Disney Gets Patent for Metaverse Technology That Links to Reality With AR

Disney has been approved for a patent to enter the metaverse world and make interactive, personalized attractions for theme park visitors, according to a Sunday (Jan. 9) report from Cointelegraph.

The company was approved for a “virtual-world simulator in a real-world venue” patent on Dec. 28, 2021. The tech would come with headset-free augmented reality (AR) attractions at the entertainment giant’s theme parks.

The tech would work through tracking visitors on their mobile phones, along with generating and projecting personalized 3D effects on various objects in the park.

The metaverse, as these kinds of virtual worlds have been called, has usually been conceived as existing online — though Disney’s imagined version would bring it to the physical world. It’s not the first time Disney has shown an interest — there was indications from CEO Bob Chapek recently, too.

“We’ll be able to connect the physical and digital worlds even more closely, allowing for storytelling, without boundaries in our own Disney Metaverse,” Chapek said.

He isn’t the only one. MGM Resorts chief strategy officer Tilak Mandadi said in a 2020 LinkedIn piece that the company also set its sights on blending the digital and physical worlds.

“As we look to the future, connected park experiences that transcend the physical and digital barrier and unlock new layers of storytelling are a very exciting focus of ours,” Mandadi wrote at the time, adding that the experiences are “perennial” and that while they’re unique to the person, they’re also “social and connected.”

PYMNTS writes that Samsung is another new entry to the metaverse, rolling out 837X, its virtual version of the New York City experience center. The company said this would come along with “quests and live music events.”

See also: Samsung Welcomes Users to Its Metaverse at CES 2022

“To see it for yourself, you’ll first enter Decentraland through your desktop browser,” Samsung said. “It’s a blockchain-powered virtual space, where you can buy and sell exclusive digital assets, like land and wearables.”

Users will be able to play games and collect things, and a virtual guide will take them to several interior spaces where they’ll be able to go on quests and highlight sustainability, customization and connectivity. Users will also be able to earn things like badges and wearables.