OGC seeks Public Comment on charter for proposed Geo for Open Metaverse Domain Working Group

New OGC DWG will work on pieces of the Metaverse that pertain to geospatial and help the Location communities collaborate and contribute expertise to Open Standards based on FAIR data principles.

8 June 2022: The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) seeks public comment on the draft charter of the proposed OGC Geo for Open Metaverse Domain Working Group (Metaverse DWG). Comments are due by June 29, 2022.

The Metaverse is perhaps the ultimate distributed digital twin of the world. It has the potential to represent everything in the world alongside imagined spaces. The challenges to Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), technologists, artists, and society are huge, but the payoff is believed to be equally tremendous. The Metaverse is not a single thing but, like the internet, is a collection of platforms and technologies: a world of objects that can be navigated and interacted with.

Everything OGC does can be applied to the Metaverse. Our community can contribute expertise in 3D, Modeling & Simulation, Artificial Intelligence, streaming, Augmented and Virtual Realities, routing, mapping, and more – all at scale.

The OGC Metaverse DWG will work on pieces of the Metaverse that pertain to geospatial applications and Standards by developing Open Standards based on FAIR data principles (making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable). Given that the Metaverse will be an evolutionary development, the working group will identify both near- and long-term goals that will help ensure interoperability, FAIRness, and openness. Much of the Metaverse is already happening, so collaboration will be key to its success and will be a grounding principle of this OGC Domain Working Group.

3D geospatially anchored data is powering a revolution across a range of industries. This same data – currently relied upon for construction of the real world – is now driving the creation of virtual/digital worlds that will form parts of the Metaverse.

For the Metaverse to succeed, however, all digital and physical world information will have to work in concert at scale. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the shared future is FAIR and Open. OGC has always focused on interoperability and open Standards – both of which are key to ensuring an open Metaverse. Working together, we can have a positive impact on this future.

For a primer on the Metaverse and the role that OGC and the Geospatial Industry can play, see the blog post ‘The Metaverse is Geospatial’ on ogc.org.

Join OGC for a conversation about how our standards and innovations contribute to the metaverse - from real-time 3D, to digital twins, to Augmented Reality, GeoPose, and more. OGC’s 123rd Member Meeting (June 13-17, 2022, virtual and in-person in Madrid, Spain) will include a Special Session concerning the Metaverse on Monday, June 13 at midday CEST, with speakers from NVIDIA, Blackshark.ai, and more. Learn more and register at meet.ogc.org.

The Draft Geo for Open Metaverse Domain Working Group Charter is available for review and comment on the OGC Portal. Comments are due by June 29, 2022, and should be submitted via the method outlined on the OGC Geo for Open Metaverse Domain Working Group Draft Charter’s public comment request page.

About OGC

The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is a collective problem-solving community of experts from more than 500 businesses, government agencies, research organizations, and universities driven to make geospatial (location) information and services FAIR - Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable.

The global OGC Community engages in a mix of activities related to location-based technologies: developing consensus-based open standards and best-practice; collaborating on agile innovation initiatives; engaging in community meetings, events, and workshops; and more.

OGC's unique standards development process moves at the pace of innovation, with constant input from technology forecasting, practical prototyping, real-world testing, and community engagement.

OGC bridges disparate sectors, domains, and technology trends, and encourages the cross-pollination of ideas between different communities of practice to improve decision-making at all levels. OGC is committed to creating an inclusive and sustainable future.

Visit ogc.org for more info on our work.