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Forecasting change in military technology, 2020-2040

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Michael O’Hanlon forecasts likely changes in defense technology over the period between 2020-2040.

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Space tourism: Research recommendations for the future of the industry and perspectives of potential participants

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This paper has two objectives. Firstly, it proposes a set of research dimensions for the further investigation of the emerging space tourism industry …

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Space Tourism Market Size & Growth Report, 2022 - 2030

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The global space tourism market size was valued at USD 598 million in 2021. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 37.1% from 2022 to 2030

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People can't see through walls but the Army wants to pioneer next-level technology that will help soldiers do exactly that-with the added bonus of instantaneously offering advanced, penetrating insights that go far beyond what meets the eye.

According to a recent request for information, the Army is accepting white papers to identify commercially available technologies that could help spur its development of a "sense through the wall system." In the Army's ideal world, that system would distinguish for soldiers exactly what-and precisely who-is on the other side of the solid structures before them.

"The intent of this market survey is to identify potential man-portable systems that give the Soldier the ability to detect, identify, and monitor persons, animals, and materials behind multi-leveled obstruction(s) from a long standoff range," officials wrote in the special notice. "The sensor system will also be able to map the structure and detect hidden rooms, passages, alcoves, caches, etc. including those underground."

This is neither the government's or military branch's first attempt to produce advanced technologies with see-through capabilities, but the contents of the solicitation indicate that what insiders aim to create now was once only imaginable in science fiction. According to the RFI, insiders want a system and devices that will support soldiers as they make critical life-or-death decisions. The technology would give them the ability to "track, locate, isolate, range, and count personnel and animals in a building or structure." It would also need to classify whether people on the inside are sitting or standing, and simultaneously confirm whether they are a "friend [or] foe" by instantaneously tapping into their biometric data. Further, soldiers would also rely on it to determine whether there are any traps, explosives or hidden weapons within the structures and collect data that can be used to create 3D maps of the buildings in question.

The system will also need to penetrate through dense foliage, Army said, and all of the information it collects will need to be accessible by soldiers through wireless tablets.

"RFIs should address what the path forward is for the U.S. Army to meet this goal," officials wrote.

The Army's Special Operations Forces, Combat Capability Development Command, Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate, and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, or C5ISR, are collaborating on the project.

The response date is set for March 11.

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The Army Wants Technology that Can See Through Walls-and Identify People on the Other Side

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People can't see through walls but the Army wants to pioneer next-level technology that will help soldiers do exactly that-with the added bonus of instantaneously offering advanced, penetrating insights that go far beyond what meets the eye.

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The U.S.-China competition and private sector innovation is driving the rapid development of military technology. Drones, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, lasers and robotics will all become much more commonplace.

The F-35B Lightning II combat aircraft shows its vertical lift fan. Such vehicles will be in steep demand as militaries require more adaptive air-dominance solutions.

In a nutshell

China, the U.S. and the private sector are driving military tech advancements

The developments will greatly broaden the scope of military capability

The U.S. and China will continue to set the pace of global military competition

There are two forces that will drive how emerging technology affects future military competition. The first is the competition between China and the United States. Their great power rivalry will set the pace of adoption and proliferation of advanced technologies employed for coercive military action.

The second is the global private sector industrial and services base, not just - or even primarily - the defense industry. This includes advanced manufacturing companies, software and services platforms, the space industry and commercial sources of new products, services and innovations.

These developments will probably not overturn the military balance in the near term, but they will broaden when, where and how armed forces fight. The changes that will have the biggest impact are those that affect the great power competition, including the capacity to operate across land, sea, air and space, as well as gain information dominance and project power.

Domain warfare

Land warfare: To be able to operate on land, militaries will need to improve their air defense. The rapid proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles - drones - is the most pressing factor driving this requirement. The global manufacturing base for drones continues to expand rapidly and their deployment will soon become ubiquitous. Moreover, nations are gaining greater access to cruise and ballistic missile technology, as well as advanced aircraft. Countries' ability to field these assets is outpacing armed forces' means of defending against them.

Directed-energy weapons systems will be deployed for anti-drone operations.

One of the areas that will develop most rapidly is short-range air defense, including anti-drone systems. Directed-energy weapons systems will be deployed for these purposes, as will advanced electromagnetic jammers and next-generation sensors. The United States, for example, is planning to mount laser weapons on its Stryker armored vehicles.

Another significant area prime for innovation is survivable, energy-efficient, land-transport and fighting vehicles. Commercial innovations, including fuel cells, batteries, autonomous vehicles, advanced materials, nanotechnologies and robotics will largely drive progress in this space. The U.S. Army, for instance, is developing its next-generation combat vehicle.

Naval warfare: Robotics and drone technology are driving adoption of more lightly manned, optionally manned and unmanned surface and subsurface combat vehicles, as well as operations that pair manned and unmanned systems.

These developments are fueled in part by the significance of maritime operations in the great power competition, the proliferation of anti-access weapons and the need to operate at extended ranges, potentially from more austere bases.

Advancements are likely to materialize through innovations that overcome the obstacles that have long frustrated the deployment of robust, dependable, and survivable military platforms. Such challenges include power generation, secure communications, and engineering systems capable of operating under the harsh conditions of prolonged deployments at sea or under the sea.

Turkey shows off what it is calling the world's first laser-armed drone, which can neutralize explosive elements with a laser from a distance. Drones and lasers are both becoming more common battlefield technologies.

China, for example, has already demonstrated its ability to field underwater unmanned vehicle " swarm technology," capable of managing and coordinating multiple vehicles at the same time. China has also deployed sophisticated underwater drones including the Qianlong III and Haiyan glider.

Air warfare: Demand for vertical lift aircraft, which can combine the capabilities of airplanes and helicopters, is rising dramatically for several reasons. For one, big advances are being made in the commercial sector. Meanwhile, militaries increasingly need more versatile systems that can operate in contested airspace and operate from austere bases with limited logistical support.

The demand for vertical lift reflects the changing nature of the great power competition as well. As the U.S. and China develop their strategic and conventional deterrence against each other, competition will shift to proxy competitions that will require more adaptive support, as well as air-dominance solutions better suited to advanced vertical lift systems. There is some evidence, for example, that China is developing tiltrotor helicopters for its aircraft carriers.

There are two reasons why technological developments will accelerate military competition in space. One is the rapid expansion of the space industry: costs of launch vehicles are falling, while services for the sector are growing. Powers great and small will leverage the commercial space sector for military purposes.

Hypersonic vehicles will provide unprecedented means to place assets in space.

The second factor driving technology will be the race to develop hypersonic vehicles (traveling five times the speed of sound). These capabilities will provide an unprecedented means to place assets in space quickly and deploy them anywhere in the world. China and the U.S., as well as Russia and others, are rapidly pursuing the development of deployable military systems. All of these countries will have operational capabilities very soon.

Information dominance

Information is the nuclear weapon of the 21st century. Both China and the U.S. build their military operational concepts around dominating the accumulation and exploitation of data, as well as developing measures to disrupt adversaries from operating in the information domain.

A constellation of technologies will fuel this competition. The Internet of Things is flooding the world with digital devices that are collecting and distributing data. 5G, 6G and other telecom systems are dramatically expanding abilities to move data and shift computer-processing power closer to the sources of that data. Artificial intelligence (AI, mainly machine-learning technology) is delivering significant new capabilities for processing data. Quantum computing holds out the possibility for unprecedented advancements in computer processing and is forcing institutions to rethink cybersecurity practices.

While China depends on civil-military fusion, the U.S. relies on private-sector innovation and working with allies.

China and the U.S. have very different strategies for achieving information dominance. China relies on civil-military fusion - having the authority to access every aspect of Chinese national power, including the military, academic and commercial sectors - as well as central planning focused on establishing dominance in telecommunications, AI and quantum computing. The U.S. relies more on private sector innovation and cooperation and joint-effort networking with allies.

Power projection

Global competition requires the means to project military power globally. Both the U.S. and China are reshaping and developing their global force posture to ensure access for their forces into any theater, and the ability to counter the other. This will become increasingly evident in both the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic. Both countries will pursue technologies that advance their means to achieve these ends.

Technologies that give weapons long-range precision will unquestionably be part of that mix. The U.S. Army, for example, is developing land-based artillery with a range of up to 1,000 miles. It will also likely field a new generation of sea-to-shore and shore-to-sea missiles soon.

Scenarios

The U.S. and China are the largest economies in the world. They will be the most aggressive and most capable of using commercial technologies to influence these key areas of competition in the near term. They will do so because both will see these developments as crucial to their national security.

In the near term, this will likely mean that even as other nations seek to develop these military capabilities, the global military balance will remain relatively stable. The U.S. and China will continue to set the pace of global military competition.

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The U.S.-China competition and private sector innovation is driving the rapid development of military technology. Drones, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, lasers and robotics will all become much more commonplace. China, the U.S. and the private sector are driving military tech advancements The developments will greatly broaden the scope of military capability The U.S.

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Maintaining Military
Advantage Through Science and
Technology Investment

Enhancing American security requires, first and foremost, developing and maintaining a strong defense capability of forces ready to fight.

A National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement, 1995

National defense is fundamental to the President's National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement. In pursuing its military strategy, the Administration faces the dual challenge of readying U.S. forces to address a more diverse set of threats while at the same time downsizing and restructuring our forces to respond to the defense needs of the 21st century. The Administration has launched a series of initiatives designed to capture and apply science and technology to respond to these challenges, focusing on the following objectives: supporting our military forces in the range of missions they can be assigned, reducing acquisition costs, and nurturing a healthy national science and technology infrastructure to spawn innovation and the vital industrial capacity to capitalize on it.

Our defense science and technology investment enables us to counter military threats and to overcome any advantages that adversaries may seek. It also expands the military options available to policymakers, including options other than warfare in pursuing the objectives of promoting stability and preventing conflict. Science and technology help to counter special threats such as terrorism that cannot be met by conventional warfighting forces, and they underpin the intelligence capabilities necessary to assess the dangers our nation faces. The U.S. military also relies on science and technology to make our advanced military systems more affordable through their entire life cycle. And by maintaining a close dialogue with the warfighters, the defense S&T community not only remains sensitive to user needs but also sensitizes the user to the possibilities that technology offers for responding to evolving threats.

U.S. military capabilities not only protect the United States and its citizens from direct threats, they also help maintain peace and stability in regions critical to U.S. interests and underwrite U.S. defense commitments around the world. Maintaining a strong defense capability means that the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Department of Defense more broadly, must be prepared to conduct the following kinds of missions, as described in the President's national security strategy:

Deterring and defeating aggression in major regional conflicts. U.S. forces must be capable of offsetting the military power of regional states with interests opposed to those of the United States and its allies. To do this, the United States must be able to deter and, if necessary, defeat aggression, in concert with regional allies, by projecting and sustaining U.S. power in two major regional conflicts that occur nearly simultaneously.

Providing credible overseas presence. Some U.S. forces must be forward deployed or stationed in key overseas regions in peacetime. These deployments contribute to a more stable and secure international environment by demonstrating U.S. commitment, deterring aggression, and underwriting important bilateral and multilateral security relationships. Forward stationing and periodic deployments also permit U.S. forces to gain familiarity with overseas operating environments, promote joint and combined training among friendly forces, improve interoperability with friendly forces throughout the world, and respond in a timely manner to crises.

Conducting contingency operations. The United States must be prepared to undertake a wide range of contingency operations in support of U.S. interests. These operations include smaller-scale combat operations, multilateral peace operations, noncombatant evacuations, counterterrorism activities, and humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

Countering weapons of mass destruction. While the United States is redoubling its efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and associated missile delivery systems, we must at the same time improve our military capabilities to deter and prevent the effective use of these weapons. We are pursuing this objective by sustaining adequate retaliatory capabilities and by increasing our capabilities to defend against weapons of mass destruction, to locate and neutralize or destroy them before they are used during a conflict, and to fight in an environment in which such weapons have been used.

Finally, to meet all these requirements successfully, U.S. forces must be capable of responding quickly and operating effectively across a wide range of environments. That is, they must be ready to fight. Such high combat readiness demands well qualified and motivated people; adequate amounts of modern, well-maintained equipment; realistic training; strategic mobility; and sufficient support and sustainment capabilities.

The science and technology programs that support our military forces are conducted primarily by the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and the Intelligence Community-with contributions from many other Federal agencies. The following strategy elements guide our overall science and technology investment:

Maintain technological superiority in warfighting equipment. Technological superiority underpins our national military strategy, allowing us to field the most potent military forces by making best use of our resources, both economic and human. It is essential for the United States to maintain superiority in those technologies of critical importance to our security.

Provide technical solutions to achieve the Future Joint Warfighting Capabilities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff have identified the warfighting capabilities most needed by our military in the future (seeFuture Joint Warfighting Capabilities"). Our S&T investment must be aimed at securing these needed capabilities.

Balance basic research and applied technology in pursuing technological advances. Today's basic research lays the foundation for tomorrow's innovative development. To make possible the greatest range of options and avoid technological surprise, we must apply resources broadly at the basic research level and make further investment decisions as emerging technologies reveal the most promising payoff areas.

Incorporate affordability as a design parameter. The cost of advanced technology systems must not be allowed to spiral upward uncontrolled. Affordability must be integrated into the design of military systems from the beginning, and improvements must be incorporated throughout their life cycle with the integration of new technology.

The Defense Department science and technology program is organized to support the missions described in the National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement. It is responsive to the warfighting requirements articulated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as to the mission requirements of the military departments. The Director of Defense Research and Engineering is responsible for the direction, overall quality, and content of the Department of Defense science and technology program.

Basic Research Fields of Inquiry

The Department of Defense S&T program is organized into three categories: basic research, exploratory development, and advanced technology development. Basic research is the element of the S&T program that seeks to increase knowledge and understanding of science. It is the foundation on which future technological superiority is based. Twelve fields of inquiry, listed in the box at top right, compose the Defense Department's basic research program. The two other components, exploratory development and advanced technology development, make up the Defense technology program. This program is centered around the 19 technology areas listed in the box at lower right. The exploratory development program provides proof-of-concept experiments and evaluations built around models and laboratory experiments, while the advanced technology development program evaluates the effectiveness of technological advances in providing required military capabilities. In total, the three components that make up the program are highly interrelated, as sharp distinctions between research and development phases no longer apply.

Technology Areas for Exploratory
Development and Advanced
TechnologyDevelopment

Aerospace Propulsion and Power
Air Vehicles and Space Vehicles
Battlespace Environments
Biomedical Applicationss
Chemical and Biological Defense
Individual Survivability and Sustainability
Command, Control, and Communications
Computing and Software
Conventional Weapons
Electronics
Electronic Warfare and Directed Energy Weapons
Environmental Quality and Civil Engineering
Human Systems Interface
Manufacturing Science and Technology
Manpower, Personnel, and Training
Materials, Processes, and Structures
Modeling and Simulation
Sensors
Surface/Under Surface Vehicles and Ground Vehicles

The defense science and technology program is planned and conducted by the military services and Defense agencies. The Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force train and equip the military forces and use the S&T program to provide warfighting options for their service components. The defense agencies are responsible for specified cross-service aspects of the overall program and execute designated programs in support of national security objectives. The Advanced Research Projects Agency is charged with seeking breakthrough technology and with investing in technologies that are referred to as "dual use" because they have both defense and commercial applications. The Director of Defense Research and Engineering, in collaboration with the military departments and other Defense agencies, prepares the Defense Science and Technology Strategy and a technology plan which describes the focus and content of the overall Defense technology effort, including goals, objectives, and schedules.

Information technology, sensors, and modeling and simulation are high priority S&T programs in the Department of Defense. Information technology and sensors have the potential to dramatically improve all aspects of future military capabilities, while modeling and simulation have already made major contributions to training, readiness, weapons design, and acquisition management. Together, these technologies can significantly reduce combat losses in lives and equipment.

Counterproliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Information technologies have changed the battlefield. They enable better performance of current platforms, weapons, sensors, and people. Today, electronics and software add capability to almost every complex system. Information technologies are the basis for continual improvements in communications; intelligence gathering, analysis, and distribution; precision strike capability; platform control; sensor data processing; and human performance. Our troops depend on accurate and timely battlefield information. The ability to collect, integrate, analyze, and deliver this information efficiently and rapidly is critical to battlefield advantage. And because of the amount of tactical information available, a principal challenge is processing the data into meaningful forms for battlefield decisionmaking.

Beyond the battlefield, the management of enormous amounts of data related to logistic support is an increasingly important and demanding requirement. There is often too much administrative overhead associated with ensuring that equipment and supplies are on hand. Information technology programs offer the means to significantly reduce overhead and enhance efficiency by accounting for supplies via automated sensor and computer links. We are applying advanced computer software and systems and communication technology to the task of rapidly sorting through large quantities of data and presenting logistic specialists with information in ways that permit efficient operations and reduced errors. Technology is also needed to help ensure that no enemy can disrupt the information systems on which we depend.

We seek to preserve an information advantage over the adversary in all conflicts. Military forces need 24-hour all-weather surveillance. They need the ability to see through foliage and camouflage, under water, and through the earth's surface. They need the ability to track difficult targets such as cruise, antiship, and ballistic missiles as well as quiet submarines. They need the means to positively distinguish friend from foe in combat. The military also needs to know if and where weapons of mass destruction are being produced and in what quantity.

Our investment in sensor technologies is focused on providing these capabilities. The sensor technology program is broadly based. The United States invests in radar sensors that can detect ground targets concealed by foliage and camouflage; advanced acoustic, magnetic, and laser sensors to detect and locate submarines and mines in shallow water; and sensor technologies that might support detection of buried structures and mines.

Challenging requirements for sensors to aid in countering weapons of mass destruction must be met. First, the United States needs to be aware of the existence of facilities capable of creating nuclear, biological, or chemical materials. Second, the United States needs to monitor-typically at long distances-the output of such facilities and then track the movement and stockpiling of materials. Third, the United States needs better sensors to detect and identify the attributes of chemical and biological agents when released in the atmosphere or water. Last, the United States requires more accurate wideband radars, multispectral electro-optical sensors, and laser radars to detect ballistic missile launch, to target both cruise and ballistic missiles, and to discriminate missiles and reentry vehicles from chaff. Each of these priority needs is addressed in the President's 1996 budget.

Future Joint Warfighting Capabilities

To maintain near perfect real-time knowledge of the enemy and communicate that to all forces in near-real time.

To engage regional forces promptly in decisive combat, on a global basis.

To employ a range of capabilities more suitable to actions at the lower end of the full range of military operations which allow achievement of military objectives with minimum casualties and collateral damage.

To control the use of space.

To counter the threat of weapons of mass destruction and future ballistic and cruise missiles to the continental United States and deployed forces.

A battlefield sensor is part of a larger system. It must perform within the constraints of that system. It is particularly stressing where there is a requirement for a very rapid military reaction to a sensed input; for example, to detect and target a closing sea-skimming missile, to detect and target a ballistic missile during boost phase, and to perform quick friend versus foe identification. The Defense S&T program seeks both incremental enhancements and breakthroughs in this area.

Modeling and simulation are powerful tools with myriad high payoff applications. We are using them in training, planning, and the employment of our forces. They also offer a cost-effective means of enhancing readiness. In addition, we are using modeling and simulation to expand the range of alternatives evaluated during concept formulation and as an aid to planning and setting priorities for the Defense Department's S&T investment. Modeling and simulation technology can augment the testing and evaluation of systems and hasten manufacturing with reduced cost. Simulations can be the basis for planning and decision aids to stretch the ability of commanders to train, to plan, and to employ their forces.

Information Technologies To Ready Our Forces-
Battlefield Digitization Technologies

Challenges remain in the areas of virtual reality; use of extant communications; linking simulations to real-world exercises on live ranges; variable resolution of simulated entities; realistic semiautomated forces; validation that a simulation performs as specified; verification that a model or simulation sufficiently represents reality; and accreditation of a model or simulation as a suitable basis for exploring a particular issue.

The Defense S&T program will continue to be broad-based, spanning all defense-relevant sciences and technologies. The military services will continue to field robust programs in service-specific technologies: the Army in terrestrial science and armor materials; the Navy in ocean geophysics and acoustic signature analysis; and the Air Force in atmospheric physics and aerospace vehicles and propulsion systems.

Science and Technology To Combat Terrorism

A Department of Energy-developed nonintrusive detection system for chemical agents was successfully used by the U.S. Army during a recent excavation in Washington, D.C., of sealed World War I-era canisters containing chemical substances originally intended for military purposes.

A detection agent for plastic explosives was developed and tested, an important step in support of the international Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection.

A portable briefcase-size X-ray system has been developed and is going into production for use in identifying potential explosives.

To reduce the global nuclear danger, the United States and Russia are implementing unprecedented arms reduction agreements by rapidly dismantling large portions of the U.S. and former Soviet nuclear arsenals. In 1992 the United States entered a moratorium on underground nuclear testing, halted the development and production of new nuclear weapons; and began closing portions of the weapons complex no longer needed to support the stockpile of the future. But the United States will continue to maintain nuclear forces of sufficient size and capability to deter nuclear attack against the United States or its friends and allies by any future adversary with access to strategic nuclear forces.

The Clinton Administration is committed to ensuring the safety, security, and reliability of our enduring nuclear weapons stockpile and has developed the science-based Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program to meet this national need. This technical program aims to maintain our high level of confidence in the safety and performance of our nuclear weapons as we pursue our arms control and nonproliferation objectives.

The Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program will give us the ability to respond to problems concerning the safety or reliability of the stockpile in a timely manner by maintaining our national expertise in nuclear weapons. The functions of the program are monitoring and evaluating the stockpile; modifying and repairing present weapon systems while ensuring full confidence in their operability; demonstrating manufacturing capability; certifying and recertifying the safety and performance of weapons; and most important, maintaining the competency base of nuclear weapons experts.

The new program changes the weapons stewardship paradigm from a large and expensive complex with excess capacity to a capability-based complex able to meet the requirements of the future stockpile. The nuclear weapons laboratories will assume more responsibility for production and remanufacturing capability in addition to their responsibilities for scientific understanding. Retaining the capability to rebuild our stockpile in a national emergency is an important condition to the consideration of further reduction in our active stockpile.

The Stockpile Stewardship and Management Program is intended to gain an improved scientific understanding of age-related changes that might affect system safety or performance. Improved understanding of warhead behavior over time will be obtained from enhanced computational and experimental capabilities. Enhancements essential to computational simulations of nuclear weapon performance include a thousand-fold increase in computational speed and data storage; three-dimensional modeling of components; and increases in spatial resolution of models. Improved experimental capabilities will come from high resolution, multiple-time, multiple-view hydrodynamic experiments (dynamic radiography) and pulsed-power and laser-based experiments.

Development of advanced manufacturing and materials technologies will eliminate the need for large facilities and infrastructure. We are developing advanced manufacturing concepts for a smaller, agile production complex to produce replacement weapons components in small batch sizes in a timely, affordable, and safe manner.

The advanced manufacturing and materials technologies to be developed include computer-generated solid models of products; electronic information about materials properties; predictive computer models of manufacturing processes; and sensor-based adaptive process control of manufacturing.

Other research is aimed at continued improvements in the surveillance of the effects of aging on nuclear weapons. This will provide our scientists and engineers a more solid basis for anticipating, identifying, and solving new problems or remedying defects that may occur in the enduring stockpile as it ages. Enhanced weapons and materials surveillance technologies include predictive models based on materials science; nondestructive evaluation technologies to examine weapon components; and sensors built into stockpile weapons to monitor indicators of aging.

Tritium is required for all weapons in the enduring U.S. stockpile. Recycling tritium from dismantled weapons will satisfy stockpile requirements into the next decade, at which time some means of tritium production will be required. The Department of Energy is currently considering several production options, including accelerator; advanced light-water reactor; and modular high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor technologies.

Meeting the expected needs of the future will require upgrades of existing facilities and construction of some new facilities that have applications in scientific research and in strengthening the scientific understanding of weapons physics. Facilities will also be needed to allow for flexible manufacturing of materials and replacement components.

The downsizing of the U.S. military force structure places a priority on the ability of the Intelligence Community to identify and understand emerging threats so that policymakers can rapidly develop effective responses. A critical aspect of this transformation has been a significant increase in reliance on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to provide decisionmakers and battle commanders dominant battlespace knowledge in a timely manner.

The strategic threat to U.S. national security has receded. However, this change in the strategic environment did not produce a more stable or less violent world. In fact, the change from a bipolar to a multipolar world increased the requirement for U.S. military forces to operate in nontraditional missions and continues to provide the potential for large-scale conventional force engagements.

The military strategy articulated by the Joint Chiefs of Staff addresses the full range of military operations on a global scale, and intelligence support to military operations must accommodate this diversity. Superior intelligence support during planning, deployment, sustainment, employment, and redeployment is needed to achieve national objectives and minimize risk to U.S. forces, our allies, and coalition partners.

Science and technology investments support advances in all phases of the intelligence process from collection through dissemination. Intelligence collection via human sources (HUMINT); from imaging satellites and aircraft (IMINT); from signals interception systems (SIGINT); from analysis of target signatures (MASINT); and from open-source reporting is integrated to support all-source analysis of potential crisis situations and active military engagements. These science and technology investments cover technologies ranging from information processing to new generations of sensors for specialized collection systems to high-performance algorithms for data processing and exploitation.

In the coming years, as a result of the global technology explosion, the Intelligence Community faces both threats and opportunities-threats resulting from the worldwide proliferation of information processing and communications technologies, and opportunities resulting from the rapid advances in these and other technologies in the commercial marketplace. Now more than ever, well-planned S&T investments will position the Intelligence Community to provide timely, comprehensive, and detailed intelligence support to the U.S. warfighter.

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Maintaining Military Advantage Through Science & Technology Investment

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Maintaining Military Advantage Through Science and Technology Investment Enhancing American security requires, first and foremost, developing and maintaining a strong defense capability of forces ready to fight. A National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement, 1995 National defense is fundamental to the President's National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement.

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27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021

Date Written: October 25, 2021

Abstract

The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance. Currently, what one might consider an innovation another might call an adaptation of an existing technology or tactic, or neither. To move forward, we survey dozens of existing studies and review articles for proposed definitions and examples of military innovation. We locate common and differentiating themes across a wide range of definitions and (at times) conflicting conceptual terminology. We then propose a new framework for thinking about military innovation that builds on existing research and suggests a path forward for future research. Finally, in an appendix, we demonstrate the plausibility of the framework applied to prominent cases.

Keywords: military innovation, military adaptation, international security, organizational change

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what is a military innovation and why it matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is A Military Innovation And Why It Matters

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27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021 Date Written: October 25, 2021 The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus.

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Introduction

Military innovation is an appealing strategy for the development of defence capability, especially for states with a highly educated population and larger aggressive neighbours. An actor with fewer resources can still hope to deter an aggressor or win an armed conflict by being more creative in the use of technology and methods of warfare. There are many definitions of the concept in previous research, some focusing on changes in doctrine, others on changes in structure or organisation (see, for example, Farrell & Terriff, 2002; Griffin, 2017; Grissom, 2006). Many focus on the innovative use of available resources in ongoing conflicts. We believe, however, it is appropriate to align this study with a broader understanding that includes peacetime efforts to counter future military challenges (see, for example, Rosen, 1991, p. 7), and therefore choose to understand military innovation as the development of a new capability integrated into a coherent military strategy. This new capability consists in turn of a new combination of military resources, including technologies of interest and conceptual ideas for its use.

States such as the Scandinavian countries put considerable effort and funds into defence research and development. In Sweden, the research and development budget for the Armed Forces is again being increased after decades of decline following the Cold War. This is understandable considering the current pace of technological development in materials, communication, information, autonomy, and so on, and the ways in which society adapts to these technologies. Rapid advances in materiel, combined with new uses and new vulnerabilities from increased societal complexity, offer new opportunities for military innovation. Indicators of the ambition to develop capability through military innovation include, for example, a state's efforts to produce long-term technology forecasts. These aim to support decision-making in exploiting technology advancements or the preparation of adequate protection to avoid technological surprise on the battlefield (Finkel, 2011; Handel, 1987).

While predicting technological development with a 20-year horizon is not simple, research shows that, with modest expectations of precision, it can be meaningful (Kott & Perconti, 2018; Silfverskiöld et al., 2021). Nevertheless, state actors seem to implement new technology or new methods to achieve military ends with different levels of ambition and extent. If these differences are not rational, then, of course, resources could be used more efficiently. This is also why research into the implementation and driving forces behind military innovation has, in the course of more than 30 years, come to form its own multidisciplinary field. In this study, we assume credible assessments of technological development to be available. But how might findings from the field of military innovation help us understand the way in which knowledge from these assessments should be conveyed to decision-makers in the capability development process?

The first generation of research in the field dwelt on questions concerning who was driving military innovation - civilians or military personnel (Posen, 1984; Rosen, 1991)? The basic assumption for these researchers is that innovation is principally driven by the fear of foreign military capabilities and technological development. Nowadays, these are considered to be underlying conditions rather than causal factors (Grissom, 2006).

The second generation, the first to identify cultural aspects, moved the field into the study of drivers themselves (Griffin, 2017). In their important work of 2002, for example, Farrell and Terriff identified three main incentives for military innovation; in addition to a conscious and active change in the actor's culture, they note the imitation of the innovation of others, and a more salient, forced, change due to strategic shock.

Contemporary research, the third generation, seems to focus on understanding the effects of these cultural aspects in greater depth. Adamsky (2010), for example, highlights how actors perceive and implement new capabilities in different ways depending on differences in strategic culture. Our understanding of the concept of strategic culture is somewhat simplified, but close to that of Gray (1999, p. 51): an actor's military strategic preferences based on national cultural norms and traditions.

There are, however, other views (see Ångström & Honig, 2012), and researchers discussing civilian-military relations nowadays do it in terms of the meeting of two separate cultures (Farrell & Terriff, 2002; Adamsky, 2010; Berman, 2012; Kier, 2017). Studies of the effects on military innovation, of rivalry within and between defence branches, often focus on rival organisational cultures (Hill & Gerras, 2016; Lee, 2019). Today we see different approaches to the study of the effects of cultural features on military innovation. It seems to us, however, that creativity in the operationalisation of culture makes the comparison of these studies difficult. We agree with Griffin (2017): the field seems to be fragmented or "confused."

It is more fruitful to view strategic culture as a condition underlying, rather than explaining, variations in military innovation, and we find there are basically two arguments for approaching the problem from another perspective. First, strategic culture, as an explanatory model, is of little practical use if the aim is to improve the ability to innovate. Arguably innovation processes would benefit more from identifying factors that might influence an actor's understanding of new technology or the pace of progression in innovation processes. The military actor quickest to exploit military innovation undoubtedly has the greater room for manoeuvre. Second, as shown in this study, there are examples of variations in the driving forces behind military innovation, despite the strategic culture being largely the same. We have chosen here, instead, to study military innovation processes from a cognitive-psychological perspective. Thus, the aim is to find out why actors implement new technology for military purposes differently despite sharing similar strategic cultures. The approach involves the study of military innovation from the perspective of cognitive biases at the actor level, in the form of so-called shared mental models. By taking this viewpoint, we expect to identify concrete explanatory factors helpful in developing practical military innovation processes. The results might, for example, support the actor's self-examination of capability development, including which assessments to ask for, and how to process those assessments when they are received.

Immediately below, we present the cognitive-psychological perspective on which the research design is based. We then describe the research approach, including the comparative case study method applied here. The results section that follows is divided into three parts relating to results from the two single studies and a comparison; the two subsequent sections present a discussion of the results, relating them to earlier research in the context of capability development, and final conclusions.

Our Cognitive-Psychological Viewpoint and Central Concepts

In this study, we investigate whether an actor's initial mental models of a technology's relevance are altered with changes in the internal or external environment, or whether confirmation bias tends to leave mental models intact, and what the consequences are for military innovation processes. We find the theory of shared mental models useful because it can be operationalised to study decision-situations associated with an actor's collective decision-making. Similarly, we find confirmation bias a useful concept because it contributes to explaining the absence of change in shared mental models of military innovation processes.

Shared Mental Models

The term "mental model" occurs in several scientific disciplines. In her study of mental models in individuals, Rook (2013) identifies cross-disciplinary similarities in the term's use; the definition she uses is a "concentrated, personally constructed, internal conception of external phenomena (historical, existing or projected), or experience, that affects how a person acts" (p. 42). Following Rook (2013), we can understand a mental model to be a form of subjective simplification or generalisation of reality, influencing behaviour and decisions. As decisions are made collectively at a more abstract level in military innovation processes, however, we find studies of so-called shared mental models to be most relevant. There is extensive research into the topic in strategic decision-making and management in the business sector, predominantly concerning the influence of shared mental models on effectiveness and quality. We find research into top management teams and their strategic decision-making to be particularly interesting to this study. In that context, shared mental models have been described as "organized mental representations of the key elements within a team's relevant environment that are shared across team members" (Yang et al., 2015, p. 901). Having a shared mental model of the use of a technology implies convergence between the mental models of the members in a decision-making team concerning the use of that technology. Understanding this, we contend that shared mental models facilitate military innovation - a view supported by research showing that such models facilitate problem-solving (Toader et al., 2019). The same research shows that diverging mental models facilitate the ability to adapt.

Cognitive Biases

In 1972 Tversky and Kahneman presented the notion of cognitive bias. After extensive research in the following years, we now understand the phenomenon as causing "judgmental errors and suboptimal decision-making, which may prove to be costly at either a personal or societal level" (Weller et al., 2019). Thus, cognitive biases are psychological mechanisms subconsciously affecting how decision-makers value available information (Furnham & Boo, 2011). Anchoring (Furnham & Boo, 2011; Hammond et al., 1998; Tversky & Kahneman, 1974) and functional fixedness (Munoz-Rubke et al., 2018) are well-known examples, even if neither example fits well with our approach in this study. Anchoring seems too closely related to quantitative phenomena, mostly in economic contexts, while research into functional fixedness seems focused on physical objects. Instead, we have in this study based our research design on shared mental models and the cognitive bias commonly known as confirmation bias.

Confirmation bias is the collective term for a number of phenomena in psychology related to interpreting circumstances so as to enhance preconceived notions or values (Carter et al., 2007, p. 648). Although such misinterpretation is subconscious, it can, for example, lead to misguided searches for information (Nickerson, 1998, pp. 175-177). Even conscious efforts to be objective can still lead to confirmation bias (Lidén et al., 2018, p. 337). Consequently, information that contradicts a preconceived notion is ignored, and irrelevant information is given unreasonable weight (Nickerson, 1998, p. 177). A related effect is belief persistence, describing the phenomenon of a belief, once formed, being very persistent, even when there is convincing evidence to contradict it (Nickerson, 1998, p. 187). Thus, although confirmation bias is similar to anchoring and functional fixedness, it can be viewed from a wider perspective.

Research Approach

Following authors of earlier studies, we believe that causes of military innovation can be studied and generalised in theoretical models to help us understand why military innovation does or does not occur. The point of departure for this study is that generalised objective explanations for military innovation can be studied using hypotheses about plausible causes. Figure 1 illustrates the bases for the case study design applied.

Hypotheses

The first hypothesis is "Military innovation processes are initiated if new technology is perceived to be militarily relevant".

While we might safely assume technologies developed to support military innovations to be relevant for military operations, not all new technologies end up filling this role. There are examples of military innovation processes being initiated but later terminated. One such example is a Swedish project based on the Network-Based Defence concept. The Swedish government concluded it had been "characterised by a development process marked by technological optimism" (GoS, 2019, p. 123). Consequently, we will in this study use mental models to investigate how new technologies are perceived when military innovation processes are initiated. The hypothesis is satisfied if the actor initiates military innovation processes only if there is a shared mental model of the new technology reflecting a perception that the technology is militarily relevant.

The second hypothesis is "An actor's shared mental model of new technology as militarily relevant affects military innovation processes to a greater degree than contextual changes".

In this study, military innovation processes continue for relatively long periods of time, during which the actor can be expected to receive new information both about the technology, through research and development, and about societal and external developments. There are historical examples of military innovation processes proceeding despite information indicating that the military relevance was long gone; one such is the fortress in Karlsborg, in central Sweden, built between 1819 and 1909 to serve as the nation's auxiliary capital. On the other hand, actors also face risks if their shared mental models prevent them from exploiting technology that has proven militarily relevant. Given the aim of this study, we thus argue the second hypothesis to be relevant. It will be tested using confirmation bias as a complementary explanatory model. If the hypothesis is correct, military innovation processes are driven by preconceived notions rather than actual circumstances.

A Comparative Case Study Method

Testing our two hypotheses requires a mode of research allowing comparison within cases of military innovation. The comparison needs to comprise four steps:

1. Analysis of the actor's shared mental model and its development over time.

2. Analysis of contextual change during the innovation process.

3. Analysis of when innovation processes are initiated.

4. Analysis of the actor's innovative outcome.

The first hypothesis is tested in the first step. The second hypothesis is tested by relating the result of the last step to the results of the other three.

In order to answer the overarching research question, we also find it necessary to make comparisons between cases of military innovation in which the strategic cultures of the actors involved are similar. The approach, further described by George and Bennett (2005, pp. 19-22), is sometimes described as a case study with a "most-similar systems design."

Operationalisation

Table 1 shows an overview of the operationalisation. The independent variable in this study is the actors' shared mental model of new technology. The dependent variable is military innovation.

Given the description of central concepts above, we can hold an actor's "shared mental model" to be an organised mental representation of the key elements within a team's relevant environment shared across team members. Thus, the mental representation reflects key elements of a phenomenon, such as the character and function of a new technology, and affects the actor's actions, such as the actor's decision-making. Therefore, in this study, the actor's shared mental model is analysed by studying how the actor describes the relevant environment, internal and external, by studying the function of the technology within the source material, and by studying the actor's decision. The themes representing measures of each variable are presented in the middle column. The right column presents examples of types of data received by interpretive analysis.

We acknowledge there is a scientific debate on how to operationalise and measure sharedness; Mohammed, Ferzandi and Hamilton's review paper of 2010 on the structure of the team mental model, for example, has been extensively cited. But we argue that the operationalisation proposed in this study is in line with that of Toader and his colleagues (2019, pp. 44-46), a strategy-outcome approach suitable for its purpose, notwithstanding its lower resolution. If an actor expresses a view on the use of the technology of interest in an official context, and if it is interpretable using the themes chosen, we find it is reasonable to assume that it reflects a shared mental model of that actor.

Similarly, contextual change during the innovation process is studied in themes of external and internal environments.

In order to be able to study confirmation bias, we have to be able to compare shared mental models before and after contextual change. This way, the later shared mental model can be interpreted as the result of either contextual change or confirmation bias. Thus, in our case study design, depicted in Figure 1 , we have denoted contextual change and confirmation bias as our intervening variables. Confirmation bias is also our second hypothesis.

Military innovation is operationalised as innovative outcomes in the form of conceptual ideas of how to use a technology of interest in the development of a military capability.

We have also defined three control variables in order to be able to isolate the variables of primary interest to this study: changed strategic environment; technological development pace; and strategic culture. Control variables are held constant in a comparative case study. While they might be criticised for being rather sweeping, they are considered relevant since they mirror the results of earlier research.

Case Selection

Given the research design, we chose to look for cases where all control variables could be kept as constant as possible in comparison. The choice fell on two cases: the Swedish nuclear weapons project of 1945 to 1962 and the Swedish cyber defence development between 2001 and 2019. We assessed the similarities to be sufficient enough for the study to be meaningful.

The nuclear weapons case is clearly limited in time because of the ratification of the non-proliferation treaty in 1968 (Agrell, 1985). In contrast, cyber defence development is still ongoing, which is why there is no final result to investigate. Given this study's focus on the impact of shared mental models on military innovation processes, this does not present a problem - but in order to chronologically limit the case, we have chosen the period from when the word "cyber" was first used in Swedish Armed Forces policy documents (Swedish Armed Forces, 2001) until ambitions to acquire an offensive cyber capability were first explicitly expressed by a defence committee (GoS, 2019).

In each case, the strategic environment (control variable one) could be described as being in a state of low tension at the beginning (Jung, 1947, p. 60; GoS, 1999, p. 9), but changing to one of high tension towards the end (Swedish Armed Forces, 1962, p. 4; GoS, 2019, p. 107). The pace of technological development (control variable two) can be considered high in both cases. In the nuclear weapons case, it was high due to the arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States and civilian energy requirements (Agrell, 1985). Correspondingly, the cyber domain is characterised by the rapid pace of technological development: "As recently as 2007, malicious cyber activities did not register on the Director of National Intelligence's list of major threats to national security. In 2015 they ranked first" (Nye, 2017, pp. 44-45). Since both cases in this study are Swedish, the strategic culture (control variable three) is also considered unchanged between cases (Åselius, 2005). Fundamental cultural norms and traditions such as avoiding war while defending one's territory are still valid.

Comparing the two cases, we see significant variation in the dependent variable of military innovation. In the nuclear weapons case, military strategic ideas are presented early in the process, where nuclear weapons are integrated with conventional forces ready to be used in the field. There are scenarios in which nuclear weapons are used in both supporting missions and decisive attacks. In the cyber defence case, corresponding conceptual ideas are developed relatively late, and the degree of integration with conventional forces is low. Initially, cyber defence was focused on IT security and was not an integral part of military missions. Military innovation is studied from an actor's perspective with three areas of analysis in each case: public organisations inclined towards military research; military organisations; and political leadership.

Sources

The main sources for the nuclear weapons case are the Swedish Armed Forces' own studies supporting periodic policy decisions about the development of Swedish defence between 1948 and 1962. These primary sources are only complemented with secondary sources in the form of dissertations and study reports to enhance technological and contextual understanding (see, for example, Agrell, 1985; Forssberg, 1987; Jonter, 2001). Cyber defence development is mainly studied through primary sources corresponding to the first case, in reports issued by defence policy commissions, and in defence bills.

The idea of interviewing central decision-makers was discarded on account of the difficulties potentially presented in finding suitable respondents for both cases. Consequently, this study approach differs from the majority of studies on shared mental models, which focus on individuals or groups of individuals directly. The validity of this study is instead based on the use of the official documents stated above and on the assumption that these represent a shared view on a strategic level in the organisation of the actor issuing them.

The Analysis Instrument

The analysis was conducted through the collection of data from sources using qualitative content analysis based on the themes defined in the operationalisation (Esaiasson et al., 2017, p. 288). The results were presented in the form of shared mental models. These shared mental models, and possible confirmation bias, were then analysed and compared between cases. At this final step of the analysis, the hypotheses could be tested. Causality between shared mental models, confirmation bias, and military innovation were analysed based on four criteria: covariation, isolation, sequence, and causal mechanism (Kellstedt & Whitten, 2013, pp. 54-56). The analysis focused on covariation and causal mechanism, as isolation and sequence were managed in the research design.

Results

The results section is divided into three parts. The first two present a summary of results from the analysis of the two single cases included in the study: Swedish nuclear weapons development between 1945 and 1962, and Swedish cyber defence development between 2001 and 2019. Table 2 shows a compilation of these results. The third part of the results section presents the comparative analysis.

Nuclear Weapons Development, 1945-1962

The initial shared mental model spans the years 1945 to 1948. Eleven days after nuclear weapons were exploded in Japan in 1945, the Swedish Supreme Commander asked Försvarets forskningsanstalt (FOA), the Swedish defence research agency of the time, to report their knowledge of the new weapon (Jonter, 2001, pp. 21-22). From that point, FOA invested considerable resources in research on the subject. The analysis shows that FOA then considered the construction and performance of Swedish nuclear weapons a main research objective (Forssberg, 1987, pp. 15-16). The Swedish Armed Forces perceived nuclear weapons technology to be primarily relevant to defensive operations in an armed conflict but unlikely to revolutionise warfare (Jonter, 2001, p. 21; Jung, 1947, pp. 75, 102). While political leadership does not seem to have actively driven development, it certainly did not oppose it (Forssberg 1987, pp. 14-28). Thus, on a collective level, while our actor of interest perceived nuclear weapons technology to be militarily relevant, it was uncertain about its proper use. In , the initial shared mental model is therefore summarised as a "suitable military means."

Contextual Change, 1949-1954

A series of events between 1949 and 1954 may be held to characterise contextual change induced by the external environment. In 1949, the Soviet Union conducted its first plutonium-based nuclear weapons test; the United States proposed to Norway and Denmark that it might base its fighter aircraft in their territories. The Soviet Union then invested significantly in naval forces in the Baltic Sea, and the relations between the Soviet Union and Sweden deteriorated -not least due to the crisis known as the Catalina affair (Agrell, 1985, pp. 48-54).

While FOA's research focused on the development of tactical nuclear weapons, no active measures seem to have been taken by either the Swedish Armed Forces or the political leadership to acquire them (Jonter, 2001, pp. 29-34). Hence, the contextual change following the initial shared mental model has been described as "increased tension," the presence of "nuclear weapons in the vicinity of Sweden," and the notion that Swedish nuclear weapons development was a "technological possibility" ().

Developed Shared Mental Model, 1954-1957

The analysis from the period shows that, at a collective level, the actor found the technology militarily relevant to a greater degree than it had previously. Military nuclear weapons research continued at a high pace and a nuclear test detonation was planned for 1964 (Forssberg, 1987, pp. 19-22; Jonter, 2001, pp. 37-38). Both civilian and military research focused on producing plutonium. The Supreme Commander at the time painted a gloomy military strategic situation (Swedish Armed Forces, 1954, p. 267) and argued that the most cost-effective option available to the Swedish Armed Forces was to acquire their own nuclear weapons systems to defend against an invasion (Swedish Armed Forces, 1957, pp. 279-284, 296). The government decided to increase funding and allow the import of plutonium for research purposes (Forssberg, 1987, pp. 18-23). In summary, the shared mental model developed reflects a view that nuclear weapons technology was a "necessary military means" ().

Contextual Change, 1958-1962

Nuclear weapons played an increasingly important role in the struggle between the superpowers in the period. At the turn of the decade, the Soviet Union had multiple nuclear carrying platforms (Agrell, 1985, pp. 49-50). In Europe, tactical nuclear weapons were deployed by NATO, and the mandate to use them was delegated to higher military commanders (Agrell, 1985, p- 50-51; DeGroot, 2004, p. 60). In Sweden, parliament postponed a decision on nuclear weapons. FOA and the Swedish Armed Forces continued to support a nuclear weapons programme, and both organisations requested increased funds for continued research into the construction of weapons (Agrell, 1985, pp. 316-320; Forssberg, 1987, pp. 38-40; Jonter 2001, p. 52). The 1958 defence development bill focused on defensive measures but also allowed continued research into nuclear weapons design (Agrell, 1985, pp. 312-313; Forssberg, 1987, p. 57; Jonter, 2001, p. 47). Therefore, contextual changes in the period have been described as an "increase in the number of nuclear weapons in the vicinity of Sweden," the "Swedish Armed Forces were now driving the innovation process, and reduced political support" ().

Military Innovation, 1962

Three conceptual ideas representing the resulting military innovation were identified in a report from the Supreme Commander (Swedish Armed Forces, 1962). First, nuclear weapons were seen to have operational use. They were meant to be used in national defence, for targeting concentrations of landing vessels or military units, etc. Second, nuclear and conventional weapons were seen to be synergistic. In the event of an invasion, nuclear weapons were thought to create a dilemma. Facing the threat of nuclear weapons, attacking forces were likely to spread and hence become targets for conventional weapon systems. Third, nuclear weapons were thought to be decisive. If the invasion were to be conducted using dispersed forces, Swedish conventional forces were to coerce the invading forces to concentrate and hence create a favourable situation for the use of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons had thus become part of joint military doctrine and conceptually integrated with conventional weapons in Swedish military strategy. In , the final shared mental model of nuclear weapons technology, military innovation, is summarised as "integrated to avert attack."

