MAP2EARN: Bringing Physical and Virtual Spaces Together
Among the various strategies for building the metaverse, one is gaining ground. That means mapping the real world to create a mirror world and building augmented reality experiences on top of it.
Geolocation-based 3D maps are the fundamental components of a metaverse that unites the real and virtual worlds. We need photographs of the locations in question in order to construct these maps. We have a variety of options for creating that image.
We can, for instance, employ a GPS-based technique. GPS, on the other hand, does not function at all indoors, and the accuracy it provides outdoors is not sufficient for the majority of immersive experiences. An AR application can only be as accurate as the device’s internal GPS, which is accurate to within 4.9 meters under the open sky for many smartphones. The accuracy decreases if a building is nearby.
Experiences in augmented reality necessitate centimeter-level precision. To produce high-quality 3D maps, we require additional methods.
What is Map2Earn?
Using videos or images directly created by users using their smartphones and rewarding them for doing so would be a more plausible strategy. To put it another way, users map to earn while businesses crowdsource the creation of maps.
Take the well-known augmented reality game Pokemon Go, in which players all over the world suggest real-world locations where they think it would be fun to play. The images of those locations that gamers submit are then used to create the game’s maps.
A new earning mechanism based on a similar strategy is currently being spearheaded by OVER, a decentralized AR metaverse infrastructure company. Its name is Map2Earn, and it rewards users for generating 3D map imagery.
How do Users make Money using the Map2Earn mechanism?
Users, also known as mappers, use smartphones to scan physical locations to provide the raw data needed to create maps. Based on this raw data, the app creates 3D maps and mints them as NFTs. In other words, the maps belong to users. As a result, they are able to trade them on the OVER NFT marketplace and other NFT marketplaces.
Direct open-to-buy orders for the purchase of 3D maps will soon be made possible through the implementation of an incentive program by OVER.
How does Map2Earn work with OVER?
The OVER app helps the mapper during the capture process, which takes about 5 minutes per 300 square meters of typical OVER land. The three assets that follow are the result of this procedure.
- A 3D point cloud of the location The capture guide gives the mapper a precise visual reference to the 3D structure of the actual location where the mapper wants to incorporate the augmented reality experience.
- Observer’s location based on a relocalization algorithm The OVER app uses a 20cm-accurate relocalization algorithm to locate the observer of the augmented reality experience based on the 3D point cloud of the location. Delivering a coherent experience necessitates this.
- The digital twin of the mapped area The app can also create a digital twin in order to replicate the simulation of the mapped location using a neural radiance fields (NeRF) algorithm. The app currently provides a virtual drone flight over the mapped area via this feature. Users will be able to experience geolocalized AR content even from afar in the future through a free location exploration.
https://www.overthereality.ai/download-the-over-app/
Map2Earn models may have numerous beneficial effects on the metaverse ecosystem as a whole. Similar to how blockchain games and fitness applications benefited from the Play2Earn and Move2Earn models, it has the potential to support metaverse projects.
Blockchain technology will make it possible for users to participate in immersive augmented reality experiences and earn rewards. Metaverse businesses will also use high-quality 3D maps generated by their communities to enhance their applications.
