In the tech scene, the metaverse is credited with nothing less than "the future of the Internet". However, even though the underlying technologies such as virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) are increasingly being used in private and industrial environments, the metaverse as a term is still largely unknown in the German economy.
This is confirmed by a survey conducted by Bitkom, the German information and telecommunications industry association, in October 2022, presented at the beginning of the webinar by Dr. Maximilian Bock of Bayern Innovativ (source: https://www.bitkom.org/Presse/Presseinformation/Metaverse-deutsche-Wirtschaft-gespalten ). Around 600 companies were surveyed on how they assess the topic of metaverse and the opportunities or risks for their own company. According to the survey, only one in four companies sees opportunities for itself. However, almost 50 percent of the companies surveyed do not even know exactly what the metaverse is or do not see any influence on their own company. Many assume that the topic is just hype. The reason for this may be that people know too little about the concrete applications and basically have not yet dealt with the topic sufficiently.
The Metaverse - a classification
The presentation by Prof. Dr. Jens Grubert, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, starts with a look into the world of science fiction. Here, life in the purely virtual world has inspired book authors and filmmakers alike for years. One example is the 2018 film Ready Player One, in which, to escape the gloom of everyday life, people move around the metaverse world of OASIS and create their own avatars. Virtual and physical world merge into one. But what exactly is this metaverse supposed to be? Dr. Grubert takes a look at the technology and financial world. In an interview in 2021, Marc Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, described the metaverse as the successor to the mobile Internet. In contrast, however, the Metaverse requires physical interaction through the awareness of the body. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the Metaverse will allow us to embed computing in the real world and vice versa - meaning linking physical reality with digital tools. Risk chaplain Matthew Ball gives a more comprehensive definition. He describes the metaverse as a massively scaled and interoperable network of real-time 3D virtual worlds that can be synchronously and persistently experienced individually by an unlimited number of users. However, Ball concludes, "The full vision of the Metaverse is decades away."
But where do we stand today? Professor Grubert gives us a technological classification for this. For him, the metaverse encompasses the convergence of technologies with a high degree of maturity, new business models, and fiction. Below, we describe four building blocks that lay the technological foundation for the Metaverse, and whose development will be critical on the path to its realization.
Getting a handle on data volumes with Compute
The first building block mentioned is Compute, and concerns everything to do with data processing. For example, compute platforms, such as cloud-based services, are used to get a handle on the infinitely large amounts of data that are generated when simulating virtual worlds - also in terms of computing power. In addition to the strategy of providing as many computing operations as possible on central servers, there has already been a lot of progress in providing resources in edge computing, i.e. on small end devices such as smartphones or data glasses.
Network infrastructure: accelerating download rates
The second important technical component is the network infrastructure. This, too, has developed rapidly in recent decades. The 5G mobile communications standard, for example, promises significantly more bandwidth than previous generations. While current downstream rates are currently in the range of 1,000 to 1,500 megabits per second, up to 10,000 megabits per second can be achieved in the future.
Decentralized encryption through software components
In addition to compute and network components, software components are also enormously important for the Metaverse. This includes blockchain technology, for example. In simplified terms, this can be thought of as a kind of decentralized account book distributed across many computers. This makes it possible to carry out and store transactions that cannot be manipulated. And it can be used to store so-called NFTs (non-fungible tokens). These are suitable for registering ownership rights for digital assets and serve as references or links to the actual digital goods.
Extended reality enables interaction
The fourth component is extended reality (XR) with its manifestations of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). It is what enables interaction and thus presence experience as well as the integration of computing into the physical world and vice versa. In order to be able to immerse oneself in virtual environments, relevant end devices such as data glasses. These have also developed rapidly in recent years. This concerns miniaturization, better resolutions as well as the integration of sensors to capture the environment. Some models can thus already be used well in an industrial context. Nevertheless, it will remain challenging for the foreseeable future to provide data glasses for the mass market that combine different desirable properties such as low weight, high resolution, wide field of view, long battery life and low price. The use of data glasses over a longer period of time is also only possible to a limited extent with today's devices due to ergonomic challenges.
Research prototype "PlanAR" goes Metaverse
Seamlessly linked to the topic of augmented reality is the presentation by Maximilian Rosilius, Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences (THWS), who will present the PlanAR project together with Steffen Decker, Simplifier AG. This research project deals with the use of augmented reality in plant planning and material flow optimization. The goals are to determine efficiency potentials and to establish a technology transfer platform. To this end, plug-and-play solutions suitable for industrial use are being developed and researched. In addition, with the two research facilities of the Institute Digital Engineering of the THWS and the Chair of Psychology 1 of the Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg, the effects on humans of augmented reality technologies for permanent use will be investigated in addition to the technical challenges.
PlanAR - Planning with Augmented Reality
The development of the PlanAR platform is intended to enable, among other things, the virtual planning and commissioning of production facilities in a real environment. Using the example of locating a newly planned plant in an already existing running manufacturing environment, the advantages provided by the platform are demonstrated. Possible errors during realization can thus be avoided at an early stage, redundancies can be reduced and the understanding of those involved can be optimized in a targeted manner thanks to the transparency gained in the planning process. The aim is to place machines virtually with optimum detail and to check their integration into the overall system. For example, dependencies in connection options or structural obstacles are to be taken into account accordingly in advance. In order to be able to integrate plants virtually into existing production processes, the real manufacturing environments are digitally mapped as 3D models by means of scanning processes.