Cyber Defence Development, 2001-2019

The initial shared mental model covers the years 2001 to 2004. In 2001, the Swedish Defence Research Agency, FOI, presented their vision of how weapons based on information technology could be used in the future (Grennert & Tham, 2001, p. 3). IT attacks would be directed at critical infrastructure, and cyber capabilities were therefore thought to produce strategic rather than military effects (Karresand et al., 2004, pp. 19-20). Defence against information warfare was acknowledged to be a fundamentally new strategic element. Cyber-related activities were mainly seen as part of information operations supporting military operations (Swedish Armed Forces, 2001, pp. 24, 46, 54).

The Government of Sweden depicted a period of low tension but with increased societal vulnerability because of the nature of the technological infrastructure (GoS, 2004, pp. 14-18). The Swedish Armed Forces were requested to increase their capability to counter information operations along two paths. First, to acquire the necessary materiel to develop an operational IT defence capability. This was to be used expressly in defence of Sweden's own systems, thus contributing to society's total resilience. Second, Swedish Armed Forces were requested to increase their knowledge in the conduct of offensive information operations (GoS, 2004, p. 75).

The initial shared mental model reflects a view of cyber technology as only relevant for the protection of IT systems and has hence been labelled "military IT security" (Table 2 ).

Contextual Change, 2005-2008

The first three major internationally acknowledged cyber-attacks were conducted in this period. In 2007, events in Estonia led to allegations of state-supported Russian cyber-attacks on Estonian infrastructure (Herzog, 2011). In the same year, Israel conducted offensive air operations on a presumed Syrian nuclear facility (McGraw, 2013). Syrian air defences were deactivated in a parallel cyber-attack (Brantly, 2014). Then, in 2008, Georgia was exposed to successive cyber-attacks coinciding with Russian troop movements in South Ossetia (Kastenberg, 2009). All three events can be considered examples of cyber-capability integrated into joint operations.

In Sweden, FOI issued reports in line with the 2004 policy on defence development. The aim was to increase knowledge of cyber actors and the development of theory and methods of information warfare. There seemed to be no focus on cyber warfare (Heickerö, 2006; Heickerö, 2008).

Consequently, the contextual change following the initial shared mental model can be summarised as: state-supported and "militarily integrated cyber-attacks," international "cyber threats related to crime" rather than to national security, and "national research focused on information warfare" ().

Developed Shared Mental Model, 2009-2013

During this period, FOI reports related to cyber warfare reflect an insight that both official agencies and private actors carry out cyber-attacks and that it is genuinely difficult to determine which actor sponsors them (Heickerö, 2010). For the first time, the Swedish Armed Forces (2013) now clearly emphasised the cyber domain and cyber capability in their study reports, arguing that Sweden should develop an offensive cyber capability. Cyber was still mainly seen, however, as being linked to information operations, and cyber security was put forward as the concept defining Swedish cyber security strategy.

At the political level, there was a new national policy decision in 2009 about defence development (GoS, 2009). However, the word "cyber" does not occur in the proposition. Ambitions were lowered in terms of cyber-related development. Since Sweden was no longer to pursue the development of a network-based defence, there was no change in direction regarding the development of a cyber capability.

To conclude, the actor studied seems to have perceived an increase in the military relevance of cyber technology but related it to the defence of information infrastructure and IT systems in society. The shared mental model developed can therefore be summarised as "societal IT security" ().

It should also be noted that during this period, the cyber-attack of 2010 known as Stuxnet, targeting the Iranian nuclear technology programme, took place. For the first time, a cyber-attack caused physical damage to an adversary's strategic resources. A centrifuge for uranium enrichment was destroyed through software-induced wear (Farwell & Rohozinski, 2011).

Contextual Change, 2014-2018

As the number of sophisticated cyber-attacks both by state-supported actors and others increased significantly in the period of 2014 to 2018 (Nye, 2017, p. 44), many states adopted their own cyber security strategies (Luiijf et al., 2013). Sweden is assessed to have been exposed to state-supported attacks from China, Russia, and possibly other states, supporting industrial espionage (Svensson et al., 2019, pp. 12-14, 36). In Sweden, FOI developed concepts for civil defence, all of which included cyber operations (FOI, 2014; FOI, 2018). The Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency MSB presented a common view of the development of total defence in 2016, including a request to strengthen Sweden's capability to identify and counter cyber-attacks (Swedish Armed Forces and MSB, 2016). The following year, Sweden adopted a new information and cyber security strategy, prioritising the strengthening of military capacity to counter attacks from adversaries in cyberspace (GoS, 2017b, p. 21). The same year, the defence committee advocated an active cyber defence capability to secure functions critical to society (GoS, 2017a, pp. 115, 119). In sum, the contextual change from this period can be described in three phrases: "intense development"; "Sweden exposed to direct effects"; and the establishment of a "national cyber security strategy" ().

Military Innovation, 2019

In the strategic doctrine of 2016, the Swedish Armed Forces describe cyber capability in terms of both protection and effect (Swedish Armed Forces, 2016). In parts, cyber capability is treated equally with other forces (Swedish Armed Forces, 2016, p. 60). The overarching conceptual idea seems to be one of defensive use in total defence contexts (Swedish Armed Forces, 2016, pp. 29-30). While there is no detailed idea presented on how to integrate cyber capability with other forces, expressions like "active protection," "enabling effects," or "offensive operations against high value non-physical targets" signal offensive ambitions (Swedish Armed Forces, 2016, pp. 55-57).

In a report issued in 2018, however, the use of cyber capability has become more concrete and more tightly integrated with other forces (Swedish Armed Forces, 2018). Cyber capability is described as a prerequisite for conventional military operations (Swedish Armed Forces, 2018, pp. 5-29), thereby indicating the integration of cyber capability in a joint military strategy. Three main conceptual ideas appear in the report: to protect Sweden's own military capability and infrastructure by active outreach actions; to affect an attacker's vulnerabilities in depth at an early stage during an attack; and to contribute to cyber security in total defence. The political leadership expresses similar views. In some circumstances, it even seems cyber-attack can be equated to armed conflict (GoS, 2019, pp. 252-254). The defence committee does not, however, relate cyber capability with other military means to any great extent - something noted by the Swedish Armed Forces, who respond by saying "the function must be an integral element with other forces countering an armed attack" (Swedish Armed Forces, 2019, p. 42). Given the results, we have chosen to express the resulting military innovation in short as "cyber defence in depth" ().

Comparative Analysis: Forming Shared Mental Models of New Technology

The first of four steps in our comparative case study method requires an analysis of the shared mental models formed by our actors of interest during the innovation process. The nuclear weapons case shows that nuclear technology was regarded as militarily relevant from the outset; cyber technology, on the other hand, was regarded as militarily relevant only very late in the process. A reasonable assumption is that in the first case, the technology was introduced, or presented, in a military context, while in the second, it was introduced in a civilian context.

In the nuclear weapons case, the research interest from the Swedish Armed Forces can be described as initially very general. The study indicates instead that it was the defence research agency, FOA, who perceived the technology as militarily relevant at an early stage and that they conducted research into construction more or less out of self-interest, while the political leadership appears to have been almost uninterested. The cyber development case is different. The shared mental models of the actor studied reflects a view that cyber technology is limited to Internet and computer hackers. The only military relevance seen was the need for IT security. Gradually, this need developed to include the IT-security of the society as a whole. In fact, the shared mental model of cyber technology reflects the idea that cyber technology is militarily irrelevant in all respects until 2013/2014 when we can see this understanding change.

It seems that a central difference between the cases is that, over time, nuclear technology is related to achieving military effect, while cyber technology is connected with protection. Another difference is that nuclear technology was related to the actor's military capability needs, while cyber technology was primarily related to societal resilience. Consequently, the study indicates that shared mental models of new technology are formed on the basis of which capability the technology is perceived to contribute to, and of which organisation is perceived to have the need.

Shared Mental Models' Effect on Military Innovation Processes

The second step in the comparative analysis focuses on the effect of contextual changes during the innovation process.

In the nuclear weapons case, the shared mental model reflects military relevance from the outset. This perception is successively strengthened throughout the innovation process, which in turn successively intensifies the pace of the innovation process. Initially implicit ambitions for Swedish nuclear weapons are developed into an explicit military strategy, whereby they are ultimately considered a necessary contribution. In the cyber defence development case, it appears that no shared mental model of cyber technology was formed at all. So far, the collectively perceived military relevance relates to IT security. Analysis of the resulting military innovation expresses a current shared mental model, cyber defence in depth, indicating that the actual military innovation process has gathered pace during the recent period of contextual change. Thus, there is reason to believe the shared mental model is still developing and that the perception of cyber technology as militarily relevant is going to be further strengthened. Consequently, the analysis indicates military innovation processes are initiated when the actors' shared mental models of technology express a perception of military relevance.

The innovation processes also differ in another respect. The nuclear weapons case shows diverging views among groups within the actor studied, that is, between technology experts, the military profession, and political leadership. In the cyber defence development case, their views are similar. The former situation led to rapid technological and conceptual development, but things moved more slowly in terms of a physical capability due to political ambivalence and waning public support. In the cyber defence development case, the efforts of the different components within the actor were all aiming in the same direction. The recent acceleration in the pace of development is possibly explained by the view that the technology's militarily relevance is spreading and that this view has become a shared mental model.

In sum, the analysis shows that an actor's shared mental model must see a new technology as militarily relevant in order to initiate the innovation process and that mental models, especially if they are shared, tend to affect the pace and intensity of military innovation processes.

The Effect of Confirmation Bias on the Forming of Shared Mental Models

In the third step, sequential shared mental models are compared in relation to contextual change in order to determine whether confirmation bias has a role in their formation.

In the nuclear weapons case, the contextual change seems to be in agreement with the actor's shared mental model of the technology in question. Hence, confirmation bias cannot be detected at a collective actor level - only at a lower level. It seems the armed forces tended to ignore the challenges posed by the enormous resource requirements of a nuclear weapons programme. They continued to develop concepts comprising integrated nuclear weapons, despite fading political and public support, while continuing to follow political directives and to produce reports supporting political decision-making. We would argue that this is evidence that the Swedish Armed Forces ignored information opposing a concrete nuclear weapons programme. This is, in other words, confirmation bias: the Swedish Armed Forces' shared mental model saw nuclear technology as militarily necessary. In the case of cyber defence development, this effect is more obvious. The shared mental model of cyber technology, primarily related to IT security, appears odd when contrasted with the number of militarily integrated cyber-attacks that occurred during that same period. Thus, in this case, it seems the shared mental model developed was affected by confirmation bias, which resulted in delaying the innovation process.

To conclude, the study shows that confirmation bias has a complex effect on military innovation processes. It tends to strengthen an earlier mental model, which counteracts conditions for a shared mental model to form. On the other hand, and paradoxically, confirmation bias can also have the opposite effect. The results indicate that confirmation bias could have a positive effect on the pace and intensity of the innovation process if the model is shared at a collective actor level. Thus, confirmation bias in mental models can, in a best-case scenario, contribute to completing military innovations more quickly than an opponent. However, in a worst-case scenario, confirmation bias can induce a military strategic risk by inhibiting or slowing down the innovation process.

Hypotheses Testing

We find that our first hypothesis - "military innovation processes are initiated if new technology is perceived to be militarily relevant" - to be strengthened. In the nuclear weapons case, the results show initiation happened only days after the nuclear detonations in Japan. In the cyber defence development case, initiation is not easily identified. By using shared mental models as our explanatory model, we can see that it is not the technology itself but the shared mental model of the technology as militarily relevant that triggers the military innovation process. In the cyber defence development case, the forming of a shared mental model of the technology as militarily relevant may have been delayed; but once it was formed, however, innovation started to gain pace. These results highlight the importance of studying and understanding the military potential in new technology in order for military innovation to take place.

The second hypothesis, however - "an actor's shared mental model of new technology as militarily relevant affects military innovation processes to a greater degree than contextual changes" - cannot unambiguously be dismissed or strengthened. In the nuclear weapons case, contextual change complies with the shared mental model, and in the cyber defence development case, contextual changes, related to the military relevance of the technology, coincide with Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Discussion

In this study, we have examined military innovation processes from the perspectives of shared mental models and confirmation, using a comparative case study approach. The aim was to gain a better understanding of why actors implement new technology for military purposes differently despite their similar strategic cultures. We claim the results indicate that a difference in shared mental models is the better explanation; similar strategic cultures do not necessarily mean that actors cognitively create similar shared mental models of new technology. On a more detailed level, findings can be consolidated as three conclusions:

1. Military innovation processes tend to be initiated if and when the actor's shared mental model of new technology reflects military relevance.

2. The forming of shared mental models can both contribute to and counteract military innovation processes.

3. Military innovation processes likely benefit from mental models being challenged and from diverging mental models being made visible.

In what follows, the validity of these findings is first discussed in relation to earlier research. The findings are then elaborated upon in a capability development context.

As we have seen, some strands of research see military innovation to be explicable through a consideration of either the active party in the process, or of a meeting between distinct cultures. In the nuclear weapons case, for example, it seems that the military complex is the active part, in line with the arguments made by Rosen (1991). But this is not as clear in the cyber defence development case. One could also argue that different mental models are partly similar to the separate cultures theory and that shared mental models are similar to the "consensus cultures" framed by Kier (2017) or to Jensen's (2018) "new theory of victory." Nevertheless, there is a difference. They approach the phenomena from an organisation-sociological perspective rather than a cognitive-psychological perspective.

It is more difficult to disregard the explanation offered by Farrell and Terriff (2002) that military innovation arises from strategic shock or a sudden change in the strategic environment. There were external shocks in both cases studied (the bombs dropped on Japan and extensive cyber-attacks, respectively). Where Farrell and Terriff (2002) argue that shock induces a fear which in turn drives innovation, however, this study finds innovation to follow the attainment of insight into the potential of a new technology. There is a difference in nuance, suggesting both perspectives contribute to increased knowledge.

Others, among them Adamsky (2010) and Lee (2019), claim that strategic culture, rather, provides the best explanation. While we agree in principle, following earlier research, we assume that shared mental models of new technology provide a more accurate explanation of military innovation than strategic culture alone. Studies of risk management (Bessette et al., 2017) and learning organisations (Bahar Aşcı et al., 2016) support a notion of shared mental models as a more tangible expression of an actor's strategic culture. We claim that the results of this study support this assumption and corroborate earlier research. While the collective actors in the two cases studied are very similar in terms of strategic culture, the military innovation processes differ significantly in their intensity and in the resulting perception of new technology. Hence, the study highlights a difference between strategic culture and shared mental models and suggests that a cognitive-psychological perspective on military innovation can provide new insights into its dynamics.

If we put the three conclusions about mental models above into a capability development context, we argue that, with further work, they can be operationalised into recommendations. The overarching idea, presented in the introduction, is that the actor who is able to exploit military innovation the quickest has the advantage of greater room for manoeuvre.

The first finding highlights the need to identify the potential military relevance of the new technology and to make it visible to decision-making groups. Until this happens, military innovation is unlikely to gain pace. Consequently, there is a need for further studies into how to formulate and effectively convey assessments in technology forecasts to decision-makers in the military capability development process. Undoubtedly, there is a range of issues in the process involving aspects of human communication, including mechanisms and the different roles and interests of recipients. Thus, a logical next step for the research project would be to explore how best to benefit from knowledge on processes favourable for increasing sharedness in mental models. Although we believe that our rather coarse operationalisation was sufficient to make an effect probable, we suspect that this continued study will require a more rigorous treatment of shared mental models specific to the technology forecast context.

The second finding above underlines the dangers of either over or underestimating uncertainties in assessments of new technology. If a technology, later shown to have disruptive potential, is wrongly assessed to have no military relevance at an early stage, confirmation bias will preserve this shared mental model, and necessary military innovation will be delayed. On the other hand, if it is wrongly assessed to have potential, there is a great risk of wasting resources. Consequently, there is obviously a need both to communicate assessments and to effectively communicate uncertainties - and of course, to continuously work on reducing them.

Finally, and from the viewpoint of this study, the third finding implies it is good practice to diversify study groups and to make differences in mental models visible. Technological experts and military and political leaders, we find, can be made aware of the effects of mental models and confirmation bias, which will allow them to take part in innovation processes with a healthy level of self-criticism. However, self-critical reasoning should also be stimulated. Understanding from earlier research that confirmation bias can be counteracted if challenged with diverging ideas, three recommendations easily come to mind: first, stimulate innovation endeavours in cooperation with civilian companies and universities (we have highlighted that contemporary technology developments are driven by commercial actors and, like security political actors, they are also exposed to a competitive environment); second, conduct experimental exercises in joint settings to increase the probability of representatives of different mental models meeting: third, ensure that younger professionals from within the collective actor are invited to play an active role in the innovation process. With the high tempo of commercially driven technological development today, it is the authors' experience that younger people have different mental models of the use of technology to those of senior decision-makers.

Conclusions

The cognitive-psychological approach used in this study contributes to the understanding of military innovation processes. The broadly accepted explanation based on differences in strategic culture is further developed. The results show that looking to shared mental models of new technology resolves questions of military innovation more accurately than a simple consideration of strategic culture.

Three conclusions were drawn from a comparative case study of Swedish nuclear weapons development through the 1950s and 1960s and the Swedish cyber defence development that has taken place during the last two decades:

Military innovation processes are only initiated if and when new technology appears militarily relevant to an actor; thus, the ability to correctly assess and understand the military relevance of technology is crucial to timely capability development.

The forming of shared mental models can both contribute to and counteract military innovation processes; hence, decision-makers in the capability development process need to be aware that cognitive-psychological phenomena, such as mental models, can be shared and that confirmation bias affects actors at a collective level.

Military innovation processes likely gain from mental models being challenged and from diverging mental models being made observable; consequently, the results support research from other perspectives and the idea that it is good practice to diversify and welcome different views on the use of new technology for effective capability development.

More studies are needed to take further advantage of knowledge in the field. This study highlights a need for the exploration of processes favourable for the augmentation of sharedness in mental models of the use of technology in capability development decision-making teams. One aim is to more effectively further military innovation by contributing to the preliminary guidelines on how technology assessments should be performed and communicated.

The disproportionate influence on decision makers to make judgments that are biased toward an initially presented value.

A cognitive bias that describes how previous knowledge of a tool's function can negatively impact the use of this tool in novel contexts.

Acknowledgements

This paper was developed, based on the master's thesis, Militär innovation som resultat av aktörers mentala modeller av ny teknologi (in Swedish). The authors are very grateful to Mr Stephen Henly for proofreading the manuscript. The research was partly funded by Swedish Armed Forces R&D.

Competing Interests

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Author contributions

Ola Modig did the conceptualization, research design, validation, formal analysis, investigation, and the writing of the original report. Kent Andersson wrote the journal manuscript, provided scientific supervision, and did the project administration.

References

Swedish Armed Forces. (1957). ÖB-utredningarna 1957 (Kontakt med krigsmakten, Year XIII(10- 12)). Sweden: Försvarsstaben [the defence staff of SwAF].

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Scandinavian Journal of Military Studies

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Military innovation is an appealing strategy for the development of defence capability, especially for states with a highly educated population and larger aggressive neighbours. An actor with fewer resources can still hope to deter an aggressor or win an armed conflict by being more creative in the use of technology and methods of warfare.

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We explore the growing world of commercial space travel and consider whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of making space a tourist destination. By Rhiannon Wardle
While space tourism isn't brand new, the race to progress commercial space travel has moved along vastly in the past year. With NASA - once the centre of the space industry - taking its time to bring commercial space flight into the realm of possibility, the doors have opened up for wealthy individuals to try their hand at space travel.

Space tourism is not without criticism, despite being an exciting idea in theory. Today, we'll explore the advantages and disadvantages of space tourism, raise questions about the billionaire space race, and think about whether space tourism is the beginning of a new future or an environmental catastrophe.

What is space tourism?

You may be wondering, what exactly is space tourism, as opposed to regular space travel? The main difference is, space tourism is human space travel for recreational or leisure purposes. So the fundamental purpose is for human pleasure, as all tourism is . We can divide space tourism into orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism .

While orbital space tourism involves extremely high speeds (17,400 mph), as it allows a rocket to orbit around Earth, suborbital flights are a lot slower (though still 3,700mph) and tend to fly directly up into space and then back down again. Suborbital flights are what space tourism companies are offering more commonly. Lunar space tourism involves trips to the moon.

The world's first tourist in space

So when exactly did space tourism begin? On April 30th, 2001, US millionaire Dennis Tito travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) on a Russian Soyuz rocket. He spent 20 million dollars to bring his dream to light, which mirrors the current state of space tourism - the very richest people in the world are at the forefront.

Between 2001 and 2009, Russian Soyuz rockets transported seven more space tourists to the International Space Station as part of Space Adventures, with each ticket costing a similar 20-25 million US dollars. However, in 2010, Russia halted orbital space tourism due to an increasing number of ISS members needing seats on the spacecraft. This was the last we saw of space tourism until 2021.

Does commercial space travel exist today?

The short answer to this question is yes. However, currently, commercial space travel is extremely exclusive, and this shows no signs of changing in the near future. July 2021 was a pioneering month, with both Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin successfully launching suborbital spaceflights with tourist passengers from their spaceports.

Below, we'll go into more detail about the three companies hoping to make waves with commercial space travel in the next few years. Eventually, each of these companies wants to provide regular space travel opportunities to private paying customers.

Virgin Galactic

Their website is simple with an aspirational message. If you click on the heading "Why we go", you see a quote from Branson: "I really hope that there will be millions of kids all over the world who will be captivated and inspired about the possibility of them going to space one day."

The website also outlines that Virgin Galactic's mission is to "open space to everybody" and says, "until now, ordinary citizens haven't had the opportunity to experience space for themselves". However, the question remains - do billionaires count as ordinary citizens when there are less than 3,000 of them in the entire world?

Blue Origin

The space flight reached two new world records by having the oldest and youngest humans to have ever been to space onboard. One of them, an 18-year-old student, was Blue Origin's first paying customer, though the price of a ticket has not been revealed.

The website is similar in some ways to Virgin Galactic's, emphasising a better future for our children and the possibility of millions of people in space. However, there is slightly more focus on Earth preservation, with Blue Origin mentioning the need to find new energy and material resources outside of Earth. There is also a focus on the reusable nature of launch vehicles as an attempt to improve cost and sustainability.

Space X

However, it's worth noting that Space X is more focused on longer orbital flights, which are more difficult to carry out. In fact, Space X launched the first-ever orbital flight crewed entirely by tourists from the Kennedy Space Centre on September 15th 2021.

While one crew member, Jared Isaacman, was a billionaire and funded the trip himself, the other crew members were ordinary citizens, including a community college professor and a physician assistant. To put money matters into perspective, the flight probably cost Isaacman a minimum of 200 million US dollars. However, the mission raised $210 million for St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in the process.

Advantages of space tourism

Now you have a better understanding of space tourism in today's climate, let's delve deeper into the good and bad consequences. We'll start off with the advantages of space tourism and discuss why it's such an exciting prospect for so many.

A new perspective on the world

Right now, the biggest draw for commercial space passengers is the awe-inspiring experience, a new perspective of Earth, and the most beautiful view humans have ever seen. Most people grow up believing that they will never go to space, and the fact that going can become a reality for some is a huge achievement.

Another big perk of space travel for passengers is the experience of microgravity, where they will be able to feel weightless on the spacecraft for a few minutes. This may not change their perspective on Earth, but it'll certainly give a feeling of euphoria.

Scientific research

There are a few scientific benefits of space tourism, though the most recent flights were perhaps not long enough to offer too much insight. When, in the future, we see longer space flights, we'll have the opportunity to study long-term physiological changes in humans as a result of being in space.

There are also chances to carry out small-scale experiments on these touristic flights. For example, on the recent Virgin Galactic flight, plants were taken on board to see how they would react to microgravity.

A potential future on a moon or Mars colony

One of the end goals of space tourism is to prepare for the creation of a colony on the moon or Mars for research purposes or even as a kind of backup plan for if Earth goes up in flames. While a lot of this research and preparation will need to be done by scientists and astronauts, it's true that for this to happen, more ordinary people will need to be able to visit space. In this way, space tourism could be a great starting point.

Disadvantages of space tourism

Of course, it's not all exciting news. There are some pretty huge disadvantages of space tourism that we're going to look at in more detail. It can be easy to ignore the negatives when we're talking about something that's as pioneering and unique as space travel, but it's essential that we have a well-rounded conversation about it.

Space tourism cost and inaccessibility

We've already mentioned how wildly expensive tickets are for spacecraft passengers. At the moment, tickets cost between $200,000-$250,000 for Virgin Galactic flights, and while ticket prices haven't been released by Blue Origin or Space X, we have some indications.

Blue Origin sold one seat on their spaceflight for $28 million as part of a charity auction, demonstrating that the super-wealthy have exclusive access to the opportunity of being a pioneer. Regarding Space X, an early 2022 mission with Axiom will see a crew of 4 go to the ISS and stay for 8 days carrying out 25 science experiments. The cost? A cool 55 million per ticket. Although they'll be carrying out research, three of the passengers are investors, while only one is a former NASA astronaut.

What's more, names and faces in the history books won't be of the scientists, professors and experts who poured their life and soul into understanding the cosmos, but instead of billionaires who paid their way in.

We can't be surprised about this, though, when we consider that billionaire businessmen have taken over space agencies like NASA in the bid for regular commercial space travel.

Besides it being unfair that the wealthy are given access to space travel above all others, there are other problems with the cost of space tourism. So many justifications for space tourism talk about the future of humanity and protecting the planet - but why then can't these billionaires pour some of their dollars into solving the climate crisis, world hunger, and general inequality?

To many, it appears that the billionaire owners of space companies are more interested in "winning" the space race and gaining monopoly over space than protecting the planet we currently live on.

Who is in charge?

This brings us to the next point. We are no longer in control of our future destiny among the stars. Instead, we have to rely on the whims and monetary power of three men, all of whom may not want the same things as us.

As Deepak Xavier, Oxfam's previous International global head of Inequality said, "We've now reached stratospheric inequality. Billionaires burning into space, away from a world of pandemic, climate change and starvation... This is human folly, not human achievement".

One could argue, did we ever have control over our future in space? Are billionaires really that different to members of governments making decisions about our future? While, in some ways, we were always relatively powerless against governments making decisions about spending public money and future innovations, at least the power rested in the hands of a larger and more diverse group of people. Now, everything comes down to just a few men.

Safety concerns

As you can imagine, there are some definite safety concerns when it comes to space travel and tourism. The industry does experience catastrophic failures from time to time, including one Virgin Galactic flight test resulting in the death of co-pilot Mike Alsbury in 2014.

There are several very dangerous parts of a space flight - the two most risky parts being the rocket launch and re-entering Earth's atmosphere on the descent. While difficulties can arise due to faulty machinery, we also have to consider the possibility of human error and sheer bad luck.

Additionally, there are safety concerns about being in space for prolonged periods of time too, and this needs to be addressed when discussing the possibility of citizens regularly entering space. Space radiation can cause terminal illness and behavioural changes, isolation can cause mental health issues, and gravity can cause muscle and bone weakness - just for a few examples.

The environmental cost to the planet

Finally, it's time to discuss the huge environmental cost of space tourism. This is one of the biggest concerns that people have about the prospect of regular commercial space travel, and rightly so. Below we discuss some of the biggest environmental concerns.

Large carbon footprint

Depleting ozone layer

A depleted ozone layer basically means that greenhouse gases can heat up the Earth more easily, and this causes global warming. To improve your understanding of this process, you can check out our greenhouse gases blog post , and to consider the end result, you can read our climate change guide .

Polluted stratosphere

Final thoughts - Is it worth it?

It seems as though the current plans that the billionaire space company owners have for space tourism are perhaps too ambitious, and focus on the wrong things. It's true that space exploration and research could bring a wealth of new ideas and resources to Earth, and could provide a future existence for humans.

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Is space tourism good for the planet? - FutureLearn

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We explore the growing world of commercial space travel and consider whether the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of making space a tourist destination. By Rhiannon Wardle While space tourism isn't brand new, the race to progress commercial space travel has moved along vastly in the past year.

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National Space Society - Working to Create a Spacefaring Civilization

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Opinion by Dale Skran, NSS COO
Image: Blue Origin team after the July 20 successful flight. Courtesy Blue Origin.

The age of space tourism at long last dawns for a second time (the first dawn consisting of those orbital tourists launched by the Russians a while back). But after Richard Branson's flight on SpaceShipTwo July 11, 2021, and Jeff Bezos's New Shepard suborbital jaunt July 20th, the boos, hisses, and catcalls from the various directions assault our senses when we venture forth into the unmoderated Internet. Although the virtues of space tourism can seem self-evident to the seasoned space advocate, they bear repetition.
Space Tourism is Price-Elastic with Regard to Launch Costs
Many space applications have the unfortunate characteristic that a 10% drop in launch costs does not translate to a 10% increase in mass launched to space (for example, geosynchronous communication satellites). Space tourism has long held out the promise that the volume of tourists launched could increase at least linearly as prices dropped, leading to a virtuous circle. In this virtuous circle, a given level of tourist traffic to space would justify additional investment in reduced launch costs, which in turn would lead to more tourist traffic to space, which would drive further reductions in launch cost, and so on. At some point launch costs get low enough that large scale space development and settlement can begin in earnest. It is now starting to look like LEO Mega-constellations may be another application that is price-elastic with regard to launch costs, but the more the merrier to drive down launch costs as fast as possible.
Space Tourism Connects People to Space in a Personal Way
Some voices now are opining that space tourism is only for an elite of "billionaires and millionaires," which is certainly true for the moment. This kind of reasoning ignores two key facts. First, the current tiny group of government trained and paid professional astronauts is far more elite than the population of "rich tourists." An ordinary person is far more likely to make a few million than to become a NASA astronaut. Second, as the volume of space tourists increase, and the cost of going to space drops, the price of a ticket to orbit will drop as well. There is no fundamental physics or engineering reason that the cost of orbit should be much different than the cost of flying to Australia from New York. At that point anyone in the middle class of a developed country could afford a vacation in an orbital hotel. Just the possibility of a future in which most Americans could vacation in space will allow the average person to connect to space in a much more personal way than is currently the case.
Space Tourism is a Great Way for Billionaires to Spend Their Money
Those people with their hair on fire over Branson's ride to space often claim that there is something particularly pointless and even evil about space tourism as a way to spend money. In fact, the truth is quite the opposite. Space tourism has all the real benefits of any other industry that caters mainly to the rich, such as yacht construction and operation. These industries employ large numbers doing real, well paid, honest work, e.g., building yachts. Space tourism holds out the same promise, but more so, since as space tourism drives down launch costs, all space resources become more potentially available to a mass market. The real benefit of space tourism comes when it has driven down launch costs to the point that inexpensive clean energy from space is available pollution-free everywhere on Earth.
Suborbital Tourism Will Benefit Orbital Space Tourism
It is easy to look at SpaceShipTwo and New Shepard, and point out how technically insignificant these vehicles are compared to the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and the still in development Starship/Superheavy. But right now, suborbital tourism is at a price point far less than orbital tourism. This will allow a far larger audience to connect personally to space, and there will be real value in the technology developed to make it happen. Here the Blue Origin New Shepard holds out the greater promise compared to Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo. The New Shepard sports a highly reusable liquid hydrogen-liquid oxygen engine (the BE3) that will eventually replace the Space Shuttle main engines as the most reliable engine of its type. The BE3 engine powering New Shepard will directly see usage in the second stage of New Glenn, and perhaps in other vehicles yet to be built, including those that fly only in space. Additionally, it is apparent that a great deal of energy has been expended by Blue Origin to make New Shepard reliable and safe for humans to fly in. Again, this technology will be re-used in orbital tourist vehicles to come. The path forward for SpaceShipTwo is gauzier, with its less reusable and more polluting hybrid engine, but assuming the market expands, it will eventually be replaced with a less polluting, more reusable vehicle. The good work of Virgin Orbit suggests a taste of what might be possible.
Space Tourism Will Not Be a Pollution Disaster
It is possible to accept all the benefits above, and still express concern about the potential that a really successful space tourism industry will pollute the air and contribute to global warming. Fortunately, Blue Origin's New Shepard produces only water as an exhaust, so neither is going to be an issue even if there are 1,000s of flights per year. Some have claimed that space tourism will be more polluting per passenger mile since there are fewer passengers per vehicle at the current time, but (a) New Shepard has zero carbon/zero pollution, and (b) over time space tourism vehicles will grow in capacity, just like airliners did. The Virgin Galactic engine is more problematic, but will most likely be replaced by a more sustainable engine before flight volumes become large. Some might be more worried about SpaceX's StarShip/SuperHeavy driving global warming when used for point-to-point travel on the Earth, and for space tourism. Elon Musk has declared his intention to produce the methane fuel it uses directly from the atmosphere using solar power, assuring that the fuel cycle is carbon-neutral. In terms of air pollution, StarShip in a point-to-point mode will to a large degree replace airplanes currently flying while using cleaner burning methane, potentially resulting in less pollution than is the case currently. In any case, trips to space will likely always remain a minor part of point-to-point travel on the Earth. Currently, in the U.S. alone, there are about 5,700 passenger flights PER DAY. Even if we are simultaneously supporting dozens of orbital hotels, building a city on Mars, and constructing a network of space solar power satellites, we will be hard pressed to generate more than a tiny fraction of that traffic level.
Three Cheers for Space Tourism
So, join me in congratulating Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin on their success, and in wishing SpaceX, Axiom, Space Adventures, and others yet to come good luck as the new age of space tourism powers humanity to the stars.

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Why Space Tourism? - National Space Society

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Opinion by Dale Skran, NSS COO Image: Blue Origin team after the July 20 successful flight. Courtesy Blue Origin. The age of space tourism at long last dawns for a second time (the first dawn consisting of those orbital tourists launched by the Russians a while back).

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Do Social Connections and Digital Technologies Act as Social Cure During COVID-19?

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Although COVID-19 pandemic has re-orientated humans to be more physically healthy and hygienic, it has also persuaded humans to create affiliations and experience a sense of belongingness through social networks and digital technologies. However, amidst these changes, experiences of COVID-19 patient…

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The Future of Space Tourism Is Now. Well, Not Quite. (Published 2022)

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From zero-pressure balloon trips to astronaut boot camps, reservations for getting off the planet — or pretending to — are skyrocketing. The prices, however, are still out of this world.

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How SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin and others compete in the growing space tourism market

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The space tourism market has remained nascent for the past two decades, but a handful of companies are looking to change that.

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With the rapid growth of space tourism, traveling to outer space could soon be as easy as booking a flight to Europe.

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The Digital Platform as Digital Innovation: A Study from the Perspective of Dynamic Capabilities

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The objective of this study is to examine how digital platforms digitally innovate companies and organizations, using the business model for dynamic capacity in three Brazilian companies. To achiev...

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DDP Approach to Best-in-Class

Learn more about how BCG's data and digital platform (DDP) approach accelerates digital transformation using a method fundamentally different from legacy technology systems. DDP leads with business outcomes and decouples digital transformation from core system replacement, building value much faster.

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Learn more about how BCG's data and digital platform (DDP) approach accelerates digital transformation using a method fundamentally different from legacy technology systems. DDP leads with business outcomes and decouples digital transformation from core system replacement, building value much faster.

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Introduction to Digital Platform

Digital Platforms have become an absolute necessity of any business and no longer a strategy of digital natives. As Accenture Report states" Platforms are fast becoming a competitive necessity and the foundation for new value creation-and companies that fail to embrace them could find themselves on the outside looking in". Many of them have become an essential part of the business landscape and no longer the domain solely of digital natives.

The digital transformation strategy has 4 main areas: Grab customer attention, Transform products, Optimize operations, and Empower Employees. Source: According to a study of Microsoft

Companies, including Daimler, Nike, and Unilever, have launched their platforms as their business models mature. Effective platforms are based on technological excellence but can't exist exclusively in the technology domain. They rely heavily on buy-in and feedback from other parts of the business, best coordinated through a cross-functional team that determines the metrics for success and tracks progress. All this needs to be managed by a delicate balance of centralized leadership that sets the vision, communicates successes, mobilizes the right talent; and 'product owners' tasked with driving success in their specific focus areas.

Best Services for Digital Platform
List of best services are below:

DevOps Services

Customer Experience Platform

Conversational AI platform

Digital Commerce Platform

Digital Experience Platform

Real-Time Visualization

MLOps Platform

All these services are described below. So, let's get started!
Digital Transformation in Retail Industry brings a revolutionary change in the field of business. Click to explore about, Digital Transformation in Retail Industry

What is Digital Platform?
It are the online solutions that enable the execution of multiple tasks in the same place through the internet. Developing a digital marketing strategy includes a series of information that one should carry out and continuously monitor to broader the online presence. The absence of Digital Platform makes everything expensive and hard to achieve.
Why Digital Platform?
The main aim of it is to enhance the collaboration between end-users and producers to transact with each other. These platforms enable users to share different information like new products and services and connect the platform's ecosystem. Creating a robust network for increasing value is also made possible by this technology. The development of it can be boosted by the third-party providers of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which let participants share the data for developing new services.
What is Platform Strategy?
A Platform strategy aims to penetrate the online market just by focusing on allowing one segment of participants to benefit from the presence or interaction of others. Traditionally it is supposed that clients can determine their willingness to pay for a service or product independently. However, Platforms can break this assumption as the participation of a user segment on the platform is interdependent on user choices.
Digital transformation strategy is the fusion of digital technology into all industry sides, changing how you use and convey it to customers. How Digital Transformation Affects Businesses?

What is Platform Strategy Framework?
A Digital Platform strategy aims to penetrate the online market by focusing on allowing one segment of participants to benefit from the presence or interaction of others. Traditionally it is supposed that clients can determine their willingness to pay for a service or product independently. However, Platforms can break this assumption as the participation of a user segment on the platform is interdependent on user choices. Formulating a Platform Strategy for business requires somewhat different products to help entrepreneurs and managers create and capture values.
How to Create Platform Strategy Framework?
The below are major 3 steps to create Digital Platform Strategy Framework:
Step 1
First, the network effect brings together market participants, which means that more clients attract a more significant number of vendors and partners, and vice versa. Platform Strategy for business varies the cost and risk burden to create markets from the business to a network. As the system collects its dynamic momentum, the platform owner reacts as a facilitator to spread that burden between a growing number of participants.
Step 2
Second, the concurrence of technologies like cloud governance , automation, analytics, AI, mobile, and the industrial internet-is developing a new "as-a-service" economy. In this field, services are dynamic, on-demand, and targeted. It makes a massive impact on the cost to serve, investment levels, and speeding up the market. By integrating business technologies, software, and infrastructure to make them available "on-demand," large and small organizations can benefit from the plug-in, modular, scalable services. Entrepreneurs are particular beneficiaries here, even without the constraints to fund the total costs of a platform business upfront, which have access to new markets and distribution channels.
Step 3
Finally, open and shared data can be mined intelligently with the help of specialists and adjacent industries to create new forms of the existing values. Customer activity can be monitored at scale, and insights can be gained from field-based applications or machines. Indeed, the large amount of data is being generated today and estimated to double every two years to 2020. This agile and collaborative way of working is catching many organizations off-balance to create a Platform Strategy for business.
What are the benefits of Platforms Strategies?
Platforms are responsible to enable efficient interaction among participants using data about participants and their platform usage. They do it with the following mechanisms:

1. Aggregation

2. Healing

3. Search or Discover

4. Personalization

What are the best advantages?

Below are the advantages of Digital Platform:

Network Effects
All the tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have been so successful because they have explored the phenomena often cited by economists as network effects. At a primary level, network effects describe how the value of a network or service becomes disproportionately more valuable to its users the more users there are.
Difficult Competition
The double-sided platform, which brings vendors and buyers together can be a powerful way to keep competitors out of the market and hamper their success by reducing the requirement of continually speeding a large amount of marketing.
Create value
Platform Strategy for business tries hard to deliver value to its customers and receive money in return. The platforms like Facebook can twofold the payment and grab the attention of users and invest it in advertising their services.
What are the Best Practices of Platform Engineering?
Today thousands of companies are reducing their old advertising budget and increasing their digital marketing efforts and so knowing platform strategy best practices is essential.
Define goals and objectives
Before starting, businesses must know their aim or where they want to go. While this, each company is to be profitable as it has to dig deeper to define its digital marketing goals.
Set key channels
Since omnichannel marketing can be beneficial to some businesses, but there are rare chances that there are companies that need to use all digital marketing channels. So, it is essential to define the key channels for the objectives of the companies as it is one of the best practices for platform engineering.
Develop a content strategy
Thousands of brands are increasing their investment in content marketing. Whether it be emailing, social media posts, blogs, or visual content, it is what the Internet is built on.
Create and stick to the calendar
Once you get the content, create a calendar or timeline for the consistency of content. Then, make a marketing channel with multiple pieces of content for managing and let this calendar act as the underpinning of your digital strategy.
Implementation
The most important best practices for platform engineering after making a plan is the implementation. Planning and thinking are the two things that are "going to work". Therefore, for the implementation of Platform Strategy for business, you have to consider everything that has been developed with a realistic mindset and evaluate it objectively on business objectives.

What are the Challenges?

1. Using online platforms

2. Equipment and connectivity

3. Time-constraints

4. Lack of face-to-face interaction

5. Platform co-operativism

Factors of Platform Strategy
Five factors that generate the network effects and critical mass crucial to the success of platform ecosystems :

1. Proposition

2. Personalization

3. Price

4. Protection

5. Partners

Highlight the five underlying environmental enablers that are necessary for platforms to flourish

1. Digital user size and savviness

2. Digital talent and entrepreneurship

3. Technology and governance

4. Open innovation culture

5. Policy and regulation

What are the Best Services?
The top 13 best digital platform services are below:
Best Digital Platform Services
Infrastructure Automation Platform: Organizations that automate their IT infrastructure can streamline network, IT and data management processes, which makes the entire digital organization more responsive and efficient. In addition to increased agility and flexibility. In the past a few years, a reduction of cloud costs by up to 27% by using automation.
DevOps Services
DevOps is a technique to foster a highly productive culture of collaboration between Development (Dev) and Operations (Ops) teams. The main aim of DevOps Services is to eliminate the constraints, reducing the development cycle times, and facilitating the success of production deployments of the products. These services make it possible to deliver the best quality at the lowest possible cost.
Multi-Cloud Management
In order to deliver services quickly and with fewer resources, organizations use more than one cloud services provider, like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Multi-Cloud Management strategy involves the use of multiple cloud services from various public cloud hosting providers, in combination with an on-premises virtual, private, or physical cloud infrastructure. IT companies need to manage their IT infrastructure, not just the cloud.
Data Integration Platform
Data integration is the method that involves combining data from various sources into a single unified vision. It starts with ingestion, cleaning, mapping to transformation in a particular given collector, and finally, converting it into more exploitable elements and essential to those who access them.
Data Discovery and Catalog Platform
There are technologies that present the user with statistics or data which is required to make decisions. The data that users see in the form of graphs, diagrams, charts, etc., is the output of analyzing massive data sets in real-time.
MLOps Platform
MLops frameworks and environments that support machine learning lifecycle management. Machine learning operations, MLOps are the best practices for businesses to run AI successfully with the help of various software products and cloud services.
API Testing
Automated testing is a critical component of the software quality control procedure. However, testing the REST (Representational State Transfer) ​​APIs can be tricky. Many who resort to manual REST API testing overlook the information and miss out on ways to save time.
Embedded Analytics Platform
The embedded analytics platform is a business intelligence engine that allows businesses to analyze and combine the master data with other information sources to gain a deeper understanding of various business operations.
Real-Time Visualization
Data visualization is the representation of the information through simple visual attributes like graphs, diagrams, maps, interactive pieces, and much more. Real Time Visualization is a method of representing data that has existed since human beings used cave drawings to communicate messages. Today, marketers use data visualization to make decisions.
Digital Experience Platform
Digital Experience Platform (DXP) is an emerging enterprise software seeking to meet the needs of companies undergoing a digital transformation, with the ultimate goal of delivering better customer experiences. It can be a single product or a suite of products that work simultaneously.
Digital Commerce Platform
The digital e-Commerce platform allows performing the entire operations of an online store. The effectiveness of methods like product display, sales, stock control, payments, promotions, among all others, and it depends on them. While creating an e-commerce site, it is crucial to consider the existing options to choose the one that suits best.
Conversational AI platform
Conversational artificial intelligence uses machine learning to speak to users in a natural and personalized way. This platform carries some weight, but ultimately it comes down to the practical difference it can make for the business.
Customer Experience Platform
The CX ( customer experience) is how a business engages its customers on their journey. It is the additional total of all the interactions that a customer has with a brand. However, the most important thing to know about the customer's experience.

Summing Things Up

Its strategies must be well aligned with the work of an organization in all the channels. If they are not well integrated, businesses will often encounter problems in the long term and must be completely redesigned. To design an effective Platform Strategy with lasting solutions, it is essential to collect as much information as possible. Along with that, define the objectives along with criteria from the beginning. The use of digital platforms in the workplace has become commonplace. Platform strategies, whether practiced individually or in collaboration, are becoming a strategic imperative. Companies who have yet to make the transition can find it difficult to keep up.

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Digital Platform Strategy: Why and How It is Important for Businesses

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Subscription Thanks for submitting the form. Digital Platforms have become an absolute necessity of any business and no longer a strategy of digital natives. As Accenture Report states" Platforms are fast becoming a competitive necessity and the foundation for new value creation-and companies that fail to embrace them could find themselves on the outside looking in".

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How digital innovation in insurance drives human connection

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Erik Sandquist discusses new insurance technologies that will elevate customer experience by improving and expediting human-to-human engagements. Learn mow.

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Digital Platform Strategy: Why and How It is Important for Businesses

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Digital Platform Strategy benefits, challenges and how its best services helps businesses to improve customer experiences.

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https://insuranceblog.accenture.com/digital-innovation-insurance-drives-human-connection

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How digital innovation in insurance drives human connection

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Erik Sandquist discusses new insurance technologies that will elevate customer experience by improving and expediting human-to-human engagements. Learn mow.

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What benefits do online platforms bring to the economy and society?

An ever-increasing number of EU citizens are using online platforms as part of their daily lives - a development that has been further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, where social distancing requires many of us to spend much more time online.

The global nature of the pandemic has accelerated digitalisation at an unprecedented rate, with online platforms taking on an indispensable role in helping citizens transition to the new reality of living in a pandemic, and in enabling them to navigate their daily lives with as much normality as possible despite recurrent lockdowns.

As online platforms facilitate more and more of our interactions - whether in the classroom, at work or in our personal lives - our reliance on their services also increases: for news and entertainment, to connect and communicate, to express ourselves, to produce and access content, to find jobs, transportation, accommodation and much more.

Online platforms are as diverse as their different underlying business models, including for example online marketplaces, search engines, social networks, content-sharing platforms, app stores, communications services, or online travel and accommodation platforms.

Online platforms intermediate information and communication flows on the internet. They are also key enablers of digital trade across the Single Market and the globe. They increase consumer choice and convenience, improve efficiency and competitiveness of industry, and can enhance civil participation.

