According to a minister in the Singaporean government, legal marriage proceedings, court cases, and government services may soon be made available in the metaverse.
Advances in Crypto Adoption
As a prime destination for many crypto-related businesses, Singapore is advancing the countries’ interest in metaverse technology.
Edwin Tong, Singapore’s Second Minister for Law, asserted at the ‘TechLaw Fest 2022’ that even highly private aspects of citizens’ life, like ceremonies of marriages, along with other government legal services, could be made possible in the Metaverse:
“The pandemic has already shown us that even dispute resolution — once seen to be a physical, high-touch process [...] can also be held almost entirely online.” Tong highlighted how augmented reality (AR) technology could be used to examine a legal dispute involving, for instance, an accident on a building site in three dimensions. Using the following example to illustrate his point:
“You can put yourself into the actual tunnel or the oil containment facility to look at the construction dispute from the perspective of an augmented reality, representing the actual space.” According to Tong, the incorporation of such technology would in no way prevent the conventional means of such services, as there “can always be a hybrid element”.
The Minister believes that an integrated platform would make the dispute resolution process more convenient and efficient across the board, and would align with the world’s technological development.
Public Services Are Going Digital
Singapore is not the first country to consider metaverse solutions for public and governmental services. In fact, the government of South Korea has already begun moving toward such metaverse integration, allocating $177 million towards the creation of a platform that would allow individuals to access various services provided by the government.
The first hospital in the Metaverse is expected open its doors in October, in the UAE. Patients will be able to use avatars to visit the fully functional, virtual hospital.
On the Flipside
The meetaverse is still undergoing a lot of conceptualization and development. While tech giants are still deciding upon the foundational ideas of how the metaverse should function, one of the biggest challenges facing the industry lies in the lack of hardware. Although, the technology is advancing quickly, the current gear available is not powerful enough guarantee smooth, seamless experiences in the metaverse.
Why You Should Care
- The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for improvements to the experiences of online services.
- The global metaverse market is expected to grow 47.2% to reach USD $426.9 billion by 2027, from the $61.8 billion recorded so far in 2022.
- Singapore is working to position itself as a crypto hub, establishing a crypto-friendly regulatory environment.
For more on the latest metaverse developments, check out:
Top 10 Metaverses to Keep an Eye on in 2022
UAE to Launch World’s First Hospital in the Metaverse