• Digital twin technology trend is poised to revolutionize the way businesses operate by creating virtual replicas of physical systems and assets to optimize performance and reduce costs.
• Digital twins can help organizations improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs, enhance their products and services, and better understand and manage their physical assets and systems.

The year 2023 is expected to be an exciting year for digital twin technology. Digital twin trends 2023 will witness significant growth in the adoption of this technology in various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and transportation. Digital twin technology trend is poised to revolutionize the way businesses operate by creating virtual replicas of physical systems and assets to optimize performance and reduce costs. In this article, we will explore some of the key digital twin trends 2023, their potential impact on businesses, and how organizations can prepare themselves to stay ahead of the curve.

“With the rapid adoption of digital twins, we’re seeing two categories of practical applications arise: use-cases by industry that solve a very specific challenge, and industry-agnostic use-cases which aid in broader strategy and decision making.” – Frank Diana, Principal futurist at Tata Consultancy Services

According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the global digital twin market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 60.6% during 2022 to 2027. It was USD 6.9 billion in 2022, which is expected to grow to USD 73.5 billion by 2027.

Digital twins are also expected to play a crucial role in the development of smart cities. The above statistics suggest that digital twin technology is experiencing rapid growth and adoption across various industries and is on the brink of transforming how businesses operate in the coming years.

What is a Digital Twin?

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or system, such as a machine, a building, a city, or even a human body. The digital twin is created by capturing and integrating data from various sources, such as sensors, IoT devices, and other sources, and using it to create a model replicating the behavior, performance, and characteristics of the physical object or system in real-time.

Digital twins can be used for a variety of purposes, such as design optimization, performance monitoring, predictive maintenance, and even training simulations. By creating a digital twin, engineers, designers, and other stakeholders can simulate and test different scenarios and configurations, identify potential issues or opportunities, and make data-driven decisions based on the insights provided by the model.

Overall, digital twins can help organizations to improve their operational efficiency, reduce costs, enhance their products and services, and better understand and manage their physical assets and systems.

A Deep Dive into the Top 5 Digital Twin Technology Trends Shaping 2023

Here are some potential trends that could shape the digital twin technology landscape in 2023 based on current industry developments and ongoing research:

Generative AI meets the digital twin

The success and growth of ChatGPT has reignited interest in generative AI. Generative AI can potentially revolutionize content creation, affecting industries such as marketing, software development, design, entertainment, and media organizations. It democratizes content creation while also having the potential to totally alter the landscape of content development as it exists today.

These two technologies together can develop and optimize complicated systems. A manufacturing plant’s digital twin might mimic production situations and optimize operations. Generative AI might automatically develop new designs or improvements depending on goals or restrictions.

Urban planning might use generative AI using digital twin technologies. A digital twin of a city might mimic traffic flow, air quality, and other characteristics for alternative urban plans. Generative AI might automatically create new urban plans that reduce traffic and pollution.

Combining generative AI with digital twin technology has the potential to transform the design and optimization of large systems, ranging from industrial facilities to cities. Throughout the coming year, you may anticipate additional advancements in linking generative AI approaches with digital twin models for characterizing not just the form but also the functionality of objects.

5G in the telecom sector experiencing difference with Network Digital Twin (NDT)

Geospatial technology for digital twins will increase with the 5G revolution in the telecom sector. Geospatial technology lets you collect and comprehend physical patterns and connections. 5G requires a denser telecom network with more carefully placed towers. Hence, 5G infrastructure deployment planning requires digital twin-powered spatial analytics. 5G’s higher frequency bands transport large amounts of data across small ranges that even tiny obstructions might disrupt. The signal is so fragile that a palm or raindrop might block it, therefore accurate geographical data is needed to construct tower infrastructure. Geo-digital twins help tower infrastructure planning. NDTs would aid in telecom planning, R and amp;D, deployment, and operations.

Combining the digital twin with the virtual world (Metaverse)

The Metaverse is a concept that refers to a shared virtual space that integrates augmented reality and virtual reality experiences.

Combining digital twin technology with the Metaverse can enable the creation of highly immersive and interactive virtual environments. For example, digital twins of buildings or cities can be integrated into the Metaverse, allowing users to explore and interact with virtual replicas of real-world locations. This can have various applications in areas such as architecture, urban planning, and tourism.

Furthermore, digital twins of products can be used to create virtual showrooms or stores within the Metaverse, allowing customers to interact with and experience products in a highly immersive environment. This can be especially useful for businesses that sell complex or high-value products, such as automobiles or industrial equipment.

