Digitising Durban for looming Metaverse

KYLE VENKTESS

A LOCAL company is taking the authentic Durban experience to anyone in the world – from the comfort of their couch.

While virtual reality (VR) has been a buzzword in the tech industry for several years, the technology has sprung into the spotlight in recent months, given that it is set to become a strong component of the looming digital world – through the Metaverse.

A local software company, Virtual Reality Durban, has already begun digitising the city by offering authentic local experiences through the power of VR.

Virtual Reality Durban is the brainchild of a VR veteran with over 20 years of industry experience, Gerald Ferreira, who told Network the technology is set to disrupt various industries by allowing the simulation of real scenarios.

“In theory, VR can simulate industries such as manufacturing, where automation machines can be built and trialled without having to be built physically. Faults can be stumbled upon so engineers can skip this process.”

To date, Virtual Reality Durban has digitally recreated highlights of the province, including the Reed dance, a zipline tour in the Drakensberg, a surfing experience on one of the city’s beaches and an aerial tour of King Shaka International Airport.

FACTS AND FIGURES

How VR works

While still in its infancy, the versatility of VR paves a bright future for the adoption of the technology, with scores of applications set to disrupt various industries. At present, the technology is very simple, with users being able to experience VR via smartphone by either scrolling through the virtual layout using their fingertips or through motion by moving the device around in a room. VR users can then view virtual recreations of landscapes and experiences like those offered by Virtual Reality Durban. More advanced use of the technology is experienced through VR headsets for smartphones and gaming, which form the initial ways VR will take users into the Metaverse.

VR and the Metaverse

Set to be the next step in the evolution of social networking, the Metaverse is being strongly driven by the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp – Meta. While a fairly new concept, a study into the country’s current social networking trends – the SA Social Media Landscape Report 2022 by Ornico Group and World Wide Worx – reported that in 2021, 16.1% of adult South Africans accessed some form of a “metaverse” or virtual world, with gaming being the main driver.

Potential in VR

With the Metaverse set to bolster the use of VR, its applications are already being applied to various industries. Ronald Ravel, South Africa B2B director at laptop manufacturer Dynabook, said the future manufacturing businesses could expect to see efficiency gains over the next five years. “With assisted/augmented (AR) and VR technologies making inroads into the market, manufacturers are finding ways of incorporating it into their everyday practices,” Ravel said.