Optimize material flows and value streams
Another approach is the optimization of material flows and value streams. To enable this, captured data will be transferred into a virtual planning process and simulations will be performed to optimize layout modeling. Accompanying this, the various sensory perceptions and interaction possibilities of humans when using AR will be investigated. Deriving from this, insights will be gained into what effects AR use has on humans, but also how AR applications are perceived. From the results, design guidelines can be derived, especially with regard to the special requirements in the industrial context.
Interoperability as a building block of the industrial metaverse
But what exactly are the components for a metaverse in the industrial context? Here Mr. Decker takes over the explanation. Accordingly, the already mentioned interoperability is of great importance. For this purpose, open standards are used in order to be able to port 3D models or other information from one software system to another. To this end, open exchange formats are to be used as a standard and the data exchanged in real time via the IoT data exchange standard OPC UA and the IoT message protocol MQTT. In this way, even more complex but integrated planning scenarios can be realized. Another very important component is persistence, i.e., the location of digital information in the physical world. This localization currently takes place exclusively at the device level. In the future, this will also be possible via cloud services. The multi-user environment is also taken into account. Currently, only one user can use each layout and perform screen sharing. In the future, dynamic synchronization of multiple users at project level with defined access control is also to take place. The prerequisite for this is a shared infrastructure. Here, there are already possibilities today to carry out so-called remote rendering. The prerequisite for this is low latency. The topic of 5G is very crucial here. Another point is the question of copyright and property protection. This can be addressed through the use of blockchains, NFTs, or simply linking. Social identity also finds a place in consideration given the increasing number of multi-user environments. Here, one relies on avatars, which will give individuals an identity in the metaverse with name, role and position.
The industrial metaverse - buzzword or real added value?
What technologies and application possibilities are associated with the industrial metaverse in the concrete corporate environment? This question is addressed by Mr. Gerhard Kreß, Siemens AG, in his presentation and begins with the definition of the term metaverse from the perspective of his company.
The four building blocks of the industrial metaverse
Accordingly, the industrial metaverse essentially comprises four components. First, the digital image of reality. This maps the dynamics of the entire industrial system in real time - for example, production chains, power networks, buildings and logistics. The important thing here is the photorealistic mapping in 3D, so that system changes can be carried out virtually. And that is the second building block of the Metaverse: Showing the system with interaction, which makes it possible to experience the effects in real time. By making specific changes to parameters, production times can be reduced or quality improved, for example. The third theme concerns collaboration in virtual space. It's not just about simulating reality, but about bringing people together to work on a project. Particularly in view of the shortage of skilled workers, it is no longer possible for all experts to be on site. No matter where the machine or factory is located, collaboration in a virtual space allows changes to the digital system to be made and evaluated together. Such collaboration can involve process experts, suppliers for special machines or colleagues from the research department. Mr. Kreß calls the fourth point ownership, monetization and exchange of data and other digital assets. Here we are talking about objects that are detached from the real ones, such as optimization algorithms developed by external partners.
BMW is building a new digital factory
These four defined points flow very concretely into a project that Siemens and Nvidia are implementing in partnership to create an "industrial metaverse." Together with BMW, a new digital factory is to be created. The goal is to set up a production center that is significantly more efficient in concept alone than anything that has been achieved to date. This will enable the entire production flow, including material logistics, to be mapped in advance through digital optimization. The ambitious goal for implementation is 2026, but Kreß says the metaphorical object will be up and running within the next 12 months.
Digital twin of a machine tool allows virtual commissioning
It is clear that through the digital mapping of the factory, construction and commissioning times can be significantly reduced. But it does not always have to be an entire factory that benefits from a digital twin. Mr. Kreß explains this with the practical example of a machine tool. Here, digital design allows virtual commissioning. This means that training can already be carried out or CNC scripts can be tried out. The preceding virtual commissioning thus enables earlier production, improves processes and reduces costs.
This and another example from railroad technology also show, however, that a platform is needed to implement even critical projects in a timely manner. With Xcelerator, Siemens offers an open digital business platform and the foundation for the further development of the industrial metaverse. This is a curated portfolio of digital and IoT-enabled offerings from Siemens and partners. Because, Mr. Kreß concludes, no one today is in a position to fully master all industrial processes. Thus, the industrial metaverse forms the basis for future business models and has the potential to offer real added value.
How companies can approach the industrial metaverse
The last point shows how important it is for small and medium-sized companies to look for the right partners in order to tap the possibilities of the metaverse for themselves. For example, Bayern Innovativ's ZD.B topic platform Digital Production & Engineering provides support in this regard by networking partners and advising on funding opportunities . Every company should ask itself in advance in which areas added value can be generated in relation to Metaverse. This could be predictive maintenance or VR-based production, for example. However, no matter which possibilities you want to implement promptly, it is important to involve employees at an early stage. They must be convinced of the benefits of digital technologies. After all, their acceptance will ultimately determine how successful digitization will be in a company.
The webinar series "From research into practice"
In the event format of the ZD.B Digital Production & Engineering topic platform of Bayern Innovativ, research institutions and companies provide insights into current research activities and discuss them with participants. The aim is to support small and medium-sized enterprises in particular in making meaningful use of digital technologies in their production processes and engineering.