Overall, the combination of digital twin technology with the Metaverse has the potential to transform various industries and create new opportunities for immersive and interactive experiences. It can enable businesses and organizations to create virtual replicas of real-world objects and environments, and use them to enhance customer experiences, improve decision-making, and drive innovation.

Digital twins for the utility industry

Digital twin technology is becoming increasingly popular in the utility industry, as it enables the creation of virtual replicas of energy systems, such as power plants, grids, and distribution networks. This technology can help utility companies optimize their operations, reduce costs, and improve the reliability of their systems.

One of the key trends in the digital twin space is the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, which can help utility companies identify potential issues and inefficiencies in their systems and suggest solutions. Additionally, the use of cloud-based digital twins can enable real-time monitoring and decision-making, providing utility companies with greater flexibility and agility.

Overall, digital twin technology is a rapidly growing trend in the utility industry and is expected to play a significant role in driving innovation and improving efficiency in the sector.

Digital twin in real estate

Digital twin technology potentially will transform the real estate industry by enabling the creation of virtual replicas of buildings and properties. This technology can be used to optimize various aspects of real estate, such as design, construction, and management.

For example, digital twins can be used to simulate different design options and test their impact on energy consumption, occupancy rates, and other key parameters. They can also be used to monitor building performance in real time, enabling predictive maintenance and reducing operational costs.

Overall, digital twin technology has the potential to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and sustainability of real estate, and provide better experiences for occupants and users. As a result, it is likely to become an increasingly important trend in the real estate industry.

Technological Advances in Digital Twins Will Shape Our Future

Digital twin technology has been rapidly evolving and is expected to continue to do so in 2023 and beyond. One of the most significant trends in digital twin technology is its increasing adoption across industries. We can expect to see more industries adopting digital twin technology to improve their operations, reduce costs, and enhance their products and services.

Another significant trend is the growing focus on real-time data management and analysis. With the Internet of Things (IoT) continuing to grow, digital twin technology will become increasingly important for managing and analyzing real-time data. Additionally, there will be advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that can be combined with digital twin technology to enable more accurate predictions and better decision-making.

Virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) will also play an increasing role in digital twin technology, allowing users to interact with digital twins in a more intuitive way. Finally, there will be a growing emphasis on sustainability and circular economy practices, with more digital twin solutions enabling companies to reduce waste, optimize resource usage, and minimize their carbon footprint.

Overall, digital twin technology is set to have a significant impact on the way we design, build, and operate products and systems in the coming years, and these trends will continue to drive innovation and efficiency in many industries.

• The importance of Metaverse interoperability in projects lies in its ability to create a seamless virtual world experience where users can engage with each other and interact with digital assets across different platforms.
• The technical challenges of metaverse interoperability include the need for standardized protocols, data formats, and data exchange methods, as well as the need for secure and reliable data exchange between virtual platforms.

Metaverse is taking us to a digital world that is more immersive, natural, and augmented, and it keeps blurring the line between our real world and the virtual one. Brands and businesses are actively looking for ways to help the Metaverse and set up their businesses in this virtual platform to learn about all the possibilities.

Interoperability is essential for an open Metaverse that works like the real world. But what is interoperability, and why is it important?

Metaverse interoperability refers to the ability of virtual platforms, networks, and applications to communicate and exchange data with each other.

This is essential in creating a seamless and integrated Metaverse experience where users can move from one virtual world to another, preserving their assets and digital identities.

Metaverse interoperability is crucial for the growth and development of the virtual world, as it helps to connect different virtual platforms, creating a global virtual community where users can engage with each other, exchange information and services, and form relationships.

Elements in the Metaverse Interoperability

To develop a metaverse that is accessible and open, the following four interoperability issues must be addressed.

• Identity

Identity creates the foundational link in the trust chain that links people to their actions and possessions. Today, a consumer’s identity is frequently based on a network of trust that includes email, social media sites, Google, or Apple. Metaverse business use cases are expected to expand on an organization’s current Identity and Access Management (IAM) infrastructure.

• 3D Rendering

Standardizing 3D representations of virtual worlds involves many different steps. Engines for 3D modelling and rendering must work together. Headsets for augmented, virtual, and extended reality must function across all platforms. Users must be able to render 3D objects at scale and share them across platforms.

• Behaviors and Properties

The behavior and characteristics of objects in the metaverse must be described uniformly across all platforms.

