney, Universal, Lockheed Martin, Falcon's Creative, Brand XR, AVT Simulation and Red 6. Of course, Disney has had a lot of beef with Florida over Disney's support for transgender people and Disney's opposition to the state's "Don't Say Gay" law. But Adelson noted that the city of Orlando is different from the state of Florida when it comes to Disney.
"Orlando is not Florida," Adelson said. “We pride ourselves on being inclusive and collaborative and things like that because we’re a melting pot. That’s what makes us who we are.”
Gaming companies operating in Orlando include Electronic Arts, Iron Galaxy, 302 Interactive, Echo Interaction, Unity and GameSim. In artificial intelligence, these companies include Checkr, SoarTech, Kore.ai, Care.ai, MindSphere and AdventHealth . In 3D Reconstruction, including CREOL, UCF School of Optics and Photonics
Unity Project
The Orlando Economic Partnership, the region’s economic development organization, is working with Unity to create a digital twin for the 800-square-mile metropolitan area. Use new 3D technology to map out everything from infrastructure to real estate to talent availability and more.
Unity renderings will capture 3D scans of building exteriors and interiors and will help analyze grid expansion, traffic flows, traffic light times. and climate change.
People in Orlando also participated in ’s Nasdaq Bell Ringing in the Metaverse last week by Journey’s chief metaverse officer, futurist Cathy Hackl4Hackl is working with the city to help. Solidifying its reputation in the virtual world, and ringing bells happening in both the physical stock exchange building and the virtual world
“I see everything from the crypto-focused South Florida area all the way to Orlando, the simulation capital of the world, becoming your focus. "one of the Metaverse and Web3 innovation corridors," Hackel said.
Orlando is home to Full Sail University, a technology and electronics university that helps cultivate much of the region's talent.Overall, 550,000 college students live here Within a 100-mile radius of Orlando. While Orlando is focused on science and innovation, nearby Miami is becoming a cryptocurrency-focused city
“When you look at the building blocks that make up the Metaverse, it’s amazing. It’s presented right here,” Adelson said. "Miami can have blockchain and cryptocurrencies. They've done a good job of portraying themselves with it. But that's okay. MetaCenter is where the actual center of the Metaverse is created."
He noted that Orlando has the connections that connect the city and Miami’s high-speed rail means the region’s technology hubs are fully connected for collaborative purposes.
Of course, there are concerns that a malaise across the economy could trigger a tech slowdown. Adelson pointed out that more than $1 billion was invested in Orlando in the first four months of this year, with a large portion going to artificial intelligence, 3D simulation, optics and photonics.
Adelson acknowledged that many people in Orlando may not understand the Metaverse. But he said this was part of the activity surrounding MetaCenter.
"They feel like it's just a game and that's it. They don't know how much of it touches the metaverse, and when you peel back the layers, you see how it becomes a real thing in Orlando," Adelson said. "There are already a lot of industries around. We won't build new industries to handle the Metaverse. We've had these industries for a decade or more."
While the Metaverse may take 10 or 15 years to materialize, But Adelson doesn't mind that. He knows that a new generation may be needed to adapt to the changes brought about by the Metaverse. He looks at his 15-year-old son who has spent a lot of time in VR watching movies with friends, watching football games, and working on things in the Metaverse. Other things.
"We're seeing how new generations are starting to adapt," he said.
