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10 n e w h a v e n B I Z | A p r i l 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m By Matthew Broderick W hile no NBA records were broken nor player milestones reached during the Brooklyn Net vs. New Orleans Pelicans matchup on Jan. 15, the game may prove to be historically significant. e Nets became the first American sports franchise to feature a live game in the metaverse. e immersive virtual experience was powered by 100 high- resolution cameras surrounding the team's home court that were fed into a viewpoint system that created and streamed 3D renderings of the live on- court action within seconds. "Sports and athletics are going to see a lot of growth in the metaverse," said Melanie Subin, director of consulting for Future Today Institute, a strategic foresight firm that helps organizations prepare for uncertainty and complex futures. "Virtual reality [VR] and augmented reality [AR] enable fans to experience a live event up close and they can get [player] information overlaid onto that experience like game stats. Sports are a natural area of application [of these technologies]." e metaverse may well be the next frontier for professional sports — and beyond, transforming industries from retail and manufacturing to health care. In fact, according to projections from market research firm Reports and Data, the global metaverse market is expected to grow annually by more than 44 percent and reach $872 billion in 2028. And major national brands are preparing for life in the metaverse, including Nike, Walmart and McDonald's, which in February filed multiple trademark applications, including one to operate a virtual online restaurant that would feature real-world home delivery. ese technologies are playing a bigger role here in Connecticut, said Michelle Cote, director of Launc[H] artford, one of the state's core innovation hubs. "Alongside the buzz about the metaverse and how it will change life as we know it, we are seeing more augmented and virtual reality in the innovation strategies of our [state's] anchor industries today," Cote said. In November, Launc[H]artford hosted an online chat with Sheryl Sandberg, chief operating officer of Meta, Facebook's parent company. "It was enlightening and we're looking forward to expanding the depth of [technology] expertise in the region and state," Cote said. Virtual connections ese interactive virtual worlds, long a part of online gaming communities like Fortnite, have become mainstream. "ere is no one metaverse," said Diana Doukas, U.S. policy programs manager of economic impact for Meta. "It's a lot of interconnected interactive spaces [like the internet] and it's really taking our current experience of using the internet and making it more immersive." Tech giants like Meta are fueling the growth of this transition; Meta alone is investing more than $10 billion as it seeks to shi from a social media to a metaverse company. Meta's first foray into the metaverse is Horizon Workrooms, a virtual conference room experience that includes mixed reality desk and keyboard tracking, remote desktop streaming and Oculus avatars for users to collaborate on a shared whiteboard, documents or social media, regardless of physical distance. at technology, said Doukas, will help ever-increasing remote workforces to connect. Bloomfield health insurer Cigna Corp., for example, is using Oculus headsets to conduct meetings in the metaverse, making it easier for employees to collaborate whether they are in the office or working remotely. Small businesses are starting to use virtual and augmented reality to connect with customers anywhere, Doukas noted. "As a small business [owner], you can meet with customers across the country or the globe, and use avatars to [offer an] experience of what your business has to offer." For instance, using augmented reality, a customer can see what a new piece of furniture would look like in an actual room. In January, Get Joy, a Norwalk-based online dog food retailer announced it Rise Of e Metaverse Immersive virtual, augmented realities offer the next frontier for businesses, consumers (Above) A Cigna employee uses an Oculus virtual reality headset during a staff meeting. (Right) A view of a Cigna staff meeting taking place in the metaverse. IMAGE | CONTRIBUTED PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Melanie Subin

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