Neal Stephenson's Metaverse Concept Takes a Leap Forward with the Launch of Lamina1 Blockchain Betanet

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• Lamina1, a blockchain platform with a strong emphasis on the Metaverse, has successfully unveiled its betanet and developer-centric Hub, catering to both creators and innovators.
• Lamina1's CEO, Rebecca Barkin, informed CoinCryptoUs that they are on the brink of the mainnet launch, with their sights set on releasing a product with broader and more widespread usability by the beginning of the upcoming year.

 

Lamina1, the layer-1 blockchain with a focus on the metaverse, which was co-founded by renowned science-fiction author Neal Stephenson and early Bitcoin investor Peter Vessenes, has successfully introduced its betanet and a central Hub. This Hub serves as a creative space for designers to shape the fundamental elements of an upcoming open metaverse.

In 1992, Neal Stephenson first introduced the term "metaverse" through his novel "Snow Crash," depicting a cyberpunk-inspired vision of a future where the realms of the digital and physical seamlessly entwine. However, the concept of the "metaverse" has evolved over time. Presently, it manifests as a collection of discrete virtual domains, lacking the crucial interoperability that was initially envisioned.

In a recent conversation with Fast Company, Stephenson discussed the drawbacks of Web2 and outlined his present concept for the metaverse. This new concept envisions a "spatial organization" that intricately connects various digital realms.

"The idea that we’re working on [the metaverse] with Lamina1 feels to me like it’s kind of more foundational; it’s not one particular interpretation or product – it’s kind of a base layer of functionality that anyone ought to be able to use to build experiences," he told the outlet.

Today, Lamina1 has taken Stephenson's vision to the next level by introducing its betanet blockchain in conjunction with the launch of its innovative Hub tailored for Web3 creators and developers. This strategic move aims to streamline the Web3 wallet experience and simplify the onboarding process for all stakeholders. Throughout the betanet phase, partners, validators, world-builders, and developers are provided with the opportunity to experiment with various aspects of the network and explore its comprehensive toolkit. Lamina1 emphasizes that the primary objective of the betanet initiative is to empower creators in constructing the foundational framework for an expansive and inclusive metaverse, fostering this development within a more enduring and secure ecosystem, as a precursor to the imminent mainnet release.

Rebecca Barkin, the CEO of Lamina1 and a former executive at the augmented reality company Magic Leap, explained to CoinDesk that betanet represents a natural "evolution" from their previously launched testnet. The testnet was introduced in January of this year and engaged more than 47,000 participants in immersing themselves in Lamina1's emerging metaverse vision.

"Our aim is not to be simply another [layer 1] or [layer 2] that further fragments a complicated landscape, but to provide a community of content creators with the easiest path to developing high-quality content," she said.

Creating a metaverse hub

The most recent enhancements have a primary emphasis on enhancing the user experience of Lamina1. These updates revolve around simplifying the onboarding procedures, eliminating complex language and steps. The platform has now introduced a more straightforward authentication process, enabling users to establish new blockchain wallets without the requirement of managing their private keys. Additionally, the Hub functions as a comprehensive dashboard, encompassing a user's profile, transaction history, and serving as a utility for uncovering novel experiences crafted on the Lamina1 ecosystem.

In the upcoming months, users will gain the capability to effortlessly transmit, collect, and share digital assets such as music and 3D objects. These assets can then be harnessed to construct immersive on-chain encounters set within a more dependable and lifelike backdrop. Over the following half-year period, Barkin indicated that Lamina1 is set to unveil a range of enhanced attributes. These will encompass an L1 name service, the proficiency to conserve and oversee contacts, tailored subnets, decentralized storage tailored for digital items, and the option to personalize digital identities.

The company is also implementing measures to ensure its infrastructure maintains a carbon-negative status. This is achieved through the utilization of a delegated proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and the establishment of a procedure for new nodes. As part of this procedure, new nodes are mandated to acquire and retire carbon credits before they can validate any of their subnets.

"When we were assessing the right architecture for our partners, we loved what Avalanche had built, so we started there," she explained. "Ultimately, we want to offer a foundation that promises to keep operational costs and gas fees more stable and predictable, has fewer security vulnerabilities, a more experience-oriented interface, and benefits from interoperability and fluid movement of identity and value being built right into the ecosystem."

In addition, the company, which was founded in June 2022 with initial funding from tech giants like Reid Hoffman, Rony Abovitz and Matthew Roszak, is committed to its core values of interoperability and data ownership. Barkin said that people should have "privacy and prosperity" as they move through online spaces; control over their identities, personal data and assets; get paid fairly for their creations; and interact with each other in ways that "shouldn’t destroy the planet, the fabric of society or the livelihood of others."

Although a specific date for the Lamina1 mainnet launch has not been set, Barkin mentioned that the launch is approaching and they have a goal to release a widely accessible and publicly available product by early next year.

"At a minimum, before we launch, we want to ensure we can deliver on usability, stability, identity, game engine integration, and a few key dev tools. And we’re committed to solving the issue of enforceable royalties – [intellectual property] protection, transparency, and better economics are the promises that will bring high-quality creators into the mix, so we must address it," she said.