As key drivers of innovation in the digital world, the success of online platforms is closely tied to the success of a range of businesses that use platforms to reach customers. Platforms allow especially smaller businesses to extend their operations beyond their home state, catering for consumers across the entire Single Market.

The benefits to our economy and society are so significant, that the most successful online platforms have attracted hundreds of millions or even billions of users, making them the most frequently visited websites in the world.

Some facts and figures about online platforms

EU citizens are increasingly using online services, in particular social networks, online shopping, and online content consumption.

Online platforms come in many different forms and sizes. There is a large diversity of online platforms and other online services in Europe, with almost 10,000 high-growth SMEs trying to scale up in the EU.

1. In 2020, online platforms have continued to grow at unparalleled rates in comparison to traditional business models. The total value of the world's top 100 platforms increased by 40% between January and October 2020 to €10.5 trillion.

2. Although there are over 10,000 EU platforms, most of these are start-ups and account only for 2.7% of the global total value.

3. In order to be included in the global top 100, the minimum company value has now risen to €5.5 billion. There are 12 European companies in the global top 100.

Challenges and risks arising from the platform economy - and the EU's regulatory response

Successful online platforms benefit from considerable economies of scale -once the number of users grows, so does the amount of data these platforms accumulate over time. This can lead to situations where a few platforms can influence the nature of our communications and interactions as well as become powerful gatekeepers to markets (which they often create themselves - thus determining the rules of the game for access to and the conditions on these markets). This allows a highly efficient matching of supply and demand in markets of unprecedented size, and the centralised power of online intermediaries opens a scope for different forms of abuse.

Dissemination of illegal content, products and services online, such as incitement to terrorism, illegal hate speech, child sexual abuse material, infringements of IP rights

Need to protect fundamental rights: freedom of speech, freedom to information, personal data of EU citizens

Manipulation of platform's systems to amplify certain messages and behaviours leading to the deliberate misuse of the platforms' systems for societal harms such as the instigation to violence or self-harm the spread of conspiracy theories, and (political) disinformation, impacting democratic participation

Unfair business conditions for business users, no redress in case of problems (imbalances in bargaining power, coupled with the economic dependency of many business users and customers on gatekeepers)

Abuse of dominant position and risk of weak competition in digital markets due to gatekeepers' control over whole platform ecosystems

Unfair consumer commercial practices, consumer protection rules ill-suited to digital world

Ineffective supervision of services

In the past few years, the European Union has addressed many of these challenges. For instance, it has addressed privacy concerns, updated consumer protection rules, and has used its powers under competition law to address instances of abuses of dominant market power.

However, competition enforcement cannot always be effective in fast-moving markets, and despite of a range of targeted, sector-specific interventions at EU-level, such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, the Copyright Directive, and the Regulation on Terrorist Content Online, there are still gaps and legal burdens to address. The Platform-to-Business Regulation, the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act aim to address some of these gaps and form three key legislative initiatives in the field of online platform regulation.

The platform-to-business regulation

Today, a huge array of products and services are at our fingertips and transactions increasingly take place online. A new ecosystem has emerged with these new consumption habits, often characterized by imbalances in bargaining power in the relationships between online platforms and smaller players conducting their business on their platforms.

From July 2020, EU rules make these relationships fairer and more transparent for businesses. The Regulation on promoting fairness and transparency for business users of online intermediation services or in short Platform-to-Business Regulation, is the first-ever set of rules for creating a fair, transparent and predictable business environment for smaller businesses and traders on online platforms.

Concretely, the platform-to-business regulation ensures that the terms and conditions of online platforms:

In addition, the Regulation makes it easier for business users to seek redress in case of problems:

The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act

As an answer to the array of complex challenges arising from the platform economy, the European Commission has decided to propose an ambitious set of new rules for the digital space: the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.

This new rulebook, published in December 2020, provides a comprehensive and horizontal framework for the regulation of all digital services, building a foundation for already existing or new sector-specific regulation. The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act will apply to all digital services, including social media, online market places and other online platforms that operate in the European Union.

The new rules will create a safer and more open digital space for all users, where their fundamental rights are effectively protected. They will also lead to fairer and more open digital markets for everyone by fostering innovation, growth and competitiveness.

The scaling up of smaller platforms, small and medium-sized enterprises, and start-ups will be supported by facilitating access to customers across the whole single market. Furthermore, the new rules will prohibit unfair conditions imposed by online platforms that have become or are expected to become gatekeepers to the single market.

Concretely, the Digital Services Act will introduce a series of new, harmonised EU-wide obligations for digital services, carefully calibrated to the services' size and impact, such as:

The Digital Services Act proposal is complemented by the European Democracy Action Plan, which aims at making democracies more resilient by promoting free and fair elections, strengthening media freedom and pluralism, and countering disinformation.

The Digital Markets Act will set out harmonised rules defining and prohibiting unfair practices by gatekeepers and providing an enforcement mechanism based on market investigations. With the Digital Markets Act, the transparency and fairness principles set out in the Platform-to-Business Regulation are complemented by strict fairness disciplines for gatekeepers.

Concretely, the Digital Markets Act will:

establish a set of objective criteria for qualifying a large online platform as a so-called "gatekeeper";

be well targeted and thereby only apply to certain large, systemic online platforms, which are most prone to unfair practices;

require gatekeepers to proactively put in place certain measures, such as targeted measures allowing the software of third parties to properly function and interoperate with their own services;

prohibit a number of practices which are clearly unfair, such as blocking users from un-installing any pre-installed software or apps;

will allow the Commission to carry out targeted market investigations to designate companies as gatekeepers and to assess whether new gatekeeper practices and services need to be added to these rules, in order to ensure that the new gatekeeper rules keep up with the fast pace of digital markets.

Outlook for the future

The platform-to-business regulation is an adaptive regulation and is being evaluated in the course of 2021 in order to adjust it to changing technological needs.

The European Parliament and the Member States will discuss the Commission's proposals for the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act in the ordinary legislative procedure. If adopted, the final texts will be directly applicable across the European Union.

Online platforms operate in a very dynamic environment. For this reason, the Commission set up an EU Observatory on the Online Platform Economy to monitor the evolution and identify emerging challenges. Among the topics the Observatory is looking at are issues related to data access and use, non-discrimination as well as algorithmic decision making or ranking.

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How do online platforms shape our lives and businesses? - Brochure

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An ever-increasing number of EU citizens are using online platforms as part of their daily lives - a development that has been further accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, where social distancing requires many of us to spend much more time online.

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https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/whyweexplore/why_we_explore_main.html#:~:text=Human%20Space%20Exploration&text=The%20intangible%20desire%20to%20explore,history%20of%20our%20solar%20system.

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Humanity's interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.
Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the history of our solar system. Through addressing the challenges related to human space exploration we expand technology, create new industries, and help to foster a peaceful connection with other nations. Curiosity and exploration are vital to the human spirit and accepting the challenge of going deeper into space will invite the citizens of the world today and the generations of tomorrow to join NASA on this exciting journey.

A Flexible Path

This is the beginning of a new era in space exploration in which NASA has been challenged to develop systems and capabilities required to explore beyond low-Earth orbit, including destinations such as translunar space, near-Earth asteroids and eventually Mars.
NASA will use the International Space Station as a test-bed and stepping stone for the challenging journey ahead. By building upon what we learn there we will prepare astronauts for the challenges of long-duration flight and the permanent expansion of human exploration beyond where we have been before. Explorers may visit near-Earth asteroids where we may get answers to the questions humans have always asked. Visiting an asteroid will provide valuable mission experience and prepare us for the next steps-possibly for the first humans to step on Mars.
Robotic exploration continues to deliver profound answers about our Universe by visiting far-off destinations, providing reconnaissance and collecting scientific data. When combining both human and robotic exploration methods we will use technology and our senses to increase our ability to observe, adapt, and uncover new knowledge.

Why the International Space Station?

The first step in embarking on a long and challenging journey involves laying solid groundwork for a successful endeavor. The International Space Station serves as a national laboratory for human health, biological, and materials research, as a technology test-bed, and as a stepping stone for going further into the solar system. On the International Space Station we will improve and learn new ways to ensure astronauts are safe, healthy and productive while exploring, and we will continue expand our knowledge about how materials and biological systems behave outside of the influence of gravity.
NASA will continue its unprecedented work with the commercial industry and expand an entire industry as private companies develop and operate safe, reliable and affordable commercial systems to transport crew and cargo to and from the International Space Station and low Earth orbit.

Why Translunar Space?

Translunar space is vast expanse surrounding the Earth-moon system, extending far beyond the moon's orbit and dominated by the two bodies' gravity fields. Exploring in translunar space, beyond the protection of the Earth's geomagnetic field, will provide unprecedented experience in deep-space operations. Operating in translunar space, NASA can research galactic cosmic radiation-potentially the most threatening element to humans exploring deep space-and develop mitigation strategies that may also lead to medical advancements on Earth.
The Lagrange points-places in cislunar space where the gravitational influences of the Earth and moon cancel each other out-are advantageous areas for exploration and research in which almost no propulsion is required to keep an object or spacecraft stationary. The Lagrange point on the far side of the Earth-Moon system, called L2, also provides a "radio silence" zone for astronomical observations.
Missions to translunar space will give NASA and its partners the opportunity to develop tools and operational techniques to support decades of future exploration, while remaining in relative proximity to Earth.

Why Asteroids?

Asteroids are believed to have formed early in our solar system's history-about 4.5 billion years ago-when a cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula collapsed and formed our sun and the planets. By visiting these near Earth objects to study the material that came from the solar nebula, we can look for answers to some of humankind's most compelling questions, such as: how did the solar system form and where did the Earth's water and other organic materials such as carbon come from?
In addition to unlocking clues about our solar system, asteroids may provide clues about our Earth. By understanding more about asteroids we may learn more about past Earth impacts and possibly find ways to reduce the threat of future impacts.
Future robotic missions to asteroids will prepare humans for long-duration space travel and the eventual journey to Mars. Robotic missions will provide reconnaissance information about asteroid orbits, surface composition, and even return samples to Earth for further evaluation. These robotic missions are a critical step in preparing humans to visit asteroids where we will learn about the valuable resources available in space, and further develop ways to use them in our quest for more efficient and affordable exploration.

Why Mars?

Mars has always been a source of inspiration for explorers and scientists. Robotic missions have found evidence of water, but if life exists beyond Earth still remains a mystery. Robotic and scientific robotic missions have shown that Mars has characteristics and a history similar to Earth's, but we know that there are striking differences that we have yet to begin to understand. Humans can build upon this knowledge and look for signs of life and investigate Mars' geological evolution, resulting in research and methods that could be applied here on Earth.
A mission to our nearest planetary neighbor provides the best opportunity to demonstrate that humans can live for extended, even permanent, stays beyond low Earth orbit. The technology and space systems required to transport and sustain explorers will drive innovation and encourage creative ways to address challenges. As previous space endeavors have demonstrated, the resulting ingenuity and technologies will have long lasting benefits and applications.
The challenge of traveling to Mars and learning how to live there will encourage nations around the world to work together to achieve such an ambitious undertaking. The International Space station has shown that opportunities for collaboration will highlight our common interests and provide a global sense of community.

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Humanity's interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.

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All of us know how important is a military force for a country. However, there are few countries that have been without any armed force for years. Take a look.

By India Today Web Desk: A military force protects you from any possible attack from other countries or even terrorists. An efficient armed force is pretty essential to protect the borders. Technically, every country should have a standing military force but there are few countries in the world who believe that 'War is Hell' and hence, they do not keep any military force in their country.

Let's look at some of the countries that have been living without any armed forces:

Costa Rica
In 1948, after its victory in the civil war, the country put an end to having any armed force. Every year, Costa Rica celebrates Army Abolition Day on December 1. The police force currently handles the internal security of the country.

Grenada
The country was invaded by the United States in the year 1983, and since then Grenada has not had a standing army in its service. A paramilitary force as part of the Royal Grenada Police Force works on internal security.

Kiribati
A nation of three group of islands, Kiribati, is another country with no standing army. The nation has a defence assistance from Australia and New Zealand along with its own Kiribati Police Service.

Andorra
Under a separate military treaty, Andorra receives protection from Spain and France but has no standing military force. Andorra does have a small army for special ceremonies. Laws in the nation are handled by the National Police Corps.

Vatican City
The smallest country in the world, Vatican City used to have many armed forces to protect the pope and the country but Pope Paul VI abolished all the forces in 1970. However, since the little country is located in Rome, Italy protects the Vatican City.

Iceland
Iceland had an army in 1869 but after that, the country had defense agreements with the U.S. to maintain an Iceland Defense Force that existed from 1951-2006. In 2006, America announced that it will provide Iceland its security without any stationed forces in the country.

What do you think?

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facts on countries without military forces

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All of us know how important is a military force for a country. However, there are few countries that have been without any armed force for years. Take a look. By India Today Web Desk : A military force protects you from any possible attack from other countries or even terrorists.

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Deterrence theory refers to the scholarship and practice of how threats or limited force by one party can convince another party to refrain from initiating some other course of action. The topic gained increased prominence as a military strategy during the Cold War with regard to the use of nuclear weapons and is related to but distinct from the concept of mutual assured destruction, which models the preventative nature of full-scale nuclear attack that would devastate both parties in a nuclear war. The central problem of deterrence revolves around how to credibly threaten military action or nuclear punishment on the adversary despite its costs to the deterrer.

Deterrence is widely defined as any use of threats (implicit or explicit) or limited force intended to dissuade an actor from taking an action (i.e. maintain the status quo). Deterrence is unlike compellence, which is the attempt to get an actor (such as a state) to take an action (i.e. alter the status quo). Both are forms of coercion. Compellence has been characterized as harder to successfully implement than deterrence. Deterrence also tends to be distinguished from defense or the use of full force in wartime.

Deterrence is most likely to be successful when a prospective attacker believes that the probability of success is low and the costs of attack are high. The central problem of deterrence is to credibly communicate threats. Deterrence does not necessarily require military superiority.

"General deterrence" is considered successful when an actor who might otherwise take an action refrains from doing so due to the consequences that the deterrer is perceived likely to take.

"Immediate deterrence" is considered successful when an actor seriously contemplating immediate military force or action refrains from doing so. Scholars distinguish between "extended deterrence" (the protection of allies) and "direct deterrence" (protection of oneself). Rational deterrence theory holds that an attacker will be deterred if they believe that:

(Probability of deterrer carrying out deterrent threat x Costs if threat carried out) > (Probability of the attacker accomplishing the action x Benefits of the action)

This model is frequently simplified as:

Costs x P(Costs) > Benefits x P(Benefits)

A distinction is sometimes made between nuclear deterrence and "conventional deterrence."

The two most prominent deterrent strategies are "denial" (denying the attacker the benefits of attack) and "punishment" (inflicting costs on the attacker).

The use of military threats as a means to deter international crises and war has been a central topic of international security research for at least 200 years.

The concept of deterrence can be defined as the use of threats in limited force by one party to convince another party to refrain from initiating some course of action. In Arms and Influence (1966), Schelling offers a broader definition of deterrence, as he defines it as "to prevent from action by fear of consequences." Glenn Snyder also offers a broad definition of deterrence, as he argues that deterrence involves both the threat of sanction and the promise of reward.

A threat serves as a deterrent to the extent that it convinces its target not to carry out the intended action because of the costs and losses that target would incur. In international security, a policy of deterrence generally refers to threats of military retaliation directed by the leaders of one state to the leaders of another in an attempt to prevent the other state from resorting to the use of military force in pursuit of its foreign policy goals.

As outlined by Huth, a policy of deterrence can fit into two broad categories: preventing an armed attack against a state's own territory (known as direct deterrence) or preventing an armed attack against another state (known as extended deterrence). Situations of direct deterrence often occur if there is a territorial dispute between neighboring states in which major powers like the United States do not directly intervene. On the other hand, situations of extended deterrence often occur when a great power becomes involved. The latter case has generated most interest in academic literature. Building on the two broad categories, Huth goes on to outline that deterrence policies may be implemented in response to a pressing short-term threat (known as immediate deterrence) or as strategy to prevent a military conflict or short-term threat from arising (known as general deterrence).

A successful deterrence policy must be considered in military terms but also political terms: International relations, foreign policy and diplomacy. In military terms, deterrence success refers to preventing state leaders from issuing military threats and actions that escalate peacetime diplomatic and military co-operation into a crisis or militarized confrontation that threatens armed conflict and possibly war. The prevention of crises of wars, however, is not the only aim of deterrence. In addition, defending states must be able to resist the political and the military demands of a potential attacking nation. If armed conflict is avoided at the price of diplomatic concessions to the maximum demands of the potential attacking nation under the threat of war, it cannot be claimed that deterrence has succeeded.

Furthermore, as Jentleson et al. argue, two key sets of factors for successful deterrence are important: a defending state strategy that balances credible coercion and deft diplomacy consistent with the three criteria of proportionality, reciprocity, and coercive credibility and minimizes international and domestic constraints and the extent of an attacking state's vulnerability as shaped by its domestic political and economic conditions. In broad terms, a state wishing to implement a strategy of deterrence is most likely to succeed if the costs of noncompliance that it can impose on and the benefits of compliance it can offer to another state are greater than the benefits of noncompliance and the costs of compliance.

Deterrence theory holds that nuclear weapons are intended to deter other states from attacking with their nuclear weapons, through the promise of retaliation and possibly mutually assured destruction. Nuclear deterrence can also be applied to an attack by conventional forces. For example, the doctrine of massive retaliation threatened to launch US nuclear weapons in response to Soviet attacks.

A successful nuclear deterrent requires a country to preserve its ability to retaliate by responding before its own weapons are destroyed or ensuring a second-strike capability. A nuclear deterrent is sometimes composed of a nuclear triad, as in the case of the nuclear weapons owned by the United States, Russia, the China and India. Other countries, such as the United Kingdom and France, have only sea-based and air-based nuclear weapons.

Jentleson et al. provides further detail in relation to those factors. Proportionality refers to the relationship between the defending state's scope and nature of the objectives being pursued and the instruments available for use to pursue them. The more the defending state demands of another state, the higher that state's costs of compliance and the greater need for the defending state's strategy to increase the costs of noncompliance and the benefits of compliance. That is a challenge, as deterrence is by definition a strategy of limited means. George (1991) goes on to explain that deterrence sometimes goes beyond threats to the actual use of military force, but if force is actually used, it must be limited and fall short of full-scale use to succeed.

The main source of disproportionality is an objective that goes beyond policy change to regime change, which has been seen in Libya, Iraq, and North Korea. There, defending states have sought to change the leadership of a state and to policy changes relating primarily to their nuclear weapons programs.

Secondly, Jentleson et al. outlines that reciprocity involves an explicit understanding of linkage between the defending state's carrots and the attacking state's concessions. The balance lies in not offering too little, too late or for too much in return and not offering too much, too soon, or for too little return.

Finally, coercive credibility requires that in addition to calculations about costs and benefits of co-operation, the defending state convincingly conveys to the attacking state that failure to co-operate has consequences. Threats, uses of force, and other coercive instruments such as economic sanctions must be sufficiently credible to raise the attacking state's perceived costs of noncompliance. A defending state having a superior military capability or economic strength in itself is not enough to ensure credibility. Indeed, all three elements of a balanced deterrence strategy are more likely to be achieved if other major international actors like the UN or NATO are supportive, and opposition within the defending state's domestic politics is limited.

The other important considerations outlined by Jentleson et al. that must be taken into consideration is the domestic political and economic conditions in the attacking state affecting its vulnerability to deterrence policies and the attacking state's ability to compensate unfavourable power balances. The first factor is whether internal political support and regime security are better served by defiance, or there are domestic political gains to be made from improving relations with the defending state. The second factor is an economic calculation of the costs that military force, sanctions, and other coercive instruments can impose and the benefits that trade and other economic incentives may carry. That is partly a function of the strength and flexibility of the attacking state's domestic economy and its capacity to absorb or counter the costs being imposed. The third factor is the role of elites and other key domestic political figures within the attacking state. To the extent that such actors' interests are threatened with the defending state's demands, they act to prevent or block the defending state's demands.

One approach to theorizing about deterrence has entailed the use of rational choice and game-theoretic models of decision making (see game theory). Rational deterrence theory entails:

1. Rationality: actors are rational

2. Unitary actor assumption: actors are understood as unitary

3. Dyads: interactions tend to be between dyads (or triads) of states

4. Strategic interactions: actors consider the choices of other actors

5. Cost-benefit calculations: outcomes reflect actors' cost-benefit calculations

Deterrence theorists have consistently argued that deterrence success is more likely if a defending state's deterrent threat is credible to an attacking state. Huth outlines that a threat is considered credible if the defending state possesses both the military capabilities to inflict substantial costs on an attacking state in an armed conflict, and the attacking state believes that the defending state is resolved to use its available military forces. Huth goes on to explain the four key factors for consideration under rational deterrence theory: the military balance, signaling and bargaining power, reputations for resolve, interests at stake.

The American economist Thomas Schelling brought his background in game theory to the subject of studying international deterrence. Schelling's (1966) classic work on deterrence presents the concept that military strategy can no longer be defined as the science of military victory. Instead, it is argued that military strategy was now equally, if not more, the art of coercion, intimidation and deterrence. Schelling says the capacity to harm another state is now used as a motivating factor for other states to avoid it and influence another state's behavior. To be coercive or deter another state, violence must be anticipated and avoidable by accommodation. It can therefore be summarized that the use of the power to hurt as bargaining power is the foundation of deterrence theory and is most successful when it is held in reserve.

In an article celebrating Schelling's Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics, Michael Kinsley, Washington Post op‑ed columnist and one of Schelling's former students, anecdotally summarizes Schelling's reorientation of game theory thus: "[Y]ou're standing at the edge of a cliff, chained by the ankle to someone else. You'll be released, and one of you will get a large prize, as soon as the other gives in. How do you persuade the other guy to give in, when the only method at your disposal-threatening to push him off the cliff-would doom you both? Answer: You start dancing, closer and closer to the edge. That way, you don't have to convince him that you would do something totally irrational: plunge him and yourself off the cliff. You just have to convince him that you are prepared to take a higher risk than he is of accidentally falling off the cliff. If you can do that, you win."

Deterrence is often directed against state leaders who have specific territorial goals that they seek to attain either by seizing disputed territory in a limited military attack or by occupying disputed territory after the decisive defeat of the adversary's armed forces. In either case, the strategic orientation of potential attacking states generally is for the short term and is driven by concerns about military cost and effectiveness. For successful deterrence, defending states need the military capacity to respond quickly and strongly to a range of contingencies. Deterrence often fails if either a defending state or an attacking state underestimates or overestimates the other's ability to undertake a particular course of action.

The central problem for a state that seeks to communicate a credible deterrent threat by diplomatic or military actions is that all defending states have an incentive to act as if they are determined to resist an attack in the hope that the attacking state will back away from military conflict with a seemingly resolved adversary. If all defending states have such incentives, potential attacking states may discount statements made by defending states along with any movement of military forces as merely bluffs. In that regard, rational deterrence theorists have argued that costly signals are required to communicate the credibility of a defending state's resolve. Those are actions and statements that clearly increase the risk of a military conflict and also increase the costs of backing down from a deterrent threat. States that bluff are unwilling to cross a certain threshold of threat and military action for fear of committing themselves to an armed conflict.

There are three different arguments that have been developed in relation to the role of reputations in influencing deterrence outcomes. The first argument focuses on a defending state's past behavior in international disputes and crises, which creates strong beliefs in a potential attacking state about the defending state's expected behaviour in future conflicts. The credibilities of a defending state's policies are arguably linked over time, and reputations for resolve have a powerful causal impact on an attacking state's decision whether to challenge either general or immediate deterrence. The second approach argues that reputations have a limited impact on deterrence outcomes because the credibility of deterrence is heavily determined by the specific configuration of military capabilities, interests at stake, and political constraints faced by a defending state in a given situation of attempted deterrence. The argument of that school of thought is that potential attacking states are not likely to draw strong inferences about a defending states resolve from prior conflicts because potential attacking states do not believe that a defending state's past behaviour is a reliable predictor of future behavior. The third approach is a middle ground between the first two approaches and argues that potential attacking states are likely to draw reputational inferences about resolve from the past behaviour of defending states only under certain conditions. The insight is the expectation that decisionmakers use only certain types of information when drawing inferences about reputations, and an attacking state updates and revises its beliefs when a defending state's unanticipated behavior cannot be explained by case-specific variables.

An example shows that the problem extends to the perception of the third parties as well as main adversaries and underlies the way in which attempts at deterrence can fail and even backfire if the assumptions about the others' perceptions are incorrect.

Although costly signaling and bargaining power are more well established arguments in rational deterrence theory, the interests of defending states are not as well known. Attacking states may look beyond the short-term bargaining tactics of a defending state and seek to determine what interests are at stake for the defending state that would justify the risks of a military conflict. The argument is that defending states that have greater interests at stake in a dispute are more resolved to use force and more willing to endure military losses to secure those interests. Even less well-established arguments are the specific interests that are more salient to state leaders such as military interests and economic interests.

Furthermore, Huth argues that both supporters and critics of rational deterrence theory agree that an unfavorable assessment of the domestic and international status quo by state leaders can undermine or severely test the success of deterrence. In a rational choice approach, if the expected utility of not using force is reduced by a declining status quo position, deterrence failure is more likely since the alternative option of using force becomes relatively more attractive.

A 2022 study by Brian Blankenship and Erik Lin-Greenberg found that high-resolve, low-capability signals (such as tripwires) were not viewed as more reassuring to allies than low-resolve, high-capability alternatives (such as forces stationed offshore). Their study cast doubt on the reassuring value of tripwires.

In 1966, Schelling is prescriptive in outlining the impact of the development of nuclear weapons in the analysis of military power and deterrence. In his analysis, before the widespread use of assured second strike capability, or immediate reprisal, in the form of SSBN submarines, Schelling argues that nuclear weapons give nations the potential to destroy their enemies but also the rest of humanity without drawing immediate reprisal because of the lack of a conceivable defense system and the speed with which nuclear weapons can be deployed. A nation's credible threat of such severe damage empowers their deterrence policies and fuels political coercion and military deadlock, which can produce proxy warfare.

According to Kenneth Waltz, there are three requirements for successful nuclear deterrence:

1. Part of a state's nuclear arsenal must appear to be able to survive an attack by the adversary and be used for a retaliatory second strike

2. The state must not respond to false alarms of a strike by the adversary

3. The state must maintain command and control

The stability-instability paradox is a key concept in rational deterrence theory. It states that when two countries each have nuclear weapons, the probability of a direct war between them greatly decreases, but the probability of minor or indirect conflicts between them increases. This occurs because rational actors want to avoid nuclear wars, and thus they neither start major conflicts nor allow minor conflicts to escalate into major conflicts-thus making it safe to engage in minor conflicts. For instance, during the Cold War the United States and the Soviet Union never engaged each other in warfare, but fought proxy wars in Korea, Vietnam, Angola, the Middle East, Nicaragua and Afghanistan and spent substantial amounts of money and manpower on gaining relative influence over the third world.

Bernard Brodie wrote in 1959 that a credible nuclear deterrent must be always ready but never used.

Scholars have debated whether having a superior nuclear arsenal provides a deterrent against other nuclear-armed states with smaller arsenals. Matthew Kroenig has argued that states with nuclear superiority are more likely to win nuclear crises, whereas Todd Sechser, Matthew Fuhrmann and David C. Logan have challenged this assertion. A 2022 study by Kyungwon Suh suggests that nuclear superiority may not reduce the likelihood that nuclear opponents will initiate nuclear crises.

The US policy of deterrence during the Cold War underwent significant variations.

Containment

The early stages of the Cold War were generally characterized by the containment of communism, an aggressive stance on behalf of the US especially on developing nations under its sphere of influence. The period was characterized by numerous proxy wars throughout most of the globe, particularly Africa, Asia, Central America, and South America. One notable conflict was the Korean War. George F. Kennan, who is taken to be the founder of this policy in his Long Telegram, asserted that he never advocated military intervention, merely economic support, and that his ideas were misinterpreted as espoused by the general public.

With the US drawdown from Vietnam, the normalization of US relations with China, and the Sino-Soviet Split, the policy of containment was abandoned and a new policy of détente was established, with peaceful co-existence was sought between the United States and the Soviet Union. Although all of those factors contributed to this shift, the most important factor was probably the rough parity achieved in stockpiling nuclear weapons with the clear capability of mutual assured destruction (MAD). Therefore, the period of détente was characterized by a general reduction in the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and a thawing of the Cold War, which lasted from the late 1960s until the start of the 1980s. The doctrine of mutual nuclear deterrence then characterized relations between the United States and the Soviet Union and relations with Russia until the onset of the New Cold War in the early 2010s. Since then, relations have been less clear.

A third shift occurred with US President Ronald Reagan's arms build-up during the 1980s. Reagan attempted to justify the policy by concerns of growing Soviet influence in Latin America and the post-1979 revolutionary government of Iran. Similar to the old policy of containment, the US funded several proxy wars, including support for Saddam Hussein of Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, support for the mujahideen in Afghanistan, who were fighting for independence from the Soviet Union, and several anticommunist movements in Latin America such as the overthrow of the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. The funding of the Contras in Nicaragua led to the Iran-Contra Affair, while overt support led to a ruling from the International Court of Justice against the United States in Nicaragua v. United States.

While the army was dealing with the breakup of the Soviet Union and the spread of nuclear technology to other nations beyond the United States and Russia, the concept of deterrence took on a broader multinational dimension. The US policy on deterrence after the Cold War was outlined in 1995 in the document called " Essentials of Post-Cold War Deterrence". It explains that while relations with Russia continue to follow the traditional characteristics of MAD, but the US policy of deterrence towards nations with minor nuclear capabilities should ensure by threats of immense retaliation (or even pre-emptive action) not to threaten the United States, its interests, or allies. The document explains that such threats must also be used to ensure that nations without nuclear technology refrain from developing nuclear weapons and that a universal ban precludes any nation from maintaining chemical or biological weapons. The current tensions with Iran and North Korea over their nuclear programs are caused partly by the continuation of the policy of deterrence.

Since the early 2000s, there has been an increased focus on cyber deterrence. Cyber deterrence has two meanings:

1. The use of cyber actions to deter other states

2. The deterrence of an adversary's cyber operations

Scholars have debated how cyber capabilities alter traditional understandings of deterrence, given that it may be harder to attribute responsibility for cyber attacks, the barriers to entry may be lower, the risks and costs may be lower for actors who conduct cyber attacks, it may be harder to signal and interpret intentions, the advantage of offense over defense, and weak actors and non-state actors can develop considerable cyber capabilities. Scholars have also debated the feasibility of launching highly damaging cyber attacks and engaging in destructive cyber warfare, with most scholars expressing skepticism that cyber capabilities have enhanced the ability of states to launch highly destructive attacks. The most prominent cyber attack to date is the Stuxnet attack on Iran's nuclear program. By 2019, the only publicly acknowledged case of a cyber attack causing a power outage was the 2015 Ukraine power grid hack.

Denial: preventing adversaries from achieving military objectives by defending against them

Punishment: the imposition of costs on the adversary

Norms: the establishment and maintenance of norms that establish appropriate standards of behavior

Escalation: raising the probability that costs will be imposed on the adversary

Entanglement and interdependence: interdependence between actors can have a deterrent effect

There is a risk of unintended escalation in cyberspace due to difficulties in discerning the intent of attackers, and complexities in state-hacker relationships. According to political scientists Joseph Brown and Tanisha Fazal, states frequently neither confirm nor deny responsibility for cyber operations so that they can avoid the escalatory risks (that come with public credit) while also signaling that they have cyber capabilities and resolve (which can be achieved if intelligence agencies and governments believe they were responsible).

According to Lennart Maschmeyer, cyber weapons have limited coercive effectiveness due to a trilemma "whereby speed, intensity, and control are negatively correlated. These constraints pose a trilemma for actors because a gain in one variable tends to produce losses across the other two variables."

Deterrence theory has been criticized by numerous scholars for various reasons. A prominent strain of criticism argues that rational deterrence theory is contradicted by frequent deterrence failures, which may be attributed to misperceptions. Scholars have also argued that leaders do not behave in ways that are consistent with the predictions of nuclear deterrence theory.

Advocates for nuclear disarmament, such as Global Zero, have criticized nuclear deterrence theory. Sam Nunn, William Perry, Henry Kissinger, and George Shultz have all called upon governments to embrace the vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, and created the Nuclear Security Project to advance that agenda. In 2010, the four were featured in a documentary film entitled Nuclear Tipping Point where proposed steps to achieve nuclear disarmament. Kissinger has argued, "The classical notion of deterrence was that there was some consequences before which aggressors and evildoers would recoil. In a world of suicide bombers, that calculation doesn't operate in any comparable way." Shultz said, "If you think of the people who are doing suicide attacks, and people like that get a nuclear weapon, they are almost by definition not deterrable."

Paul Nitze argued in 1994 that nuclear weapons were obsolete in the "new world disorder" after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and he advocated reliance on precision guided munitions to secure a permanent military advantage over future adversaries.

As opposed to the extreme mutually assured destruction form of deterrence, the concept of minimum deterrence in which a state possesses no more nuclear weapons than is necessary to deter an adversary from attacking is presently the most common form of deterrence practiced by nuclear weapon states, such as China, India, Pakistan, Britain, and France. Pursuing minimal deterrence during arms negotiations between the United States and Russia allows each state to make nuclear stockpile reductions without the state becoming vulnerable, but it has been noted that there comes a point that further reductions may be undesirable, once minimal deterrence is reached, as further reductions beyond that point increase a state's vulnerability and provide an incentive for an adversary to expand its nuclear arsenal secretly.

Frank C. Zagare has argued that deterrence theory is logically inconsistent and empirically inaccurate. In place of classical deterrence, rational choice scholars have argued for perfect deterrence, which assumes that states may vary in their internal characteristics and especially in the credibility of their threats of retaliation.

^ Definition of deterrence from the Dictionary of Modern Strategy and Tactics by Michael Keane: "The prevention or inhibition of action brought about by fear of the consequences. Deterrence is a state of mind brought about by the existence of a credible threat of unacceptable counteraction. It assumes and requires rational decision makers."

Schultz, George P. and Goodby, James E. The War that Must Never be Fought, Hoover Press, ISBN 978-0-8179-1845-3, 2015.

Freedman, Lawrence. 2004. Deterrence. New York: Polity Press.

Jervis, Robert, Richard N. Lebow and Janice G. Stein. 1985. Psychology and Deterrence. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. 270 pp.

Morgan, Patrick. 2003. Deterrence Now. Cambridge University Press.

T.V. Paul, Patrick M. Morgan, James J. Wirtz, Complex Deterrence: Strategy In the Global Age (University of Chicago Press, 2009) ISBN 978-0-226-65002-9.

Waltz, Kenneth N. "Nuclear Myths and Political Realities". The American Political Science Review. Vol. 84, No. 3 (Sep, 1990), pp. 731-746.

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Deterrence theory refers to the scholarship and practice of how threats or limited force by one party can convince another party to refrain from initiating some other course of action.

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Dr. Panagiotis Kikiras The European Defence Agency’s Head of Unit for Innovative Research

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10 most disrupting defence innovations to come

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ABSTRACT
The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term 'military innovation,' there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance. Currently, what one might consider an innovation another might call an adaptation of an existing technology or tactic, or neither. To move forward, we survey dozens of existing studies and review articles for proposed definitions and examples of military innovation. We locate common and differentiating themes across a wide range of definitions and (at times) conflicting conceptual terminology. We then propose a new framework for thinking about military innovation that builds on existing research and suggests a path forward for future research. Finally, in an online appendix, we demonstrate the plausibility of the framework applied to prominent cases.

Acknowledgements

We thank Tom Mahnken, Theo Farrell, Jon Lindsay, Alexander Kirss, the anonymous referee, and the editors. Excellent research assistance was provided by Julia Ciocca, Alexander Rabin, and Camila Celi. All errors are the responsibility of the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here

Additional information

Funding

This article was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Minerva Research Initiative under grant #FA9550-18-1-01

Notes on contributors

Michael C. Horowitz
Michael C. Horowitz is Richard Perry Professor, Political Science Professor, and Director of Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Senior Fellow in Defense Technology and Innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Shira Pindyck
Shira Pindyck is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a military innovation and why it matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ABSTRACT The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term 'military innovation,' there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021

Date Written: October 25, 2021

Abstract

The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance. Currently, what one might consider an innovation another might call an adaptation of an existing technology or tactic, or neither. To move forward, we survey dozens of existing studies and review articles for proposed definitions and examples of military innovation. We locate common and differentiating themes across a wide range of definitions and (at times) conflicting conceptual terminology. We then propose a new framework for thinking about military innovation that builds on existing research and suggests a path forward for future research. Finally, in an appendix, we demonstrate the plausibility of the framework applied to prominent cases.

Keywords: military innovation, military adaptation, international security, organizational change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what is a military innovation and why it matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is A Military Innovation And Why It Matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021 Date Written: October 25, 2021 The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus.

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Pksoi | Three Problematic Trends In The Security Council

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In today's society, there has been a debate about the usefulness of the military army in modern countries and whether it can be without it. It is true that in these times of crisis or in times of peace, there are people who think that the money invested in the military army is not so necessary, but reality dictates something else and far from what people think. We will not go into the argument that we must be prepared in the event of any unforeseen or attack or even the so-called right to war, but we will talk about what the army means to a country, and it is much more than we all think.

The army performs many tasks that are permanently invisible to society, both in humanitarian missions and in routine activities.

The army is an extraordinary organization, full of a multitude of values ​​and brotherhood, and above all, a lot of generosity. People who would not hesitate for a moment to make their lives available to others if necessary so that we can enjoy a state of well-being and thus maintain our security.

It is a professional, national institution, respectful of the Constitution, Laws, Agreements, International Human Rights Treaties and International Humanitarian Law, Law of War. The army carries out many humanitarian and social activities in our society, but we must not forget that its main mission is to defend the society in case it is violated our security.

In Aucal, you have the possibility to train as a professional specialist in Military History to know not only the importance of the army but also the most important conflicts in history that made our society what it is today.

The current army also represents a factor for the stability of the nation, since it strengthens politics; if this Institution were to disappear, it could destabilize internal and external politics.

We believe that it is necessary to count on the Armed Forces as a factor for the stability of the nation and that the Police should be further strengthened to more effectively combat drug addiction and gangs that plague the tranquility and order of the citizenry. Finding a balance between the military forces and the participation of citizens is fundamental to establish order and peace in it.

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Importance Of The Military Army In Society | Pksoi

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In today's society, there has been a debate about the usefulness of the military army in modern countries and whether it can be without it. It is true that in these times of crisis or in times of peace, there are people who think that the money invested in the military army is not so necessary, but reality dictates something else and far from what people think.

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How Has The Defence Sector Adopted To Technology? - Express Computer

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In India, though expansive and secure defence networks across tri-forces have been built, yet most of these are old and dilapidated. Experts believe that there is a pressing need to […]

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27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021

Date Written: October 25, 2021

Abstract

The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance. Currently, what one might consider an innovation another might call an adaptation of an existing technology or tactic, or neither. To move forward, we survey dozens of existing studies and review articles for proposed definitions and examples of military innovation. We locate common and differentiating themes across a wide range of definitions and (at times) conflicting conceptual terminology. We then propose a new framework for thinking about military innovation that builds on existing research and suggests a path forward for future research. Finally, in an appendix, we demonstrate the plausibility of the framework applied to prominent cases.

Keywords: military innovation, military adaptation, international security, organizational change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
what is a military innovation and why it matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Is A Military Innovation And Why It Matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2019 Last revised: 26 Oct 2021 Date Written: October 25, 2021 The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term "military innovation," there is a remarkable lack of consensus.

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Abstract

Objectives

To demonstrate the need for the military human performance research community to anticipate and evolve with the emergence of new and disruptive battlefield technologies that are changing the fundamental role of the human combatant.

Methods

An international team of military performance researchers drew on relevant literature and their individual national perspectives and experiences to provide an integrated forecast of research priorities and needs based on current trends.

Results

Rapid advances and convergence in fields such as robotics, information technology and artificial intelligence will continue to have a revolutionary impact on the battlefield of the future. The disruption associated with these technologies will most acutely be experienced by the human combatant at the tactical level, with increasing cognitive demands associated with the employment and use of new capabilities. New research priorities may include augmented performance of humans-machine teams, enhanced cognitive and immunological resilience based on exercise neurobiology findings, and psychophysiological stress tolerance developed in realistic but safe synthetic training environments. Solving these challenges will require interdisciplinary research teams that have the capacity to work across the physical, digital and biological boundaries whilst collaborating seamlessly with end-users, human combatants. New research methodologies taking full advantage of sensing technologies will be needed to provide rigorous, evidence-based data in real and near-real world environments. Longer term research goals involving biological manipulation will be shaped by moral, legal and ethical considerations and evolving concepts of what it means to be human.

Conclusion

This paper outlines key recommendations to assist military human performance researchers to adapt their practice in order to match the increasing pace of military modernisation. By anticipating technological change and forecasting possible emerging technologies the military human performance research community can manoeuvre to prioritise research activities today in line with future needs and requirements.

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The implications of emerging technology on military human performance research priorities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
To demonstrate the need for the military human performance research community to anticipate and evolve with the emergence of new and disruptive battlefield technologies that are changing the fundamental role of the human combatant. An international team of military performance researchers drew on relevant literature and their individual national perspectives and experiences to provide an integrated forecast of research priorities and needs based on current trends.

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Innovation in the Military | Small Wars Journal

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Four concepts about innovation in the military are introduced in this paper. The first is called the Military Innovation Framework. It is used to determine what kind of innovation is desired, and why. The second tool is called the Military Innovation Engine, which describes who needs to participate…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ABSTRACT
The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term 'military innovation,' there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance. Currently, what one might consider an innovation another might call an adaptation of an existing technology or tactic, or neither. To move forward, we survey dozens of existing studies and review articles for proposed definitions and examples of military innovation. We locate common and differentiating themes across a wide range of definitions and (at times) conflicting conceptual terminology. We then propose a new framework for thinking about military innovation that builds on existing research and suggests a path forward for future research. Finally, in an online appendix, we demonstrate the plausibility of the framework applied to prominent cases.

Acknowledgements

We thank Tom Mahnken, Theo Farrell, Jon Lindsay, Alexander Kirss, the anonymous referee, and the editors. Excellent research assistance was provided by Julia Ciocca, Alexander Rabin, and Camila Celi. All errors are the responsibility of the authors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here

Additional information

Funding

This article was made possible, in part, by a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Minerva Research Initiative under grant #FA9550-18-1-01

Notes on contributors

Michael C. Horowitz
Michael C. Horowitz is Richard Perry Professor, Political Science Professor, and Director of Perry World House at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Senior Fellow in Defense Technology and Innovation at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Shira Pindyck
Shira Pindyck is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is a military innovation and why it matters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ABSTRACT The study of military innovation is one of the most important topics in the strategic studies arena, but when it comes to defining the term 'military innovation,' there is a remarkable lack of consensus. Lack of agreement on a definition makes it harder to advance knowledge beyond specific cases and for ongoing research to have policy relevance.

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This month, thousands of units across all branches of the U.S. military will execute a change of command. New commanders will seek to set priorities for their command and leave their mark. However, commanders are asked to do something new: innovate.

This opinion-editorial was originally published on C4ISRNET

From the National Defense Strategy to the Army Operating Concept that states innovation "is critical" and defined as "the result of critical and creative thinking and the conversion of new ideas into valued outcomes," why the military must innovate is doctrine. Yet, there is no playbook for how to innovate.

Until now.

For the past two years, an Air Force wing built an innovation playbook - leadership, buy-in, experimentation and speed.
Leadership
In July 2018, Col. Donn Yates took command of the 4th Fighter Wing. An intellectual and warrior, he wanted, and was directed, to be more innovative. He knew that the challenges he and the Air Force would face in the future - from fighting when satellite communications capabilities were down, to using data to predict parts failure, to using social media to communicate during a hurricane - were new, with no available checklist and playbook. He set out to develop one and make innovation a priority.

A few weeks after taking command, he hosted me to discuss innovation. As the southeast regional director for the Defense Department's National Security Innovation Network, I helped lead the department's innovation efforts across the region. NSIN's mission is to help commanders innovate by tapping into new networks of innovators in the venture technology and academic space to deliver solutions. As a former Green Beret, venture-backed startup CEO and professor at Duke University, I speak the languages of these three different communities.

He immediately requested one of our programs - a Design Bootcamp - bringing professors from University of California, Berkley to train his innovation team in design thinking.

The concepts are different than military thinking - talk with end users to understand their problems; create minimal viable products, or MVP, to solve their problems; test those MVPs and collect data; and use that data to develop better solutions quickly.

Col. Yates had the teams work a problem that bedevils commanders across Air Force bases - the long wait times at the pharmacy. The trainers broke the 28 trainees into four-person teams, who camped out at the pharmacy interviewing pharmacists, staff, airmen and retirees.

At the end of the week, the teams proposed solutions, from self-serve kiosks to mobile clinics to text notifications. Six months later, pharmacy wait times were down more than 50 percent and those trained teams could apply the same thinking to other problems.
Experimentation with new problem solvers
New ways of thinking are just the start. Moving from idea to an actual product that the military can use is difficult. While our military hardware remains the best in the world, the software running our military is woefully inadequate.

As the chair of the Defense Innovation Board and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt stated: "The DoD violates pretty much every rule in modern product development." And with virtually no positions for app developers and data scientists within any Department of Defense operational unit, getting solutions means tapping into new communities of problem solvers.

Seymour Johnson Air Force Base sits 35 miles from the Research Triangle, one of the leading startup centers in the nation and host to 50,000 students. Could we tap into these problem solvers for a limited tour of duty to build solutions and serve their country?

One of NSIN's programs is a university course called Hacking for Defense, or H4D. Delivered at Duke and universities across the nation, H4D teaches teams of students to build a startup to solve a DoD problem. Col. Yates' wing sponsored multiple H4D problems - from using data to predict F-15 part failure to developing new procedures to allow distributed forces to communicate in a SATCOM-denied environment, to an app for optimizing Reserve drill weekends.

Working with new problem solvers takes tolerance and openness to new ideas. These teams, beginning with little knowledge of the military, ask first-principle questions. Yet, after 100-plus end-user interviews and working through multiple prototypes, these students become world experts on the specific problems and the likely solutions. Many go on to join the DoD.

NSIN is now putting problems in H4D, tech fellowships called X-Force and courses at universities around the nation. These programs use product teams to craft better social media strategies, data dashboards and apps to fill critical needs. (If you are military and need solutions now, you can submit your problem here.)
Speed
The most important attribute in a venture-backed startup is speed. So, too, for the modern military. In testimony, a former undersecretary of defense stated: "Innovation will remain important always, but speed becomes the differentiating factor."

Two years of command can fly by. Unless new commanders make innovation not only a priority but also commit to do something now, the deployments, requirements and taskings of running any military unit will subsume any desire to innovate.

A month after our first meet, Col. Yates brought 30 airmen to Duke to hear from entrepreneurs and academics. The next month, he sent a half-dozen leaders to learn how to work with university teams and carved out the training time for the Design Bootcamp. The following year, he sponsored two H4D teams and an X-Force fellow. This year, we've seen four H4D teams, more X-Force product teams and another boot camp. None were perfect. All could have been delayed. But the 4th Fighter Wing prioritized speed and innovation.
The innovation playbook
The military knows why it must innovate. The next conflicts will require not only the best hardware, but also a force that rapidly converts new thinking to outcomes; a force that can tap into the wealth of talent in America that will never wear a uniform but want to apply their entrepreneurial and technical skills to solve national security problems.

