Egyptian developer, 13, wants to build own metaverse - in pictures

Omar Wael became fascinated by the world of virtual reality after watching 'Ready Player One'

Omar Wael, 13, an Egyptian developer, uses a virtual reality device as he works at his home in Alexandria, Egypt. All photos: Reuters

Wearing a virtual reality headset and black and yellow wired gloves. The Egyptian teenager is hoping to build his own version of the metaverse, allowing people to one day shop, attend classes, or even conduct experiments online.

Omar sits at home with his family in Alexandria, Egypt.

The artificial intelligence junkie became fascinated by the world of virtual reality after watching 'Ready Player One', a 2018 science fiction film in which much of humanity uses a virtual reality simulation. This inspired him to start working on his own version of the project.

His idea started taking shape when the metaverse became more easily accessible, thanks to tech companies investing billions into the industry in the past few years. Using some of his mother's old clothes, Wael developed a sensory vest and glove. He also started working on software that he hopes will allow pupils like himself to attend classes via the metaverse.

'This saves the environment and reduces traffic,' he says. 'Researchers who work on chemical experiments won't have to buy expensive chemical materials, they can simply carry out their experiments in a virtual lab, in a simulation of what happens in reality.'

Omar won various local and international awards for his project 'The Other World' - for which he hopes to secure funding to enable him to develop it further.

Omar Wael, a 13-year-old Egyptian developer, wears a virtual reality (VR) device as he works at his home in Alexandria, Egypt, May 23, 2022. Picture taken May 23, 2022. REUTERS / Mohamed Abd El Ghany

More from The National:

Orthopaedic surgeons offer Gaza's injured animals a new lifeline - in pictures

Egyptian percussionists give ancient instrument a new lease of life - in pictures

Egypt's first female analog astronaut on simulating space exploration

Nayla Al Baloushi becomes first Emirati woman to scale Mount Everest

Old Apple products displayed at warehouse in Dubai – in pictures