To automatically calculate the bill of materials in the industrial metaverse, this may include an object’s physical characteristics as well as the price of its components or materials.

• Data Sharing

A decentralized method of information sharing between worlds is also necessary for an open metaverse. Blockchain and other decentralized ledgers have been recommended as one strategy.

For instance, when several artists’ songs are remixed and included in a new collection that becomes famous, each would immediately get a royalty.

The Importance of Metaverse Interoperability

The importance of Metaverse interoperability in projects lies in its ability to create a seamless virtual world experience where users can engage with each other and interact with digital assets across different platforms. It creates a shared economy where virtual goods and services can be bought, sold, and traded between users on other Metaverse platforms.

Furthermore, interoperability can increase accessibility to these virtual platforms and encourage wider adoption. If users can use their existing virtual identities, assets, and content across different platforms, it makes it easier for them to participate in multiple virtual environments. This can lead to creation of a more diverse and thriving Metaverse community.

Additionally, it has the potential to enhance the overall user experience and increase engagement levels. If users can use their virtual assets and participate in various activities across multiple platforms, they will likely spend more time and invest more resources in the Metaverse. This, in turn, driving growth and innovation in the metaverse ecosystem.

Benefits of Metaverse Interoperability

1. Increased User Experience

The ability to move from one virtual platform to another, preserving one’s assets, digital identity, and reputation, dramatically enhances the user experience. With Metaverse interoperability, users can access and participate in different virtual worlds, interact with other users, and participate in virtual events without starting from scratch.

2. Improved Accessibility

Metaverse interoperability makes virtual platforms and applications more accessible to users, eliminating the need to create separate accounts for each platform. With a single digital identity, users can access multiple virtual worlds and interact with other users, leading to increased engagement and participation.

3. Increased Opportunities for Business

It provides new business opportunities by enabling virtual platforms to connect and exchange data, allowing virtual goods and services to be bought and sold in different virtual worlds. This creates a larger market, increasing business opportunities for companies to reach a larger audience.

4. Increased Collaboration

It makes it easier for virtual platforms to collaborate and work together, creating new virtual experiences and opportunities for users. This increased collaboration can create new virtual events, experiences, and services, making the Metaverse a more diverse and engaging place.

5. Real-world and Virtual-world Integration

It would enable users to seamlessly integrate real-world and virtual-world activities. For instance, your virtual avatar could be used to attend a real event, or vice versa.

Challenges of Metaverse Interoperability

1. Technical Challenges

The technical challenges of metaverse interoperability include the need for standardized protocols, data formats, and data exchange methods, as well as the need for secure and reliable data exchange between virtual platforms. These technical challenges require significant investments in research and development to overcome and the development of new technologies to enable interoperability.

2. Privacy and Security Concerns

Privacy and security are crucial considerations in the Metaverse, as virtual platforms and users’ digital identities are vulnerable to hacking and other cyber-attacks. To ensure the security and privacy of users’ digital identities and assets, it must incorporate robust security measures and data protection mechanisms.

3. Cost and Complexity

The cost and complexity of developing and implementing Metaverse interoperability can be high, as it requires the development of new technologies, the integration of existing virtual platforms and applications, and the creation of new business models. This can be a significant barrier to entry for smaller virtual platforms and start-ups and may limit the growth and development of the Metaverse.

4. Interoperability Standards

The development of interoperability standards is crucial for the growth and development of the Metaverse, as it allows virtual platforms to communicate and exchange data. However, developing interoperability standards can be complex and time-consuming and requires the collaboration of different stakeholders, including virtual platform developers, regulators, and industry organizations.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of Metaverse interoperability make it a critical step in the development and growth of the Metaverse. The development of new technologies and standards, as well as increased collaboration between virtual platforms and users, will be vital to realizing the full potential of the Metaverse.

In conclusion, Metaverse interoperability is a critical step in the evolution of the Metaverse, offering many benefits, including increased user experience, asset portability, competition, and more significant economic opportunities. However, some challenges need to be addressed, including technical difficulties, intellectual property concerns, fragmentation of the Metaverse, and regulation. It will require the collaboration of virtual platforms, users, and the industry to overcome these challenges and make the Metaverse seamless.

• Technology advancements, consumer demands, and many other factors have influenced mobile app development trends.
• Below points are empirical research to come up with the top mobile app development trends that will dominate 2023.