The how - the things new commanders must do to innovate - has been opaque. Now, with the leadership, buy-in, experimentation and speed of the 4th Fighter Wing as an example, there is an innovation playbook.
Tommy Sowers serves as the southeast regional director for the National Security Innovation Network, a program office within the U.S. Defense Department. He is a graduate of Duke University and the London School of Economics, a former founder and CEO of a venture-backed startup, a Green Beret officer and veteran of the war in Iraq, and former assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He would like to thank Col. Donn Yates and the airmen of the 4th Fighter Wing. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Defense Department or the U.S. government.
ABOUT NSIN

The National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) mission is to "build networks of innovators that generate new solutions to national security problems." NSIN is headquartered in Arlington, Va., and has regional offices in 11 commercial innovation hubs throughout the United States. Through its headquarters, regional hubs and embedded university partnerships, NSIN builds a national network of innovators and delivers programming that solves real-world, Department of Defense problems through collaborative partnerships with nontraditional problem solvers within the academic and early-stage venture communities.

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Opinion: We know why innovation is important. Here's how to do it.

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This month, thousands of units across all branches of the U.S. military will execute a change of command. New commanders will seek to set priorities for their command and leave their mark. However, commanders are asked to do something new: innovate.

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What are the benefits of a digital platform?

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Here we attempt to understand the main benefits of a Digital Platform, such as faster innovation, higher quality, improved reliability, and reduced costs.

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Introduction to Digital Platform

Digital Platforms have become an absolute necessity of any business and no longer a strategy of digital natives. As Accenture Report states" Platforms are fast becoming a competitive necessity and the foundation for new value creation-and companies that fail to embrace them could find themselves on the outside looking in". Many of them have become an essential part of the business landscape and no longer the domain solely of digital natives.

The digital transformation strategy has 4 main areas: Grab customer attention, Transform products, Optimize operations, and Empower Employees. Source: According to a study of Microsoft

Companies, including Daimler, Nike, and Unilever, have launched their platforms as their business models mature. Effective platforms are based on technological excellence but can't exist exclusively in the technology domain. They rely heavily on buy-in and feedback from other parts of the business, best coordinated through a cross-functional team that determines the metrics for success and tracks progress. All this needs to be managed by a delicate balance of centralized leadership that sets the vision, communicates successes, mobilizes the right talent; and 'product owners' tasked with driving success in their specific focus areas.

Best Services for Digital Platform
List of best services are below:

DevOps Services

Customer Experience Platform

Conversational AI platform

Digital Commerce Platform

Digital Experience Platform

Real-Time Visualization

MLOps Platform

All these services are described below. So, let's get started!
Digital Transformation in Retail Industry brings a revolutionary change in the field of business. Click to explore about, Digital Transformation in Retail Industry

What is Digital Platform?
It are the online solutions that enable the execution of multiple tasks in the same place through the internet. Developing a digital marketing strategy includes a series of information that one should carry out and continuously monitor to broader the online presence. The absence of Digital Platform makes everything expensive and hard to achieve.
Why Digital Platform?
The main aim of it is to enhance the collaboration between end-users and producers to transact with each other. These platforms enable users to share different information like new products and services and connect the platform's ecosystem. Creating a robust network for increasing value is also made possible by this technology. The development of it can be boosted by the third-party providers of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), which let participants share the data for developing new services.
What is Platform Strategy?
A Platform strategy aims to penetrate the online market just by focusing on allowing one segment of participants to benefit from the presence or interaction of others. Traditionally it is supposed that clients can determine their willingness to pay for a service or product independently. However, Platforms can break this assumption as the participation of a user segment on the platform is interdependent on user choices.
Digital transformation strategy is the fusion of digital technology into all industry sides, changing how you use and convey it to customers. How Digital Transformation Affects Businesses?

What is Platform Strategy Framework?
A Digital Platform strategy aims to penetrate the online market by focusing on allowing one segment of participants to benefit from the presence or interaction of others. Traditionally it is supposed that clients can determine their willingness to pay for a service or product independently. However, Platforms can break this assumption as the participation of a user segment on the platform is interdependent on user choices. Formulating a Platform Strategy for business requires somewhat different products to help entrepreneurs and managers create and capture values.
How to Create Platform Strategy Framework?
The below are major 3 steps to create Digital Platform Strategy Framework:
Step 1
First, the network effect brings together market participants, which means that more clients attract a more significant number of vendors and partners, and vice versa. Platform Strategy for business varies the cost and risk burden to create markets from the business to a network. As the system collects its dynamic momentum, the platform owner reacts as a facilitator to spread that burden between a growing number of participants.
Step 2
Second, the concurrence of technologies like cloud governance , automation, analytics, AI, mobile, and the industrial internet-is developing a new "as-a-service" economy. In this field, services are dynamic, on-demand, and targeted. It makes a massive impact on the cost to serve, investment levels, and speeding up the market. By integrating business technologies, software, and infrastructure to make them available "on-demand," large and small organizations can benefit from the plug-in, modular, scalable services. Entrepreneurs are particular beneficiaries here, even without the constraints to fund the total costs of a platform business upfront, which have access to new markets and distribution channels.
Step 3
Finally, open and shared data can be mined intelligently with the help of specialists and adjacent industries to create new forms of the existing values. Customer activity can be monitored at scale, and insights can be gained from field-based applications or machines. Indeed, the large amount of data is being generated today and estimated to double every two years to 2020. This agile and collaborative way of working is catching many organizations off-balance to create a Platform Strategy for business.
What are the benefits of Platforms Strategies?
Platforms are responsible to enable efficient interaction among participants using data about participants and their platform usage. They do it with the following mechanisms:

1. Aggregation

2. Healing

3. Search or Discover

4. Personalization

What are the best advantages?

Below are the advantages of Digital Platform:

Network Effects
All the tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon have been so successful because they have explored the phenomena often cited by economists as network effects. At a primary level, network effects describe how the value of a network or service becomes disproportionately more valuable to its users the more users there are.
Difficult Competition
The double-sided platform, which brings vendors and buyers together can be a powerful way to keep competitors out of the market and hamper their success by reducing the requirement of continually speeding a large amount of marketing.
Create value
Platform Strategy for business tries hard to deliver value to its customers and receive money in return. The platforms like Facebook can twofold the payment and grab the attention of users and invest it in advertising their services.
What are the Best Practices of Platform Engineering?
Today thousands of companies are reducing their old advertising budget and increasing their digital marketing efforts and so knowing platform strategy best practices is essential.
Define goals and objectives
Before starting, businesses must know their aim or where they want to go. While this, each company is to be profitable as it has to dig deeper to define its digital marketing goals.
Set key channels
Since omnichannel marketing can be beneficial to some businesses, but there are rare chances that there are companies that need to use all digital marketing channels. So, it is essential to define the key channels for the objectives of the companies as it is one of the best practices for platform engineering.
Develop a content strategy
Thousands of brands are increasing their investment in content marketing. Whether it be emailing, social media posts, blogs, or visual content, it is what the Internet is built on.
Create and stick to the calendar
Once you get the content, create a calendar or timeline for the consistency of content. Then, make a marketing channel with multiple pieces of content for managing and let this calendar act as the underpinning of your digital strategy.
Implementation
The most important best practices for platform engineering after making a plan is the implementation. Planning and thinking are the two things that are "going to work". Therefore, for the implementation of Platform Strategy for business, you have to consider everything that has been developed with a realistic mindset and evaluate it objectively on business objectives.

What are the Challenges?

1. Using online platforms

2. Equipment and connectivity

3. Time-constraints

4. Lack of face-to-face interaction

5. Platform co-operativism

Factors of Platform Strategy
Five factors that generate the network effects and critical mass crucial to the success of platform ecosystems :

1. Proposition

2. Personalization

3. Price

4. Protection

5. Partners

Highlight the five underlying environmental enablers that are necessary for platforms to flourish

1. Digital user size and savviness

2. Digital talent and entrepreneurship

3. Technology and governance

4. Open innovation culture

5. Policy and regulation

What are the Best Services?
The top 13 best digital platform services are below:
Best Digital Platform Services
Infrastructure Automation Platform: Organizations that automate their IT infrastructure can streamline network, IT and data management processes, which makes the entire digital organization more responsive and efficient. In addition to increased agility and flexibility. In the past a few years, a reduction of cloud costs by up to 27% by using automation.
DevOps Services
DevOps is a technique to foster a highly productive culture of collaboration between Development (Dev) and Operations (Ops) teams. The main aim of DevOps Services is to eliminate the constraints, reducing the development cycle times, and facilitating the success of production deployments of the products. These services make it possible to deliver the best quality at the lowest possible cost.
Multi-Cloud Management
In order to deliver services quickly and with fewer resources, organizations use more than one cloud services provider, like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. Multi-Cloud Management strategy involves the use of multiple cloud services from various public cloud hosting providers, in combination with an on-premises virtual, private, or physical cloud infrastructure. IT companies need to manage their IT infrastructure, not just the cloud.
Data Integration Platform
Data integration is the method that involves combining data from various sources into a single unified vision. It starts with ingestion, cleaning, mapping to transformation in a particular given collector, and finally, converting it into more exploitable elements and essential to those who access them.
Data Discovery and Catalog Platform
There are technologies that present the user with statistics or data which is required to make decisions. The data that users see in the form of graphs, diagrams, charts, etc., is the output of analyzing massive data sets in real-time.
MLOps Platform
MLops frameworks and environments that support machine learning lifecycle management. Machine learning operations, MLOps are the best practices for businesses to run AI successfully with the help of various software products and cloud services.
API Testing
Automated testing is a critical component of the software quality control procedure. However, testing the REST (Representational State Transfer) ​​APIs can be tricky. Many who resort to manual REST API testing overlook the information and miss out on ways to save time.
Embedded Analytics Platform
The embedded analytics platform is a business intelligence engine that allows businesses to analyze and combine the master data with other information sources to gain a deeper understanding of various business operations.
Real-Time Visualization
Data visualization is the representation of the information through simple visual attributes like graphs, diagrams, maps, interactive pieces, and much more. Real Time Visualization is a method of representing data that has existed since human beings used cave drawings to communicate messages. Today, marketers use data visualization to make decisions.
Digital Experience Platform
Digital Experience Platform (DXP) is an emerging enterprise software seeking to meet the needs of companies undergoing a digital transformation, with the ultimate goal of delivering better customer experiences. It can be a single product or a suite of products that work simultaneously.
Digital Commerce Platform
The digital e-Commerce platform allows performing the entire operations of an online store. The effectiveness of methods like product display, sales, stock control, payments, promotions, among all others, and it depends on them. While creating an e-commerce site, it is crucial to consider the existing options to choose the one that suits best.
Conversational AI platform
Conversational artificial intelligence uses machine learning to speak to users in a natural and personalized way. This platform carries some weight, but ultimately it comes down to the practical difference it can make for the business.
Customer Experience Platform
The CX ( customer experience) is how a business engages its customers on their journey. It is the additional total of all the interactions that a customer has with a brand. However, the most important thing to know about the customer's experience.

Summing Things Up

Its strategies must be well aligned with the work of an organization in all the channels. If they are not well integrated, businesses will often encounter problems in the long term and must be completely redesigned. To design an effective Platform Strategy with lasting solutions, it is essential to collect as much information as possible. Along with that, define the objectives along with criteria from the beginning. The use of digital platforms in the workplace has become commonplace. Platform strategies, whether practiced individually or in collaboration, are becoming a strategic imperative. Companies who have yet to make the transition can find it difficult to keep up.

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Digital Platform Strategy: Why and How It is Important for Businesses

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Subscription Thanks for submitting the form. Digital Platforms have become an absolute necessity of any business and no longer a strategy of digital natives. As Accenture Report states" Platforms are fast becoming a competitive necessity and the foundation for new value creation-and companies that fail to embrace them could find themselves on the outside looking in".

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How digital platforms can support your transformation journey

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Find out how digital business platforms can offer significant benefits by helping organizations accelerate their transformation journey.

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90% of companies are doing business in the cloud . As companies migrate data to the cloud, much of what is being done is to replicate existing services in a digital format. But true digital transformation is so much more than that: A digital transformation can actually be transformative across the organization - creating a technology framework to funnel these services and data into actionable insights that can improve just about every facet of an organization.
Rather than simply migrating data to the cloud, leverage your digital transformation to re-evaluate and optimize your systems and processes, ensuring they are interoperable and flexible enough to provide robust business intelligence and set your company up for future success.
Why is Digital Transformation Important?

Digital transformation changes the way an organization operates. Systems, processes, workflow, and culture are all part of this process. This transformation affects each level of an organization and brings together data across areas to work together more effectively.

By taking advantage of workflow automation and advanced processing, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), companies can connect the dots on the customer journey in a way that wasn't possible before.

8 Benefits of Digital Transformation

For many companies, the driver for digital transformation is cost-related. Moving data to a public, private, or hybrid cloud environment lowers operational costs. It frees up hardware and software costs while freeing up team members to work on other projects.

1. Enhanced data collection

Most businesses are collecting mountains of customer data, but the real benefit is optimizing this data for analysis that can drive the business forward. Digital transformation creates a system for gathering the right data and incorporating it fully for business intelligence at a higher level.

It creates a way that different functional units within an organization can translate raw data into insights across various touchpoints. By doing this, it produces a single view of the customer journey, operations, production, finance, and business opportunities.

It's vital to evalute how that customer data is being collected, stored, analyzed, and shared as part of this process. When you're rethinking your tech stack, you'll want to ensure that sensitive data flowing into and out of your customer relationship management (CRM) software and other platforms is protected with a layer of SaaS data encryption.

As you evaluate the customer journey as part of your digital transformation, consider how you can give your clients greater autonomy over their own data - using data privacy as a business differentiator. Consumers are increasingly aware of, and concerned about, how their data is collected and used. Show them that you respect their data by putting strong privacy practices in place and giving them the opportunity to change their minds at any time.

2. Stronger resource management

Digital transformation is not a department or functional unit. It encompasses every area of a business and can lead to process innovation and efficiency across units. From sales and marketing to finance and the C Suite, every department leverages sensitive data. It's important to optimize and secure data everywhere it flows, while equipping teams with easy-to-use tools to get their jobs done.

3. Data-driven customer insights

Data can be the key to unlocking customer insights. By better understanding your customer and their needs, you can create a business strategy that is even more customer-centric. Using both structured data (personal customer information) and unstructured data, such as social media metrics, these insights can help drive business growth.

Data enables strategies to provide more relevant, personalized, and agile content.

4. A better customer experience

Consider how your digital transformation can not only unlock efficiencies for your teams, but also deliver more seamless, intuitive experiences for your customers. This spans from email communications to user portals, digital products, and even the cadence by which you reach out to new prospects.

One way to differentiate your brand with customers is to demonstrate that you value their privacy. Give the customer control of how their data is collected and used, and empower them with the autonomy to make decisions around their data.

5. Encourages digital culture (with improved collaboration)

While these tools provide a more seamless way to collaborate, they also help to move the entire organization ahead digitally. This digital culture shift is crucial for businesses to remain sustainable. It forces the upskilling and digital learning of team members to take advantage of the benefits of digital transformation.

6. Increased profits

80% of organizations that have completed digital transformation report increased profits.

85% say they have increased their market share.

On average, leaders expect 23% higher revenue growth than competitors.

7. Increased agility

8. Improved productivity

Having the right tech tools that work together can streamline workflow and improve productivity. By automating many manual tasks and integrating data throughout the organization, it empowers team members to work more efficiently.

How Virtru Powers Digital Transformation

One of the biggest challenges with digital transformation is the integration of different systems into a consolidated workflow. Data management and security protocols must be in sync and yet, data security is a major challenge for organizations.

Data protection is no longer solely an IT task, but a strategic business initiative, largely due to stricter regulations and severe consequences in the case of data loss. As part of your digital transformation, it's important to develop a framework for safeguarding sensitive data. With Virtru, you can enjoy the benefits of digital transformation with the confidence that your data is protected everywhere it moves throughout these new systems.

Immediately take control of your data and enhance your existing security.

Easily secure your data as it is created.

Collaborate with confidence while maintaining full visibility and control.

Virtru provides a layer of data protection that integrates directly with the applications you use today, such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Zendesk, allowing users to continue working in familiar ways but with added security from Virtru.
To learn more about what to look for in a data protection solution as you embark on your digital transformation, download our guide to Managing Security for a Hybrid Workforce.

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90% of companies are doing business in the cloud . As companies migrate data to the cloud, much of what is being done is to replicate existing services in a digital format.

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DDP Approach to Best-in-Class

Learn more about how BCG's data and digital platform (DDP) approach accelerates digital transformation using a method fundamentally different from legacy technology systems. DDP leads with business outcomes and decouples digital transformation from core system replacement, building value much faster.

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Learn more about how BCG's data and digital platform (DDP) approach accelerates digital transformation using a method fundamentally different from legacy technology systems. DDP leads with business outcomes and decouples digital transformation from core system replacement, building value much faster.

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Fast innovation surprises competitors and therefore assists in gaining competitive advantage by increasing overall speed to market which in turn should ultimately increase profitability.

The rapid introduction of new or enhanced products or services leaves competitors with two options: they can either continue as planned, introducing a product or service to a market with a very much reduced opportunity or they can re-direct their efforts on to other projects.

Providing quick innovations delights customers by frequently improving their perceived levels of added value.

Of course producing innovations so that they meet the required delivery date and so that they create a differential offering with a high probability of success is no easy task.

Fast innovation does not mean hurried innovation.

One method used by many large organizations for accelerating the innovation process is rapid prototyping.

Another method is to re-use wherever possible. What aspects of the innovation process are you able to re-use? One is of course knowledge that is already available elsewhere - such as open innovation or knowledge directly from your customers or suppliers.

A further method is to adopt some of the techniques but forward by the lean movement. One simple but clear definition for Lean is

"...the relentless pursuit of the perfect process through waste elimination..."

Here you would apply lean tools and techniques to the innovation process to reduce any waste that is inherent in the process.

Lean defines seven types of waste that can exist in a process...

Over Production

A product has been made for no specific customer

Waiting

A product is sat waiting to be processed

Transport

Moving a product between locations

Inventory

Waste in terms of the costs to store the product

Over-processing

Process steps that do not add value

Motion

The excessive movement of people

Defects

Errors during or within the process

Fast innovation also incorporates some of the tools and techniques from the six sigma realm including VOC or voice of the customer and QFD or quality function deployment.

VOC to ensure that you are building the right thing and QFD to ensure you are focussing predominantly on what is most important to meet your customer's CTQ (Critical To Quality) aspects.

Please note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In the book, Fast Innovation - Achieving Superior Differentiation, Speed to Market, and Increased Profitability by Michael George, James Works, Kimberly Watson-Hemphill, and Clayton Christensen

Three innovation imperatives are proposed:

Differentiation: "Providing the customer with superior performance per unit of cost."

Fast time-to-market: Quickly creating new innovations to displace the commoditized old and getting to the market quickly enough to earn high margins from the product or service.

Disruptive innovations: Embracing disruptive innovations in order to empower growth and break away from the competition.

This book's key focus is on fast time to market and suggests that one way to get faster at this is to reduce the number of projects that you currently have active.

US Residents can purchase this book from Amazon by clicking here and UK residents by clicking here

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Fast innovation surprises competitors and therefore assists in gaining competitive advantage by increasing overall speed to market which in turn should ultimately increase profitability. The rapid introduction of new or enhanced products or services leaves competitors with two options: they can either continue as planned, introducing a product or service to a market with a very much reduced opportunity or they can re-direct their efforts on to other projects.

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The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to flatten the epidemic curve have jolted economies worldwide. In most OECD and G20 countries, data indicate that in the first half of 2020 lockdowns and mobility restrictions caused the largest fall of real GDP in recent history. Industries requiring physical proximity for product or service delivery or among co-workers - such as accommodation, restaurants and transport - were those hardest hit (OECD, 2020[1]).

Amidst the economic mayhem caused by the pandemic, digital technologies have emerged as a key element of economic and social resilience. By allowing businesses and governments to continue operating during lockdowns, digital technologies enabled faster economic responses to the emergency. Evidence is emerging on how the COVID-19 crisis triggered large changes in the use of digital technologies by people, businesses and governments. For instance, the demand for broadband communication services has soared, with some operators experiencing as much as a 60% increase in Internet traffic (OECD, 2020[2]). Online shopping, videoconferencing and telework have surged whereas governments have accelerated the shift towards the digitalisation of many public services. As a result, the profits and market capitalisation of digital companies whose services experienced a large increase in demand during lockdowns increased to record levels and far ahead of other companies. 1

Among digital technologies, online marketplaces were already developing fast before the COVID-19 crisis (OECD, 2020[3]). Due to innovative use of data collected from users and large network externalities, they had been capturing a growing (though still limited) share of activity in many sectors - such as retail marketplaces, accommodation, transport, restaurants and increasingly in business-to-business (B2B) and professional services. Their fast rise raises several concerns spanning multiple policy areas, such as competition, labour market regulation, taxation, privacy and consumer protection. Understanding the increasing reliance of people and businesses on online platforms during the crisis is particularly important as there is no close parallel in recent history to draw insights from. 2

This policy brief contributes to the debate on the diffusion of online platforms by investigating how the COVID-19 shock impacted on their activities. It relies on a comprehensive list of about 1400 online platforms covering nine economic areas (including accommodation, catering, marketplaces, B2B activities, transport and professional services) and all OECD and G20 countries (excluding China and Colombia). Online platform activity is proxied by Google Trends data, which provide real time information on the intensity of search for keywords linked to platform names. Studies have corroborated the reliability of Google Trends search data to track economic time series in real time (see Boxes 1 and 2). We look at the yearly change of online-platform activity in the first six months of 2020, thus covering the period in which most countries implemented the most severe lockdown and mobility restriction measures. We distinguish among online platforms in different activity areas and explore which pre-crisis country characteristics and policies may have eased the shift of activity towards online platforms.

Despite the rising importance of online platforms in developed and emerging economies, official measurement of their activities and operations is still incomplete and inadequate (OECD, 2018[4]; OECD, 2019[5]). Efforts to measure online-platform activity are still piecemeal, often focused on a specific subset of platforms, and the available data are often not comparable across countries because of different collection methods. Different initiatives at national and international levels are ongoing to overcome these problems and collect more comprehensive data that is comparable across countries (OECD, 2018[4]; OECD, 2020[6]; OECD, WTO and IMF, 2020[7]).

Previous studies focusing on online platforms have relied on a variety of approaches to deal with data limitations. These include case studies (OECD, 2019[8]), proprietary data (Farronato, Fong and Fradkin, 2020[9]) and the number of internet searches for online-platform names as a proxy for platform use (Bailin Rivares et al., 2019[10]). These approaches are complementary and have different pros and cons. Case studies allow for a detailed comparative analysis of the functioning of different types of online platforms, taking into consideration also qualitative information, but their coverage is necessarily limited (often to the largest platforms). Proprietary data obtained from online platforms allow for precise analyses of market transactions (effects on prices and quantities), but they ultimately reflect the activity of a single online platform and a narrow area; moreover these data are confidential and difficult to get. Internet search data allow for investigating the use of a large number of online platforms in a consistent way across countries and are now widely available; however, data are limited to the use of platforms (no other information concerning online platforms is available) and internet searches are just a proxy for platform use that also depend on the popularity of the search engine and its change over time. Also, internet searches do not capture the download and use of apps on mobile phones. 3

In this policy brief we follow the third approach and use Google Trends data on a list of 1400 platforms covering OECD and G20 countries (see Box 1). We collect monthly data and focus on the year-on-year change for the first six months of 2020. Google Trends data have been used extensively to detect sudden changes in macroeconomic junctures (see Box 2).

We combine these data with information from the OECD COVID-19 Policy Tracker, a database to track government responses to the COVID-19 crisis that is updated daily (Bulman and Koirala, 2020[28]). The Policy Tracker provides information on the measures taken by governments in response to epidemic outbreaks. We focus on containment policies introduced to limit human interactions through confinement or stay-at-home orders, school closures, and restrictions on international and/or within-country travel. The severity of these measures is summarised by an index ranging from zero (no measure taken) to one (maximum level of containment) in a consistent way across countries. It is composed by different sub-indexes: cancellation of public events, obligatory shutdown of the economy, confinement lockdowns, travel restrictions and closure of schools. As alternative measures of the severity of the epidemics, we use the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker's Stringency Index (Petherick et al., 2020[29]), Google mobility data, and the number of new COVID-19 cases.

During the time span considered (from January to June 2020), the containment index of the OECD Policy Tracker followed a similar pattern across most of countries in the dataset: it started increasing around late February and early March, peaked in April, and began to decline in May. The severity of containment measures was however rather heterogeneous across countries. Figure 1 shows for all countries in the dataset the maximum value and the average value of the containment index during these six months. We identify four groups of countries based on the maximum level attained by the containment index during the six-month period covered: soft containment, medium-soft, medium-strict, and strict containment measures.

Figure 1. Countries' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic differ

OECD containment index, January - June 2020

Note: The OECD containment index captures the measures countries have undertaken to limit human interactions through confinement or stay-at-home orders, school closures, and restrictions on international and/or within-country travel. It ranges from zero to one.

Source: OECD.

The average yearly change of online-platform activity (as gauged by Google Trends monthly data) was heterogeneous across the nine activity areas considered and the four country groups (Figure 2). Online platforms operating in activity areas relying on physical proximity for product and service delivery (namely restaurant booking, accommodation and transportation) experienced a marked drop in activity. Platform activity started to drop as countries began to implement lockdown measures and reached an all-time low when the containment index peaked (see Figure 1.A.1 in the Annex also). For instance, as demand for hotel and restaurant services collapsed during lockdowns, online platforms active in accommodation and restaurant booking might have experienced similar large drops in activity to these businesses (many of which actually closed, at least temporarily). Online-platform activity started to recover gradually when containment measures were progressively eased over May and June 2020. Countries that imposed soft lockdown measures also experienced major adjustments in consumer behaviour, and large variation in online-platform use, pointing to the role that voluntary mobility restrictions may have played, in addition to government-mandated restrictions. However, in strict-containment countries the recovery in online-platform use seems to have been weaker than in soft-containment countries, reflecting probably the deeper and long-lasting economic disruptions these countries suffered.

Figure 2. During lockdowns online-platform activity expanded in some areas and declined in others

Note: The lines show the median of the year-on-year percentage change of activity (proxied by Google Trends data) of about 1 400 platforms (see Box 1); the period covered is January-June 2020. Activity areas not requiring physical proximity are mobile payments, marketplace to consumers, professional services and restaurant delivery. Activity areas requiring physical proximity are restaurant booking, accommodation, and transportation. Activity areas with mixed physical proximity requirements are personal services and marketplace for business-to-business transactions. See Figure 1A.1 in the Annex for a decomposition across areas.

Source: Google Trends data and OECD calculations.

The activity of online platforms operating in activity areas requiring less or no physical proximity for product or service delivery (mobile payments, marketplace to consumers, professional services and restaurant delivery) rose as lockdown measures became stricter. The increase in activity of online platforms in strict-containment countries appears to be more persistent than in soft-containment countries. Stricter containment measures may have induced more long-lasting changes in how people and businesses use online platforms and digital technologies more generally.

Online platform activities in the business-to-business and personal services areas were mostly flat during the first half of 2020 (Figure 2). This may be due to the heterogeneity of the related modes of product delivery, which may require vastly different degrees of physical proximity. Business-to-business activities cover in principle all industrial sectors and are difficult to classify. Online platform activity in this area is still small but it is evolving fast (Ifo, 2020[30]).Personal services platforms involve transactions that can be performed online (such as tutoring) and transactions for which physical proximity is necessary (such as hairdressing or house cleaning services).

Overall, focusing on the expanding areas (mobile payments, marketplace to consumers, professional services and restaurant delivery), the distribution of the change in online-platform activity in strict-containment countries is to the right of that of the others (Figure 3). This suggests that in these countries online-platform use increased more rapidly than in countries adopting softer containment measures.

Figure 3. Online-platform activity expanded more strongly in countries adopting stricter containment measures

Probability density of year-on-year percentage change of online platform activity (proxied by Google Trends data), January-June 2020

Note: The horizontal axis shows the average year-on-year percentage change of activity (proxied by Google Trends data) of online platforms for the period in which containment measures have been in place (i.e. the OECD containment index was above zero). The following activity areas are considered: mobile payments, marketplace to consumers, professional services and restaurant delivery. The vertical axis shows the probability density of the distribution of the year-on-year percentage change of online-platform activity.

Source: Google Trends data and OECD calculations.

The descriptive statistics above suggest that in some activity areas (those requiring little or no physical proximity for product and service delivery) the use of online platforms rose with the start of lockdowns and mobility restrictions. Businesses and people increasingly turned to online platforms to pursue economic and social activities that could no longer take place in the same form as before. In other activity areas (those requiring physical proximity for product and service delivery) online platforms experienced a large decline in activity, in line with the traditional businesses operating in the same areas. Here, online platforms could not offer businesses and people alternative ways of accessing these services while complying with government COVID-19-related restrictions. The response of platform use to the crisis seems to be related to the severity of containment measures.

The change in online-platform traffic was however highly heterogeneous even across countries that adopted similar containment measures. This warrants investigation on the role possibly played by differences in the intensity of lockdown measures (and the extent to which they were enforced) while accounting for country characteristics and policies that may be correlated with online-platform adoption and uptake. We therefore turn to regression analysis, which we perform in two steps. First, we look at the link between the strictness of lockdown measures and changes in platform use (Box 3). To capture the behavioural changes due to perceived health risks and the degree of enforcement of lockdown measures, we also use, as alternatives to the OECD containment index, the stringency index of the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, the number of new COVID-19 cases and the Google Mobility index. Second, we explore the influence of pre-existing countries' characteristics and policies on changes in online-platform use during the pandemic.

Overall, considering all online platforms together, containment measures were negatively associated with the use of online platforms (Table 1 column 1). We investigate the differential effects of the COVID-19 shock on platforms operating in different areas below. Using alternative measures capturing the severity of the COVID-19 crisis and the behavioural changes it caused yields similar results (Table 1 columns 2-4). As described in Box 1, we use the Oxford stringency index, the change in the Google mobility index (where positive changes in the Google mobility index imply higher mobility and vice-versa), and the number of new COVID-19 cases per million people. These measures are highly correlated (Annex Table 1.A.4) and are capturing to a large extent the same phenomenon: the behavioural changes of people and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. From now on, we focus on the OECD containment index, but using the alternative measures produces similar results.

The point estimates reported above may hide the heterogeneous dynamics of online-platform use across different areas. Table 2 shows the estimated coefficients of the OECD containment measures distinguishing between three distinct types of platforms: those that operate in areas requiring physical proximity for product and service delivery; those that do not have such a requirement; and those that have mixed physical proximity requirements because of the great heterogeneity of products they provide. 5

Results indicate that online-platform activity increased in areas not requiring physical proximity whereas it decreased in areas requiring physical proximity, even after controlling for country and area fixed effects (Table 2). The point estimates suggest the effects are sizeable. Moving from no containment measures to the strictest measures might have increased the yearly growth rate of online-platform activity in areas not requiring physical proximity by about 15 percentage points and lowered it by 70 percentage points in areas requiring physical proximity. As regards platforms operating in areas with mixed physical proximity requirements (i.e. personal services and business to business), the impact of the containment measures on activity is close to zero and not statistically significant. This is likely to reflect the large heterogeneity of platforms operating in these sectors. Finally, Figure 4 shows the changes in platform use associated with changes in the containment index for each activity area separately (see Table 1.A.1 in Annex 1 for the full results) 6. These confirm the results at a finer level, pointing out that the increase in platform activity is driven by three areas: mobile payments, marketplace to consumers and professional services.

The evidence therefore suggests that behavioural changes during the COVID-19 shock shifted some economic activity towards online platforms operating in areas not requiring physical proximity. This may have then mitigated the negative impact of the COVID-19 shock on output and jobs as online platforms allowed economic and social activities to continue while complying with lockdown and physical distancing rules. Anecdotal evidence supports this hypothesis: e.g., visits to Amazon's worldwide marketplaces rose during the pandemic, reaching a record of 5.4 billion in August 2020 and its marketplace was the fastest growing of its businesses 7; in 2020Q2, the number and value of Paypal transactions recorded the largest increase since 2014. 8

However, the activity of online platforms operating in areas requiring physical proximity were strongly depressed by the COVID-19 shock. For instance, bookings through Airbnb dropped by more than 90% in January-March 2020 compared with one year before 9. While Uber's revenues from mobility services (i.e. taxi) dropped by more than 60% in 2020Q2 compared with the previous year, those from restaurant delivery rose by 170% 10.

Figure 4. Lockdown measures have impacted platform traffic differently across activity areas

Note: The bars represent the estimated coefficient of the lockdown indicator interacted with area dummies using regression (1) in Box 3:∆P l a t f o r m U s e p,s,c,t=β 1 L o c k d o w n c,t+β 2 L o c k d o w n c,t*A r e a s +θ t +δ s,c+ε p,s,c,t. The dependent variable is the year-on-year logarithmic change of the Google Trends searches for online platforms. Full results are in column (3) Table 1A.1. The lines in the graph are the 95% confidence interval. The x-axis is in logarithmic scale (-1 is equivalent to a fall of online platform activity, as proxied by Google Trends searches, of 63%). Lockdown indicates the OECD containment index. The estimation includes country-area and month fixed effects, and standard errors are clustered at the platform-sector-country level.

Source: OECD estimations based on Google Trends and Crunchbase data.

The response of online-platform use to the COVID-19 shock may vary across countries depending on their degree of digital preparedness. In digitally advanced countries, past policies and pre-crisis conditions might have made it easier for businesses and people to start using online platforms (and more generally to adopt digital technologies to support business activity) when lockdowns were imposed.

Several country-specific structural characteristics and policies are associated with the diffusion of online platforms, by increasing both platform usage and the number of active platforms (OECD, 2020[3]). Here we report preliminary findings for three main areas: 1) technological and economic development (proxied by an index of the availability of latest technologies, a measure of digital adoption, and the level of GDP per capita); 2) access to digital infrastructure (proxied by a measure of mobile broadband penetration and an indicator of restrictions on connectivity and access to infrastructure); 3) digital literacy (proxied by a digital skills readiness index and the share of individuals using the Internet to pay bills). Annex Table 1.A.2 provides details on the measurement and coverage for these variables. The characteristics and policies considered are tentative and highly selective. Moreover, as stated above, the measure of platform activity used in this policy brief (i.e. the number of Google keyword searches for platform names) is imperfect (e.g. it does not reflect searches via mobile apps).

Therefore, the analysis is explorative in nature and its purpose is to start identifying only some of the determinants that may be related with countries' digital preparedness. Also, the results are purely descriptive and cannot be interpreted in a causal way. However, conditional on these data and statistical limitations, they may provide prima facie evidence on how countries' digital preparedness has facilitated the shift of some economic activities towards online marketplaces, possibly helping their economies to weather the COVID shock.

We investigate these issues by estimating the specification reported in Box 3 and adding an interaction term between the containment index and the selected country-specific structural and policy factors. The coefficient of the interaction term captures the extent to which each of these factors may have accelerated or hindered the increase in the use of online platforms during the COVID-19 shock. The graphs below report the impact of containment measures on the activity of platforms operating in areas that recorded an increase in the use of online platforms in the first half of 2020 (i.e. mobile payments, marketplace to consumers, professional services and restaurant delivery). We are interested in the factors that may have accelerated or hindered the increase in online-platform use during the height of the pandemic. Full results and confidence intervals of estimated effects are presented in Annex Table 1.A.3.

Figure 5. The use of online platforms during the COVID-19 crisis rises with the level of technological and economic development

Effect of containment measures on online-platform use (% increase in Google keyword searches)

Note: The panels show the marginal effect of the containment index estimated through=L o c k d o w n c t+L o c k d o w n *C h a r a c t e r i s t i c c +θ t ++, on three country-level policy/structural characteristics. Full results are in columns (1)-(3) Table 1A.3. The policy/structural characteristics considered are: the availability of latest technologies measured by an index 1-7 by the World Economic Forum (Panel A); the digital adoption index, which is a World Bank 0-1 index of digital adoption measured across people, government, and business (Panel B); GDP per capita levels in 2015 USD PPP (Panel C). Each panel shows the effect of the containment index estimated at different values of the country policy/characteristics considered: average value of bottom 3 countries; average value computed considering all countries, average value of top 3 countries. In Panel A, bottom 3 countries refer to Argentina, India, and Russia, and top 3 countries refer to Norway, United States, and Finland. In Panel B, bottom 3 countries refer to Indonesia, India, and Mexico, and top 3 countries refer to Korea, Austria, and Lithuania. In Panel C, bottom 3 countries refer to India, Indonesia, South Africa, and top 3 countries refer to Switzerland, Ireland, and Luxembourg.

Source: OECD estimations based on data from Google Trends, Crunchbase, World Economic Forum, and the World Bank.

These findings are in line with studies highlighting the role of digital technologies in disaster risk management (Madhavaram et al., 2017[32]). Our results suggest that the limited capacity of businesses and people to swiftly shift activity to online marketplaces may curtail their capacity to continue working and producing during shocks such as COVID-19. Anecdotal evidence and business surveys conducted during the COVID-19 crisis underline the clear link between the degree of digital preparedness and business resilience (KPMG, 2020[33]).

Quality access to communication networks and services is key to the adoption of digital technologies and the diffusion of digital services, including those delivered by online platforms. This depends on two main factors: past investment to build and upgrade communication networks and a sound regulatory framework ensuring easy, fair and affordable access to the network so as to meet the rising use of and demand for data.

Better communication infrastructures and regulatory framework relating to infrastructure and connectivity are critical to allow all parts of society to benefit from digital technologies. Rural populations often experience significantly worse access to communications networks than urban populations (OECD, 2019[34]). The impact of COVID-19 in rural areas (and in developing countries) may have been especially hard because of effects of mobility restrictions combined with the poor access to communication infrastructures and connectivity (OECD, 2018[35]). 13 Several good practices to promote digital connectivity exist, such as subsidising national and rural broadband networks, promoting municipal networks, designing competitive tenders for private-sector network deployment, and managing or implementing open access arrangements. Our results suggest that improving the regulatory framework relating to infrastructure and connectivity can strengthen countries' resilience to shocks such as COVID-19.

In a world increasingly permeated by digital technologies, the skills needed in the labour market are continuously evolving, with an increasing demand for workers with high skill levels. Workers - either dependent employees, self-employed or in managerial roles - increasingly need to be skilled in a range of digital technologies. The wide diffusion and effective use of digital technologies (including online platforms) also depends on the general digital skills - such as the ability to use the Internet - of the entire population, including those not in the workforce, such as the elderly. The OECD's Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) suggests that more than 50% of the adult population on average in 28 OECD countries can only carry out the simplest set of computer tasks, such as writing an email and browsing the web, or have no ICT skills at all. Overall, the digital divide, which initially focused on gaps in Internet access, increasingly concerns the different ways people are able to use the Internet and the benefits they derive from using digital technologies (OECD, 2019[36]). The effective use of online platforms is likely to require a minimum level of general digital skills that is relatively high.

Figure 6. Broadband penetration and good network regulation have underpinned the increase in platform use during the COVID-19 crisis

Effect of containment measures on online-platform use (% increase in Google keyword searches)

Note: The panels show the marginal effect of the containment index estimated through=L o c k d o w n c t+L o c k d o w n *C h a r a c t e r i s t i c c +θ t ++, on three country-level policy/structural characteristics. Full results are in columns (4)-(5) Table 1A.3. The policy/structural characteristics considered: are: the levels of mobile broadband penetration, measured as mobile broadband connections per 100 inhabitants (Panel A) and based on the levels of restrictions relating to the infrastructure and connectivity sub-component of the Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index. Each panel shows the effect of the containment index estimated at different values of the country policy/characteristics considered: average value of bottom 3 countries; average value computed considering all countries, average value of top 3 countries. In Panel A, bottom 3 countries refer to India, Hungary, and Mexico, and top 3 countries refer to Estonia, Finland, and Japan. In Panel B, top 3 values are for Japan, Austria, Australia, Switzerland plus other countries with the same value, and bottom 3 values are for South Africa, Russia, Indonesia, and Argentina, Chile, and Poland.

Source: OECD estimations based on data from Google Trends, OECD, and World Bank.

Our results show that during lockdowns online-platform activity might have risen more in countries where digital skills are high and where the percentage of individuals that used the Internet to pay bills in the previous year is largest (Figure 7). To facilitate the take-up of online platforms (along with the adoption of digital technologies more generally) policies need to go beyond the fundamental objective of ensuring that the education system equips all students with basic digital skills (as well as solid literacy, numeracy and problem-solving skills). Other important initiatives involve building and improving life-long learning systems so as to ensure all adults can acquire and maintain the skills required to handle modern technologies effectively. Many of these skills can be acquired also outside formal education and training institutions - for instance, in the workplace. Boosting funds for on-the-job training and establishing a certification system for skills acquired outside formal education channels can encourage training in the workplace (OECD, 2016[37]).

Figure 7. The use of online platforms during COVID-19 crisis rises with skill levels

Effect of containment measures on online-platform use (% increase in Google keyword searches)

Note: Note: The panels show the marginal effect of the containment index estimated through=L o c k d o w n c t+L o c k d o w n *C h a r a c t e r i s t i c c +θ t ++, on three country-level policy/structural characteristics. Full results are in columns (6)-(7) Table 1A.3. The policy/structural characteristics considered: the skills readiness index from the WEF Networked Readiness Index (Panel A) and the percentage of individuals over 15 years of age that used the Internet to pay bills in the previous year, taken from the World Bank (Panel B). Each panel shows the effect of the containment index estimated at different values of the country policy/characteristics considered: average value of bottom 3 countries; average value computed considering all countries, average value of top 3 countries. In Panel A, bottom 3 countries refer to India, South Africa, and Mexico, and top 3 countries refer to Belgium, Switzerland, and Finland. In Panel B, bottom 3 countries refer to India, Indonesia, and Mexico, and top 3 countries refer to Denmark, Finland, and Norway.

Source: OECD estimations based on data from Google Trends, World Bank, and World Economic Forum.

This note uses Google Trends data to understand the change in online-platform activity throughout the first six months of 2020 and how it relates to lockdown and mobility restriction measures imposed over the same period. Changes in online-platform activity occurred differently across activity areas. Online platforms operating in areas requiring physical proximity for service delivery - such as accommodation and restaurant booking - suffered marked decreases in activity; instead, activity of platforms operating in areas less affected by physical proximity requirements - such as mobile payments, marketplace to consumers and restaurant delivery -increased by around 20% on average.

The increase in online-platform use varied across countries depending on pre-existing structural conditions and policies. The increase tended to be larger in more technologically advanced countries, those with better communication networks and higher levels of digital skills. These results suggest that policies may play an important role in strengthening the digital preparedness of countries to face shocks causing severe disruptions of traditional market and social activities. When COVID-19 hit, some countries were better prepared than others and in these countries people and businesses may have found it easier to shift activities towards online platforms.

The COVID-19 shock has added urgency to policies aiming at accelerating the digitalisation of public and private sector activities. During the crisis many OECD and G20 countries implemented a range of such policies including, for instance, improving broadband connectivity, helping firms adopt online business models, promoting online payments, and enhancing digital skills (G20, 2020[38]; OECD, 2020[2]; OECD, 2020[39]).

This new urgency is welcome but a co-ordinated approach is needed to exploit complementarities and minimising trade-offs across policy areas. The breadth of policies and interventions (spanning for instance connectivity, skills, finance) and the time it takes for them to realise their effects require building synergies among the various policy initiatives (OECD, 2019[40]). For example, investment in information and communication technologies (ICT), such as broadband, is necessary but not sufficient for the effective use of digital tools. Complementary investment in knowledge-based capital, such as skills, is needed. At the same time, the general digital skills of the population - acquired through the education system - are the foundation on which workers in some industries can build more specialised and advanced ICT skills throughout their careers and continuous learning. Policies to protect the privacy of personal data and strengthen cybersecurity can enhance trust in digital technologies and online platforms, accelerating their adoption. Incentives linked to the use of electronic payments can be conducive to a more intense use of online payments. Establishing or updating Industry 4.0 plans in view of the new challenges the COVID-19 crisis has created would be a good way to build such a co-ordinated approach.

The increase in online platform use during the COVID-19 has also heightened concerns about the quality and safety of jobs intermediated by online platforms. Platforms often rely on flexible work arrangements, which could lead to an increase in "false" self-employment, poor quality jobs and career prospects, and contribute to a segmented labour market (Mira d'Ercole and MacDonald, 2018[41]). In response to the crisis, platform companies have taken measures to protect the health and incomes of platform workers, including: introducing contactless delivery or temporarily ceasing high-risk services; providing personal protective equipment or hygiene products; providing full or partial pay for sick or self-isolating workers (generally up to a maximum period of two weeks) (OECD, 2020[42]). At the same time, many governments have exceptionally extended social protection schemes to platform (and other self-employed) workers as the traditional social safety net does not cover them (or covers them only partially). These are temporary solutions, but they could be the start of a process to durably improve the quality and safety of platform-mediated jobs. This is likely to require policy changes in different areas including labour market regulation, social protection and workers' representation (Lane, 2020[43]).

References

[31] Correia, S. (2016), "A Feasible Estimator for Linear Models with Multi-Way Fixed Effects", Unplublished manuscript.

[9] Farronato, C., J. Fong and A. Fradkin (2020), Dog Eat Dog: Measuring Network Effects Using a Digital Platform Merger, NBER Working Paper 28047.

[41] Mira d'Ercole, M. and M. MacDonald (2018), Measuring platform and other new forms of work: Issues pape.

[3] OECD (2020), Are platforms killing the offline star? Platform diffusion and the productivity of traditional firms, ECO/CPE/WP1(2020)6.

[17] Woloszko, N. (2020), "Tracking activity in real time with google trends", Unpublished manuscript.

Figure 1.A.1. Online-platform activity during lockdowns by area of activity

Note: The lines show the median of the year-on-year percentage change of online-platform activity (as proxied by Google Trends data) for the different activity areas; the period covered is January-June 2020.

Source: Google Trends and OECD computations

Notes

← 12. The Digital Services Trade Restrictiveness Index captures cross-cutting barriers that hamper the supply of services using electronic networks. It catalogues and quantifies different types of regulatory barriers (Ferencz, 2019[44]). Those related to infrastructure and connectivity reflect the adoption of best practice regulations on interconnections among network operators to ensure seamless communication. It also captures measures limiting or blocking the use of communications services, including Virtual Private Networks or leased lines. Lastly, this area covers policies impacting on connectivity such as measures on cross-border data flows and data localisation.

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The role of online platforms in weathering the COVID-19 shock

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This policy brief reports on the activity of online platforms during the COVID-19 crisis. Google Trends data for OECD and other G20 countries indicate that in some areas (such as retail sales, restaurant delivery, and mobile payments) online-platform use increased markedly during the first half of 2020, when most countries imposed lockdown and physical distancing measures.

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The challenges placed on technology leaders are among the most multi-dimensional in which organizations have had to grapple. Virtually overnight, they have been asked to support a broad sweep of new pressures-changing customer demands to digital channels, reconfigured supply chains, additional necessary workforce collaboration capacity and bandwidth, licenses and equipment to support remote work, and a litany of other issues requiring immediate scale and resiliency.

