WHAT IS THE INDUSTRIAL METAVERSE?
Recently, the tech world has been buzzing with conversations about Metaverse. However, Metaverse is not the only topic of discussion in the current tech timeline. Industry representatives have been talking about the “Industrial Metaverse” as of the latest happenings.
Well, we’re sure many of you are still struggling to grasp the concept of Metaverse itself. Therefore, let’s first go over what the metaverse exactly is & of course, what it means for industries across the globe.
What is the Metaverse?
The Metaverse is an immersive experience in which digital versions of people & objects interact with each other through a virtual medium.
It is a digital reality, away from reality: A virtual world based on software code instead of the laws of nature.
A technology that has blurred the lines between Augmented Reality (AR) & Internet of Things (IoT) – Integrating the physical & digital worlds through a 3D interface, opening doors to endless technological possibilities.
The metaverse is probably what will be known as the key element that ignited our world into a complete digital transformation.
What does it mean for Industrial Space?
The conception of the metaverse amidst an industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) is perhaps the most revolutionary coincidence of the century. It will unlock infinite possibilities & facilitate the already occurring digital transformations within industries. After the transition into the digital world, industries’ will be able to simplify & innovate their operations furthermore through this technology. From training sessions to audits, manufacturing systems & supply chains – Top-notch digital solutions will be there to help overcome setbacks & multiply productivity rates. This will enable industrialists to accelerate business growth & expansion while cutting back on costs & shifting to sustainable models.
The Industrial Metaverse can be explained as a fragment of digital space where real-world functions could take place in sync with augmented reality & assisted reality solutions like AI, avatars, virtual collaborators, and 3D models.
A Unification of Emerging Technologies
Industries globally can pocket considerable benefits by adopting smart solutions for their businesses. This venture should be rather smooth as the metaverse curates every latest & up and coming technology into one uniform digital space.
It enables the assets of Web 3.0 to run in conjunction with assisted reality solutions, artificial intelligence & other technologies. The result of unifying these emerging technologies could be of great value to all kinds of factories, mills, refineries &, etc. A relevant example can be:
Virtual Management & Training
One of the most anticipated & highly impactful implementations of Industrial Metaverse is the use of its potential to assist frontline workers on the field. It would enable industry experts to provide real-time guidance & assistance material to their teams on the ground, within seconds – through digital means. Industry specialists could roll out immersive content for the assistance of frontline workers & technicians on demand.
Training departments would be able to curate an entirely digital learning experience that could not only be accessed remotely but also enable workers to experience everything through an immersive 3D interface. The immersive technologies required for such innovations already exist & can assist industrial companies in simplifying everyday operations.
Mr. Vogelsang, the senior director of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Spaces program, quotes:
“One is connecting everything in the industrial enterprise through IoT and private 5G networks, creating digital twins, and using machine learning for predictive maintenance. [Another is] using augmented and virtual reality for consuming information spatially and simulating/or enhancing our physical realities digitally, and 3D mapping and localization technology which can spatially organize information and experiences.”
You can read more about what industry leaders say regarding Industrial Metaverse here. It’s an overview of Real Wear’s recent round table panel on Industrial Metaverse, attended by industry leaders to discuss Industry 4.0 & its future possibilities with Metaverse.
The Skill Gap Crisis
Industrialists all over the world are facing a skill gap crisis. As industries are transitioning towards digital systems to tackle this issue, industrial Metaverse could offer many potential ways to resolve such problems.
It creates a unique version of Digital Transformation that allows training & management departments a hands-on approach to supervising industry technicians & frontline workers. It has noted that adopting XR offered employees significant advantages. Hence, the metaverse would mean more benefits & higher productivity rates. These benefits include:
- Reduced downtime
- Higher Accuracy
- Reliability
- Improved Productivity
The industrial metaverse within industries would allow workers easy access to quick learning opportunities. It will enable them to stay updated with the latest technologies in use at industrial firms. Frontline workers would have control over their future & have a chance to be unaffected by a crisis like the skills gap issue in the future.
The benefits of industrial metaverse are not only limited to employees. Instead, the adoption of XR solutions in Industry 4.0 will provide it with a human-first approach – which ensures the satisfaction of frontline workers, employers & consumers alike.
Andrew Chrostowski, the CEO of Real Wear, states that:
“The real mission of the industrial Metaverse is solving the skilled labor gap issue that we have, a persistent problem for the industry for decades. When you think about the industrial Metaverse, I think of a more human-centric approach to solving the problem than just pure automation. Automation is going to be there, but we (RealWear) think that the industrial Metaverse provides a mechanism for the human to be part of the nexus of control.”
You can learn more about experts’ prediction of the Industrial Metaverse aiding the Skills Gap Crisis here.
To sum up, just like industries adopted innovative digital solutions when everything around us from gadgets to appliances was turning smart or digital – It’s time to enter the Metaverse & establish your own Industrial Metaverse. Take the next step in your digital transformation journey & stand in line with the latest inventions of the IT world.
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