Motion tracking & Cybernetics: A part of Metaverse which will see a huge uptick

Metaverse has been the long awaited savior and quintessential trend of the decade, if we were to marry two chains of thoughts – first, that today everyone has some form of digital identity or an avatar/representation of themselves in a digital form and secondly, we want our disruptions/ innovations to have ‘convenience’ as the paramount factor in terms of our social interactions and platforms, shopping and grocery buying experiences, consuming content, being a part of immersive experience etc. Metaverse holds a huge potential in the future as there is a lot of grey area to be uncovered with this technology. The long-term implications and potential of Metaverse have not even scratched the surface so far.

There are different variables that have been discussed impacting Metaverse; namely the role of 5G, Data and Cloud, Internet of things & connected devices, AR & VR etc. however the role of Motion tracking and Cybernetics has scarcely been explored in reference to Metaverse.

 Metaverse would see lot of light in e-sport and the gaming industry. As per Gartner, the Global funding for AR/VR, the bedrock of Metaverse is expected to rise from $12 Billion in 2020 to $72.8 billion in 2024, owing to Gaming, retail, arts, healthcare and other high=demand Metaverse based industries. Gaming heavily relies on various aspects of tech such as Motion tracking, AI, AR/VR and Cybernetics to give its users the best possible gaming experience.

As per Mordor Intelligence, the global 3D motion capture market was valued at USD 157.8 million in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 311.12 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 12.12% over the forecast period. Motion tracking is the technological equivalent of recording the process/ movement of an object/people/ action being completed. Match moving, an important concept in Motion tracking allows the manipulation of graphics, videos and cinematic nuances to create a vibrant imagery/movie. Motion tracking in its advanced form also leverages AI, predictive analysis and data analytics to anticipate a wide range of movements and to incorporate a future-response using AI. Off-late Motion tracking hasn’t evolved to such an extent to explore the possibilities on a molecular scale, however, with the amalgamation of Motion tracking with Metaverse, motion tracking will be a huge factor in the future-ready industries. In addition to Gaming, Esport, Motion tracking is also heavily utilized by industries such as Healthcare, Sports, Entertainment, Automotive, Robotics etc.

Cybernetics one of the finest work-around models in  AI, ML and predictive analysis studies the systems/structures, possibilities and constraints of complex mechanisms including robotics and creates an auto-pilot mechanism with minimum to little intervention from a human. Cybernetics and AI are different ways of thinking about intelligent systems or systems that can act toward reaching a goal. AI is primarily concerned with making computers mimic intelligent behavior based on stored representations of the world. Cybernetics broadly involves the study of how systems govern themselves and act toward goals based on responsefrom the environment. These systems are not just computational; they include biological (maintaining body temperature), mechanical (governing the speed of an engine), social (managing a large workforce), and economic (regulating a national economy) systems. As per a recent North American military report, the Global military AI and Cybernetics size are estimated to reach $10 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 19.3%. That’s just one sector where Cybernetics plays an important role- developing military grade bots, hardware and allied products. Another great example of Cybernetics operational in our daily lives is that of the Auto-pilot mode in aircraft, connected and autonomous driving vehicles. The automotive industry has gained a huge advantage with the innovations and deployment of high-quality Cybernetics models.

Metaverse as a concept is relatively new, however, holds a lot of similarities with Cybernetics in terms of the potential they both hold in creating a 360-degree digital world for their users. Cybernetics will play a deeper and more subliminal role in the Metaverse ecosystem development. For instance, take the most operational input devices for Metaverse such as headsets, VR sets, Wearables, joysticks etc. these would need constant feedback on improvement of bugs and Cybernetics is one of the best placed platforms to course-correct and provide timely updates. Secondly, Metaverse on the concept of removing barriers between human sensory-motor systems and digital objects. With predictive analysis and pathways developed from Cybernetics, users can connect to their digital avatars seamlessly and have a more immersive experience.

The Metaverse is in its infancy and while there may be direct variables linked to the development and evolution of Metaverse such as AR/VR, 5G/6G/ Edge Computing etc., the role of Motion tracking & Cybernetics is much more of a deeper connect. With time and evolution, this will start to have clear demarcations.  

The author is Sairam Vedam, CMO, Cigniti Technologies