Although there is no proven roadmap available for dealing with a global humanitarian crisis with the scale of COVID-19, we believe that leaders at all levels will need to act across three phases. Globally, technology decision makers in every organization have already made significant choices to Respond to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis with speed to maximize the safety of employees and ensuring continuity of business. Gradually, as the pandemic begins to evolve, they will have to transition into the next two phases: Recover - during which an organization learns and emerges stronger from its response; and Thrive - in which the organization prepares for and shapes the "next normal."

Jumpstart the recovery to ensure scalability

Given the complexity of the pandemic, there is reason to believe that the recovery phase for COVID-19 will require unprecedented levels of orchestration, communication, and changing of existing configurations during what promises to be a challenging and potentially protracted period across the globe. For many technology leaders, the first steps they take during this phase will be informed by the necessary series of adjustments they enacted as the crisis erupted and came to a head, specifically:

Support and enhance the workforce experience for collaboration and co-creation

Secure technology supporting the new work environment

Construct monitoring "command centers" for strategic response

Produce a playbook for future disruptions

Stabilize business operations for future readiness and resilience

The world will ultimately reopen for business. When that happens, the quick fixes and patchwork solutions adopted during the response phase may not stand up to rigorous testing. The focus at this stage will be on stabilizing and strengthening many of the solutions and processes rushed into place, by being more thoughtful and strategic about their deployment, developing the support infrastructure around them, and fully understanding the impact they will have across their organizations and partner networks.
Specifically, technology leaders will need to:

Enhance digital innovations and presence

Post-modernize customer support operations

Build a trusted technology ecosystem

Scale automation pilots

Create a resilient IT architecture

Establish a sensing function

Reallocate tech funding for agility

Keep an eye on their assets

Get to know their people, inside and out

Position to thrive longer term by shaping the "next normal"

As organizations recover, it is essential to cast an eye on the future competitive landscape, considering which changes wrought by the crisis will constitute a "next normal." Those technology leaders able to get ahead of these shifts will help their organizations thrive beyond the near and intermediate terms. Three longer-term priority areas represent a good start:

Reimagine customer experience by focusing on human-centered design

Bridge the physical and digital worlds to deliver new value

Establish trust as a key business value

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COVID-19: Shaping the future through digital business

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Never has there been a time in which the role of the CIO and other digital technology leaders has been so pivotal to shaping the future of their organization. As the pandemic shuts down the physical world, everyone is assuming that the digital world will step in and fill the chasm.

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Abstract

Background:

The spending on digital healthcare solutions is estimated to reach EUR 232 billion by 2025. Digital healthcare platforms are making transformative changes to conventional healthcare processes which can provide many beneficial improvements for both citizen and government provision to society. These benefits are obvious during pandemics such as Covid-19, when most healthcare services are offered through digital means.

Objective:

The objective of this study is to measure the role of trust and information quality when using digital healthcare platforms. These constructs are integrated with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to provide a better understanding of the consumer perspective regarding the use of digital healthcare platforms.

Methods:

Online structured self-administered questionnaire was utilized to collect the data. A sample consisting of 249 respondents participated in the questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was used to characterize the attributes of participants, and other statistical tests were conducted to ensure the reliability and validity of the survey. The model of the study was evaluated using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to explain the extent of the relationship among latent variables.

Results:

The study determined that facilitating conditions (t=0.233, p=0.023) and trust (t=0.324, p=0.005) had a significant impact on consumers' behavioral intention of using such platforms during Covid-19 pandemic.

Conclusion:

This study highlighted the importance of facilitating conditions and trust factors for healthcare consumers of digital healthcare platforms especially during the pandemic time.

Keywords: Digital healthcare platforms, E-health, Consumer Health informatics, Trust, Saudi Arabia

1. BACKGROUND

The rising Covid-19 pandemic has created situations of uncertainty in medical practices and unreliable information which impacted healthcare systems around the world in many ways. The rapidly increasing numbers of confirmed cases and deaths have put healthcare systems under pressure. At the time of publication, there are more than 125 million confirmed cases and more than 2 million deaths due to Covid-19 across more than 213 countries and territories around the world ( 1). The rapid spread of Covid-19 causes governments to take numerous actions to stop or slow the spread of this contagious disease, such as complete and partial lockdowns, severe travel restrictions, and forced quarantines ( 2). Many ICT tools and applications have been implemented to control the outbreak so that it remains manageable. The use of digital healthcare solutions requires more informative and up to date quality information with a high degree of trust between the consumers and healthcare service providers, especially with this level of uncertainty around Covid-19.

This study will measure the role of trust and information quality when using digital healthcare platforms. These constructs will be integrated with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) ( 3) to provide a better understanding of the consumer perspective regarding the use of digital healthcare platforms. Integrating these constructs with the UTAUT model could provide insight into consumer opinions about digital healthcare platforms. Only a few researchers have addressed these factors together when studying consumer acceptance of digital healthcare solutions ( 4).

Digital healthcare platforms in this study are defined as collections of applications and technologies used to support the delivery of healthcare services ( 5). A study estimated the spending on digital healthcare solutions to reach EUR 232 billion by 2025 ( 6). This paper also deals with the user of digital healthcare platforms as a consumer rather than as a patient for many reasons. First, not all users of digital healthcare platforms are patients, as some of them may simply ask about general health information such as diet, exercise, sleeping patterns, or similar information ( 7). Second, there is a movement toward empowering the consumer side of healthcare services by allowing consumers to conduct certain healthcare activities that were once the privilege of health professionals ( 8). A study indicated that three-quarters of its participants expected that the healthcare consumers will be the owner of their health data ( 6).

Although user acceptance is a mature field in information technology studies ( 4, 8), most of the studies were conducted in normal situations where there are alternative tools or systems of using information technology solutions. Additionally, for some consumers, this is the first time that they are using such systems, which requires studying their behavioral intention ( 7).

Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest countries in Asia with a total area of about 2.15 million km2 and a total population of 34.77 million people ( 9). The healthcare system in the country relies on governmental healthcare services where the Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible for providing healthcare services free of charge for citizens. There are other governmental bodies and private organizations which provide healthcare services.

Saudi Arabia was selected for this study for many reasons. It has a large geographical area with many rural areas which make the use of digital healthcare services beneficial for the country. The population of the country is young since the majority of Saudi citizens (67%) are young adults (i.e. under 40 years) ( 10). Saudi Arabia has Mecca and Medina that are special cities for Muslims because it has the two holy mosques and there were about 20 million visitors for the cities during 2019. These reasons make the dealing with the Covid-19 requires special care from the Saudi authorities.

Before the Covid-19 outbreak, Saudi Arabia introduced several initiatives regarding the implementation of digital healthcare projects. The first national e-government strategy was launched in 2005, and it was updated in 2011 ( 11). Additionally, the Saudi Vision 2030 framework and the National Transformation Program 2020 initiative emphasized the importance of ICT in healthcare systems. There are many ongoing projects, especially for the Ministry of Health, which is the main healthcare provider in the country. Examples of such projects may include automated and standardized systems of primary healthcare centers and integrated hospital information systems for all MoH hospitals ( 12). However, this ambitious initiative still requires extra time and effort to be achieved because it requires collaboration among different ministries and agencies in the country. There are many examples demonstrate the ongoing efforts to enhance digital healthcare services in the country, which have resulted in a variety of systems and platforms that have been utilized effectively during the Covid-19 pandemic. These technologies can be summarized in Table 1 .

Table 1.

Category

Description

Example

2. OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to measure the role of trust and information quality when using digital healthcare platforms. These constructs are integrated with the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to provide a better understanding of the consumer perspective regarding the use of digital healthcare platforms.

3. METHODS

3.1. Research framework and hypotheses

This research aims to develop an understanding of healthcare consumers' behavioral intentions for using digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic with focus on information quality and trust. The research framework contains the original elements of the UTAUT framework along with information quality and trust elements. The factors in the research framework are:

Effort expectancy

Effort expectancy (EE) is the degree of ease associated with consumer use of a specific technology ( 3). The possibility that healthcare consumers will use the system is increased if the system is easy to use and it has a user-friendly design ( 13). Effort expectancy is considered to be a key contributor to behavioral intention related to e-health system use in many studies ( 8, 14). Many digital healthcare platforms were developed during the Covid-19 pandemic such as track and trace applications however some of them may still require more usability tests. Due to the nature of the pandemic and the urgent need to develop digital healthcare platforms, there was a rush to develop these platforms. So, the following hypothesis was proposed:

Hypothesis 1: Effort expectancy will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Effort expectancy was found to be moderated by the following factors: experience with using information technologies and age( 15) so the following hypotheses are proposed:

Hypothesis 1-a: The influence of effort expectancy on behavioral intention will be moderated by experience.

Hypothesis 1-b: The influence of effort expectancy on behavioral intention will be moderated by age.

Performance expectancy

Performance expectancy (PE) refers to the benefits that are provided to the user due to the usage of certain technologies ( 15). Digital healthcare platforms can provide many benefits for healthcare consumers, such as understanding of their health status, enabling of self-care, and better management of healthcare activities ( 8, 16). The use of digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic can enhance the safety of healthcare consumers because it reduces infection rates using digital meeting tools such as Zoom. Many researchers have identified performance expectancy as one of the factors that influence the behavioral intentions of consumers of healthcare ( 16, 17). Thus, the following hypothesis was introduced:

Hypothesis 2: Performance expectancy will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Social influence

Social influence (SI) refers to the influence of peers such as family, friends, and partners or media and social media websites ( 8, 17). This factor is represented as subjective norm in other theoretical frameworks, such as in the extended versions of TAM ( 3). It indicates that social roles and other beliefs influence the intention of healthcare consumers to use healthcare technologies. Some studies have shown that social influence had an impact on patient intention to use e-health services ( 17). Social influence can have a strong effect especially in a culture like Saudi Arabi where social ties are strong ( 18). So, the following hypothesis was proposed:

Hypothesis 3: Social influence will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Facilitating conditions

Facilitating conditions (FC) cover the availability of resources, knowledge, and support for a particular information system under investigation ( 15). It also includes compatibility with other technologies that are commonly used by healthcare consumers, such as smartphones ( 8). The facilitating conditions factor was found to provide an understanding of patients' perceptions of telehealth services ( 13, 19). So, the following hypothesis was proposed:

Hypothesis 4: Facilitating conditions will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Information quality

Information quality (IQ) refers to the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of the information generated by digital healthcare platforms ( 20). Although having accurate and timely information is important, only a few studies considered the effect of this factor on patient behavioral intention or acceptance of e-health service use ( 21). Some studies focused on measuring this factor for physicians or healthcare professionals who are using health information systems in hospitals ( 22). During the Covid-19 pandemic, the information about the infectious disease itself or methods of protection and reducing infection were uncertain which can affect information quality. Thus, the following hypothesis was proposed:

Hypothesis 5: Information quality will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trust

Trust (TR) refers to the confidence felt between healthcare consumers and healthcare providers ( 23). Trust can be measured from a social perspective, which primarily concerns physician-patient relationships ( 24). It can also be associated with health information and how healthcare providers handle this information ( 25), which will be considered by the present study. Trust was found in many studies to strongly influence patients' intention to use digital healthcare platforms ( 23, 25). During the moment of crisis, trust in provided information of digital healthcare platforms plays a vital role in communicating and acceptance of information from trusted sources ( 26). So, the following hypothesis was developed:

Hypothesis 6: Trust will positively influence behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Figure 1 presents the research model followed during the study.

3.2. Research method

Based on the research model, a questionnaire was developed to study factors identified during the literature review. The questionnaire consists of 34 questions and is divided into 5 parts. The first part acts as a cover letter and a consent form for the questionnaire by providing information about the study and the researcher. The second part is about the use of digital healthcare platforms by participants responding to the questionnaire. This part also includes questions about skills in information technologies to measure the experience level of the participants. The third part contains statements to measure the latent variables of the research model, where a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" is used to assess each construct (See Appendix for more details). The fourth part contains demographic information such as gender, age, and nationality. The fifth part allows the participants to add any comments regarding the study.

This research followed the Moore and Benbasat ( 27) approach for developing the questionnaire. This approach includes three phases: item construction, questionnaire review, and questionnaire testing.

Regarding item construction, all measurement items were adapted from prior research found in the literature. Then, the questionnaire was evaluated and reviewed by three experienced researchers in health informatics (one professor, one assistant professor, and one health informatics expert with a master's degree). After assuring the content validity of the questionnaire, a translation from English to Arabic was conducted by the researcher and reviewed by two other experts. Then, the questionnaire was transcribed into an online questionnaire tool and the pilot study was conducted with a small group of users to check timing issues and the usability of the online tool. At each stage, adjustments were made before moving to the next stage. The researcher obtained ethical approval for this research from the Research Ethics Committee at Shaqra University in Saudi Arabia.

The population for this study was comprised of healthcare consumers from various regions in Saudi Arabia. Due to time constraints for conducting the research during the Covid-19 pandemic, the researcher selected the convenience sampling technique because of its popularity in information technology research and its practicality ( 28, 29). The researcher allowed only participants who use digital healthcare platforms to answer questions related to platform usage. The researcher also used social media websites, especially the accounts related to healthcare and health informatics, to publish the questionnaire to improve participant representativeness ( 28). This practice can also decrease some of the concerns of the convenience sampling technique ( 30).

4. RESULTS

A total of 249 respondents voluntarily chose to answer the survey during the period May 30 through July 31, 2020. Of these, 122 respondents (about 49%) had used digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the respondents who did not use the platforms were excluded from the empirical analyses, they were asked to clarify their reasons for not using the platforms to provide useful information for the study.

4.1. Sample characteristics

The demographic distribution of the respondents is shown in Table 2 .

Table 2.

Characteristic

Total Respondents

Participants who reported the use of digital healthcare platforms

Frequency

Percent

Frequency

Percent

4.2. Use of digital healthcare platforms

The respondents were asked about their current usage of digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic.While about 122 (49%) of the respondents used digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic, approximately half did not use any digital healthcare platform. Seventy respondents had used the Mawid app, which makes it the most used digital healthcare platform during Covid-19, followed by Seha - about 64 participants mentioned that they had used the platform. While 21 respondents had used other digital platforms (from other governmental healthcare providers) during the pandemic, only 12 participants had used digital platforms provided by private healthcare providers. Few respondents reported using other platforms such as the Rest Assured (Tataman) app (12 individuals). Additional platforms included the Saudi Red Crescent Authority platform (11 respondents) and standalone digital platforms such as Cura, Tatbib, and Nala (2 respondents).

The respondents had heard about the digital healthcare platforms through different methods. Online social networks (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) ranked first, as 85 respondents selected them, followed by text messages from healthcare providers (51 respondents), from TV broadcasts, newspapers, or other media (24 respondents), from parents, friends, relatives, colleagues, etc. (33 respondents) and finally from other sources such as posters or leaflets inside healthcare provider buildings (16 respondents).

The main reasons for not using digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic are that the respondents did not need them (72%), the respondents did not know about them (17%), and the respondents did not know how to use them (4%).

Table 3.

Constructs

Items

Cronbach's Alpha

Factor Loading

AVE

EE2

0.882

EE3

0.915

PE2

0.755

PE3

0.919

SI2

0.810

SI3

0.704

FC2

0.561

FC3

0.844

IQ2

0.793

TR2

0.738

TR3

0.807

BI2

0.960

BI3

0.864

4.3. Survey reliability and validity

The internal reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity of the questionnaire were evaluated during the assessment of the measurement model. The Cronbach's alpha test was conducted on the items of each construct to test for internal consistency, where an acceptable value is greater than 0.6 ( 31). Table 5 shows the measurements and confirmatory factor analysis for the survey.

The thresholds of the measurements used during data analysis are as follows: factor loading above 0.5 and average variance extracted (AVE) more than 50% of the variance. Except for one item from construct SI (which was deleted), all of the values met the selected criteria, demonstrating the good construct validity of the instrument ( 32).

Table 4.

Path

Standardized Path Coefficient

t-value

Significance

Result of Hypothesis Test

4.4. The structural model and hypothesis testing

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the research model presented in Figure 1 . The partial least squares (PLS) technique with a bootstrapping procedure using 500 re-samples of the original 122 cases was implemented to perform the structural model evaluation, conducted with SmartPLS 3.0 ( 33). The structural model fitness was evaluated using the Normal Fit Index (NFI ≥ 0.8) and Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR ≤ 0.05) ( 34). Table 6 presents the results of the analysis and the hypotheses tests. The research model was also tested for how well it explained the association between constructs, demonstrating acceptable performance in explaining the variability in the outcome variables with r2=0.696 for behavior intention to use.

5. DISCUSSION

This study aims to develop an understating of healthcare consumers' behavioral intentions for using digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results of this study indicate that healthcare consumers generally exhibited strong intention to use the digital healthcare platforms during and after Covid-19 (mean = 4.27 out of 5). This finding is supported by other research that indicated that patients intend to accept the use of digital healthcare systems ( 24, 35).

The findings also showed that effort expectancy did not have a strong influence on the intention to use digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during this pandemic. This finding is different from those of other studies in the literature ( 8, 14, 36). However, it is supported by selected studies that indicated that effort expectancy had no direct significant effect on intention to use an electronic medical record (EMR) system ( 36). A possible explanation for this finding refers to the possibility that the platforms offered a friendly user design ( 13). The results did not indicate that age and experience moderate the impacts of effort expectancy on behavioral intention. These findings are consistent with other studies in the literature ( 37). An additional explanation for the overall finding is based on the backgrounds of the study respondents, as most had experience in using computers and smartphones and the majority were young adults (40 years old or less). Another justification may relate to the widespread use of social media among Saudi people, which helps them to be familiar with such platforms ( 37, 38).

Performance expectancy in this study did not show a significant impact on the intention to use digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia. Although this finding is similar to the finding of Koivumäki et al. ( 8), this is not the case with other studies, which reported the performance expectancy factor as among the most important determinants of intention to use healthcare digital platforms ( 17, 35, 39).

Although some studies showed that social influence had an impact on patient intention to use e-health services ( 17), the findings of this study did not indicate that, as supported by other studies ( 8, 35). A possible reason for this finding may be the existing awareness of healthcare consumers in Saudi Arabia who are using the digital healthcare platforms to manage their healthcare activities during the paramedic ( 40).

Facilitating conditions were found in this study to influence the behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic. This finding is in line with those of other studies in the literature such as ( 35), ( 19), and ( 13). This result was expected because consumers with better facilitation conditions - such as fast and reliable Internet access - will have a higher behavioral intention to use the digital platforms ( 15). The compatibility with mobile phone technologies is also considered as a reason for this finding because it allows healthcare consumers to use the digital healthcare platforms at any time and from anywhere ( 8).

The study findings indicate that information quality has no effect on behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic. This finding is consistent with other studies that showed no evidence of the impact of information quality on behavioral intention for using e-health services ( 21). A possible explanation for this finding relates to the ability to use the digital healthcare platforms, as a user's knowledge about using the platforms can affect information and prescriptions produced by the system ( 41). However, this finding may require extra investigation to provide insight regarding the impact of information quality on behavioral intention for using e-health services and the actual usage of such services.

Trust was found to have an influence on behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia during the Covid-19 pandemic. This finding is in agreement with the findings of other studies ( 25, 42), which indicate the importance of considering trust issues when developing digital healthcare platforms, especially in a situation where they are the preferable way of providing healthcare services.

6. CONCLUSION

The utilization of health informatics tools during pandemics could be useful for healthcare consumers and healthcare organizations and can reduce the pressure on healthcare systems. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many health IT solutions were created to assist the healthcare systems. This paper described solutions developed specifically in Saudi Arabia and around the world in general. The paper also developed an understanding of healthcare consumers' behavioral intention for using digital healthcare platforms during the Covid-19 pandemic. The results indicate that both facilitating conditions and trust have a significant impact on the intention to use digital healthcare platforms in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this study provide important information for healthcare leaders, indicating that they should pay special attention to using integrated healthcare tools and also to providing the required resources for healthcare consumers to use digital healthcare services. The study additionally showed that trust and privacy issues should always be considered when developing digital healthcare solutions. Future work arising from the study may include a comparison between using digital healthcare solutions during pandemics and during normal times.

Acknowledgment:

The author would like to thank the experts who evaluated and reviewed the questionnaire.

Appendix.

Constructor

Items

Source

Level of experience

Low (I do not use a computer or other electronic devices)
Medium ( I use basic applications i.e., MS-Office, e-mail or web browsing, online social networks).
High ( I deal with hardware maintenance and use specialist software such as databases and networking programs).

( 43)

Effort expectancy (EE)

EE1: digital healthcare platforms are easy to use

( 44), ( 8)

EE2: Interaction with digital healthcare platforms is clear

( 44), ( 45)

Authors contribution:

Authors was involved in all steps of preparation of this article including final proofreading.

Conflict of interest:

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Financial support and sponsorship:

None.

REFERENCES

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9. Elsheikh AH, Saba AI, Elaziz MA, Lu S, Shanmugan S, Muthuramalingam T, et al. Deep learning-based forecasting model for COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Process Safety and Environmental Protection [Internet] 2021;149(November 2020):223-233. doi: 10.1016/j.psep.2020.10.048. [[ PMC free article] [ PubMed] [ CrossRef] Google Scholar]

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21. Zhou M, Zhao L, Kong N, Campy KS, Qu S, Wang S. Factors influencing behavior intentions to telehealth by Chinese elderly: An extended TAM model. International Journal of Medical Informatics [Internet] 2019;126(2):118-127. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.04.001. [[ PubMed] [ CrossRef] Google Scholar]

28. Isaías P, Pífano S, Miranda P. Isaías P, editor. Subject Recommended Samples. Information Systems Research and Exploring Social Artifacts: Approaches and Methodologies. IGI Global. 2013 [ Google Scholar]

30. Mellinger CD, Hanson TA. Routledge; 2016. Quantitative Research Methods in Translation and Interpreting Studies. [ Google Scholar]

31. Gliem JA, Gliem RR. Calculating, Interpreting, and Reporting Cronbach's Alpha Reliability Coefficient for Likert-Type Scales. 2003 Midwest Research to Practice Conference in Adult, Continuing, and Community Education; 2003. pp. 82-88. [ Google Scholar]

36. Shiferaw KB, Mehari EA. Modeling predictors of acceptance and use of electronic medical record system in a resource limited setting: Using modified UTAUT model. Informatics in Medicine Unlocked [Internet] 2019 Apr 17;:100182. doi: 10.1016/j.imu.2019.100182. [[ CrossRef] Google Scholar]

Articles from Acta Informatica Medica are provided here courtesy of Academy of Medical Sciences of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

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The Use of Digital Healthcare Platforms During the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Consumer Perspective

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The spending on digital healthcare solutions is estimated to reach EUR 232 billion by 2025. Digital healthcare platforms are making transformative changes to conventional healthcare processes which can provide many beneficial improvements for both citizen and government provision to society. These benefits are obvious during pandemics such as Covid-19, when most healthcare services are offered through digital means.

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Automation can free up time by taking over tasks. But turning that free time into time for innovation takes practice.

Most business leaders will tell you that creativity is critical to business success. In a study by Forrester, 82 percent of leaders surveyed believed in a strong connection between creativity and business results. And that's not just perception. Companies with cultures that encourage creativity outperform their competitors by driving innovation, revenue growth, and market share.

Furthermore, over two-thirds of the companies that were ranked highly for fostering creativity have received awards and recognition for being a "best place to work." Creativity - or the ability to be creative at work - is also important to employees, and may be lacking. Nearly a third of employed U.S. adults would take a pay cut for a job that allowed them to be more creative, according to a Creative Live survey.

Too Busy to Be Creative

If creative work is so important, why is there such a lack of creativity? In large part, creativity suffers when we are too busy multi-tasking. The "culture of busy" hinders our ability to come up with fresh, innovative ideas. When you're busy being busy, there's no room for creativity; in business, that translates to less innovation.

So what does it look like to make room for creativity? Researchers have found that letting our minds wander can facilitate creative problem-solving. Daydreaming gives us access to the big-picture state of mind that cultivates creative thinking. When our brain is at rest - or at least not focusing attention on something or working hard to filter out distraction - the creative juices can flow.

Related
Can Automation Improve Employee Engagement?
Can Automation Unlock Creativity?

True daydreaming is rare these days. Now, when we take a break or procrastinate, we replace letting our minds wander with "productive" activities like checking social media, news feeds, and Reddit. We make ourselves busy even in our leisure time, thereby filling the space that's needed to truly be creative.

So, can automation solve our busyness problem and unlock creativity? Not exactly. But it can give us back more time for daydreaming and other creative endeavors. Think about which tasks you do every day that could be automated; any task that's repeatable or replicable could be set up to happen automatically, giving you time back in your day.

Imagine if you could automate follow-up processes for getting approvals, for instance, so you didn't have to spend time tracking down key stakeholders for signoff. Or how much more you could accomplish if you could automate handoffs between teams, rather than scheduling a series of "check in" meetings. Or what you would do with the time you'd get back by letting a self-driving car take over your commute.

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How Automation Boosts Workplace Visibility
Or Will It Just Make Us Busier?

Automation can let us maximize our waking hours to do what's most important. This idea isn't new; the age-old promise of technological advancements was that they would give you back more time to spend on what was important - or at least on getting more done.

But therein lies the danger: that we will just do more of the same, finding other ways to be busy even as automation helps us be more productive. It's critical that we carve out time to be creative. Because creativity requires quiet, reflective, uninterrupted time.

Take Back the Time

As automation frees up time by taking over repeatable tasks, give yourself permission to daydream and space to let your mind wander. Create boundaries and define creative space.

Easier said than done, but technology may be able to help. As we turn to automation to give us time to think, we can work with our devices to hold us to our commitments to set aside creative time. Much like we can set our phones to "Do Not Disturb" at night to quell the constant alerts and vibrations so we can catch some zzzs, we could set our devices to shut down or lock us out during the times we want to let our mind wander in the quest for creative ideas.

However we make it happen, taking the time to be creative can make work more meaningful, drive innovation, and help our businesses outperform their competitors in revenue growth and market share. Automation promises to make that possible - but only if we make the most of the time it gives back to us.

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Automation can free up time by taking over tasks. But turning that free time into time for innovation takes practice. Most business leaders will tell you that creativity is critical to business success. In a study by Forrester, 82 percent of leaders surveyed believed in a strong connection between creativity and business results.

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In this article we will look at what process automation means, what types of automation solutions are available, the benefits of adopting automation and why it is so important for the future of all businesses.

The automation of business processes is no longer just a luxury for larger businesses, rather it is rapidly becoming a necessary essential for businesses of all sizes to ensure continued success.

In this article we will look at what process automation means, what types of automation solutions are available, the benefits of adopting automation and why it is so important for the future of all businesses.

What is automation?

If you grab your dictionary you will find automation defined as a technique, method, or system of operating or controlling a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention to a minimum. This definition is perhaps slightly confusing and wordy, so what do we mean when talking about automation? A simpler definition, and how we see it, would be the use of software applications to automate business processes, so employees don't have to.

By replacing these, often labour intensive, processes with automation software brings many advantages, such as reduced costs, increased efficiency and time savings - we'll dive into the benefits later on.

There are many different automation solutions available so let's take a look at the different types.

Types of process automation

What is Business Process Automation?

Business Process Automation, often referred to as BPA, is the use of applications to execute recurring tasks, replacing manual effort. BPA is more focussed on the whole business automating a workflow throughout the entire organisation rather than individual tasks.

What is Robotic Process Automation?

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is the use of software 'robots' to automate human activities that are manual, rule-based and repetitive.

What is Intelligent Process Automation?

Intelligent Process Automation is a suite of business process tools that mimics the activities of humans and, over time, learns to improve on these.

The benefits of automation

No matter which type of automation solution you choose there are many common benefits.

Improved operational efficiency
Automation reduces time, effort and cost, whilst reducing manual errors, giving your business more time to focus on your primary objectives.

Time saving
Repetitive tasks can be completed faster.

Improved quality and consistency
Automating processes ensures high quality results as each task is performed identically, without human error.

Increased employee satisfaction
Manual tasks are boring and laborious. Automation allows your employees to work on more engaging activities, and thus increases satisfaction.

Increased customer satisfaction
Happier employees, faster processing and time savings enable your teams to concentrate on providing better customer service, which all helps boosts customer satisfaction.

The role of business automation in digital transformation

Digital Transformation is a phrase that businesses have been talking about for a long-time. Many businesses recognise the benefits that digitisation brings, but have problems keeping momentum in deploying solutions. The main problem has always been the cost involved in developing software, which is often bespoke to each organisation.

The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 has led to more and more businesses committing to speeding up their digital transformation plans. This is largely driven from the need for efficiency to maintain growth and, in some instances, to survive.

Adopting automation within these organisations is vital to driving down costs, increasing efficiency, and improves both customer and employee satisfaction. Automating manual processes, which are often paper based, helps business leaders ensure that their digital transformation targets are being met, but how do they now get around the barriers such as cost and speed of deployment?

Thankfully, the rise of Low-Code Application Development platforms, such as PhixFlow, enable the rapid development of bespoke automated solutions at a fraction of the cost.

Summary

Automation, whichever flavour you choose, offers so many benefits and with economies struggling, following the recent Covid-19 pandemic, it really is a case of 'survival of the fittest'. Companies that come out on top will be those that have adapted to change becoming more agile, cost-efficient, and offer better customer and employee satisfaction. All of which can be addressed by the adoption of automation systems developed using Low-Code platforms.
Don't let your business fall behind and ensure future business success with PhixFlow.
Book a demo today and discover how quickly your business can be enjoying the benefits of automation.

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Why automation is vital for the future of business - PhixFlow Low-Code

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In this article we will look at what process automation means, what types of automation solutions are available, the benefits of adopting automation and why it is so important for the future of all businesses.

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Why is Industrial Automation Important | Plant Automation Technology

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Over the past years, there has been a positive growth in the global industrial automation industry. According to a report, industrial automation market is expected to reach USD 153.83 Billion by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 5.10% between 2017 and 2022. Moreover, usage of automation techniques is on th…

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If every tool, when ordered, or even of its own accord, could do the work that befits it... then there would be no need either of apprentices for the master workers or of slaves for the lords. Aristotle

So said Aristotle in 322 B.C.E. And thus, the foundation stone for how to work automation could help improve humanity's future was laid, all the way back in the ancient world. In fact, the past is replete with many different examples of automatons: from the Steam-Powered Pigeon of Archytas to Da Vinci's Armored Knight, to the bellstrikers installed in mechanical clocks across Europe in the Middle Ages.

The early automatons were designed less for doing actual work and more as proof of concept or entertainment. Whereas early automatons were built using networks of cogs, gears, levers, and pulleys, the future robots will be more digital than mechanical. And they will undoubtedly be designed to do the work of many humans in a fraction of the time.

The pessimistic predictions on what the future of work automation could mean for humanity finds their ultimate expression in such dystopian films as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. Beyond this, this exists a misinformed, though generalized, viewpoint that widespread automation will replace human workers. But these kinds of projections won't come to pass. Why not? Because the future of automation lies in its ability to become integrated with how humans work. Automation will increasingly be harnessed as a driving force in helping people work smarter, not harder. It will take on all the boring, repetitive, and tedious work that humans currently do, thereby freeing workers to focus their attention on more high-level work that requires skills like creativity, interpretation, and empathy.

Simply defined, automation is the use of technology to complete tasks without the need for human intervention. And it is already having a major impact on the world of business.

Many companies are already implementing RPA to handle repetitive, rules-driven workflows or streamline inefficient ones. This is having the significant effect of:

Rather than replacing a human workforce, RPA enhances how humans work. By taking care of the mundane and tiresome, though necessary, tasks within an organization, RPA frees up employees' regular workloads so they can focus on more interesting and fulfilling work. This acknowledges the fact that robots are far superior at completing repetitive, rules-driven tasks, whereas humans outsmart robots when it comes to taking on sophisticated and creative work.

Many large companies have already embraced work automation as the future of their business. Indeed, the industrial automation sector alone is projected to be worth in excess of USD $326 billion by 2027. Likewise, the potential of this technology to achieve greater productivity, reduce labor costs and even improve customer service is also growing exponentially. Ultimately, automation is an inevitable force that will radically change most industries.

Consider the rapid rate of change within the automobile industry, one of the most automated sectors on the planet.

General Motors (GM) made $11 billion in 1979 with a workforce of some 800,000 workers. Whereas in 2020, GM made $13.6 billion, employing only 155,000. Another example of this automation happening in the online space is Blockbuster vs. Netflix. Blockbuster accrued $5.9 billion in 2004 with a workforce of 60,000 people. By 2018, Netflix had produced a $20 billion turnover with only 8,600 staff.

As you can see, work automation is already happening, and it's here to stay. That's because, despite requiring an initial investment to get started, once your business has automated some or most of its daily processes, it's very rewarding for the bottom line. Take, for instance, a big-name insurance firm that recently took the decision to go down the RPA path.

This unnamed company opted to deploy 13 RPA bots to streamline workflows and automate its IT processes.

The result? A saving of almost US$200K and 18,000 people hours. Not to mention a greater sense of employee job satisfaction.

That's because a lot of the tedious and repetitive admin tasks, such as collecting, collating, and recording customer correspondence, are now handled by the RPA bots.

No - your employees need not be worried: RPA is not going to replace them at their work just yet. As previous iterations of automation reveal, it's not the human worker's ability to do a job that is being replaced, it's the carrying out of certain tasks. Repetitive, rules-based, and tedious tasks. Automation is specifically about eliminating double-handling and offloading certain jobs to the bots, which they can perform quicker, more accurately, and without complaint. So, as you can see, in most cases, RPA is giving back to the employee the opportunity to direct their energies toward something of higher value to the organization.

The future of how automation will change the way we work is akin to the impacts of the Industrial Revolution. Originating in Europe around 1760 before being exported to the rest of the world, the Industrial Revolution did away with the need to rely exclusively on manual labor in industries such as farming, textiles, and manufacturing. What happened eventually, however, was that the economic advantages and opportunities for growth brought about by the Industrial Revolution outstripped job losses and created greater prosperity for everyone. It's an interesting conundrum - some employees may be reticent about their organization's adoption of RPA, seeing it as a direct threat to their job security. Whereas other employees welcome RPA as it means getting freed up to take on more interesting and rewarding challenges at work. However, what the research shows is that automation is not replacing jobs. In fact, it's creating them. Indeed, a recent study by McKinsey Global Research found that the Internet created 2.6 new jobs for each one it rendered obsolete.

Among 4,800 small and medium-size enterprises surveyed, the Internet created 2.6 jobs for each lost to technology-related efficiencies.

source: McKinsey.com

If work automation was indeed replacing jobs en masse, two things would be happening: overall productivity levels would be skyrocketing, and there would be not as many new jobs being advertised. Both things aren't happening. This points to the fact that work automation has not yet reached its full potential and that we also need to reconceptualize how we think about what it means for the future of work. It's true that certain jobs will be made redundant, but in the bigger sense, robots are not going to constitute a workforce in and of themselves.

RPA empowers companies to disrupt their industries by outpacing the competition and investing in innovation. With the tiresome, repetitive, yet necessary admin-type tasks being taken care of by bots, organizations can instead focus their attention on using their in-house human talent to find solutions to growth problems that will enable them to rise to market leadership. This type of disruption is good for the overall economy. It will create new categories of work we cannot even imagine yet to replace the old jobs displaced by technological change. The savings companies make via automation will go into further research and development to create new goods and services, which will create more job opportunities overall.

An interesting example of this is the advent of ATMs. First introduced some 45 years ago, automatic teller machines were signaled as replacing the role of human bank tellers. However, as we know, that didn't happen. What occurred instead was that ATMs made it cheaper for banks to open more branches, which they did, and the number of bank tellers in the US rose across the decade 2000 to 2010.

Companies primarily move towards automation to increase productivity levels and save on labor costs. Automation does not do away with the need for human workers, but more so augments their work with robots. Automation tools, like RPA, integrate with your systems to streamline workflows and to help your human employees get more done in less time. And when combined with AI, which is slowly becoming smarter all the time,

Automation will learn to become even better at helping people work smarter and not harder.

This will help reduce what is known as automation anxiety - the worry that an individual's job will be replaced by robots. Instead, what we'll see is increasing levels of automation acceptance. Automation tools will be fully integrated into the workplace as much as current technologies like laptops, photocopiers, and telephones are today. It'll just be an accepted fact of modern life - another tool to help get the work done.

When considering automation solutions, it's important to have big plans but to start small. Focusing your work automation efforts on routine tasks that are rules-based is key. If there is a workflow that needs to be streamlined and automated, always make it simpler first.

How big should you be thinking? Within large companies, processes usually span multiple legacy systems and involve different departments. That's why it is essential to select an RPA platform that integrates with your company's systems now and can expand as you scale. Company-wide RPA aims to achieve significant ROI from automation that integrates across multiple departments. This form of automation looks at more complex processes and can involve multiple technologies such as AI.

In terms of choosing when, what and how to automate, business leaders must make informed decisions to achieve business growth and realize ROI. And there is a simple step you can take to help work out how to begin automating within your company.

When it comes to choosing which processes to automate first, the trick is to pick the low-hanging fruit.

Some processes are just easier to automate than others. Think about choosing a few select pilot processes to automate as proof of concept first. Ideally, these test processes allow you to fail and abort quickly without having invested considerable time and money over the long run.

The future of work is smarter, more integrated automation. It's about simplifying processes and automating workflows. In the face of this, the role of the CIO and CEO is to work toward discovering processes that make excellent candidates for automation. It's also to keep your human workers happy and knowledgeable about what work automation and RPA mean for the future of their work. As can be seen, there is an ongoing conversation to be had about the best way to view the inevitable impacts work automation will have moving forward.

At GGS, we look forward to helping CEOs, CIOs, automation champions, and process automation managers alike realize the benefits of automation in their organizations. If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of how to start or improve your company's implementation of automation and digitization of processes, contact us for your free 30-minute consultation. After completing the form, we will arrange a call at a time that's best for you. We will then help you assess which automation technologies will bring the greatest benefits and achieve the most significant ROI for your company.

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The future of work: how work automation is helping humans

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If every tool, when ordered, or even of its own accord, could do the work that befits it... then there would be no need either of apprentices for the master workers or of slaves for the lords. Aristotle So said Aristotle in 322 B.C.E.

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Why do humans want to go in space? (Beginner)

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My students in grade 3 and I are curious as to the reasons why humans have wanted to travel into space?
I think that humans have been wanting to travel in space because it is in the human nature to explore what surrounds us. I think that the fundamental reason why we have been in space and to the Moon is the same reason why people have climbed the Everest, crossed Antarctica, and attempted other extreme endeavors on Earth. Curiosity can lead people to great achievements.

There are also political reasons that drove people to want to go to space. In the context of the cold war, it became a big international competition between mainly the United States and the Soviet Republic to see who would put the first man in space and who would walk on the Moon first. So in my opinion, even though the curiosity and explorer nature of humans is primarily responsible for all these things happening, these political issues made them happen for real.
Page last updated on June 24, 2015.

About the Author

Amelie is working on ways to detect the signals of galaxies from radio maps.

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Why do humans want to go in space? (Beginner)

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(Beginner) >" onclick="window.open(this.href,'win2','status=no,toolbar=no,scrollbars=yes,titlebar=no,menubar=no,resizable=yes,width=640,height=480,directories=no,location=no'); return false;" rel="nofollow"> My students in grade 3 and I are curious as to the reasons why humans have wanted to travel into space? I think that humans have been wanting to travel in space because it is in the human nature to explore what surrounds us.

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National Space Society - Working to Create a Spacefaring Civilization

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WHY WE DO — AND MUST — GO INTO SPACE - National Space Society

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By Jeffrey G. Liss, NSS Board of Directors The smart answer — more than 40 years after Apollo 11 landed on the Moon — to why we go into space, is: “We must.” Space Pays! — The Space Program Has Paid for Itself It is a myth that we cant afford space. Confirmation that space […]

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WHY WE DO — AND MUST — GO INTO SPACE

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Do We Really Need to Send Humans into Space?

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Automated spacecraft cost far less; they’re getting more capable every year; and if they fail, nobody dies

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How space exploration accelerates innovation

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In addition to encouraging advancements in industries like healthcare and tech, interplanetary exploration has enhanced everyday necessities.

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University of Central Florida News | UCF Today

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The Impact of Innovation in the New Era of Space Exploration

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How can we drive the surge in innovation offered by increased access to space, to benefit humankind?

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Advanced Materials for Space: Why is Innovation Important for the Future of Space Technology?

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Space is a challenging landscape. It's cold, harsh, and exposed to all matters of danger, including debris, radiation, and lack of control. For scientists, the challenges begin on the ground-how do we safely and efficiently launch human influence into the wider reaches of the universe?

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Nearly 53 years after NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took history-making steps on the moon, the world remains fascinated by space. In the decades since that giant leap for humankind, research, discovery, and space travel have offered more insight into the flashing lights and saucers that continue to captivate. Today, investments in space are experiencing record growth, as private companies pave the way for increased space flight and innovation. On #WorldUFODay, check out these insights on the burgeoning space industry, including:

the role of the satellite communications industry in financial transactions, the Internet of Things, and more

the growing space tourism industry and the development of innovative space technologies

space debris mitigation and sustainability

the effect of international collaboration on advancing space research and exploration

Space: Investment shifts from GEO to LEO and now beyond Building a better planet with satellite data Making aerospace 'diverse and dynamic': An interview with Airbus U.S.'s Debra Facktor Wall Street to Mission Control: Can space tourism pay off? Five Fifty: The future of the space economy Strengthening collaboration in the European space ecosystem The role of space in driving sustainability, security, and development on Earth

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Out of this world: The future of space exploration and innovation

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Nearly 53 years after NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took history-making steps on the moon, the world remains fascinated by space. In the decades since that giant leap for humankind, research, discovery, and space travel have offered more insight into the flashing lights and saucers that continue to captivate.

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Andy Bowyer, Director, Kleos Space and Magna Parva, talked about the key effects of space exploration to life on Earth, at the Codex event 'World's Top 50 Innovators from the Industries of the Future', held in London, on the 27th September, 2017.
Here are 15 main ways space exploration is benefiting life on Earth:
Commercialising low-Earth orbit
A new commercial pathway is revolutionising and opening access to space, fostering America's new space economy in low-Earth orbit. For the first time, the market is expressing what research can and should be done aboard the microgravity laboratory without direct government funding. The Center for Advancement of Science in Space, or CASIS, manages half of the crew research time via the ISS National Laboratory and is filling the pipeline with a wide variety of commercial research and payloads.

More than two-thirds of these projects to date have required zero funding from CASIS, and that trend is increasing. In addition, a significant portion of the commercial research taking place aboard the station is made possible by NanoRacks hardware.

The company has invested privately and raised capital to provide laboratory facilities for small payloads, including CubeSats deployed from the space station, that make research faster and more affordable.

NASA's move to purchase commercial cargo resupply and crew transportation to the space station enables U.S. businesses to develop a competitive capability they also can sell as a service to others while freeing NASA resources for deep space exploration. Private sector participation provides a new model for moving forward in partnership with the government.
Supporting water purification efforts worldwide
Using technology developed for the space station, at-risk areas can gain access to advanced water filtration and purification systems, making a life-saving difference in these communities. Joint collaborations between aid organisations and NASA technology show just how effectively space research can adapt to contribute answers to global problems.

The commercialisation of this station-related technology has provided aid and disaster relief for communities worldwide. The Water Security Corporation, in collaboration with other organisations, has deployed systems using NASA water-processing technology around the world.
Growing high-quality protein crystals
There are more than 100,000 proteins in the human body and as many as 10 billion in nature. Every structure is different, and each protein holds important information related to our health and to the global environment. The perfect environment in which to study these structures is space.

Microgravity allows for optimal growth of the unique and complicated crystal structures of proteins leading to the development of medical treatments.

An example of a protein that was successfully crystallised in space is hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (H-PGDS), which may hold the key to developing useful drugs for treating muscular dystrophy.

This particular experiment is an example of how understanding a protein's structure can lead to better drug designs. Further research is ongoing.
Bringing space station ultrasound to the ends of the Earth
Fast, efficient and readily available medical attention is key to survival in a health emergency. For those without medical facilities within easy reach, it can mean the difference between life and death.

For astronauts in orbit about 250 miles above Earth aboard the International Space Station, that problem was addressed through the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) investigation.

In partnership with the World Interactive Network Focused on Critical Ultrasound (WINFO-CUS), ADUM principal investigator Scott Dulchavsky, M.D., is taking techniques originally developed for space station astronauts and adapting them for use in Earth's farthest corners by developing protocols for performing complex procedures rapidly with remote expert guidance and training.
Improving eye surgery with space hardware
Laser surgery to correct eyesight is a common practice, and technology developed for use in space is now commonly used on Earth to track a patient's eye and precisely direct the laser scalpel.

The Eye Tracking Device experiment gave researchers insight into how humans' frames of reference, balance and the overall control of eye movement are affected by weightlessness. In parallel with its use on the space station, the engineers realised the device had potential for applications on Earth.

Tracking the eye's position without interfering with the surgeon's work is essential in laser surgery. The space technology proved ideal, and the Eye Tracking Device equipment is now being used in a large proportion of corrective laser surgeries throughout the world.
Making inoperable tumors operable with a robotic arm
The delicate touch that successfully removed an egg-shaped tumor from Paige Nickason's brain got a helping hand from a world-renowned arm-a robotic arm, that is. The technology that went into developing neuroArm, the world's first robot capable of performing surgery inside magnetic resonance machines, was born of the Canadarm (developed in collaboration with engineers at MacDonald, Dettwiler, and Associates, Ltd. [MDA] for the U.S. Space Shuttle Program) as well as Canadarm2 and Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency's family of space robots performing the heavy lifting and maintenance aboard the International Space Station. Since Nickason's surgery in 2008, neuroArm has been used in initial clinical experience with 35 patients who were otherwise inoperable.
Preventing bone loss through diet and exercise
In the early days of the space station, astronauts were losing about one-and-a-half percent of their total bone mass density per month. Researchers discovered an opportunity to identify the mechanisms that control bones at a cellular level.

These scientists discovered that high-intensity resistive exercise, dietary supplementation for vitamin D and specific caloric intake can remedy loss of bone mass in space.

The research also is applicable to vulnerable populations on Earth, like older adults, and is important for continuous crew member residency aboard the space station and for deep space exploration to an asteroid placed in lunar orbit and on the journey to Mars.
Understanding the mechanisms of osteoporosis
While most people will never experience life in space, the benefits of studying bone and muscle loss aboard the station has the potential to touch lives here on the ground. Model organisms are non-human species with characteristics that allow them easily to be reproduced and studied in a laboratory.

Scientists conducted a study of mice in orbit to understand mechanisms of osteoporosis. This research led to availability of a pharmaceutical on Earth called Prolia® to treat people with osteoporosis, a direct benefit of pharmaceutical companies using the spaceflight opportunity available via the national lab to improve health on Earth.
Developing improved vaccines
Ground research indicated that certain bacteria, in particular Salmonella, might become more pathogenic (more able to cause disease) during spaceflight. Salmonella infections result in thousands of hospitalisations and hundreds of deaths annually in the United States.

