Hannover Fair: Industrial companies start work on the metaverse
For a few weeks in 2021, that was all anyone could talk about: Facebook announced it was changing its name to Meta, a change meant to reflect the company’s move from social media to the metaverse. H&M, Nike and other major consumer brands jumped on board, launching their own virtual stores and products that customers could peruse in a virtual world, all from the comfort of their homes using virtual reality (VR) glasses and their own custom avatars.
Less than two years later, dozens of publications have declared that the metaverse is dead. And there are several reasons to think so. Some blame the drop in value of cryptocurrencies and NFTs, which have positioned themselves as a key component of the metaverse. Others say it’s because generative AI, the technology behind chatbots like ChatGPT, has now stolen the tech industry’s attention. Many hated the idea to begin with.
But in one sector, the metaverse has been quietly gaining steam. Industrial manufacturing sees applications for the technology, and the “industrial metaverse” is one of the main topics on the agenda at this year’s Hannover Messe, one of the world’s largest industrial fairs. Not all participants agree or know what it is. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t part of it.
The Factory Floor Moves to the Metaverse
The metaverse is basically about connecting the physical world with the virtual world, said Sebastian Klöß, manager of the consumer technology division of Bitkom, a digital association in Germany, at a panel discussion on the concept, one of several to take place at the fair.
“And specifically in the industrial metaverse, it’s mostly about combining machine data and real-time data from factories with the virtual world,” he said.
On display at the show are a range of technologies that use virtual reality headsets, smart glasses and gloves with sensors that allow you to see and work virtually or remotely, and laser scanning technology used to create digital copies of physical objects, something known as a twin. digital, a key component of the industrial metaverse. The object can be an automobile, a small component, or even an entire factory.
“Use case: less flights, less travel, more sustainable, optimized prototype production,” an exhibition employee at Igus, a plastics company working in 3D printing and automation, told DW. “You don’t need as many prototypes because you can do this with digital twins.”
Source: DW
Lori Barajas is an accomplished journalist, known for her insightful and thought-provoking writing on economy. She currently works as a writer at 247 news reel. With a passion for understanding the economy, Lori’s writing delves deep into the financial issues that matter most, providing readers with a unique perspective on current events.