What is spatial computing?

Spatial computing isn’t just another term for the metaverse. It represents the future of how humans will interact with technology.

This evolving, 3D-centric form of computing uses AI, computer vision, extended reality (XR), and other technologies to seamlessly blend virtual content and experiences into the physical world.

The first generation of spatial computing manifests in wearable devices capable of overlaying digital 3D objects onto reality as if they were part of the physical environment.

This creates new interfaces, expanding computing into everything you can see, touch, know, and feel. It integrates computing into the physical world, which has been lacking for a long time.

Although it is still early days for spatial computing, the foundations are being put into place. This technology represents the beginning of another major shift in computing, similar to the transformation brought by mobile computing.

The World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2024 report highlights the technologies most likely to impact people and the planet in the next 3-5 years, with spatial computing being a key focus.