While studying them in space, scientists found a pathway for bacterial pathogens to become virulent. Researchers identified the genetic pathway activating in Salmonella bacteria, allowing the increased likelihood to spread in microgravity. This research on the space station led to new studies of microbial vaccine development.
Providing students opportunities to conduct their own science in space
From the YouTube Space Lab competition, the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program, and SPHERES Zero Robotics, space station educational activities inspire more than 43 million students across the globe.

These types of inquiry-based projects allow students to be involved in human space exploration with the goal of stimulating their studies of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It is understood that when students test a hypothesis on their own or compare work in a lab to what's going on aboard the space station, they are more motivated towards math and science.
Breast cancer detection and treatment technology
A surgical instrument inspired by the Canadian Space Agency's heavy-lifting and maneuvering robotic arms on the space station is in clinical trials for use in patients with breast cancer. The Image-Guided Autonomous Robot (IGAR) works inside an MRI machine to help accurately identify the size and location of a tumor. Using IGAR, surgeons also will be able to perform highly dexterous, precise movements during biopsies.
Monitoring water quality from space
Though it completed its mission in 2015, the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) was an imaging sensor that helped detect water quality parameters such as water clarity, phytoplankton concentrations, light absorption and the distribution of cyanobacteria. HICO was first designed and built by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory for the Office of Naval Research to assess water quality in the coastal ocean.

Researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the data from HICO and developed a smartphone application to help determine hazardous concentrations of contaminants in water. With the space station's regular addition of new instruments to provide a continuous platform for Earth observation, researchers will continue to build proactive environmental protection applications that benefit all life on Earth.
Monitoring natural disasters from space
An imaging system aboard the station, ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualisation System (ISERV), captured photographs of Earth from space for use in developing countries affected by natural disasters.

A broader joint endeavor by NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as SERVIR, works with developing nations around the world to use satellites for environmental decision-making. Images from orbit can help with rapid response efforts to floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, deforestation, harmful algal blooms and other types of natural events.

Since the station passes over more than 90% of the Earth's populated areas every 24 hours, the ISERV system was available to provide imagery to developing nations quickly, collecting up to 1,000 images per day. Though ISERV successfully completed its mission, the space station continues to prove to be a valuable platform for Earth observation during times of disaster.
Describing the behaviour of fluids to improve medical devices
Capillary Flow Experiments (CFE) aboard the space station study the movement of a liquid along surfaces, similar to the way fluid wicks along a paper towel. These investigations produce space-based models that describe fluid behaviour in microgravity, which has led to a new medical testing device on Earth. This new device could improve diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in remote areas, thanks in part to knowledge gained from the experiments.
Improving indoor air quality
Solutions for growing crops in space now translates to solutions for mold prevention in wine cellars, homes and medical facilities, as well as other industries around the world.

NASA is studying crop growth aboard the space station to develop the capability for astronauts to grow their own food as part of the agency's journey to Mars.

Scientists working on this investigation noticed that a buildup of a naturally-occurring plant hormone called ethylene was destroying plants within the confined plant growth chambers.

Researchers developed and successfully tested an ethylene removal system in space, called Advanced Astroculture (ADVASC). It helped to keep the plants alive by removing viruses, bacteria and mold from the plant growth chamber.

Scientists adapted the ADVASC system for use in air purification. Now this technology is used to prolong the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables in the grocery store, and winemakers are using it in their storage cellars.

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How is space exploration improving life on Earth?

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Andy Bowyer, Director, Kleos Space and Magna Parva, talked about the key effects of space exploration to life on Earth, at the Codex event 'World's Top 50 Innovators from the Industries of the Future', held in London, on the 27th September, 2017.

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Revolutionized is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commision. Learn more here.
Space exploration has been saving and improving lives all over the world for decades. In fact, one could even argue that astronomy and planetary science were fundamental in shaping civilization as we know it. The night sky has been used for navigation for millennia. The further humans have ventured into space, the more we have learned about life on Earth - its plants, animals, atmosphere, and people.

When many people think of space exploration, they may imagine astronauts floating around on the ISS or hopping around on the Moon. It can be difficult to see why activity on the ISS, the Moon, Mars, and beyond would be worthwhile for people on Earth. Why should we contribute money to space programs when there are problems we still need to solve on Earth?

Space exploration has already helped us solve those problems. It sparks new innovations and discoveries that are crucial to the modern world.

Invention and Innovation

Many people aren't aware of how many everyday inventions are the result of space exploration. Long before astronauts blast off to leave the atmosphere, hundreds upon hundreds of hours go into developing new technologies designed for the unusual environment of space. From scratch-resistant lenses to solar panels and even artificial limbs, dozens of items that are key to daily life on Earth were invented and developed in space exploration programs.

Some of these inventions came about because NASA and other space agencies were trying to solve unique problems astronauts faced in zero gravity or on the Moon. For example, the insulin pump resulted from equipment designed to monitor astronauts' vitals in space. This is known as a "spinoff", an invention scientists originally created for space exploration the later modified or adapted into a consumer or civilian technology. LASIK eye surgery is another famous example of a space exploration spinoff technology.

Over the past few decades, scientists have invented numerous other remarkable technologies aboard the International Space Station. The ISS is first and foremost a laboratory. Astronauts don't simply float around for fun on their trips into orbit. Science experiments and research projects are always underway at the ISS. This research has led to the development of some incredible technologies and scientific discoveries that have an impact on life on Earth every day. Even living aboard the ISS for extended periods of time sparked innovation. For example, NASA developed next-gen water purification systems for the ISS and the technology went on to help improve access to clean water on Earth.

Using Space for Discovery

While the technological inventions sparked by space exploration are amazing, the scientific discoveries are even more so. Space exploration is responsible for far more than identifying new galaxies millions of lightyears away. Important research and breakthroughs in biology, medicine, physics, and more are the result of space exploration. The ISS is at the heart of these advances, with astronauts contributing to numerous cutting-edge research projects every year.

ISS Medical Research

In fact, space exploration has even helped create life-saving medical treatments. For example, in 2018 ISS astronauts tested an advanced new cancer treatment that doctors were unable to test on Earth, as astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor explains in a zero-g video. Astronauts have also helped develop medical treatments to fight muscle atrophy and bone loss.

A 2020 experiment used a unique implantable device to grow muscles in mice aboard the ISS (yes, the mice flew into space). The technology researched in this project could change the lives of millions of people on Earth who suffer from muscular conditions. Another project is researching artificial cartilage that could help millions of people with things like knee injuries.

The Unique Environment of Space

These projects are just a few examples of the critical role of space exploration in scientific research and discovery. When scientists are trying to understand how something works, they often subject it to unusual circumstances to see how it responds. The microgravity that astronauts experience in orbit aboard the ISS is an incredibly unique and valuable "unusual circumstance" where scientists can discover new things.

The above-mentioned research projects would not have been physically possible on Earth. Taking those experiments to microgravity allowed scientists to study cells, biology, and the human body in ways they otherwise couldn't have, making discoveries that otherwise would have been inaccessible. There have been dozens of these incredible breakthroughs aboard the ISS over the past few decades.

Satellites

One cannot overstate the importance of satellites in the modern world. Satellites are critical for so many everyday things all over the world. If all of the satellites orbiting Earth right now were to suddenly shut off and stop working, we would be in trouble. Satellites help planes navigate, provide Internet access to millions, help first responders save lives, allow us to monitor weather, make Google Maps and GPS possible, and even help us fight climate change.

Without space exploration, there would be no satellites quietly orbiting Earth today and none of these technologies would be possible. What is particularly fascinating about this is that when Roscosmos, the Soviet Space Agency, launched the first satellite into space in 1957, no one could have predicted just how crucial satellites would one day become. People knew that the launch of Sputnik was groundbreaking, but mostly in the context of its sheer mystery - it seemed like the Soviet Union could do virtually anything with this new technology, namely spy on the US.

Without that first step into the stars with an unassuming little satellite, the modern world would look completely different. For example, the convenient maps we have on our phones wouldn't be possible without the help of satellites. Farmers all over the world rely on satellites for agricultural data that is crucial to supplying the global food supply.

For example, one NASA satellite known as SMAP was launched specifically to monitor water in surface soil on Earth. This data, which NASA makes available worldwide for free, improves weather forecasting, helps predict floods, monitors droughts, tracks energy and carbon cycles, and helps improve crop productivity. The SMAP satellite has a beneficial impact on the whole world, even if we can't see it right in front of us.

Protecting the Human Species

Finally, space exploration protects and unites the human species. This can be seen on a small scale aboard the ISS. One day, though, not too far in the future, explorers from all over the world will come together to return to the Moon and even set foot on Mars. On a cosmic scale, the survival of the human species relies on us becoming multi-planetary. Back on Earth, learning about our two closest neighbors, Mars and Venus, can help scientists figure out how to keep Earth's atmosphere and environment healthy for millennia to come.

New Inventions and Discoveries

Remember, as established above, space exploration has always led to incredible new inventions and discoveries that improve life for everyone on Earth. There's no telling what new innovations could be discovered on expeditions to the Moon and Mars. There is already at least one next-gen space exploration technology that's having a big impact on Earth: 3D printed construction.

Using 3D printed concrete made from Martian soil, NASA could create durable, permanent structures on Mars using autonomous robots. It's no surprise that at the same time that this cutting-edge project is underway at NASA, the world's largest 3D printed neighborhood is also set for construction in Austin, Texas. The increased R&D surrounding 3D printed construction for space exploration could help develop the technology on Earth and end the housing shortage.

A Multi-Planetary Neighborhood

On a grander scale, it is almost certain that humanity will one day colonize the Moon, Mars, and potentially even Venus or one day the moons of Jupiter or Saturn. With humans living on four or more different worlds in our solar system, there would be more resources to go around and less chance of something catastrophic ending human civilization. We could mine resources from asteroids, the Moon, Mars, and even Venus's atmosphere. For example, all of that gray dust on the Moon can actually be mined for a valuable power source called Helium-3.

Interestingly, Mars and Venus's atmospheres are both alternate versions of Earth, one too cold and thin and the other too hot and dense. This could potentially help us study and prevent long-term climate change. In the distant future, we have even been able to terraform both Mars and Venus to have comfortable, Earth-like surfaces.

Advancing All of Humanity in the Stars

Space exploration isn't about traversing the stars just to see what we find. It is about making new discoveries that broaden our understanding of the universe and humanity - our biology, our planet, our future in the solar system. The scientific research conducted for and through space exploration has repeatedly led to life-changing innovations for everyone on Earth. By continuing to explore the universe around us, we can advance the entire human civilization, improving lives and expanding horizons for a better future.
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Why Space Exploration is Important for Earth - Revolutionized

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Revolutionized is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commision. Learn more here. Space exploration has been saving and improving lives all over the world for decades. In fact, one could even argue that astronomy and planetary science were fundamental in shaping civilization as we know it.

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Cargo Missions

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 6,000 kgs / 13,228 lbs of cargo to the Station and returning 3,000 kgs / 6,614 lbs of cargo back to Earth. To date, Dragon has made over 20 trips to the orbiting laboratory.

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SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is capable of carrying up to 6,000 kgs / 13,228 lbs of cargo to the Station and returning 3,000 kgs / 6,614 lbs of cargo back to Earth. To date, Dragon has made over 20 trips to the orbiting laboratory.

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SpaceX is a private spaceflight company that puts satellites into orbit and delivers cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the first private company to send a cargo ship to the ISS, doing so in 2012. The company is working on developing powerful rockets and spacecraft capable of carrying people into space. Founder and CEO said in 2019 that he wanted people to start flying aboard his company's newest, enormous rocket ship in the next year or so.

Who owns SpaceX?

SpaceX was founded by Musk, a South African-born businessman and entrepreneur. At age 30, Musk made his initial fortune by selling his two successful companies: Zip2, which he sold for $307 million in 1999, and PayPal, which eBay purchased for $1.5 billion in 2002, The New York Times reported. He decided his next major venture would be a privately funded space company.

Initially, Musk had the idea of sending a greenhouse, dubbed the Mars Oasis, to the Red Planet. His goal was to drum up public interest in exploration while also providing a science base on Mars. But the cost ended up being too high, and instead, Musk started a spaceflight company called Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, now based in the Los Angeles suburb of Hawthorne, California.

He spent a third of his reported fortune, $100 million, to get SpaceX going. There was skepticism that he would be successful, which persisted into SpaceX's first years.

SpaceX's first rocket: Falcon 1

Musk was already an experienced businessman when he started SpaceX, and he strongly believed that more-frequent and more-reliable launches would bring down the cost of exploration. So, he sought out a stable customer that could fund the early development of a rocket: . (Later, he wooed launch clients from various sectors to diversify his customer base.) As such, his goal for SpaceX was to develop the first privately built, liquid-fueled booster to make it into orbit, which he called the Falcon 1.

The company experienced a steep learning curve on the road to orbit. It took four tries to get Falcon 1 flying successfully, with previous attempts derailed by problems such as fuel leaks and a rocket-stage collision. But eventually, Falcon 1 made two successful flights: on Sept. 28, 2008, and July 14, 2009. The 2009 launch also placed the Malaysian RazakSat satellite into orbit.
Related: See The Evolution of SpaceX's Rockets in Pictures Related: Launch Pictures: SpaceX's Dragon Capsule Roars to Space Station
SpaceX's path to the space station

The next and most crucial milestone was space station delivery. Dragon, riding a Falcon 9 rocket, delivered its first cargo to the space station in May 2012 under a test flight for the COTS program. The launch was delayed for a few days because of an engine problem, but the rocket lifted off safely on the next try.

Spaceflight observers commended SpaceX's ability to send a cargo spacecraft to the ISS. Private spaceflight hadn't even been considered when the space station was developed in the 1980s and '90s.

SpaceX fulfilled the first of its regular commercial flights to the space station in October 2012. That flight achieved most of its objectives, but it experienced a partial rocket failure during launch. The failure ended up stranding a satellite, Orbcomm-OG2, in an abnormally low orbit, which led to the mission's failure.

Building bigger and better spacecraft: Falcon 9, Dragon and Falcon Heavy

The initial Falcon Heavy flight, on Feb. 6, 2018, met almost all of its major milestones. Falcon Heavy successfully flew to orbit, carrying a Tesla Roadster (an electric car made by Tesla, another company owned by Musk) and a spacesuited mannequin nicknamed Starman onboard. SpaceX ran a livestream of the launch and the Roadster's first few hours in space, which attracted attention from all over the world.

The two rocket boosters landed successfully near Kennedy Space Center, as expected, but the core stage hit the ocean at 300 mph (480 km/h), which was too fast, and it didn't survive the impact. Falcon Heavy then performed an engine burn in space that is expected to bring the Roadster at least as far as Mars' orbit.

April 2019 saw a setback for SpaceX when a test of the crewed Dragon spacecraft, intended to bring NASA astronauts to space, experienced a malfunction while on the ground. This created a smoke plume visible for miles around Cape Canaveral, Florida. The incident set back the company's timeline for bringing people to the International Space Station.

SpaceX's plans for the future, Mars and more

SpaceX has customers from the private sector, military and nongovernmental entities, which pay the company to launch cargo into space. Although SpaceX makes its money from launch services, the company is also focused on developing technology for future space exploration.

"The reason SpaceX was created was to accelerate development of rocket technology, all for the goal of establishing a self-sustaining, permanent base on Mars," Musk said at the time. "And I think we're making some progress in that direction - not as fast as I'd like."

In 2016, Musk unveiled his technological plan for Martian transport, which is a part of his plan to create a self-sustaining Red Planet colony in the next 50 to 100 years. The Interplanetary Transport System, as the rocket is called, is essentially a larger version of the Falcon 9. The spaceship, however, will be quite a bit larger than the Dragon, as it is slated to carry at least 100 people per flight. (The crewed version of the Dragon for the ISS is expected to carry four people, on average.)

Musk followed up his announcement in 2017 by publishing a paper describing a future Red Planet city of a million people and providing more details about how the ITS would transport cargo and people.

Musk updated his Mars plans in September 2017 in an address in Australia. He didn't mention the ITS during the talk; instead, he talked about a system called the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR). The spaceship that BFR will carry will be 157.5 feet (48 meters) tall and have 40 cabins for passengers, likely with a capacity of 100 people.

In 2018, Musk announced that Yusaku Maezawa, an artist and billionaire founder of the Japanese e-commerce giant Zozo, and a handful of artists will launch on the BFR on a trip around the moon in the 2020s. SpaceX did not disclose how much Maezawa paid for that trip.

Musk once again unveiled an update to his Mars plans, in September 2019, renaming the first BFR to Starship Mk1 and switching its outer coating from expensive carbon fiber to stainless steel. Photos of the shiny, sci-fi-looking craft being assembled at SpaceX's South Texas facilities, near the village of Boca Chica, circulated on the internet.
Additional resources:

You can follow SpaceX on Twitter .

Watch videos of SpaceX's successful and failed launches on the company's YouTube channel.

Check out NASA's SpaceX blog for the latest news on collaborations between the two entities.

This article was updated on Dec. 16, 2019 by Space.com Contributor Adam Mann.
In 2019, Musk and SpaceX ignited controversy in the field of astronomy over the company's plans to place a constellation of 12,000 small satellites in orbit around the Earth in order to provide reliable internet access to remote places. So far, only 60 of these Starlink satellites have launched but they have already left unsightly trails in astronomers' telescope observations of the night sky. Many researchers fear that an increased number of satellites will cause problems for vital data-collecting enterprises.

According to a SpaceNews report, SpaceX plans to test out a special coating on the next round of Starlink satellites that could help make them less reflective and, therefore, less obtrusive in the night sky.

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SpaceX: First Private Flights to Space Station

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SpaceX is a private spaceflight company that puts satellites into orbit and delivers cargo to the International Space Station (ISS). It was the first private company to send a cargo ship to the ISS, doing so in 2012. The company is working on developing powerful rockets and spacecraft capable of carrying people into space.

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Watch as SpaceX launches the Crew-5 astronaut mission for NASA

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The mission is SpaceX's fifth operational crew launch for NASA to date, and the company's eighth human spaceflight in just over two years.

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Humanity's interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.
Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the Universe and the history of our solar system. Through addressing the challenges related to human space exploration we expand technology, create new industries, and help to foster a peaceful connection with other nations. Curiosity and exploration are vital to the human spirit and accepting the challenge of going deeper into space will invite the citizens of the world today and the generations of tomorrow to join NASA on this exciting journey.

A Flexible Path

This is the beginning of a new era in space exploration in which NASA has been challenged to develop systems and capabilities required to explore beyond low-Earth orbit, including destinations such as translunar space, near-Earth asteroids and eventually Mars.
NASA will use the International Space Station as a test-bed and stepping stone for the challenging journey ahead. By building upon what we learn there we will prepare astronauts for the challenges of long-duration flight and the permanent expansion of human exploration beyond where we have been before. Explorers may visit near-Earth asteroids where we may get answers to the questions humans have always asked. Visiting an asteroid will provide valuable mission experience and prepare us for the next steps-possibly for the first humans to step on Mars.
Robotic exploration continues to deliver profound answers about our Universe by visiting far-off destinations, providing reconnaissance and collecting scientific data. When combining both human and robotic exploration methods we will use technology and our senses to increase our ability to observe, adapt, and uncover new knowledge.

Why the International Space Station?

The first step in embarking on a long and challenging journey involves laying solid groundwork for a successful endeavor. The International Space Station serves as a national laboratory for human health, biological, and materials research, as a technology test-bed, and as a stepping stone for going further into the solar system. On the International Space Station we will improve and learn new ways to ensure astronauts are safe, healthy and productive while exploring, and we will continue expand our knowledge about how materials and biological systems behave outside of the influence of gravity.
NASA will continue its unprecedented work with the commercial industry and expand an entire industry as private companies develop and operate safe, reliable and affordable commercial systems to transport crew and cargo to and from the International Space Station and low Earth orbit.

Why Translunar Space?

Translunar space is vast expanse surrounding the Earth-moon system, extending far beyond the moon's orbit and dominated by the two bodies' gravity fields. Exploring in translunar space, beyond the protection of the Earth's geomagnetic field, will provide unprecedented experience in deep-space operations. Operating in translunar space, NASA can research galactic cosmic radiation-potentially the most threatening element to humans exploring deep space-and develop mitigation strategies that may also lead to medical advancements on Earth.
The Lagrange points-places in cislunar space where the gravitational influences of the Earth and moon cancel each other out-are advantageous areas for exploration and research in which almost no propulsion is required to keep an object or spacecraft stationary. The Lagrange point on the far side of the Earth-Moon system, called L2, also provides a "radio silence" zone for astronomical observations.
Missions to translunar space will give NASA and its partners the opportunity to develop tools and operational techniques to support decades of future exploration, while remaining in relative proximity to Earth.

Why Asteroids?

Asteroids are believed to have formed early in our solar system's history-about 4.5 billion years ago-when a cloud of gas and dust called the solar nebula collapsed and formed our sun and the planets. By visiting these near Earth objects to study the material that came from the solar nebula, we can look for answers to some of humankind's most compelling questions, such as: how did the solar system form and where did the Earth's water and other organic materials such as carbon come from?
In addition to unlocking clues about our solar system, asteroids may provide clues about our Earth. By understanding more about asteroids we may learn more about past Earth impacts and possibly find ways to reduce the threat of future impacts.
Future robotic missions to asteroids will prepare humans for long-duration space travel and the eventual journey to Mars. Robotic missions will provide reconnaissance information about asteroid orbits, surface composition, and even return samples to Earth for further evaluation. These robotic missions are a critical step in preparing humans to visit asteroids where we will learn about the valuable resources available in space, and further develop ways to use them in our quest for more efficient and affordable exploration.

Why Mars?

Mars has always been a source of inspiration for explorers and scientists. Robotic missions have found evidence of water, but if life exists beyond Earth still remains a mystery. Robotic and scientific robotic missions have shown that Mars has characteristics and a history similar to Earth's, but we know that there are striking differences that we have yet to begin to understand. Humans can build upon this knowledge and look for signs of life and investigate Mars' geological evolution, resulting in research and methods that could be applied here on Earth.
A mission to our nearest planetary neighbor provides the best opportunity to demonstrate that humans can live for extended, even permanent, stays beyond low Earth orbit. The technology and space systems required to transport and sustain explorers will drive innovation and encourage creative ways to address challenges. As previous space endeavors have demonstrated, the resulting ingenuity and technologies will have long lasting benefits and applications.
The challenge of traveling to Mars and learning how to live there will encourage nations around the world to work together to achieve such an ambitious undertaking. The International Space station has shown that opportunities for collaboration will highlight our common interests and provide a global sense of community.

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Humanity's interest in the heavens has been universal and enduring. Humans are driven to explore the unknown, discover new worlds, push the boundaries of our scientific and technical limits, and then push further. The intangible desire to explore and challenge the boundaries of what we know and where we have been has provided benefits to our society for centuries.

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Space exploration isn't simply a sign of humanity's hubris or a brazen desire to find new places to live and new sources of wealth. If we take the risk of venturing beyond our terrestrial home, it's also to learn more about ourselves and our planet, improve life on Earth, and maybe, just maybe, find or create a new future for our children, says Walter Cugno, Vice President Exploration and Science Domain at Thales Alenia Space.
Why spend such vast sums of money on space exploration and missions to far-distant celestial bodies where most people will never go?

I'd answer that question with a quote from Goethe: "If you want to reach the infinite, then explore every aspect of the finite." Space is first and foremost a fantastic "playground" for scientists - an endless source of knowledge and learning that's helping answer some of the key existential questions about Earth's origins and our place in the Universe.

Space exploration allows us to prove or disprove scientific theories developed on Earth. Studying the solar system, for example, has brought us insights into such phenomena as gravity, the magnetosphere, the atmosphere, fluid dynamics and the geological evolution of other planets.

Scientists today are especially interested in dark matter and dark energy to better understand their role in the hidden mass and accelerating expansion of the Universe. This is the objective of the Euclid ¹ mission being developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).

Does space exploration have any more practical benefits?

Many innovations in fields ranging from metals and alloys to biology and medicine are the result of space exploration. Some applications - like ceramic coatings in our kitchens, air purification systems, smoke detectors and scratch-resistant glass - are already part of our daily lives.

Materials tested in space, under unique conditions that are difficult to replicate on Earth, can help us to develop stronger, lighter, higher-performance products. One of the experiments conducted by French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet on the International Space Station (ISS ²), for example, involved testing innovative materials designed to prevent bacterial growth. These new materials have considerable potential for public health and safety applications in hospitals, public transport and the food industry. The current COVID-19 pandemic brings the importance of this kind of research into sharp focus.

Let me give you another practical example. Long-duration missions are tough on the human body. Astronauts suffer loss of muscle mass and bone density, as well as accelerated wear and tear on the circulation system. Monitoring them in space and after they return to Earth is a chance to learn about the effects of ageing and support research into conditions like osteoporosis.

Drawing on our experience in pressurised modules and orbital infrastructure, we're currently working on a habitation module that could be used in remote or hostile locations like polar bases, desert camps, military outposts and offshore oil and gas platforms.

So space is a crucible for innovation?

Yes, but it's much more than that. Space exploration is a driving force in our efforts to address the major challenges facing society today. It's educating us about our responsibilities to the Earth and its resources.

How is it doing that?

Astronauts have to survive on limited food, raw materials, sunlight, energy, water and oxygen. Most of the water consumed on the ISS, for example, is derived from urine and other recycled wastewater. So new techniques had to be developed to make sure it's completely safe to drink.

In 2015, for example, a Cygnus ³ cargo spacecraft carried a 3D printer into orbit to conduct tests under zero-gravity conditions. With this kind of printer, astronauts could eventually produce any spare parts they need directly aboard ship. In October 2020, a Cygnus craft delivered essential supplies to the ISS, including food, water, oxygen, propellant, and space parts. One of the many scientific experiments contained in the cargo module involves the testing of a drug that could be used for the treatment of leukemia. All these experiments being handled by astronauts inside the ISS will be re-used in the near future to improve not only the medical sectors, but many others as well.

The EDEN ISS project, meanwhile, aims to develop ways to cultivate food crops in extraterrestrial environments in order to provide food for the ISS and, eventually, for space exploration vehicles and planetary outposts.

Space travel is a great opportunity to test the circular economy. Based on the experience of astronauts, humanity can learn how to better conserve the planet's resources.

Space is the stuff of dreams for children and grown-ups alike. Extraterrestrial life and voyages through interstellar space have piqued the imaginations of novelists and filmmakers for decades.They seem to have a particular fascination with Mars. As a scientist, do you appreciate this more mythical aspect of space?

Yes, of course - and I love it. Like many other kids, I used to gaze at the stars on summer evenings and dream of voyages into space. I'm really lucky that my childhood passion has turned into a career.

I don't know if we'll one day inhabit Mars, or if science fiction will become science fact and confirm or disprove the tales of Aleksey Tolstoy, Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick or Ray Bradbury. The Red Planet continues to fascinate, maybe because it's the closest contender for becoming a host planet - although it still takes seven to nine months to get there. In any case, this fascination with space exploration is helping drive great strides in our knowledge.

For example, the ExoMars ⁴ Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) has been studying the composition of the Martian atmosphere for several years to look for traces of methane, a vital component of life, and determine whether it's of biological or geological origin. The TGO also serves as a communications relay between Mars and Earth. In 2022, an ExoMars spacecraft will be launched on a seven-month journey to the Red Planet. The aim of the mission is to land a a rover on the surface of Mars to search for signs of past life.

The Mars Sample Return mission ⁵, which is part of an international collaboration led by NASA, will bring back samples from the Red Planet to Earth.

How closely is Thales involved in these missions?

Through Thales Alenia Space, which is 67% owned by the Group and 33% by Leonardo, Thales is a pivotal partner in the most amazing missions to explore the solar system. The technologies we're developing give astronauts the autonomy they need to embark on long missions - missions that currently last over six months on the ISS and could last several years in the case of future crewed missions to Mars or other deep space destinations.

Moon exploration is also key, because it will serve as a forward base for human missions to deep space. Leveraging its long-standing experience in orbital infrastructures, robotics, space transportation systems and exploration, Thales Alenia Space has become a leading partner, providing 3 pressurised modules for the lunar Gateway space station. Gateway is one of the pillars of NASA's Artemis programme, which aims to land people on the Moon by 2024.

We are also providing the backbone of the spaceship that will take the next man - and the first woman - to the Moon, while studying an innovative human landing vehicle and future solutions to guarantee a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.

So space still inspires you?

It certainly does! Understanding the environment on other planets where humans may one day live, and studying our own biological systems and how materials behave when not influenced by gravity, are crucially important endeavours for our future - and space exploration is helping us to find answers to our questions.
1 Euclid is a science mission led by the European Space Agency, with Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor. 2 The International Space Station is an international collaboration between five space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe) and the CSA (Canada). Thales Alenia Space provided 50% of the Station's pressurised volume, equivalent to 40% of the entire ISS. 3 The Cygnus resupply craft regularly fly to the ISS carrying food, water, spares and science experiments. Thales Alenia Space makes the pressurised cargo modules for all Cygnus vessels. 4 ExoMars is a joint exploration programme between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos - with contributions from NASA - that aims to study the Martian environment, atmosphere and soil. It will lead to an massive data harvest that will feed scientists' research for many years to come. Thales Alenia Space is prime contractor on the ExoMars missions (2016 & 2022), leading an industrial consortium.
5 The Mars Sample Return mission will collect samples on the Martian surface and bring them back to Earth in 2031 for laboratory analysis. Thales Alenia Space will contribute to the Earth Return Orbiter, a key element of the mission.

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Exploring space to prepare for Earth's future

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Space exploration isn't simply a sign of humanity's hubris or a brazen desire to find new places to live and new sources of wealth.

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The Planetary Society * Aug 30, 2021

Your guide to advocating for space in a complicated world

Most people who love space and believe in exploration have probably heard this once or twice: "We shouldn't waste money on space exploration when there are problems to deal with here on Earth."

While public health concerns, social injustices, climate change, and other urgent issues are important to address, solving these problems doesn't depend on defunding space programs.

This can be a difficult conversation to navigate, so we've outlined a few ideas here that you can share when advocating for space.

Space spending pays off

If someone is arguing that public funds should be spent on solving the world's problems, they should know that money spent on NASA positively impacts the U.S. economy. We get the same kind of payoff for space spending in other countries. Spending on space supports highly skilled jobs, fuels technology advancements with practical applications, and creates business opportunities that feed back into the economy. This in turn grows the pool of public money that can be spent on solving the world's most pressing problems.

Space research directly impacts Earthly problems

When people apply themselves to the challenges of exploring space, they make discoveries that can help the world in other ways too. Studying how we might grow food in orbit or on Mars yields insights into growing food in extreme conditions on Earth, generating knowledge that can help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Medical research conducted on the International Space Station helps us understand the human body in new ways, helping save lives and improve quality of life.

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Studying space helps us understand our own world

Studying the cosmos gives us an important perspective shift. When we learn about what lies beyond Earth, it gives us context for understanding our own planet. Studying the other worlds of our solar system and beyond makes it clear that Earth is a precious oasis for life. When we sent spacecraft to Venus we saw how a runaway greenhouse effect turned the world from a habitable planet to an absolute hellscape. When astronauts travel into space they see just how thin and tenuous Earth's atmosphere is, appreciating the fragile balance in which we live. A cosmic perspective underscores the importance of protecting our planet's habitability and encourages investment in that effort.

Studying space may one day save us all

All the social and environmental progress in the world won't help us if an asteroid impacts the Earth. We have to explore space to find and study the asteroids and comets in our cosmic neighborhood if we want to make sure we can defend our planet if an object ever heads our way.

NEO Surveyor Artist's Concept The NEO Surveyor mission will look for asteroids and comets with orbits that come close to EarthImage: NASA/JPL-Caltech/The Planetary Society

Space is inspiring

Not every child who dreams of becoming an astronaut will get that opportunity. This is a sad truth that many of us know from experience. But to be inspired to aim for something so grand gives kids the motivation to study hard and gain skills in science, engineering, medicine, or other fields that benefit humanity and directly help overcome problems that we face as a species.

And inspiration isn't just for kids. When we marvel at the beauty of Jupiter's clouds or the mystery of Enceladus' oceans, we get an opportunity to appreciate the wonder and majesty of this cosmos that we inhabit. The idea that life might exist elsewhere in the universe reminds us that we might not be the only planet struggling to achieve balance, justice, and sustainability. And even in the bleakest of times, there's something beautiful about still striving to achieve something great and discover something that could change how we see ourselves and our cosmos forever.

The plumes of Enceladus The mysteries of the cosmos are waiting to be solved. What new insights will the future of exploration uncover?Image: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / Gordan Ugarkovic

There's plenty of room at the table

There's no denying that there are many important issues facing humanity that need fixing. But to deal with those problems doesn't mean we have to stop looking up, stop exploring, and stop making discoveries.

Human civilization has astonishing capacity, and we can do more than one important thing at a time. If someone thinks that a particular issue should get more attention and investment, they can and should advocate for that. The problems we face don't persist because we're spending money on space science and exploration. And there's no reason to pit our aspirations against one another.

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Why space exploration is always worthwhile

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A toolkit to help you advocate for the value of exploring space even when there are important problems to be solved here on Earth.

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SUMMARY

The metaverse, rapidly gaining traction in 2022, could well change the way we interact with the world--and each other.

A lot has been said about the metaverse and its potential to enhance our lives in the future. While we know that metaverse is a virtual universe where you can interact, shop or even participate in events via your avatar, there is a lot more happening. We have already seen how technology, in general, has put forth solutions to almost all our problems. And the metaverse is only expected to augment our way of living further. Here are nine innovations from the metaverse that could have meaningful consequences in the real world:

Physical interactions in a virtual world: Many companies are trying to crack the intractability aspect of the metaverse. Strides have been made in the 'gesture-based casting and manipulation of virtual content' domain. This technology will allow users to undertake real-world actions like throwing, pinching, or even engaging with objects in the metaverse. (Image: AP)

Remote working potential: COVID-19 has already given us a sense of what working in a virtual environment feels like. Apps like Zoom, Teams, and the like have allowed people to continue their work from the security of their homes. Now, companies like Microsoft are working on creating a virtual workspace where people can perform regular office activities in the metaverse using avatars.

Virtual self-image: Meta is working on a technology that focuses on 'generating accurate and realistic clothing'. This technology will wrinkle and deform your avatar's clothing as they move. This will be made possible with the help of sensors that detect body movement and morph clothing accordingly. (Image: Reuters)

Clothing that lets you feel interactions in the metaverse: At the 2022 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), a Spanish start-up, Owo, unveiled their metaverse jacket. The jacket is equipped with sensors that allow wearers to feel hugs or even punches in virtual reality. This can make it possible to feel the presence of loved ones, even though they are hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. (Representative Image; AP)

Share your view: Another patent that Meta is working on is 'spectator imaging'. This technology allows people to share their views of something with anyone else. Live concerts are the perfect example, where you can invite a friend or family member to experience the concert from the comfort of their home.

Sharing body movement data: Meta is working on a technology that will allow them to track minute body movements, right from a person's eyes to the different appendages of their body. This will enable a person to have an even more immersive experience in the metaverse. (Representative image: AP)

Bringing learning into the virtual world: A company called Pathway is working on creating a transparent whiteboard with an inbuilt camera. The 'eGlass' will capture the teacher's face and the notes on the whiteboard in the same video. This can then be streamed to students in the classroom and their homes for remote learning.

Table-top games in the virtual world: Tilt Five, a Silicon Valley-based gaming firm, is working on augmented reality (AR) table games via their proprietary AR glasses. The glasses will use tiny projectors to beam video onto a specialized gaming table, reflecting 3D imagery to the wearer. The glasses will also have applications beyond gaming in the future. (Representative image: Reuters)

Virtual learning in multiple languages: Hour One, a renowned provider of synthetic characters based on real-life people, is working on photo-realistic avatars that can read the text in 20 languages. This aims to help businesses turn scripts into video presentations that could be understood in multiple countries.

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Metaverse Innovations: A glimpse of what the virtual universe could look like in future

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The metaverse, rapidly gaining traction in 2022, could well change the way we interact with the world--and each other. A lot has been said about the metaverse and its potential to enhance our lives in the future.

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Anyone who is even a bit aware of global development knows how this castle of opportunities evidently rests on the cocoon of technological prowess. How we live now, work, and entertain ourselves has transformed dramatically over all these years. If we turn the pages of our memory journal five years back, we will easily understand how far we have managed to come forward. Every aspect of our society has taken hundreds of leaps to reach the present reality where technology strongly dominates human existence. The latest technological innovations have pushed us towards a more liberal, independent, and open-source environment.

Today, we spend hours scrolling through social media feeds, indulge in blockchain-powered e-games, and virtually attend the music concert of our favorite pop singer virtually while sitting on our couch. 'Virtual' is the new big thing for tech enthusiasts who are unraveling the potential hidden behind the real world. Next-gen concepts like cryptocurrency, Metaverse technology, and Web3 are building their billion-dollar industry on the word 'Virtual.' People are using Metaverse as a resource to create an entire world in a virtual space outside the physical world. Metaverse hints toward a digital ecosystem where a cluster of virtual spaces come together to open new opportunities for work, entertainment, and earnings.

Interestingly, Metaverse is too wide in its scope to succumb to a single technological concept. One can say that Metaverse is an umbrella term that integrates multiple terminologies to support its core infrastructure. This is what brings us to the main character of this article- Virtual Reality. Virtual Reality or VR is one of the pillars that supports Metaverse and Web 3 clusters. VR technology plays a significant role in building the virtual space we love to explore in a Metaverse field. Going further, this article will talk about Metaverse technology, Virtual Reality, and the role of VR in Metaverse construction. Let's start building our knowledge:

What is Metaverse Technology?

Pinning a concrete definition to Metaverse at this stage will be a loose-end endeavour. This is because Metaverse technology is in the nascent stage of development at present as tech brains are still trying to figure out its full potential. Thus, it is hard to give a proper well-defined definition of the term. However, with the little progress we have made in the sector, it is sufficient to develop some understanding here.

The idea of virtual space was first seen in 1992 when Neal Stephenson released a science fiction novel called Snow Crash. The story depicted characters transitioning between physical and virtual worlds using VR displays. The story portrayed in the novel was unique and effortlessly garnered the attention of the masses. It was an engrossing experience for readers to cherish something unique, far from the usual.

The metaverse is a virtual space that allows users to work, interact, and connect with each other outside the real world. With its characteristic features, the technology aims to build an ecosystem that blurs the line between reality and the virtual. Metaverse uses blockchain technology, Virtual Reality, and Augmented Reality to give life to the virtual environment that runs within a digital cluster. Metaverse blockchain offers access to a 3D digital space that represents a simulated physical environment. Metaverse mimics real-world scenarios but with added features through VR and AR. Users can use metaverse wallet solutions to store their digital assets when exploring or trading in the virtual setup.

One can do anything and everything within a metaverse using 'Digital Avatars.' These are digital characters that represent humans in the virtual world. It is through these avatars that users can interact in a metaverse. Using avatars, they can go shopping, eat in restaurants, deal in real estate, socialize, play games, visit exotic monuments, etc. Users must use VR/AR gadgets such as headsets, handles, remote controls, etc., to connect and interact within a virtual setup.

One of the strongest blows to the popularity of Metaverse came when Facebook revamped its brand to Meta Platforms. The idea behind the change was simple. The company was indicating its seriousness toward Metaverse exploration in the near future. The news encouraged firms to step into the field and create innovative products. Experts began to learn metaverse concepts to develop new products for users and gain an edge over competitors.

While e-gaming remains one of the most popular incubators of Metaverse technology, other industrial fields have also shown active participation in this. Fields such as real estate, supply chain, transport, sports, music, and entertainment are actively adopting metaverse as a potential resource for growth. Platforms such as The Sandbox and Decentraland have unlocked new opportunities and engaging experiences for people.

Salient features of Metaverse

The six main features of metaverse technology are:

Digital identity

Metaverse allows users to represent themselves as digital avatars within the cluster. There is full freedom to express oneself as to whomsoever a person wants to in his/her digital identity. One can behave and act as per their will without any hindrance from the outside world.

Multiple device support

Users can access metaverse from anywhere and anytime. It works well on PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other smart devices. Metaverse supports multiple devices to make it accessible for one and all.

Economy

Metaverse's own economic model relies on blockchain technology as the core infrastructural resource. Cryptocurrencies and NFTs allow users to trade, exchange and earn securely. The use of Decentralized Ledger Technology makes metaverse highly secure, transparent, and immutable for trading functions.

Digital community

In the metaverse, users can connect, socialize, and interact with each other freely. Sharing of experiences is one of the main characteristic features of a metaverse space. One can play games with their friends, relish a jamming session with their partner, or simply talk to strangers with similar interests within the virtual world using digital avatars.

Real-time experience

The metaverse is real-time persistent as it continues to work even after the participants quit. There is no pause in the process of experience. This is why metaverse is the next-gen experience.

What is Virtual Reality?

In simple words, Virtual Reality represents a system where technology is used to create realistic simulated environments. The technology puts users in a 3-D world where they get a fair chance to immerse and interact with their surroundings. It serves as a computer-created ecosystem with a diverse range of objects and scenes that bridge the gap between real and digital. The settings allow users to delve deeply into the digital surroundings, creating engrossing experiences for themselves. It is perceived using specially-designed devices called VR headsets or helmets.

Though it may sound unrealistic and difficult to digest, VR has origins dating back to the mid-1950s. There are reports that talk about one of the first virtual reality devices called Sensorama. It was a machine designed with an in-built seat playing 3D movies. The device released odours and created vibrations to offer real-like experiences to the users. As time passed, technological advancements started sprawling over the industrial domain. Subsequent evolutions in technology and software encouraged a progressive change in VR, its design, and its functionalities.

With Virtual Reality, Metaverse strives to create immersive experiences for users where they can give wings to their curiosity. It allows participants to see behind the veil of the physical world. Sometimes, people interpret Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality as one. This is wrong as the two concepts are unique and parts away to be considered synonymous. Virtual Reality constructs an immersive simulated environment for users to interact. The 3D experience involves images, videos, and audio to create a realistic digital environment. On the other hand, Augmented Reality does not create an individual digital setup; rather, it enhances the real-world experience by adding special features such as objects, images, and sounds.

Importance of VR in Metaverse

As mentioned earlier, Metaverse is an umbrella term that encompasses several other technological concepts to build its community. We cannot limit the scope of metaverse to a single aspect as it strives to offer users a whole load of features. It talks about creating a virtual space where users enjoy a more digital, independent, and user-friendly reality.

The whole idea behind metaverse is so vivid that it becomes impossible to achieve the objectives without involving a bunch of other resources. This is why Virtual Reality and Metaverse go hand-in-hand. The use of VR headsets to work and interact within a metaverse makes the latter an indispensable part of the virtual ecosystem. Without using VR as the much-needed catalyst, the next-gen Internet reality of metaverse will not be able to achieve its set goals.

The use of Virtual Reality will help strengthen the core infrastructure of Metaverse technology. As metaverse promises to initiate a shift from reality to a dynamic virtual world on Internet, the technology will rely on VR to offer the needed support for the transition. One cannot interact in a virtual world without donning a virtual reality headset. It is one of the basic requirements to enter the metaverse. Further, robust virtual reality software is required to design the online space within the virtual niche. VR software and VR headsets are the two vitals that support the working and creation of metaverse clusters.

Uses of Virtual Reality in Metaverse

Travel

Virtual Reality allows users to travel virtually to any place in the world. Users can visit monuments, eat delicacies from across the globe, and create digital memories through their digital identities. The experience is so vivid that it becomes difficult to differentiate between real and virtual.

Medicine

The technology can help the healthcare domain significantly. Medical students, doctors, and practitioners can use VR to perform digital surgeries on avatars as a practice. This helps sharpen their skills and eliminates the risks of mistakes during surgery.

Games

Indulge in an exciting match with your friends using VR headsets. The device allows players to relish a real-like gaming experience. They get a chance to play and practice extreme sports while sitting on the couch.

Education

Teachers can use VR-supported screens to create engrossing class experiences for students. While explaining a concept, teachers can give them a virtual display of the concept to build a better understanding of concepts. Virtual tours to difficult places like the moon or planets keep students' interest in the subject.

Virtual events

Virtual Reality allows users to attend a concert, sports gala, or other global events right from the comfort of their homes. It saves time and is also cost-friendly.

Military

Forces can use VR to facilitate training sessions for soldiers in a simulated combat environment. The setup is created similar to a real battlefield. The participants get exposure to real pressure and situations they might face on a battlefield later during the training sessions.

Conclusion

When we talk about the metaverse, it is inevitable to skip the topic of virtual reality. This is because the terminology provides the necessary foundational base on which metaverse operates. Virtual Reality is essential for the growth and expansion of the metaverse industry. The technology supports the vision of metaverse clusters by aiding in creating the 3D virtual world. With VR, users can immerse themselves in interactive experiences that are hard to access in the physical environment. The insane craze for metaverse technology is likely to push the popularity of VR tools as well, leading to innovative product launches in the sector.

In case you are willing to learn more about metaverse courses, Blockchain Council has something for you. The platform offers a metaverse course list for beginners and experienced professionals. The courses offer subjective knowledge, whereas the training sessions help to build practical knowledge.

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Anyone who is even a bit aware of global development knows how this castle of opportunities evidently rests on the cocoon of technological prowess. How we live now, work, and entertain ourselves has transformed dramatically over all these years.

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Why is the Metaverse Important? - XR Today

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XR Today reports on the latest extended reality news from around the globe, including virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.

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The idea has been around in one avatar or another since the early 90s, popularised by video games and scene fiction novels.

It's only in recent years that the metaverse has gained mainstream momentum. Epic Games announced a staggering $1 billion in investment to build the metaverse, back in April 2021.

Meta followed soon after with its rebrand to Meta and a billion-dollar pivot towards its own metaverse platform. Other companies aren't far behind.

Niantic, the developers of Pokémon Go, has announced that it will use its fresh flush of $300 million investment to develop metaverse-like experiences.

Kucoin Labs has a new $100 million metaverse fund, and Morgan Stanley mentioned it as the next big investment scheme in an investor's note.

The examples are endless and suffice to say, the industry is extremely bullish on the metaverse. The technology advancements of the last one decade - blockchain, crypto, interoperability, and affordable VR - means that Neal Stephenson's dream of the metaverse is close to becoming a reality.

Here's why it matters more than you may think.

1. It could be the next internet.

Alongside a three-dimensional VR metaverse, there's another similar concept that's gaining traction: Web 3.0. Leslie Shannon, Nokia's Head of Trend Scouting, mentioned this in a VRARA Global Summit talk, speaking about the importance of the metaverse or a spatial internet.

Meanwhile, Deloitte already has a framework in place for the spatial web and Web 3.0, concepts closely linked to the metaverse.

Further, Mark Zuckerberg referred to the metaverse as an "embodied internet" in his Founder's Letter announcing Facebook's rebrand.

All of this points in one direction: the metaverse could be the next major online destination where global users congregate, engage, buy, sell, play, and work. It will start out as an alternative to social media and eventually come to encompass the world wide web as we know it.

2. Work and collaboration will consistently move into the metaverse.

Already in 2020, VR adoption for work, collaboration, and learning/education has increased.

Companies like Spatial that provide a VR alternative to Zoom saw a 1000 percent uptick in usage in this period, and Facebook came out with its own offering called Oculus for Business.

As companies recalibrate around employee expectations and requirements during the new normal, VR will be an important enabler. It will help workers transition to hybrid work and ensure that remote employees enjoy the same degree of engagement and access as their in-office counterparts.

