Interoperability

Interoperability refers to systems exchanging information and putting it to use. A simple example of interoperability is a mouse connected to a computer: one mouse can be plugged into any number of computers, no matter what operating systems they run on, and start working right away.

When discussing the Metaverse, interoperability relates to the simplicity that information can be delivered and exchanged across virtual worlds and protocols. For example, you might own an item in one virtual world but would still be able to view it or utilize it in another. Another example would be having currency in one world and making purchases with it in another.

However, as these items are purely digital, they could take different forms across Metaverses. So, you may transform a chair into a bike when moving it from world to world.

Still, interoperability isn’t free in the Metaverse, from an engineering perspective. It needs the intentional buy-in of a world’s designers or a third-party entity connecting data between worlds (known as ‘bridges’).

Present interoperability examples include the MetaPortal and MetaKey, but many more are sure to emerge in the near future.