In a recent survey, nearly 2 in 5 respondents said that they are very excited for AR/VR-enabled learning in the workplace. And, as Zoom fatigue sets in, the metaverse could be a compelling alternative for many.

3. There are exciting investment opportunities to be had.

The metaverse will inspire a bustling new economy at every level. For content creators and VR developers, it means another source of monetisation.

A crypto-based economy would also allow fairer incentivisation of content and regular royalties. Apart from this, venture capitalists are also eager to get in on the early action in the metaverse market and invest in promising startups. Any one of these startups could be your new Facebook, and early investors could shape progress for several years to come.

Once the metaverse is executed, there will be new opportunities through advertising, digital events, e-commerce, etc. - a $1 trillion opportunity by expert estimates.

Finally, let's not forget the job creation potential of the metaverse. Facebook announced that it would create 10,000 new job openings in Europe alone to build its vision for the metaverse.

Nike has started hiring for virtual material designers for its own " Nikeland" and there were 270 active vacancies mentioning the metaverse in October 2021. Professionals, in future, will find it difficult to ignore this trend.

4. The metaverse has major legal and regulatory implications.

Just like tech giants now dominate the global conversation around user privacy, data rights, cybercrime, and regulations, the metaverse could be the next minefield.

Right now, early WIPs of the metaverse suggest several risks while also being extremely exciting. NFT fraud is a very real possibility, land rights in the metaverse could be in question, and avatars - an extension of your real identity - open up challenging questions.

Today, even if you aren't a Facebook or Twitter user, it is difficult to avoid concerns around data privacy and misinformation. The same will be true for the metaverse a few years down the line.

That's why organisations, regulatory bodies, advocacy groups, and individual users need to consider this as a "big deal" to pre-empt similar or even more complex repercussions later down the line.

5. We are only an interoperability-leapfrog away from a true metaverse.

The most common argument for why the metaverse may not be such a big deal is that it is several years or even decades away.

In a recent US survey, one-third of respondents said that they have never heard of the metaverse and only 36% were interested in participation.

Those aged 30 and above (the majority of the working population) showed significantly lower interest than younger respondents.

But the metaverse may not be as far-fetched or far away as we think. In his Founder's Letter, 2021, CEO Mark Zuckerberg put forward an estimated timeline. He noted:

Our hope is that within the next decade, the metaverse will reach a billion people, host hundreds of billions of dollars of digital commerce, and support jobs for millions of creators and developers

Given that Meta took eight years to go from 1 million to 1 billion users, we can expect the first iteration of the company's metaverse to be available sometime in 2023.

That's only about two years away, and all the foundational infrastructure is already in place in the form of a sophisticated global blockchain network, ergonomic VR design, scalable AI, and last-mile internet connectivity in most parts of the world.

This is precisely why the metaverse is such a big deal: because it is knocking right at the gates.

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5 Reasons Why the Metaverse Is Such a Big Deal - XR Today

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The idea has been around in one avatar or another since the early 90s, popularised by video games and scene fiction novels. It's only in recent years that the metaverse has gained mainstream momentum. Epic Games announced a staggering $1 billion in investment to build the metaverse, back in April 2021.

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When Cathy Hackl's son wanted to throw a party for his 9th birthday, he didn't ask for favors for his friends or themed decorations. Instead, he asked if they could hold the celebration on Roblox. On the digital platform, which allows users to play and create a multitude of games, Hackl's son and his friends would attend the party as their virtual avatars.

"They hung out and played and they went to other different games together," she says. "Just because it happens in a virtual space doesn't make it less real. It's very real to my son."

The futility of throwing an outdoor pandemic-friendly event in January wasn't the only reason Hackl's son lobbied for a digital event. Roblox might be unknown to many over the age of, say, 25, but the 13-year-old platform is booming. Available on most desktop and mobile platforms, it is simultaneously a venue for free games, a creation engine that allows users to generate new activities of their own, and a marketplace to sell those experiences, as well as side products like outfits for a personalized avatar.

It's also part of the "metaverse." Once a niche concept beloved of tech enthusiasts, the idea of a centralized virtual world, a "place" parallel to the physical world, has careened into the mainstream landscape this year, as epitomized by Facebook's decision in October to rebrand as Meta. Millions of people are spending hours a day in virtual social spaces like Roblox and Fortnite. Interest in purely digital ownership-and the technology that proponents believe can ensure the security of persistent virtual experiences-has spiked dramatically, with non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrencies making headlines. Virtual productivity platforms are growing too, with Facebook and Microsoft announcing new ways to collaborate online. Nike is even, analysts say, preparing to sell virtual sneakers. Hybrid offices, video-based education and online social communities are just a few of the ways in which more of our lives-for better or worse-is spent in digital spaces.

People like Hackl have already been heading in that direction for years.

After she was introduced to VR in the late 2000s, Hackl says she "pivoted really hard" into it. She reoriented her media career toward cinematic virtual reality work and then moved onto work with headset manufacturers, eventually serving as a "VR evangelist" for the HTC Vive headset. Today she says she's known as the "godmother of the metaverse."

For many younger people, like her son, such a pivot isn't even necessary: they're growing up with the expectation that a large part of their future will exist in the metaverse. It might be time for the rest of us to get on board-whether we like it or not.

Metawhat?

The word "metaverse" is often traced to Neal Stephenson's 1992 dystopic, cyberpunk novel Snow Crash, and many see a more recent inspiration in the dazzling warren of experiences at the heart of Earnest Cline's 2011 novel Ready Player One. However, the metaverse is far from the stuff of sci-fi. It's not even new.

Online communities have existed since at least the mid-1980s, and grew in the 1990s with chatrooms, AOL instant messenger and the first social media sites. The game World of Warcraft became a persistent social scene for millions in the early 2000s, and communities have continued to sprout up within and around games. Today, logging onto Fortnite, joining a chat with friends over a console platform and launching into a game with them is, especially to younger generations, just as social an experience as most other physical interactions.

Whether in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) or simply on a screen, the promise of the metaverse is to allow a greater overlap of our digital and physical lives in wealth, socialization, productivity, shopping and entertainment. These two worlds are already interwoven, no headset required: Think about the Uber app telling you via location data how far away the car is. Think about how Netflix gauges what you've watched before to make suggestions. Think about how the LiDAR scanner on newer iPhones can take a 3D scan of your surroundings. At its core, the metaverse (also known to many as "web3") is an evolution of our current Internet.

"You've got your goggles on, 10 years from now, but they're just a pair of sunglasses that happens to have the ability to bring you into the metaverse experience," says John Riccitiello, CEO of Unity, maker of a video game engine that is increasingly used to develop immersive experiences on other platforms. "You're walking by a restaurant, you look at it, the menu pops up. What your friends have said about it pops up."

For Riccitiello, the most exciting part of the metaverse is what it might mean for our relationships.

The idea that we might be able to "feel like we're together when we're not," he argues, could likely lead someone to create a company on par with Facebook and Apple.

Banks and investors are taking note.

"There's clearly a kind of a desire to move that direction," says John Egan, CEO of L'Atelier BNP Paribas and an investment analyst focusing on emerging technologies. "This metaverse concept gives us the opportunity to create any universe that we've ever imagined."

More than a social network

Hackl's son wasn't alone in having a birthday party on Roblox over the past year; the 16-year-old creator of the Roblox game Math Obby, who goes by the username 0bid0, threw himself a party to which he invited not just friends from school and Twitter, but also fans of the game. "I couldn't manage to make plans in real life because of the pandemic, so I took the chance of building a cool place to host the virtual event," he tells TIME.

Kids are not the only ones wading out into the metaverse breakers. Paul Tomlinson, 41, has worked remotely for years, living in rural Maine with his family and managing tax and financial-processing software for a firm that works with municipal and state governments. There's "nothing sexy" about the job, he says, but it does involve needing to have eyes on a large amount of data at once. A few years ago, this meant his desk had four different computer monitors on it. The cumbersome office setup was already a difficult and messy solution, but add in a disruptive (but adorable) cat and it became untenable.
Read more: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on the Fusion of Virtual and Physical Worlds
Tomlinson had always been interested in virtual reality, but it wasn't until he tried the Oculus Quest headset and was introduced to a productivity app called Immersed that he found the answers to his work conundrum. Immersed pairs with your computer and, in the headset, sets up a workspace that allows for multiple virtual screens that you can arrange or size in whatever way you choose. And, crucially for Tomlinson, it's very difficult for cats to mess with virtual desktops.

"Within a week, I took the monitors off of my desk," he says. "It just made my life so much better."

For more than two years now, he has almost exclusively used virtual reality for his 40- to 50-hour work weeks: "Unless it's a business-critical meeting, I typically don't take off the headset."

Immersed VR has already netted millions in investment dollars and partnered with Facebook, Microsoft and Samsung in various roles. And for companies developing headsets, the COVID-19 work shake up provides an opportunity to do just as Renji Bijoy, Immersed VR's founder and CEO suggests, making the case that VR is less of a novelty and more of a quality-of-life tool.
Read more: Here's What Meta-Facebook's New Parent Company-Plans to Do
Few companies want that narrative shift more than Facebook, now Meta. Dodging damaging leaks, deflecting international calls for antitrust action and shrugging off its own stalled attempts to launch a decentralized digital currency, the social network, which owns the VR brand Oculus, has leaned far into the future that it promises to provide. Late in the summer, Facebook announced Horizons Workrooms (through the use of its Oculus Quest) as an alternative to the Zoom meetings that have become commonplace to many remote workers. (Facebook declined multiple requests to provide comment on this story.)

For now, spending any part of a workday in the metaverse still seems like a far-off dream for most of the global workforce. Tomlinson recognizes this. His coworkers took a while to adjust to the fact that he usually appears in group video meetings as an avatar, and his family is "not as enamored" as he is. Still, he sees himself as a "pioneer," of the future, and is comfortable in that role.

"I am an outlier, and it's a good thing that we have outliers who don't get bored easily," he says. "I have no hang ups about strapping boxes to my face for eight hours a day. I can do that."

Real money in the metaverse

A new kind of working from home is only part of what the metaverse can provide those out to make a buck. Case in point: metaverse entrepreneur Carrie Tatsu, 48. She has spent over 15 years making her living designing, marketing and selling avatars, pets and accessories for citizens of Second Life, a game that launched in 2003 as a blank-slate digital world where users could buy land and spend actual money on in-world customizable clothing. (If you think that sounds a great deal like the metaverse currently being touted by big tech, you would be correct.) Tatsu joined in a moment of dissatisfaction with her marketing job. Because she likes cats, she bought a pet for her avatar. The decision launched her career.

"I thought, well, you know, I think I can make a better cat," Tatsu says.

It didn't take long before she and her ex-husband set up a store, Zooby, and earned enough for her to quit her physical-world job to focus on creating Second Life pets and accessories full time. She quickly noticed the way other players were forging real connections to those virtual animals. "There was a paradigm shift in the way I looked at this," she says. "This wasn't like joining a video game and competing on something like a first-person shooter. This was a very emotional attachment to something that wasn't physical."

With Roblox, that kind of hustle has always been part of the game.

"You can imagine a future where I can go to the [virtual] hat store, and I have a very seamless experience to customize my hat I created, and now I can potentially then sell that hat to other people in the metaverse," Roblox Chief Product Officer Manuel Bronstein says. "We made it very easy for people to start monetizing those creations."

Many of those who are taking advantage of that potential are young users. Josh Okunola, for example, is a 17-year-old digital artist from Nigeria, currently studying in London, who has been playing Roblox since 2014. After a few years of exploring, he grew curious about the games' development tools and using his own artistic talent on the platform. In 2018, he netted his first Roblox paycheck-for $7-though he says his parents didn't believe it was real because, unable to withdraw it from PayPal, he could only spend it on digital goods.

With blockchain-based games, players can turn the time they spend into cryptocurrency. In the popular Axie Infinity, players buy, train and breed Pokemon-like creatures that are themselves NFTs, each one individually registered on the Ethereum blockchain. An active marketplace allows players to sell the creatures for cryptocurrency. Axie Infinity has seen a lot of international popularity during the pandemic; the Philippines has particularly seen a great deal of growth, with players of all ages using the game to earn money. You need to own three of these "Axies" before you can even play the game, and currently the lowest priced creatures on the marketplace are over $100.

These purely digital opportunities to make a living are inspiring a young generation to believe that the metaverse is the place to make their fortunes.

"Eventually I was able to cash out $1,000 from the platform," Okunola says of his Roblox art. "My parents were [in] shock because it was very rare to see a 16-year-old make that much in just a little time from a side hobby."

Reality Check

If there were ever any hope of weaning children off screen time, it was dashed by the pandemic. One German study published by DAK-Gesundheit found that usage of social media and video games was up by at least 60% in 2020 over 2019 among children between 12 and 17. Now imagine not just a screen, but a world.

Tatsu is the mother of two children and, despite having created a successful career in digital spaces, she insists that her children spend as much of their time as possible in the real world.

"It's so important for humans to be with humans in real life," she says. "And so I think that as kids grow up in this space, there will have to be outlets for people to engage, go smell a flower here, walk in on a trail, have a real conversation with your friend and throw a ball. I mean, even though you can simulate that, the simulation is not the same. And so I feel in some ways bad for my kids."

We all have far more to worry about in digital spaces than just time spent. The very probable idea that this is the direction technological innovation is heading does little to take into account whether it should be the direction we are heading.
Read more: Tim Cook on the 'Basic Human Right' of Privacy and the Technology That Excites Him the Most
If the metaverse is essentially an extension of the internet we currently have, one only has to think about the myriad problems that we have yet to solve in our online existence-hacking, catfishing, harassment, hate speech-to see how truly perilous a future on the metaverse could be.
Read more: The 5 Most Important Revelations From the 'Facebook Papers'
The consulting firm GlobalData notes concerns in how governments, notably the U.S., have been sluggish in their approach to cybersecurity concerns such as the rise of artificial-intelligence enabled misinformation, including videos known as deepfakes.

"These false images-again, going back to deepfakes-not only are used to trick users into giving away personal details, but also from a political perspective to convince them of something happening that has not happened or is just simply not true," Charlotte Newton, a thematic analyst at GlobalData, says.

"It's important to recognize that there are five really important problems we haven't yet solved in the mobile internet: data rights, data security, radicalization, misinformation and platform power," says Matthew Ball, author of the forthcoming The Metaverse: And How it Will Revolutionize Everything. "If the fundamental premise of the metaverse is that we will spend more of our time, labor, leisure, wealth, existence inside virtual worlds, then by definition, every one of those five problems is exacerbated. The amount of data captured and the importance of that data goes up, or the risks of data loss are intensified."

There's perhaps a reason many fictional touchstones for a metaverse, including Ready Player One and Snow Crash, take place in grim dystopias.

"There's no way the metaverse is going to help with things like income inequality, or food deserts, people who cannot buy groceries, disparities and access to health care," says science fiction writer Ted Chiang, on whose work the 2016 movie Arrival was based. "None of those things are things that you can deliver through the metaverse."

The Vision

True adherents would beg to differ. They believe that the metaverse has benefits for all, that it can expand access, opportunity, social networks and mental health-though even they have to admit that a lot of the good the metaverse can do is still speculative, and depends on a confluence of events, from hardware deployment to data infrastructure developments, on very fuzzy timelines.

What does exist for sure, argue proponents like Tatsu, is the already realized potential for the metaverse to increase empathy and inspire kindness.

"I think that when you're in a virtual space, they're usually smaller, they're usually more intimate. And I think that when we move into this world, where you really customize your avatar, you develop a more intimate relationship with the people you have online," she says. "Even though you're behind a screen or you're behind a headset, you still see somebody."

A few years ago, a surreal YouTube video made its way around the internet. In the middle of a standard VRChat session, which is itself a mosh pit of clashing avatars and frenetic voice chat, a user who was wearing a full body tracking suit apparently had a seizure. The episode underscored not only the actual distance between people in virtual spaces, but also the outpouring of concern for the person behind a red robot avatar.

Hackl sees the upcoming shift in technologies as a chance to shape a more inclusive mission and purpose. "I feel we're working on the printing press of the future," she says, "being able to preserve, let's say, a language that is soon to disappear. If you're able to retain not only in a flat video, you'll see the sound and you'll see the movement of lips and stuff. In a 3D performance capture and an actual 3D video, you'll be able to see a lot of the nuances of how the tongue moves, and the teeth move, and you'll be able to preserve the same dances as well as artifacts, stories, all sorts of things. I believe that that is something we're working on today to preserve those stories for the future."

To her, that future will be a better one, thanks in part to the metaverse.

"When I look at the architects of the internet, they were all men," Hackl says. "Being a Latina woman that is very publicly out there, I want more people like me. We need to see people like me, in these public facing roles, because you can inspire a lot more people to join and say, 'Hey, I am welcome in this metaverse world. I can build.'"

For those whose lives are already being lived partly in the metaverse-despite its pitfalls and risks-that building has begun.

Write to Peter Allen Clark at peter.clark@time.com.

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What Is the Metaverse and Why Should I Care?

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Once a niche concept, the idea of a centralized virtual world has careened into the mainstream landscape this year. Here's what to know

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Build digital product faster, smarter and scalable.

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In short it is said that in a nutshell, Metaverse can be described as an online 3D world where people and companies can connect with each other virtually. It is a combination of virtual and augmented reality and social media with online gaming, and cryptocurrency to create a completely Virtual "living" environment for its users.

With vast amounts of capital numerous technology giants continue to put their money in the creation of Metaverse with its limitless possibilities. The potential impact could be huge and many believe that it may be next big-scale technological breakthrough after the internet.

How can Meta think about the Metaverse?

In the company's conference 2021 Connect, Zuckerberg introduced viewers to his company's vision of the metaverse, which combines the 3D and 2D worlds into one virtual world.

Its metaverse will integrate the current Meta products, such as WhatsApp and Messenger however, it will also offer many new tools such as virtual offices, virtual homes and e-commerce possibilities for content creators and businesses. Meta's metaverse is a world of imagination users will have total imaginative control of their own virtual universes creating everything from houses with water views to space stations in which you can collaborate, chat with your friends, or even study.

In the Connect event, Meta announced its elusive "Project Cambria," yet to be launched as a premium VR headset which users are expected to use to enter the metaverse. Meta also plans to launch a smartwatch that could be connected to the latest VR hardware.

What is the reason Meta keen on creating the metaverse?

Zuckerberg has stated that Meta regards the metaverse as an essential element and will devote enormous amount of resources, money, and effort to bring it to existence. What is the reason?

"When I first joined Facebook it was a time when we used to type messages on sites. When phones were equipped that had cameras, the internet changed to be more mobile and visual. As the internet became faster video became a better method of sharing experiences. From desktops to mobile to web; from text to pictures to videos. However, this isn't the end of the story".

He views the metaverse as the next step in the way we interact with the internet and social media.

The company aims to build an environment where more people spend the majority of our time online and wants to play an integral part in bringing about this transformation by creating a brand new world that connects us. Metaverses will allow people to connect. Meta believes that this is the next step in creating tools that surpass apps and social media to improve our capacity to be connected with other people.

Some critics say the change in name to Meta is a strategy to distract from the negative press that Facebook has received in recent times like its involvement in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, the company's misappropriation of personal data, as well as numerous security breach incidents. Yet, Meta has stated the name change is intended to better represent all that the company does, not only the social media application Facebook.

What are the motives behind financial gain? Could the profits of Meta's business grow exponentially due to the growth of an alternate universe? Yes, in short. Zuckerberg describes a virtual universe in which consumers do not just purchase hardware to connect to the metaverse, but they will also be able to shop for opportunities in the metaverse itself and will be able to purchase everything from new clothes for their avatars, to shopping at stores.

But the time of big gains in the metaverse are several years, if not even years from being. Many analysts believe that cryptocurrency could be a major factor in the world of metaverse commerce, however the way in which transactions take place remains to be seen at the moment.

What other companies think on the subject?

"The metaverse won't be created by one single company. It will be created by the creators and developers who will create new digital products and experiences that can be interoperable, and open an enormously bigger creativity economy than one restricted by current platforms as well as their rules," asserts Zuckerberg.

Microsoft, The epidemic taught the world that work from home isn't only feasible, but also effective and many workers appreciate the flexibility and convenience working remotely. There aren't many people eager to get back to work which is why it's no surprise that tech companies such as Microsoft are examining the possibilities that the metaverse can help remote workers.

Microsoft has also announced is planning for expansion of its gaming services into the metaverse realm possibly taking Xbox games to 3D space. 3D space in the near near future.

Zoom
Video conference platform Zoom has also said that it believes that it will play an important role to play in digital workplaces in Metaverses in the near near future. The CEO Eric Yuan mentioned in a recent interview that he views this as being just some time away however.

Amazon
With its huge market share in e-commerce, cloud computing and digital entertainment It's likely that the company is pondering what Amazon buying and consumption of media might be interspersed within the metaverse. As of yet the company has not released any statement on the subject.

Roblox
The online gaming platform Roblox is a major player in the realm of metaverse. You may not have been aware of it, but odds are that your children have. Roblox has created a virtual platform that lets users create the games of their choice. Even though playing these games is free but users can also purchase the Rubux virtual currency to buy add-ons to the games. The business is making a significant profit.

Roblox has already established an environment where users can build their own worlds and have proven that it's profitable, which makes it an important player to be watching in this area.

Epic Games
Company in the entertainment industry Epic Games, makers of Fortnite and Fortnite, sees immense opportunities in metaverse. On April 20, 2021 Epic Games announced an investment of $1 billion in financing, which included the investment of Sony Group Corporation, to create its metaverse concept to reality.

Nike
What is the reason a sneaker brand would like to be part of the metaverse? Nike, the sportswear giant Nike is looking ahead to the day when people might be inclined to purchase virtual items for example, like Nike activewear, to match their avatars. If you and your pals shoot virtual hoops, then you'll need to look stylish when you're doing it. Nike has filed trademark requests to sell virtual goods bearing its logo and its brand.

But, it also brings up the question of how trademarks and counterfeit products will be controlled in the metaverse in the future, with Nike making preemptive steps to safeguard itself before the metaverse becomes a reality.

How do you gain access to the metaverse?

Are you ready to leap into this new and exciting world? Don't be too fast, the metaverse, as imagined by Zuckerberg is a long way away. According to his estimates, a lot of the metaverse-related products Meta is developing will not be available for at least the next 10 to 15 years. However, when (or when) the metaverse does come to fruition how will we gain access to it?

Hardware will play an important part in metaverse access as users purchase their own VR headsets to take them from their living rooms to their virtual world. While Facebook already owns the Oculus headset, and has teased the release of the next version of its headset in 2022, there's a several other companies sporting its very own VR headsets, like Samsung as well as HP.

Users will put onto their headset anytime they wish to access the metaverse using their internet connection. However, there's likely to be less engaging ways to experience the metaverse for people who don't own a costly headset.

What will it mean for our way of life?

But, can the metaverse turn into a digital utopia, where we can communicate with people from all over the globe instantly, while watching performances and playing board games? Or, is it more likely that the metaverse isn't going to reach a critical mass?

It's also a matter of human connections. While we're out and about or at work in solitude, it's a very real and powerful feeling that millions of people experienced throughout the course of the epidemic. Does a cup of coffee in the metaverse compete with having a chat with friends in the nearby café? The feeling of loneliness and isolation can have a significant impact on the metaverse as there is nothing like an embrace, a handshake or smiling.

What will it mean for our work practices?

If there's a thing that the epidemic has proved that people aren't content with their 9-5 work schedules and long commutes. Many people are opting to work remotely and are looking for companies that permit working from home, or abandoning the traditional path to work for entrepreneurs or freelance opportunities.

If you're looking to to work from any location around the globe The metaverse may transform the way we work together for business and especially at a global scale. From virtual offices and interviews to virtual office spaces, there's many things that can be accomplished online instead of in person. The metaverse can turn boring team meetings and transform them from 2D to 3D and let you put yourself inside your virtual office, and feel like you're sitting next to your coworkers.

If the metaverse could be integrated with modern technology and office software and software, then you can easily create the PowerPoint presentation you've made offline and then present it to colleagues at the metaverse's boardroom. You could also give an avatar friend the file to download at their own pace at home.

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In short it is said that in a nutshell, Metaverse can be described as an online 3D world where people and companies can connect with each other virtually. It is a combination of virtual and augmented reality and social media with online gaming, and cryptocurrency to create a completely Virtual "living" environment for its users.

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Here's a hot take: The metaverse is not what Mark Zuckerberg says it is. It's not a place or alternate reality we will all migrate into. It's not a game. It's not a land grab (although that is happening). And it's not just a massive branding opportunity (although there are lots of opportunities for brands to thrive).

The truth is, the metaverse is a decentralized system that has a lot in common with peer-to-peer services like Napster, Skype, and BitTorrent. Oh, and Facebook and Meta do not.

Wait, what?

Decentralized peer-to-peer networks are where all the technologists gather and create the architecture that fuels innovation. And that's true for the metaverse as well.

I'll give you two examples that are relevant for understanding the metaverse (full disclosure, I had the pleasure of working with both companies earlier in my career).

Founded in 2003, Skype was part of a wave of technologies (including BitTorrent, Kazaa, and Napster) that connected individual computers in an automated, trustful way. These networks were optimized for bandwidth and reduced the bottlenecks for tapping into popular content. Why was Skype able to rise above the competition as a key player in the market? Peer-to-peer technology. It created a network of nodes that enabled an always-on hyper-efficient community and a connected network. This meant it wasn't tied to the limitations of any telecom carrier.

Of course, when Skype moved to the Azure platform, the core technology changed. But when it first arrived, Skype was revolutionary and unlocked an incredible burst of innovation that continues to make our lives better today.

Or take Spotify. Like Skype, it used peer-to-peer technology to store and distribute content. Decentralization let the service acquire millions of users and deliver great audio, and the service eventually became ubiquitous. The fingerprints of world-changing peer-to-peer decentralized innovation and disruption are all over the internet.

And that brings us back to the metaverse

The real promise of the metaverse is new data-rich experiences and services that are faster, better, and cheaper, whether that's in finance, virtual socialization, business meetings, healthcare, or anything else we can imagine. The metaverse will encompass all these use cases, and they will all be decentralized. In fact, decentralization is not just a feature of an open metaverse, it's a core tenet that will avoid bottlenecks and enable interoperability that traverses wall gardens.

For the last 20 years, we've seen peer-to-peer or decentralized technologies start off as marginalized technology built for geeks by geeks, whether that be file sharing, peer-to-peer music or crypto mining. But these technologies need to be seen through the context of time and how they've improved the user experience, whether that's enabling free calls and video or enabling instant-on music services like Spotify.

The next generation of peer-to-peer services will enable even greater participation of users who, in a decentralized metaverse, can work directly with each other and trust the network for things like money transfer and social media rather than relying on a centralized operator or service. We're looking at you, Meta and Facebook.

Napster was a decentralized network with a central index. And that's what Facebook is trying to build. Napster was at the center of the network and it failed. Whereas BitTorrent, a truly decentralized network, is a self-managing and self-governing technology that powers a rich ecosystem that has endured.

History shows that open networks win

The architecture of the metaverse will be more like that of BitTorrent - or better yet, blockchain.Blockchain is decentralized and truly distributed. We don't even know who created the ledger. There is no central index. And blockchain has already unlocked an explosion of innovation that will only grow in the years to come.

You may be tempted to roll your eyes at blockchain or crypto or NFTs, but don't think of those as fully formed products yet. They're prototypes of the operating system for how we're going to move forward.

And just in case you think the peer-to-peer decentralized connection is still a stretch, consider who invested in the original technologies and who's investing in the same space today: Tim Draper. He was a big backer of peer-to-peer technology in companies like Skype, and he also believes that blockchain and bitcoin solutions are better, faster, cheaper than fiat currencies. Same guy, different year, natural evolution.

We wouldn't have free video calling if we didn't have peer-to-peer. We wouldn't have instant music anywhere in the world without peer-to-peer. And we wouldn't have cryptocurrencies without peer-to-peer. Even the Internet wouldn't exist without it! All these technologies that we now take for granted have their genesis in decentralization.

And the metaverse is just the next step on that journey.
Faisal Galaria is the CEO of , a technology company specializing in AR. He is also a former executive at Skype and Spotify.
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The metaverse will fuel massive innovation (and Facebook isn't the metaverse)

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Did you miss a session from MetaBeat 2022? Head over to the on-demand library for all of our featured sessions Here's a hot take: The metaverse is not what Mark Zuckerberg says it is. It's not a place or alternate reality we will all migrate into. It's not a game.

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Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi has always attracted big crowds. This January, when he had his debut concert in the metaverse, 20 million people logged in at once, crashing the servers. The event was held on PartyNite, one of India's first metaverse spaces. With this, Mehndi became the first Indian artiste to join the likes of Travis Scott, Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, who have all had concerts in the metaverse.

In May, media and entertainment (M&E) major Zee inaugurated its Technology and Innovation Centre in Bengaluru, which brings together the relevant skills and resources to help it enter the Web 3.0 universe. Called 'Zeeverse', it is expected to be launched early next year. "Our metaverse will not only facilitate a new way of consuming and engaging with content, but also create new interactive social and commercial experiences within. It will combine the physical and digital experiences for our audiences," says Nitin Mittal, President of Technology and Data at Zee Entertainment Enterprises. In June, telecom major Airtel launched a metaverse multiplex-a 20-screen platform where it plans to offer content from leading OTT partners.

It's not just media and telecom companies that are flocking to the metaverse. GSK Consumer Healthcare's antacid brand ENO, for instance, has created India's first-ever stand-up comedy event there to celebrate 50 years of its presence in India.

For the entertainment industry specifically, the metaverse provides a unique opportunity to imagine new forms of collaborative content. "India's M&E industry will be worth Rs 4.3 lakh crore by 2026, according to a report by global consulting firm PwC. The metaverse could soon become a stunningly virtual real world, with individuals accessing new immersive experiences," says Ranga Jagannath, Senior Director of Growth at Agora, a real-time engagement platform based in Santa Clara, California.

From gaming to music and movies, there are already several instances where the metaverse has been leveraged by the M&E sector. Sreeram Ananthasayanam, Partner at Deloitte India, explains the primary reason behind this adoption. "Almost 27 per cent of the global population is born after 1997. Known as GenZ, this cohort is largely digital native. With an average online time of 8-9 hours per day, it is estimated that they will constitute 40 per cent of the workforce by 2030 and about 8 per cent of their disposable income would be spent online, wherein experience would be a key differentiator in customer engagement," he says, adding that their digital proficiency "dictates that the entertainment industry leverage innovative channels to effectively reach out to them, and technologies like the metaverse fit the bill".

However, creating a metaverse experience isn't easy and requires advanced technologies and investments. For instance, PartyNite took two and a half years in the making. "A lot is going on under the hood which enables the platform today, such as blockchain, communication layer, AI-based avatar creation system, AI-based animations and many more," explains Rajat Ojha, its CEO and Founder. Echoes Ashish Pherwani, EY India Media & Entertainment Leader, "Creating an immersive metaverse virtual experience is a complex process as it is a convergence of six technology layers. These layers are AI and spatial computing, IoT and haptics, cloud platform, blockchain and cryptocurrency, extended reality and wearables, and high-speed network infrastructure."

Yahoo Creative Studios, the branded content studio at Verizon Media, produced an immersive set for singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, turning her into an avatar. Using motion capture technology, it brought her performance to life in the metaverse. "We have state-of-the-art studios... [that] are equipped with smart stages and volumetric capture capabilities, enabling us to deliver first-in-class virtual production and immersive experiences for the metaverse," says Zoe Cocker, Head of Brand and Yahoo Creative Studios, ANZ. Along with the technology, the metaverse also requires high-bandwidth connectivity to deliver a seamless experience.

Metaverse as a technology is still in its infancy; yet it has witnessed keen interest across the entertainment industry in India. The industry is carefully analysing the shift as many of the investments into the space are stuck because of a lack of clarity on the regulatory framework. Industry players say that the government often comments on these new-age technologies, which creates anxiety among Web 3.0 players. "Whether it's NFT or metaverse, it creates anxiety because the government is still not taking a firm stand," says Kamal Gianchandani, CEO of PVR Pictures and Chief of Strategy of PVR Ltd. Because of this uncertainty, the ecosystem hasn't fully evolved, he adds. Another big constraint, he explains, is that the monetisation piece is not very clear. "Our business is pay-per-view. We're not like a streaming platform, which will take a subscription fee and then offer you all the content. Hence, it is important that we should have the ability to charge consumers for every visit, for every view. [The metaverse] has not evolved to that extent where you are in a position to do that."

Plus, to experience the full potential of the metaverse, one has to wear virtual reality (VR) headsets like the Quest from Meta, which are priced on the higher side. That's a reason why Indian companies are working towards bringing metaverse experiences on web browsers and even smartphones.

"A true metaverse is immersive and three-dimensional. But this requires specialised hardware, which may not be accessible to all our consumers just yet. So we are creating our metaverse to be experienced in two dimensions as well," says Zee's Mittal.

Industry leaders are also worried about the security of the content. But even with so much to worry about and seek clarity on, the entertainment industry is attracted to the metaverse in just the same way a kid is charmed by a shiny new toy.

@nidhisingal

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How the Metaverse Will Drive Innovation in Entertainment

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Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi has always attracted big crowds. This January, when he had his debut concert in the metaverse, 20 million people logged in at once, crashing the servers. The event was held on PartyNite, one of India's first metaverse spaces.

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Talk of the metaverse has been ubiquitous over the past several months. In 2021, internet searches for the term increased by 7,200 percent. In December, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared his ambition to "help bring the metaverse to life." A month later, Microsoft said that its proposed acquisition of gaming giant Activision provided "building blocks for the metaverse."

It's not just talk; private capital is also rapidly pouring in. In 2021, metaverse-related companies reportedly raised upward of $10 billion, more than twice as much as they did in the previous year. In the past 12 months, one company alone-Epic Games, maker of Fortnite-has not only raised $3 billion to fund its long-term vision for the metaverse but also announced a partnership with LEGO to build a metaverse for kids. The global value creation opportunity from the metaverse could be in the trillions.

What, exactly, is the metaverse? Right now, the interested parties cannot agree on any one definition. But most descriptions-including this particularly insightful take from venture capitalist Matthew Ball, who recently shared his thoughts on the promise of the metaverse with McKinsey -have some elements in common:

The metaverse encompasses immersive environments, often (but not always) using virtual- or augmented-reality technology.

The metaverse is "always on" and exists in real time.

The metaverse spans the virtual and physical worlds, as well as multiple platforms.

The metaverse is powered by a fully functioning virtual economy, often (but not always) built on cryptocurrency and digital goods and assets, including nonfungible tokens (NFTs).

The metaverse enables people to have virtual identities, presence, and "agency," including peer-to-peer interactions, transactions, user-generated content, and "world-building."

We believe that the metaverse is best characterized as an evolution of today's internet-it is something we are immersed in instead of something we look at. It may realize the promise of vast digital worlds to parallel our physical one. For marketers, the metaverse represents an opportunity to engage consumers in entirely new ways while pushing internal capabilities and brand innovation in new directions.

Now is the right time to adopt a test-and-learn mindset, to be open to experiments in the metaverse, and to move on quickly from failure and capitalize on success.

We do continue to see a healthy amount of skepticism about the metaverse, and companies may wish to exercise caution, since the promise may take some time catching up to the hype. But we believe we're at the cusp of a fundamental shift in how people use the internet. (See sidebar, "Six reasons the metaverse is here to stay.") Marketers would be remiss if they didn't start exploring what the metaverse can offer. Now is the right time to adopt a test-and-learn mindset, to be open to experiments, and to move on quickly from failure and capitalize on success.

Rewriting the rules of marketing for the metaverse

We may still be in the first wave of consumer engagement with the metaverse, but lessons are already emerging from companies that found early success. In some ways, the critical elements of marketing in the metaverse resemble those of designing authentic and compelling brand experiences in the physical world. But the application of these elements in the metaverse can be very different. Much as approaches for driving value online continue to evolve, the effective engagement of consumers in the metaverse will require its own evolving recipe for success.

Here's what this landscape looks like today and how organizations can think about their metaverse marketing strategies for the future.

Define your metaverse marketing goals. Why do you want to be part of the metaverse? If your brand's consumers are there, do you want to increase awareness among new audiences, position your brand and generate favorable sentiment, or promote loyalty? Is your goal to spark innovation in your marketing team? For the near term, the primary goal of brands shouldn't be driving sales directly, since sales of virtual items are still far smaller than sales of physical ones. What's more, today's metaverse audiences, especially on online entertainment platforms like Roblox, often skew younger, which brings both opportunities and risks.

Identify the platforms that provide the best opportunity and brand fit. Right now, Roblox, Fortnite, Decentraland, Minecraft, and Meta's Horizon Worlds are just a few of the metaverse games and platforms out there. Some will be better than others for specific purposes. There is ample opportunity to experiment with multiple platforms to see what works. For example, the luxury brand Gucci has conducted multiple brand activations to figure out where and how to connect with Gen Z. Last year, it drew 19.9 million visitors in two weeks when it launched a metaverse version of its real-world Gucci Garden on Roblox. Gucci has also partnered with the fashion-focused metaverse Zepeto, announced plans to launch a virtual world on the blockchain-based platform The Sandbox, and created assets for games including The Sims, Pokémon GO, and Animal Crossing.

Design experiences appealing to target audiences. Consumers tend to see brands in the metaverse as innovative, so the bar for delivering innovative experiences is high. Companies need to determine the ideal balance between native advertising, immersive experiences (including games, virtual stores, events, and sponsorships), and real-world activations to complement the metaverse. Take, for example, what the skateboarding retailer Vans did last fall when it launched the interactive skatepark "Vans World" on Roblox. To build brand awareness and appeal to the company's core demographic, Vans enabled visitors to virtually explore skate sites with friends. Visitors can also earn points through gameplay to spend on virtual sneakers and apparel items, as well as to build customized skateboards in a virtual skate shop. This has successfully engaged both existing and new fans-and has seen more than 48 million visitors so far.

Consumers tend to see brands in the metaverse as innovative, so the bar for delivering innovative experiences is high.

Experiment with money-making models. Direct sales may not be front and center on the metaverse right now, but that doesn't mean brands shouldn't be thinking ahead and planning to capture the future potential. Direct-to-avatar sales of virtual goods are already a $54 billion market, and some forward-thinking brands are testing different opportunities to generate revenues. Forever 21, for example, sells a beanie in Roblox for under a dollar. On the other end of the scale, Gucci sold a digital version of its Dionysus bag last year for $4,115-more than the price of the physical item itself. Nike is trying out unique NFTs with its recent release of Nike Cryptokicks (a virtual model of its Nike Dunk sneakers), designed by the creative studio RTFKT, which Nike acquired in December.

Just as online-to-offline sales conversions are the norm today, we can expect to see more metaverse-to-offline opportunities in the future, too. In April, Chipotle claimed it was the first brand to enable Roblox players to exchange digital currency for real-life rewards when it offered vouchers for burritos to the first 30,000 visitors to its metaverse restaurant.

Create, leverage, and partner for new metaverse capabilities. For the metaverse, as for any new venture, brands should assess the skills they will need, identify which they already have and which they must acquire, and appoint someone to lead the development and execution of a coherent strategy to capture value. Brands should also aim to work with and learn from others, including the independent developer and creator communities that are active on the platforms already.

Roblox, for example, has hundreds of thousands in its developer community who are actively developing a range of experiences and learning how to make money from them. Last November, NASCAR partnered with Badimo, the developers of the popular Roblox game Jailbreak, to add a branded vehicle to the game for a ten-day event. During that time, gamers visited Jailbreak 24 million times-a 30 percent increase in the number of concurrent players. Creative, branding, and marketing agencies are also rapidly launching new service models and metaverse capabilities, including their own virtual studios.

Furthermore, celebrities and influencers are increasingly attaching their names to metaverse initiatives. In some cases, they're deeply involved with the actual creation of new immersive media for the metaverse. Last year, for example, the rapper Snoop Dogg built his own "Snoopverse" in The Sandbox. A few months later, he released the first music video that takes place entirely within the metaverse. " The House I Built," like previous Snoop Dogg videos, features dancing, hanging out by the poolside, and driving nice cars. But this time, it's his digital double enjoying the lifestyle.

Proactively plan for risks to the brand. There are many cautionary examples of brands that exposed themselves to risk by engaging directly with consumers online without having prepared for the rapid feedback loops of the internet or the potential virality of social media. In the metaverse, the risks can be even higher, since these events are live in real-time and more immersive. Brands would do well to establish basic rules of engagement-detailed policies and enforcement practices they can follow later-for customer experience, intellectual-property management, user safety, data privacy, and misinformation, for example. Already, in some cases things have not gone according to plan. One global electronics brand launched a new line of products with great fanfare on its metaverse venue, but disappointed fans had trouble gaining access and had to virtually "queue" outside the venue.

Rethink how you measure marketing success. Measuring the returns on marketing spend is always critical, but the appropriate metrics for the metaverse may not be what you expect. Digital marketing typically focuses on metrics such as the number of visitors, conversions, "likes," and shares, as well as the cost of acquiring customers. With the metaverse, marketers may need to define new engagement metrics accounting for the unique behavioral economics at play (such as the "scarcity" of NFTs, which are supposed to be unique). For example, the online food delivery company Deliveroo deployed virtual drivers to make virtual deliveries in Nintendo's popular Animal Crossing game, including promo codes to activate in real life. Within the first hours of play, it racked up three million in-game interactions with players.

With the metaverse, marketers may need to define new engagement metrics accounting for the unique behavioral economics at play.

Tread carefully but firmly

Clearly, the metaverse already gives companies ample opportunities for brand building and marketing. The current technological limits and modest level of mainstream adoption are not likely to be major obstacles for experimenting, learning, and finding success with marketing in the metaverse.

A few questions will shape its longer-term evolution. Marketers should be aware of these as they shift their focus and marketing budgets to the metaverse:

How will interoperability, or the ability to transfer digital avatars and assets across multiple worlds, work in the metaverse? What implications does that have for brands offering digital assets, such as virtual clothing, today?

How will the social contract and legal framework for the metaverse evolve? How will user safety be ensured, particularly for youth? Sensitivities around marketing to minors have always existed, but as generational shifts occur, they come into sharper focus in the metaverse. What additional responsibilities should brands take on for child safety?

How will first-party consumer data be stored, managed, and protected? How will data privacy laws apply to the metaverse in the future? And how can brands secure consent and source data to enhance their own consumer insights, especially in a world without cookies?

No matter how the metaverse evolves, levels of innovation and consumer adoption will probably accelerate. When you consider how quickly platforms are evolving and the new use cases emerging, it's clear that brands will have incentives to go on testing and learning. It will also be imperative for marketers to secure the talent required to keep up with rapid new developments in areas such as augmented and virtual reality, consumer journey analytics, and social commerce.

Finally, the metaverse has great future potential beyond marketing. To create value throughout the enterprise, companies must take the time to think through the potential strategic implications of the metaverse for sales, operations, production, R&D, and HR. Organizations and brands that plan and execute now will benefit most from the future of the metaverse.

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Marketing in the metaverse: An opportunity for innovation and experimentation

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Talk of the metaverse has been ubiquitous over the past several months. In 2021, internet searches for the term increased by 7,200 percent. In December, Facebook rebranded itself as Meta, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg declared his ambition to "help bring the metaverse to life."

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Perhaps the biggest buzzword in global tech, business, and finance, the 'metaverse' has recently garnered considerable worldwide attention from everyone: business leaders and CEOs right through to your grandmother.

Facebook's rebranding of itself into Meta marked a significant shift in the Silicon Valley powerhouse's focus for the future - and other major tech players and businesses are following suit.

With Microsoft, Google, and Apple also investing massive amounts into the metaverse, it is no wonder that the metaverse is touted to be an $80 billion market by 2024. This will no doubt be further bolstered by the recent news that Qualcomm has announced the launch of a $100 million fund aimed at virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies to jumpstart the metaverse. Furthermore, Gartner predicts that 25% of people with spend time in the metaverse for entertainment, shopping, work, social media and education by 2026.

But what is the metaverse exactly and what does it mean for our future society?

What is the metaverse?

It is easier to think of the metaverse in terms of how we described the internet during its infancy in the 70s and 80s. A new way of interconnected information and communication was being created slowly and nobody quote knew exactly what it would look like or how it would work. But here we are today, a digitally savvy interconnected global society benefitting from the internet that is reshaping our world every day.

The same is for the metaverse: it is certainly the 'next internet' but at this stage, nobody is fully aware of what it will look like when fully embraced by society. But we have a window into its early stages of development and this is what we know so far:

The metaverse is marking a broad shift in how we interact with technology. Like a 3D internet or cyberspace, it is a shared virtual space where physical and digital virtual realities converge. It is made possible by technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), head-mounted displays (HMDs), the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), spacial technologies, and 5G. However, it is device-independent, meaning that it exists constantly whether you are in the metaverse or not.

There is no single one metaverse

The metaverse is not owned by a single vendor, and uses a virtual digital currency and non-fungible token-enabled economy.

Currently, the metaverse refers to an open digitally-enhanced virtual space where users can work, play, and socialise through a personalised avatar. Think of it like a video game where instead of quests, users live their virtual lives as they usually do online but through an increasingly more immersive experience.

It is easier to refer to the metaverse as we do with the Internet. It is a type of virtual space (verse/universe) that will welcome users much like social media platforms have done in Web 2: creating an online profile and interacting with other profiles, etc. but this time it is in immersive 3D environments. As such, there will be multiple metaverses available for users to interact within. It is important to be aware that the term 'metaverse' refers to a virtual open space itself.

Popular metaverse platforms

Currently, there is an important distinction between metaverses: centralised and decentralised. This just means that centralised metaverses are owned and operated by a business, which implies that all data and assets users own are also controlled by this entity. Decentralised means that there is no single owner, and users interact with it through a public blockchain wallet.
Web3 decentralised metaverses
One of the most popular metaverses currently, The Sandbox is an Ethereum-based gaming metaverse where users can create, sell, use, and monetise their own virtual reality NFTs. Visually, it is very much inspired by the widely known video game, Minecraft. It uses its native crypto token, SAND, to power the in-game economy.

The Sandbox has become popular with a slew of celebrities and companies purchasing virtual land to build experiences or just own digital real estate. Recently, HSBC purchased NFT land in The Sandbox metaverse, joining other high profile signings including Warner Music, Snoop Dogg, Adidas and Ubisoft games.

Another popular metaverse running off the Ethereum blockchain, Decentraland allows users to buy and sell digital real estate while also playing games and interacting with other users in its virtual world. The metaverse platform allows for interactive apps and in-world payments using two different tokens for different purposes. LAND NFTs are used to facilitate the buying, selling, and proof of ownership of digital land, and MANA is the in-world cryptocurrency used to underpin the purchase of LAND and other virtual goods and services in Decentraland.

Cryptovoxels is another Ethereum-based virtual world that allows users to purchase items and land parcels using the Ethereum cryptocurrency. The metaverse is built to resemble the real world with streets and building infrastructure which users are able to purchase and build anything they like within. Users can even rent their land parcels out to other users, add or remove blocks, and embed audio, video, and images on their land parcel.

Somnium Space allows users to create fully independent, customisable and programmable VR experiences within its connected world. The Ethereum-based metaverse has an NFT marketplace where users can buy, sell and trade game-based assets. By integrating blockchain technology, users can monetise their VR experiences to create a world in their own image.
Centralised metaverses
Meta's (previously Facebook) Horizon Worlds is a social VR application that allows users to create and explore virtual worlds in an interactive manner. Users engage with both content consumption and creation. The virtual world has ready-to-use VR building components, animation effects and sounds to help users create: over 10,000 worlds have already been created by over 300,000 users to date. It also allows users to play games with each other and interact.

Roblox is an online platform and storefront where users are able to select and play online games made by other users. So, the fun of Roblox is that you can enjoy playing games made by other creators or you can take a turn at creating your own. The platform boasts over 200 million user-generated online games. And brands are getting in on this: Nike has created Nikeland, a virtual space based on Nike's real-world headquarters for users to connect, create and share experiences through the use of Nike's game creation tools on the Roblox platform.

What is all the hype about?

Well, the impact that the 'new internet' will have on society (judging from the original) is going to understandably be a game-changer for how we live our lives. The internet was first script/text-based, then visual media (images and videos) was incorporated and now, VR and AR will take it to a level of immersion previously dreamed about by futurists.

The evolution of the web.

No doubt, technology companies are generating much of the metaverse hype because they have a vested interest as they will create technologies to augment and enhance our physical and digital reality. But hype aside, the possibilities are seemingly endless thanks to the convergence of these technologies that have radically improved in recent years.

According to Gartner, activities previously siloed into separate environments will soon occur in the metaverse, including:

Purchasing outfits and accessories for online avatars

Buying digital land and constructing virtual homes

Participating in a virtual social experience

Shopping in virtual malls via immersive commerce

Using virtual classrooms to experience immersive learning

Buying digital art, collectables and assets (NFTs)

Interacting with digital humans for onboarding employees, customer service, sales and other business interactions

The hope is that the metaverse will provide collaborative, consistent, decentralised and interoperable business opportunities and models that will allow companies to drive digital business.

Industries currently benefitting from the metaverse

Gaming

Currently, video games are perhaps the best example of what the metaverse looks like in operation. Games like Fortnite and Minecraft are open-world virtual environments that users experience through a customisable avatar where they are able to interact with other players in real-time and even purchase items like weapons and clothing using the Fortnite currency (obtained by using real money).

The important difference, however, is that in the metaverse users will actually own their items as an NFT and will be able to use them across other metaverses as long as they run on the same blockchain. In this sense, these games are precisely what the metaverse is: an entire online community operating in a shared virtual space/verse interacting, socialising, and buying/selling virtual items.

But there is some confusion around the interoperability of NFTs across metaverses. There are bold claims that all NFTs can work across other metaverses but this currently isn't the case. Some NFTs can already interoperate across platforms, like images, but when it comes to 3D assets, things get complex. A lot of development goes into 3D assets and some game developers use different elements, meaning that currently, it is very difficult for complex digital assets to interoperate across metaverses. Also, there are IP implications around these assets which cause issues with interoperability.

Retail and fashion

VR and AR are already transforming the way we shop for items online. These technologies create a unique and immersive digital shopping experience where shoppers can virtually try on items and browse catalogues in a virtual space.

The metaverse will enable the retail and fashion industry to take the digital shopping experience to the next level to create immersive interaction where users can virtually walk through shopping malls and clothing stores from the comfort of their own homes.

For example, the Metaverse Fashion Week recently took place in Decentraland, where major fashion brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Dolce & Gabanna, and Cavalli (to name a few) showcased their Spring 2022 collections. Items were available for purchase as NFT assets which owners could redeem as physical products delivered to their homes.

Education

VR, AR, head-mounted displays (HMDs), the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), spacial technologies, and 5G are allowing for more immersive and interactive learning experiences without the need for infrastructure. The metaverse will allow learners from all corners of the globe to access educational content, thus eliminating hindrances derived from geography, social, cultural, and economic elements.

VR technology has already greatly assisted the teaching of hard skills and job simulations (like flight simulators for pilots), taking these skills to the next level far quicker and at a fraction of the cost. But VR is now also helping to teach soft skills like leadership and resilience during a time of remote learning where businesses are still required to upskill their employees.

Universities across the world are leveraging VR technology to provide remote access to higher education while still providing an immersive learning experience through virtual campuses. The University of South Korea recently held a virtual student entrance ceremony within Minecraft. The sandbox game has an Education Edition which allows teachers and students to interact through the game.

Hospitality

Global hotel chain Hilton has recently turned to VR technology to enhance employee learning and development through interactive and immersive virtual environments. Using the Oculus for Business platform, Hilton team members (from management through to front-line staff) aim to develop hospitality skills in a virtual environment that simulates real-world scenarios to improve services.

What the metaverse future might look like

According to Brian Trunzo, Metaverse Lead at Polygon Studios (creators of NFTs, games, and various metaverse projects for the Ethereum sidechain), "...anything that can become an NFT will become an NFT".

This means that retailers will jump on the metaverse NFT bandwagon and begin developing catalogues of NFTs that will exist solely inside the metaverse. This will lead to more branding and marketing opportunities where pervasive NFTs will be marketed to metaverse users.

The future of finance will likely change with the metaverse creating user-generated financial ecosystems that are decentralised. This will lead to interesting opportunities for new ways to redeem virtual to physical finances that will be leveraged by improvements to AR/VR that will change the way finance operates in both the virtual and physical worlds.

The future of the metaverse is inextricably linked to the future of our modern society. We will no doubt see businesses and brands try to leverage the metaverse to impact both the physical and digital world. The convergence of today's technologies making the metaverse possible will continue to evolve, and so will the promise of the metaverse.

Let's team up

Are you looking to venture into the business of the metaverse? Our Web3 Venture and Innovation Studio Braveye can help you make your mark in the virtual future.

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Understanding the metaverse: what is it and how will it shape our future? - WeAreBrain Blog

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Perhaps the biggest buzzword in global tech, business, and finance, the 'metaverse' has recently garnered considerable worldwide attention from everyone: business leaders and CEOs right through to your grandmother. Facebook's rebranding of itself into Meta marked a significant shift in the Silicon Valley powerhouse's focus for the future - and other major tech players and businesses are following suit.

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The key technologies that power the Metaverse

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Multiple metaverses use various technologies to build immersive worlds. Read about the key technologies that power the Metaverse.

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It was that time When Metaverse was not even a popular concept; Facebook changed its name to Meta. This announcement created confusion for people all around the globe who were not very sound in the technical world.

Metaverse is not only changing just social media platforms but almost every other industry including the healthcare industry. Along with the Metaverse technology, the healthcare industry also utilizes various technologies such as Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, machine learning, Artificial intelligence and many more to enhance their services.

Importance of Metaverse In Medical Education

Current medical education gives restricted access to resources to practice the surgeries, part of the way since strategies on dead bodies are exorbitant for clinics, which likewise consider a medical student's educational expenses. In any case, with the utilization of Virtual Reality in clinical preparation, medical students can train in a reenacted climate with the end goal of immersive surgical training at an essentially lower cost.

Besides, the analysis of a virtual subject instead of a genuine body is practical and empowers students to turn out exclusively for their training purposes. The Virtual Reality-based corpse training sessions can meaningfully affect careful learners' specialized abilities, for example, accuracy and critical thinking abilities.

In the metaverse, the technology will likewise be used in complex surgeries, as medical specialists generally search for better techniques to take care of business with a higher achievement rate.

The dataset gathered through a patient's digital twin likewise permits medical specialists to anticipate a patient's recovery time, any potential complexities, and the necessary medicines for these treatments as a prudent step.

Besides, robot-assisted operations are ordinary now for undertaking complex methodology with exactness and adaptability. Virtual Reality is moderately new as a preparation and practice instrument for surgeries.

During the pandemic, the requirement for such a showing model became vital as clinical universities and nursing schools needed to end disconnected classes, causing enormous pain to all medical students. For sure, the metaverse can determine a significant number of these troubles looked at by the medical industry's education sector.

Step Into The Meta-Hospitals

Since the pandemic, the online medical conference has seen an uncommon flood since distant counsel is undeniably more advantageous for sicknesses and diseases requiring just visual assessment. Furthermore, as it's unimaginably trying for a few old patients to visit health specialists, the online consultations interview pattern will probably proceed even after the pandemic.

This requirement for remote monitoring and the continuous undertakings to involve Virtual Reality in the clinical business make it profoundly conceivable for these virtual discussions to move from video calling applications to the more vivid and advanced world of the metaverse.

Rather than depending on local online consultation benefits, the overall organization of medical specialists in the metaverse can overcome any issues among patients and clinical carers by offering quality clinical services or assistance that may not be open locally.

It might sound odd for grown-ups to select a platform with a digital avatar in a make-conviction world containing everything virtual. However, the ramifications of the metaverse are with the end goal that it vows to upset clinical processes.

For example, it can impart a patient's whole clinical history to their primary care physician, every last bit of it ordered and classified for reference in a manner that would save both the healthcare specialist's and the patient's time. In the meantime, the VR experience of the metaverse can likewise permit specialists to have a more definite gander at a patient's radiology reports through high-resolution 3D modeling.

In addition, the propelling innovation and versatile medical care contraptions, for example, an oximeter, pulse screen, and circulatory strain screen that can adjust with the web consider information assortment right from your home. As the eventual fate of medical services is data-driven, a patient's information can hugely work on the conclusion and therapy of their medical problems.

Assuming we discuss how the metaverse can impact the manner in which operation theaters work, its suggestions are extensive. For example, health specialists can lead live surgeries for preparing or contact experts for help in the instance of a crisis, with completely coordinated checking of fundamental signs and intrusive strategies.

In addition, it's generally expected to see small kids displeased with weariness or apprehension about facilities and medical clinics. All things considered, the metaverse can give a more lively encounter while visiting a healthcare specialist, which could assist with eliminating their concerns. Simultaneously, it could likewise make it simpler to teach youngsters the significance of cleanliness and smart dieting in a fun and intelligent way.

Use Of Virtual Reality For Patient Therapy

The metaverse can possibly furnish healthcare specialists with new restorative medicines. Today, healthcare specialists can treat individuals with acrophobia or glossophobia by slowly and more than once setting them in testing yet safe circumstances that assist them with preparing their psyches against these fears.

The utilization of Virtual Reality for the treatment of mental problems, for example, OCD and social nervousness has likewise turned into a well-known peculiarity.

The metaverse will likewise give a place of refuge to individuals who need direction through virtual care groups. Unfortunately, the problem with the ongoing care groups is an absence of communication between individuals.

Facebook communities and support groups habitually see individuals coming to pose an inquiry and afterwards stay idle. In any case, in the metaverse, these platforms can be more intelligent and engaging with voice support, community games, and so forth.

These psychological factors have demonstrated power in pain management, as healthcare specialists have seen that VR technology substitutes for narcotic use during twisted changing of consuming casualties.

Likewise, youngsters who went through a blood test drenched in a VR-improved mediation felt essentially less agony contrasted with kids who were diverted by customary techniques. While the act of variety and sound treatment goes back millennia, applying that to the VR experience for relieving a patient's psyche is an exceptionally ongoing practice that has borne productive outcomes.

Consequently, the medical services industry is probably going to connect with patients in the metaverse for more successful pain management.

Conclusion

Regardless of the security and privacy concerns revolving around the possibility of the metaverse, the healthcare specialists are good to go to use innovative headways for work on quiet consideration.

That is on the grounds that Web 3.0, which is the establishment for the metaverse, depends on blockchain technology and will include decentralized applications that help a decentralized crypto economy.

Besides, the VR medical care industry was valued at $1206.6 million in the year 2021 and is estimated to reach $11,657.8 million by 2028, making it obvious that a VR-based metaverse will play a vital part in reforming the medical care industry with additional mechanical headways. Considering that the Internet of Things is picking up speed, seeing more exposure in healthcare.

FAQs

Q. How are AR and VR used in healthcare?

Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) are not only empty buzzwords in medicine but also valid solutions in education, vein or surgical visualization, relaxing patients, curing PTSD, speeding up recovery in physical therapy - or even supporting medical presentations.

Q. How does technology help in healthcare?

Health information technology presents numerous opportunities for improving and transforming healthcare which include; reducing human errors, improving clinical outcomes, facilitating care coordination, improving practice efficiencies, and tracking data over time.

Q. What does the metaverse hold for healthcare?

The Metaverse provides a space where it is possible to 3D-model virtually anything, and real-world specifications can be replicated via digital twin technology. The use of AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) will change medical education and training as well as processes and procedures.

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Importance of Metaverse and Virtual Reality In the Healthcare Industry | HData Systems

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It was that time When Metaverse was not even a popular concept; Facebook changed its name to Meta. This announcement created confusion for people all around the globe who were not very sound in the technical world. Metaverse is not only changing just social media platforms but almost every other industry including the healthcare industry.

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Robert Stevens is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian, the Associated Press, the New York Times and Decrypt.

The metaverse is often couched in such futuristic terms that it's difficult to understand how you can get involved in it today. But the truth is, metaverse-like worlds have been around for decades and it's possible you will have already experienced some of them without necessarily being aware of it.

What is the metaverse again?

While Mark Zuckerberg's Meta (formerly Facebook) has its own ideas about the metaverse, the cryptocurrency community thinks blockchain technology is a perfect fit for this novel online world. Crypto games like The Sandbox and Decentraland offer early visions of how a creator-led, crypto- and NFT-powered economy could function. So, here's what you can do in the metaverse today.

Build, explore and play in virtual worlds

Games like Minecraft and Roblox have been providing metaverse-like experiences for the better part of a decade; both Second Life and Eve Online have been alive and kicking since 2003, and World of Warcraft sprang to life in 2004.

Second Life is one of the closest metaverse analogs due to its creator-led economy and sprawling sandbox world. You can do anything you like in Second Life, and some people have been documented to spend their lives in the game, living off the virtual land, harvesting the game's in-game currency, Linden dollars, and attending events.

Meet people from anywhere for work or play

There are plenty of hangout spaces in the metaverse. While you can certainly congregate in huge open worlds like The Sandbox and Decentraland, you can also play around with custom-built rooms on platforms like Spatial. These apps are purpose-built for events, conferences and meetings. You can log into Spatial with a Web 2 login like Google, or with a Web 3 login like MetaMask. Spatial's virtual worlds are separated into rooms; you can either visit pre-built rooms or create your own. Spatial's galleries support NFTs. You can move about Spatial's world on mobile, Steam, on a browser or through an Oculus VR headset.

Virtual reality is strong on one of Ball's criteria for the metaverse: presence. Strap on a VR headset, like an HTC Vive, Valve Index or Meta (formerly Oculus) Quest, and launch yourself into cyberspace. Meta (formerly Facebook) is building a social hub for its VR headsets, and Steam's VR software comes preinstalled with a virtual home. Games like VR Chat pre-dated crypto, and allow you to enter rooms full of other people wearing VR headsets, dressed in whatever avatar they like.

Companies like MetaHub are creating virtual hangout spaces for conferences and business events, and Decentraland hosted its first music festival in 2021 - although artists were doing that in Second Life long before it was cool. Hanging out is where the boundaries of the metaverse can start to blur and the marketing spiel begins to unravel.

Is Zoom a fundamental part of the metaverse because of its track record of connecting workplaces and sparking a work-from-home revolution? Or is it, as Mark Zuckerberg mentioned in his Meta keynote, an unconvincing alternative to reality that replaces in-person interaction with rows of faces on screens?

Create a 3D avatar that looks like you ... or not

In Somnium Space, an Ethereum-based virtual reality open world similar to Decentraland, you can import a Ready Player Me avatar created from nothing more than a selfie. Following Ball's framework, this fulfils the criteria of interoperability - the ability to take your digital assets with you no matter which platform or app you are using.

Invest in virtual land, NFTs or tokens

Of course, if you're not actually interested in parting with reality just yet, you could always invest in the buzzy virtual worlds instead. There are many ways of going about this. You could invest in NFT avatar drops, like those offered by Nike or Adidas. You could speculate on virtual land or in-game items, like those offered on Axie Infinity, Decentraland and The Sandbox.

You could also invest in the fungible tokens offered by those games, which function as in-game currency. If you're not sure in which token to invest, you could always invest in a metaverse index fund, such as the Metaverse Index (MVI) offered by Index Coop. The MVI rebalances its portfolio in accordance with the largest metaverse coins of the day.

If crypto isn't your thing, you could invest in the equity of virtual reality and metaverse companies. Meta is one company betting big on the future of virtual and augmented reality - an analyst on Seeking Alpha estimates that the company will have spent $70 billion on the concept between 2014 and 2023. Virtual reality and metaverse stocks, as well as private investments, are also on the table.

This article was originally published on Feb 7, 2022 at 10:44 p.m. UTC

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DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.

Robert Stevens is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian, the Associated Press, the New York Times and Decrypt.

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What Can You Actually Do in the Metaverse in 2022?

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Robert Stevens is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian, the Associated Press, the New York Times and Decrypt. The metaverse is often couched in such futuristic terms that it's difficult to understand how you can get involved in it today.

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The workplace of the 2020s already looks vastly different from what we could have imagined just a couple of years ago. Now, the metaverse promises to bring new levels of social connectedness, mobility, and collaboration to a world of virtual work.

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While initially many were many skeptical about digital assets competing with traditional, cryptocurrencies have become increasingly common. The trend started with a few big names in the cryptocurrency world, but new currencies are being introduced each and every year. However, the sudden appearance and popularity of new currencies have far-reaching consequences, starting with banks and ending with customers like yourself. Understanding where cryptocurrencies came from and how they interact with modern banking is essential if you're looking to keep your money safe and sound in the coming years.

What are Cryptocurrencies?

You've likely heard the term "cryptocurrency" being thrown around now and again, but what does it really mean? Simply put, cryptocurrency is a type of currency that exists entirely online. It does not have an actual physical form, but exists in a blockchain on a server, which stores data regarding transactions in blocks without personal identifying factors. They are not backed by a bank or other traditional lending institutions, and transactions are highly encrypted to keep personal information private, regardless of the transaction being made. Even so, they cannot be used for every purchase online. More often than not, they are bought as a form of investment rather than as a means to secure purchases from online shops.

The world of cryptocurrency made its first big debut with Bitcoin, which is credited as the first successful currency of this type. It was described as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, promising to decentralize and cut out any sort of middle man entirely. As Bitcoin rose in popularity, other cryptocurrencies came into the market as well, giving potential investors access to more options each and every year.

How Did Cryptocurrencies Become Popular?

While safety and security with online transactions was a definite selling point, it was investment possibilities that drew attention from the masses. For those who were unable to take advantage of traditional banking products, easy access to online cryptocurrencies gave another way for this group of people to invest. There are several benefits of investing in cryptocurrency, including:

Avoiding fees

Easy access to a wide range of investment opportunities

Direct control over investments

Because of these benefits, Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies rose from skepticism in 2009 to being a sought-after resource less than a decade later.

What are the Downsides to Cryptocurrency?

Cryptocurrencies might seem like a beneficial opportunity, but they are not without their drawbacks. Some of the big disadvantages to consider include:

Cybersecurity

Lack of regulation and supervision

Volatile value

Lack of inherent value

Infrastructure stability problems due to fast growth

How Does Cryptocurrency Compare to Traditional Investing?

As cryptocurrency investing gains popularity, more people are apt to choose the option that is more convenient. Therefore, many who might otherwise invest in a more traditional way have turned to cryptocurrencies instead. This means less business for banks and investment firms, which in itself has far-reaching consequences.

However, because the value of cryptocurrencies isn't backed by anything, investments can be highly unpredictable. That's one of the reasons why these currencies cannot take the place of a local bank. While they provide an investment opportunity, they can't offer stability, which is what you need when it comes to your cash. Furthermore, this currency can't secure mortgages, loans, or other services you'll need throughout life. This is why continuing to work with your local bank is important, even if cryptocurrency strikes your interest.

How Does This Affect Banking Customers?

While cryptocurrencies are new and exciting, they simply cannot meet the demands of consumers. Cryptocurrencies cannot be used to secure a mortgage, a car loan, or any of the other financial needs you may have. For these forms of financial support, working with your local bank is imperative.

Keeping your cash in a bank allows you to have easy access to funds whenever you need it, and it won't be tied up in a currency investment that could drop in value at any given time. While it might mean the minor inconvenience of driving to your branch now and again, you'll experience easier access to the services you need, along with better security for your hard-earned cash.

Learn More

In short, while cryptocurrencies are more convenient than traditional banking and investing options, they are simply not as secure as using your local bank. When you use your bank, you can rest assured that your cash will retain its worth and that the practices surrounding how your money is invested are highly regulated by federal law. All in all, if safety and security are what you're looking for, finding a local bank branch is the best route.

Getting caught up in the latest and greatest currencies, financing, and investing opportunities is easy, but making smart decisions about your future takes careful planning. There's no better place to start than by gathering information and working with experienced professionals, who have the know-how and expertise to steer you in the right direction.

Learn more about Blackhawk Bank by contacting us today.
Author: Learn more about Matt.
Read More From Common Cent$

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What is Cryptocurrency and How Does it Benefit Me?

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While initially many were many skeptical about digital assets competing with traditional, cryptocurrencies have become increasingly common. The trend started with a few big names in the cryptocurrency world, but new currencies are being introduced each and every year. However, the sudden appearance and popularity of new currencies have far-reaching consequences, starting with banks and ending with customers like yourself.

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LeewayHertz - Software Development Company

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Metaverse is a virtual upliftment of the existing internet technologies. There are various modes with which you can get access to Metaverse like general computers, augmented reality, mixed reality and VR technologies. Facebook is also a social media platform based on metaverse. Similarly, a VR company named Oculus in the year 2014 spoke of its plan to establish a 3-D social platform for the commercial purpose of connecting various services.

The construct of Metaverse is based on common standards of interfaces and communication rules between two different virtual environments. Experts and developers are collaborating to improve and create interoperable and decentralized metaverse platforms. Key components of developing an interoperable metaverse are:

High bandwidth decentralized network

These networks host the metaverse in a decentralized way beyond the control of any single company or authority. They also facilitate the decentralized transmission of data with real-time connections.

Open interoperable media standards

These standards include text, images, audio, video, 3D scenes and sequences, vectors to power 3D applications.

Open programming languages

HTML, WebXR, JavaScript, WebAssembly, WebGPU Shader Language, etc.

XR hardware

This includes smart glasses, Omni treadmills, haptic gloves, industrial cameras and scanning sensors to link with Metaverse.

Computing power

With the computing power, users can support data processing, AI and projection.

Payment gateways

Payment gateways help in digital currency exchanges and regulate crypto and fiat payments.

3D immersive simulations

3D immersive simulations are virtual ecosystems full of real-world immersive experiences.

One of the major sectors using Metaverse is gaming where people can engage in ways they never have before in a competitive game arena. They can have an immersive experience: instead of focusing on a flat screen, they can adapt to the environment around them. Consider a world where you can study, connect, work, earn money, and even attend concerts virtually. Metaverse may make it easier to attend business meetings, online concerts, and play games in the virtual environment, which is an expansion of the external reality.

The Metaverse is intended to captivate users and give them the impression that they are truly in the reality they have entered. Instead of a two-dimensional screen, it helps to take those collaborative possibilities to the next level by immersing users in a three-dimensional environment where they may interact more personally with the elements around them. It is a great technique to generate augmented reality when working with games, play-to-earn gaming with NFTs minting and trading, live game streaming, value exchange with crypto including a deeper connection with the overall world.

With virtual reality gaining major traction from various sectors of the world, Metaverse has a huge scope in the near future. Every tech-savvy person wants to explore the immersive digital universe with augmented reality and virtual reality devices. Metaverse is access to the parallel digital platform with the most realistic effects and sensory feedback. It is a shared platform with an immersive virtual world for the players represented using avatars. Players can interact with each other in real-time and can also create landscapes and game world objects. Let's explore some of the best examples of gaming Metaverse.

Decentraland

Decentraland is a blockchain Metaverse for gaming where players can play to earn. It is a social gaming Metaverse open to all for playing poker, blackjack, roulette and slots. People can play and earn tokens on the Decentraland platform.

Decentral Games and ICE Poker together introduced an open Metaverse gaming for their players. ICE is a mode of free play where players can earn by completing ICE poker daily check-ins, delegating NFT wearables to opposite players for a passive share of revenue, collecting wearables and minting new NFT wearables and trading them on the marketplace.

Axie Infinity

Axie Infinity is a decentralized gaming Metaverse full of interesting avatars, Axies, that players can own as pets. Players target to battle, breed, gather, raise and create kingdoms for their Axies. The gaming platform has a player-driven economy where players can solely own, buy, sell, and trade the gaming resources they earned during their skilled gameplay.

While Axie is an interesting game, it has the features of a social network along with earning opportunities.
The basic difference between Axie and a traditional game is that Blockchain technology design provides the ability to have player-owned economies and reward players who have reached advanced levels of the game.

The Sandbox

The Sandbox is a virtual ecosystem where players can build, own, and monetize their gaming skills in
the Ethereum blockchain via SAND, the platform's utility token.
Their vision is to offer an interactive and immersive Metaverse in which players can create virtual buildings and in-game objects interoperably and without a centralized authority. Sandbox targets to disrupt the traditional game developers like Minecraft and Roblox by offering creators complete ownership of their creations as non-fungible tokens and rewarding their participants with the utility token SAND.

Wrapping Up

Metaverse has the potential to revolutionize the way individuals connect with technology and people for various purposes like professional jobs, gaming, trading, regulating legal processes, game streaming, video conferencing, etc. Using Metaverse, gamers compete in an immersive environment. They earn by 3D game streaming, minting and trading the gaming NFTs. Metaverse has the ability to strengthen connections and relationships, reintroducing some of the human factors into those two-dimensional virtual interactions for people to work remotely and for the firms investing in remote options for their employees. It's a step forward, and it might surface even before you realize its power to uplift virtual reality.
Connect with our experts for Metaverse-related development services and extensive guidance on virtual reality.

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With Metaverse gaming, people compete in an interactive three-dimensional platform by incorporating focus, sensus and locus via VR tools.

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The gaming industry is constantly growing. Nowadays, it has become easier for people to play games on their computers or mobile devices. As a result, playing games is no longer just a pastime but an entire industry with millions of customers. The big business players know it, too.

In our fast-pacing world, escapism has become the new trend. Spending time in digital worlds allows us to express ourselves in ways we don't get to in our everyday lives. Having such alternate realities available to us protects our selves from day-to-day worries. Immersing yourself in a game can be just the cure for a stressful day.

Photo by Minh Pham on Unsplash

It is even better when the immersing process can be intensified. That is where the metaverse enters the stage.

The metaverse is a virtual world that provides an environment where players can interact, form groups and teams, and socialize. The metaverse offers an area where people can rediscover themselves and others. It has plenty of benefits and advantages. In this article, we will cover some of the ways that it has impacted the gaming industry.

1. Connect with a Lot of Players Simultaneously

The metaverse impacts the video game industry with its ability to connect players regardless of location. As a result, users can interact and communicate with others in real-time formats that can trick your mind into perceiving them as in the real world.

They will be able to see how their character looks in different locations in the metaverse. In addition, it allows players to interact with others in different parts of the world without having any latency or lag time problems, which often occur when playing online games over traditional networks such as wired or wireless connections.

The metaverse has been seen as the future in gaming because it can help reach out to millions of people at once through. But unfortunately, the gaming companies know too well that this technological innovation is the future.

2. Creates New Opportunities for Game Developers

The metaverse will also help create new opportunities for developers and publishers. Since there are no boundaries when it comes to virtual reality, developers can now create worlds that are even more realistic than those previously created, especially with projects like metaverse VR.

Developers can use this technology to develop new players' experiences and improve existing games. It could be done by adding new elements to existing games or creating a new game based on them. It means that more people will be willing to invest their money in buying new games from different publishers who have come up with all types of new worlds. Everyone would want to explore and immerse themselves in some fantastic never-ending, and never-before-seen worlds.

3. Creates a Unique Environment for Each Player

Players can create unique environments with advanced graphics and design tools in the metaverse. In addition, they can use it to enhance their experience as gamers.

For example, one player might want to build an entire city inside their own space, while another might want to design an underwater scene full of fish and coral reefs. The possibilities are endless and are all up to the creator. They will be able to build and create to their heart's desire and then wander around their fabulous experiment.

4. Develop Characters to the Next Level

This innovation will allow the user to enhance their game avatar. For example, players could develop their characters through skill points earned during gameplay, allowing them to improve their character's abilities over time.

The games will allow players to build their characters and create their worlds by interacting with other users in these Vrs. Players could share stories, chat and even fight against each other as if they were part of a real-life battle!

The Bottom Line

The metaverse has a huge potential to change the gaming industry. There's no doubt that the gaming industry will continue to grow in the metaverse.

After all, it has the potential to revolutionize the gaming industry by bringing previously disparate experiences and stories together and allowing a player to move seamlessly between worlds, characters, and stories in a fluid way.

Moreover, it's great that some of the biggest companies are starting their virtual worlds, too. So the real benefit is that players and developers will have much more choice of games and worlds to enjoy.

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The Impact of Metaverse on the Gaming Industry - Daily Business

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The gaming industry is constantly growing. Nowadays, it has become easier for people to play games on their computers or mobile devices. As a result, playing games is no longer just a pastime but an entire industry with millions of customers. The big business players know it, too.

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Metaverse is soaring to new heights with each passing day. It's now mainstream technology and is the next big thing that will change the face of the digital world. By creating an immersive visual experience, Metaverse compliments emerging technologies such as blockchain, IoT, and 3D visualization.

Although Metaverse is for everyone and different industries are adopting it, the gaming industry adopted Metaverse earlier than others to unlock its full benefits. Players who were earlier interested in other genres of online games, such as multiplayer games, are frequently shifting their interest to the Metaverse.

But why there's so much hype around metaverse games? Can it replace the existing game formats? Let's discuss Metaverse and how it powers next-generation gaming to find answers to such questions.

Metaverse is a virtual world designed to connect worldwide users with a shared digital platform to interact and socialize. Companies building their metaverse projects leverage leading technologies such as 3D reconstruction, augmented reality, virtual reality, IoT, artificial intelligence, and blockchain to develop powerful versions of Metaverse.

The persistent nature of the Metaverse attracts people the most. It means that players do not require to switch on or exit the gaming platform, and it exists even after they finish playing their session. In addition, Metaverse creates excitement among players by providing virtual space for the digital replication of our real world.

Players can have a close-to-reality experience while playing games on the Metaverse platform. Like they can interact with other players, trade in-game assets, and even experience a physical sense of touch using haptic gloves and jackets. Note that in-game items in the metaverse games carry real-world value. It means that players can earn real money by selling their virtual assets in the Metaverse via NFTs.

Gaming before Metaverse

Before the advent of blockchain-powered games, players were much into multiplayer games. However, blockchain has significantly changed the face of online games. Its use cases like NFTs and cryptocurrencies amaze players with features like tokenization of gaming items and the facility to trade them to earn money in cryptos.

Depending on the specific rules of the games, players can either sell their assets or collect them until they yield rewards from the platform. People with an inclination towards real money games and crypto spaces are the ones who hailed the popularity of NFT games worldwide. Besides the yield, such games became prevalent due to the high-quality visual representation of real-life objects and impressive graphics.

Gaming after Metaverse

The recent evolution in the gaming industry has brought along the Metaverse games. Players are entering into the real of Metaverse to experience next-level gaming. While Metaverse can either be centralized or decentralized, gaming companies focus more on decentralized projects since the future is decentralized. Stick around to visualize the Metaverse games and help players understand how it works.

Characters in the Metaverse games are regulated through players' unique avatars, the virtual representation of real identities. These characters live in Metaverse exactly how people live in the real world.

Metaverse games are based on the play-to-earn concept that allows players to win virtual gaming items and sell them to earn real-world money.

Players can invite their social media friends, interact with other players inside the Metaverse, and collaborate to enjoy the games together.

Since Metaverse leverages technologies AR and VR to create a more organic experience, players feel a lifelike experience exactly how they feel in the real world.

Metaverse gaming platforms are interoperable, allowing players to move their gaming items from one space to another without any major change.

The latest development in the Metaverse has compelled gaming companies to switch to Metaverse games. To make the gaming experience more immersive, Metaverse game developers use new-age technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence. Let's define the top technologies required to develop a gaming Metaverse:
AR and VR technologies
AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) create an immersive and exciting 3D experience that are the key technologies powering Metaverse development. AR morphs the real world and creates a virtual world using visual elements and characters. It supports smartphones and various digital devices so that users can enjoy on-the-go immersive experiences.
Blockchain and cryptocurrency
Blockchain technology helps develop decentralized Metaverse projects. It brings benefits such as digital proof of ownership, transfer of value, digital collectability, and interoperability. Cryptocurrencies, as real-world currencies, allow users to transfer value in the 3D immersive world of Metaverse.
Internet of things (IoT)
With the internet of things (IoT), Metaverse can collect, obtain, and utilize data from the physical world. It connects the virtual world of Metaverse to a large number of real-world devices so that objects in the Metaverse can switch the way they function based on changing weather or atmosphere.
3D reconstruction
3D technology is not new, but 3D reconstruction has increased highly due to the covid pandemic. Many real estate companies adopted this technology to take their potential buyers on a virtual property tour. Metaverse, being a new concept, has been using 3D reconstructing to complement other technologies that already exist on the Metaverse.

While Metaverse is still in its early stages, many companies have launched next-generation gaming platforms. Decentraland and Sandbox are examples of futuristic projects, and big tech giants like Microsoft and Facebook are coming with their unique Metaverse projects. Hence, we are likely to experience a much-enhanced version of Metaverse in the future.

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How Does Metaverse Powers the Future of Gaming?

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Metaverse is soaring to new heights with each passing day. It's now mainstream technology and is the next big thing that will change the face of the digital world. By creating an immersive visual experience, Metaverse compliments emerging technologies such as blockchain, IoT, and 3D visualization.

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The use of Metaverse in the different sectors is rising day by day. With the new dimensions that the continuous Metaverse development is allowing us to enter, it is becoming the next big thing every day. Although the use of Metaverse technology has garnered interest in various sectors, the field that has captured the most attention among the various sectors is the gaming industry. The industry not only adopted the metaverse way earlier but also retains the craze among people to date. Through this article, let's look at how the metaverse powers the future of gaming.

Metaverse: An Overview

Although the Metaverse isn't a fully operational concept, it is a concept of an online, 3D-connected virtual space, connecting users in all aspects of their life. Let's consider your daily life routine - work, travel, socializing, friends, family, and many more. Now let's consider all these activities done online. That's Metaverse for you.

Want to know where it all started? If you have heard of Neal Stephenson, you know the answer! This renowned author first introduced the concept in his book Snow Crash. Now it isn't much Science fiction anymore. It is nearly a reality we would have too soon to live in or accept; this is a topic to debate. Although, any technology that's yet to come has given us a certain freedom to ease our lives and is just an extension of our minds. Every idea was churned in someone's mind. So it doesn't matter what Reality is; when the Metaverse is out there, there is no such thing as technology that will replace a human's mind, contradiction aside. Let's get right into it.

The Metaverse is a persistent, 3 Dimensional, digital universe concept that combines multiple different virtual spaces altogether. The big tech companies are already leading the way in fully connecting and developing the Metaverse. One of the most significant aspects of the Metaverse is how it will digitalize and affect our lives. To make this more elaborate, once the Metaverse is fully operational, the next time we plan on meeting our friends, we will make plans in the Metaverse, not through meeting at a place. Get it? That's right, a total digitalization of even the most minor aspect of our lives.

That's kinda scary combined with the excitement of how it could be. Talking about the current scenario, the tangible and intangible connections have become increasingly more advanced. The NFTs, blockchains, crypto, and gaming haven't been much farther. They are all in the same ecosystem as the Metaverse and would probably be the core of what Metaverse is about.

Let's get into the Gaming aspect of it a little further.

If you want to get into the core of Metaverse technology, first and foremost, you need to understand what augmented Reality is; that's what drives Metaverse. We can simply think of Augment reality as integrating user and digital information. The integration has to be in real-time.

AR provides the user with sound, visuals, and other sensory information through glasses or phones. This data is superimposed on the device to create an experience in which digital data alters how the user perceives the real world.

The onset of the Metaverse is that its expansion will make things like gaming, organizing meetings or events, and studying easier.

What powers the Metaverse?

AR and VR Techs

VR and AR are also called Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, respectively. For those new to these terms, Augmented Reality is an immersive real-time use of information in texts, images, and sounds overlaid in a real-world environment. Virtual Reality is entirely digital, where all the texts, photos, and sounds are digital.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency

Here's what IBM defines blockchain to be: Blockchain is a distributed, immutable ledger that makes it easier to record transactions and track assets in a business network. The asset can be anything tangible, an object, or a substance. For example, it can be copyrights, intellectual properties, or patents.

Let's make it simpler: the business runs on pure information; the faster and more efficient it is, the better the business will perform.

How does blockchain work?

Once a transaction occurs, it is recorded as a block.

The blocks are linked such that the current block has a connection with the block that appeared before it.

Transactions are recorded or placed in an irreversible chain named "Blockchain."

Let's get to cryptocurrency, sometimes called crypto, is a form of any currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions. Cryptography doesn't have any regulating authority or central issuing but instead uses a decentralized system to record transactions and issue new units. Put, cryptocurrency is a digital payment method without relying on banks to verify such payments.

Internet of Things:

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of things or any object embedded with technologies such as software sensors. The technologies facilitate the connection of data to different devices via the internet.

There are a few technologies that make IoT possible; some of them are:

Access to low-cost sensor technology

Machine Learning and Analytics.

Conversational Artificial Intelligence,

Connectivity.

Cloud Computing Platforms.

Access to low-power sensor technology.

How are Metaverse and Gaming related?

The universe Metaverse makes it a leading technology for the gaming industry to tap into. Although gaming involves immersive gameplay, just by looking at a flat, high, resolution screen, imagine what an entire universe adapted to your Reality could do to your experience in having an immersive and as close to Reality as possible during gameplay.

That's right, creating immersive gameplay by suiting your environment is just what the Metaverse's potential could do if unlocked. Breaking the previous two-dimensional screen and taping it into today's virtual reality world makes it near-real gameplay.

It not only provides a space where the person can have immersive gameplay but also an opportunity to access Web3, crypto, gaming, meeting with teams, and much more. The Metaverse is at an adolescent age, where we are just talking about how the Metaverse can power the gaming industry.

What does gaming in the Metaverse look like?

The gaming industry is one of the leading industries tapping into Metaverse's powers and what it has to offer. The primary reason for the gaming industry to tap into the metaverse industries is that it creates very immersive gameplay for the users to experience. To do so, the solutions come from something called Metaverse. As we explored earlier, Metaverse uses the combination of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in hand to create first-hand immersive gameplay.

Gaming together

It is given that Metaverse is a social platform and a platform where multiple people can play on the same platform or the same concept called multiplayer can be immersed in the Metaverse, which is among the primary reasons to create immersive gameplay.

Earn while Playing

It is probably one of the most important aspects of a crowd puller for gaming in the Metaverse. Players can make several profitable actions while playing together as a team. At the same time, in the Metaverse, some of which include selling their assets to other users in exchange for numerous things like money or cryptocurrency, even that matter.

Metaverse in the future would become the pinnacle of earning money for digital earners and primarily gamers. It would become the center of digital playing and earnings and contribute hugely to the country's economy.

Game Assets

What are assets? An asset refers to a thing, object, or any substance that means something or has value. To put it simply, game assets refer to the numerous objects like skins or anything that would make of good value in the game that would enhance one's respectability if one had that, or would enhance their gameplay if they had that particular object. Or it could be an Object that is unique to the game that only one person owns. Or it could be a player's knowledge about something that could make up the definition of an asset.

Some notable players in the Metaverse Gaming industry.

Epic Games

Fortnite, ever heard of the game? Well, of course, Epic Games is best known for its game Fortnite. With its increasing popularity, Epic Games recently announced a 1 billion dollar intention to create its metaverse-focused gaming.

Axie Infinity

It is an online gaming portal revolving around the Pokemon-Esque creatures known as Axie. It differs from the other standard online gaming communities because of the variation between the standard online gaming platforms and blockchain technology. How the Pokemon-Esque works is that players can collect Axies as their virtual pets with those pet's goals to battle, breed, collect, and raise kingdoms for their Axies. The Ethereum-based game utilizes a design that allows players to own their virtual assets and rewards players who can reach an advanced level of playing.

The Sandbox

Sandbox is native to the Metaverse ecosystem. The players use a utility token of the platform, SAND, and play, build and control a virtual space and market their skills on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform is a community-driven platform where creators have the opportunity to monetize their gaming experiences and voxel ASSETS on the blockchain.

Meta

Formerly, Facebook was known as the OG of social media when the digital era of connecting and finding people on the internet started. Facebook creates a huge universe which is around the products it produces. They are on the top list of tech companies to have lastly invested in the Metaverse. Although new to this universe, they hold an impressive track record. To elaborate, they range from a range of products around which the company now revolves.

The future of Gaming and Metaverse

We cannot possibly know if the Metaverse would be a cutting-edge tech that would shape our world for the better or how big the impact of the Metaverse would be on the world's economy. Approximately 80% of the world today is said to run directly or indirectly on the internet, while 20% of things are already digital. Already nearly two hundred million users log on to Minecraft, Fortnite, to name some, and other numerous platforms daily. Primarily, these users are said to this to games, attend concerts, and much more, and people are seen to go further.

Let's go back to 2021 when Google unveiled its own Project Starline. Now, Starline was a project that uses machine learning, computer vision, and fabric-based multi-layered light fields to create a 3 Dimensional holographic video that does not require the use of some special tech to access. Google concludes that this technology leads to a 15% increase in eye contact, a 25% increase in non-verbal communication, and a 30% better conversation recall.

Gaming is primarily focused on immersive gameplay. Now, combined with the power of the Metaverse, the whole focus of gaming would shift and make it a different aspect of revenue income. NFTs, assets, portable game assets, the level of advanced immersive gameplay, and the earnings, along with numerous other aspects, would make Gaming and Metaverse a new Gaming era combined with the Metaverse.

Conclusion

Although the Metaverse isn't out there, we are looking at the probable ease that this could transform the internet, how it could start a new approach to how we accomplish things, and how bigger could play a role in the economics of the world.

It comes with its worries and its perks, some of them that would include how this could digitalize currencies or assets. To how it could create revenue for one. Metaverse is probably on the top of the list of the things that could shape our near digital future as we know it, along with it coming to the gaming aspect, which could shift the entire course of gaming in another direction.

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How Does Metaverse Power the Future of Gaming? -

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The use of Metaverse in the different sectors is rising day by day. With the new dimensions that the continuous Metaverse development is allowing us to enter, it is becoming the next big thing every day. Although the use of Metaverse technology has garnered interest in various sectors, the field that has captured the most attention among the various sectors is the gaming industry.

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Free Open-Source Hotel Booking and Reservation System

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Metaverse impact the future of the hotel industry. Why? Because pandemic has increased the demand for digital technologies.

And, now metaverse will take this to next level. It will transform the hotel industry and enhance the guest experience.

It will bridge a physical gap. People can use their avatars to visit a hotel property and check their rooms and amenities available virtually.

Anyone can create an avatar (which is their virtual identity) and walk through a metaverse hotel, which has been designed to look exactly like the real thing.

Thus, creating an interactive hotel room experience or genuine local areas experience will work in the hotel's favor.

Let's first understand what metaverse is, afterward we will understand why the hospitality industry should adopt it.

And its impact on both customers and hoteliers.

The word 'Meta' comes from a Greek word meaning beyond and 'Verse' comes from the word Universe

Through metaverse, you in the form of an avatar(your character created by you) can connect with people in a digital world.

In simple words, Imagine yourself meeting your friends and family but not in reality rather in a virtual 3D world.

Similarly, you can visit Disney land, cook, study, shop for clothes, but all these in an artificial world.

This artificial world is created for social interactions.

You only have to sit in a corner of your room wearing smart glasses or a special headset.

Wearing smart glasses is the first step towards metaverse. It will allow you to interact with others and record audio and video with just a touch.

Wearable technology like smart glasses will become gateways into the metaverse.

It allows you to interact with the world around you, and record audio and video with just a touch, which is your first step in this journey.

Next, we have is Virtual reality, through which you can explore a new world and where you can share experiences.

Augmented Reality, will help you enhance the experience you are sharing with people in the digital world by adding virtual effects through photos and videos.

People are becoming tech-savvy, and their expectations are becoming high.

So, considering these factors, the adoption of metaverse will take hospitality to the next level.

Let's look at how it will.

The booking process begins with the start of research about the hotels and their rooms in the location where one wants to travel.

So, if using metaverse, then customers can gain various information about the hotel they want to book a room from.

Travelers can turn into their digital character(avatar) and virtually take a 3D tour of the resort or the hotel property and experience their look and feel.

Consequently, they can easily know the size of their room, its decor, windows, and balcony view, the look of the hotel, and the amenities accessible.

This was not possible through static images.

Thus, it increases guest confidence in decision making which ultimately increases bookings and conversion rates.

Moreover, this service could keep you ahead of your competitors and give your guests control of their upcoming travels.

Many times people visit a hotel for one or two days to attend parties, weddings, birthdays, farewell, and more.

But, until Metaverse comes into the picture, it was not possible for people to allow guests to participate in the celebration virtually.

Even if they are not physically present.

For instance, imagine a guest raising a toast for his success, and the hotel places him in the metaverse virtual world.

Where his friends and family are also present to cheer him up.

Images and videos will not create the effect that a metaverse can create.

Use it, to attract guests to your hotel by promoting local places of interest.

For instance, the famous cafe in the town, the nearby waterfall, local markets to buy products.

Let's use metaverse to make them feel what's like to visit wonderful tourist destinations.

For instance, going to a waterpark, looking and different rides, and enjoying it.

The hoteliers can work remotely with the help of the horizon workroom.

It works across both virtual reality and the web, and lets teams connect in the virtual room.

You can work on new ideas, share files and documents, hear updates, socialize, or simply have better conversations that flow more naturally.

Apart from this, you should not worry about the privacy of the documents and discussions that happen in the workroom.

Because it will not use your conversations and materials to inform ads on Facebook.

Additionally, regarding images and videos, you share here, Facebook and third-party apps do not have access to, view, or use them.

Finally, others cannot see your screen on Workroom unless you choose to share it.

Moreover, to make everyone feel safe in the Workroom, a company like Facebook has set up community standards and VR policies.

Everyone has to sign-up for these standards and policies, and if any violation is happening then connect with the team admin he will take further action.

Such as removing the team member from the team. Moreover, it is also possible to report and remove the entire team, in case of violation.

Metaverse impact every business. So, why not think of ways to take advantage of it.

It will create a digital world treat help in the transformation of the hotel industry.

Through its help hoteliers can show 3D virtual tours of their hotel, its rooms, and nearby attractions in local areas to attract guests.

Moreover, if hoteliers are physically apart they still can set meetings and share ideas by being present in the form of an avatar.

Please share views in the comment box.

If you want to learn about the functionality of QloApps then you can visit this link: QLO Reservation System - Free Open-Source Hotel Booking & Reservation System

In case of any query, issue, or requirement please feel free to raise it on QloApps Forum

Moreover, you can raise a ticket to connect with our experts for any assistance.

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How does metaverse impact the hotel industry? - QloApps

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Metaverse impact the future of the hotel industry. Why? Because pandemic has increased the demand for digital technologies. And, now metaverse will take this to next level. It will transform the hotel industry and enhance the guest experience. It will bridge a physical gap.