2022 was a noteworthy year for technical advancement. The mobile app development business is one such industry that is in a constant state of change. Technology advancements, consumer demands, and many other factors have directly influenced mobile app development trends.

Nonetheless, the question persists. What are the latest trends in mobile app development? What application development trends will be prevalent in 2023? What is the future of developing mobile applications?

Have you ever wondered how many applications are on your mobile device? Many, right? Also, a new feature is introduced almost every day. Research has shown that an average user spends over 90% of their time on mobile applications.

According to Statista, the global income from mobile applications surpassed USD 318 billion in 2020. Compared to 2019, there was a rise of over USD 60 billion. The sector with the most income that year was mobile games, with over USD 200 billion, followed by social networking mobile applications, with over 31 billion dollars.

The Statista Digital Market Outlook predicts that revenue will expand across most market sectors over the next several years, reaching around USD 613 billion by 2025. Mobile applications are replacing websites, and in the near future, it will be a certainty that every business has an app.

There are more than 50 million applications accessible, and the number continues to expand each day. Everyone grew connected to the digital world during the pandemic, and applications became the standard.

So, are you prepared for the mobile app development changes in the coming year?

The list below is more than just a hunch. Below points are empirical research to come up with the top mobile app development trends that will dominate 2023.

Top 7 Mobile App Development Trends for 2023

5G Integration

The introduction of 5G will significantly influence app patterns in 2023. 5G has ushered in a new phase of the digital revolution. With the enhancement of the cellular network, the creation of apps that employ cutting-edge technology will increase significantly. This covers AR and VR, IoT, gaming, and streaming apps.

For developers, resellers, and producers, this technology is set to revolutionize the usage and creation of mobile applications.

In 2021, there were around 3.5 times as many 5G connections as in 2020. Between 2022 and 2023, connections are expected to be twofold.

Moreover, 5G enables mobile app developers to offer more features and functionalities, enhancing the user experience.

5G will enhance digital transactions, advanced security, lightning-fast response, and tailored healthcare, among other things. It will assist developers in creating more mobile applications based on these trends and technology.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

Pokemon Go’s short popularity cleared the mobile app development path for augmented reality (AR). It demonstrated to the world that virtual reality (VR) could provide consumers with an immersive experience.

Developing a mobile app that includes AR and VR is anticipated to go to a higher degree of digital advancement. The market based on these technologies is expected to reach USD 160 billion by 2023, and applications will account for a larger share of this. The tourism, entertainment, and gaming industries will benefit the most.

Below mentioned are situations where brands have employed AR and VR to enhance the user experience.

• Ikea avails augmented reality to allow people to visualize how furniture will appear in their homes before purchase.
• L’Oréal offers a virtual makeup application that lets customers visualize how cosmetics appear on their faces.
• Lenskart allows consumers to test on glasses before purchasing virtually.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Predictive analysis is rapidly entering the mobile application business. The mCommerce applications are already utilizing two key technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), to collect the essential customer data that assists them in making sensible judgments.

It is a technology that automates data analytics, prediction, and decision-making processes. Apps may be made smarter with the use of artificial intelligence, hence enhancing their performance at every level. AI will transform app development from the backend development process to the user experience on the front end in 2023.

Apps for Wearable/Foldable Devices

Wearable and foldable gadgets constitute a new device segment in the app market. A significant number of applications will operate on foldable devices that run apps; thus, the growth of app development in this industry will be enormous.

While foldable devices offer the ease of giant screens on smartphones, wearables provide the convenience of running applications with the fingertips. As the sales of smartwatches continue to increase, so will this tendency.

Internet of Things (IoT)/Cloud App Integration

The internet has deeply penetrated our lives. We are surrounded by Internet-connected gadgets, ranging from smartphones, laptops, and tablets to voice-controlled smart home devices. In addition, cloud computing and IoT provide a substantial market for app development.

It is one of the most recent mobile app development trends. Even according to Cisco, at least 90% of mobile app traffic will be conducted in the cloud.

The industry will see an increase in cloud computing and Internet of Things-based applications (IoT). The advanced security these applications offer will encourage more developers to devote effort to them.

IoT and cloud-based applications will save operating expenses. Using APIs will enhance connections to platforms and improve efficiency.

Now, brands such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Bosch, and Honeywell are also rapidly embracing the Internet of Things technologies.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain initially came to our attention during the bitcoin boom. However, technology has advanced significantly and is relevant in various contexts. Thanks to its rapid expansion, it is predicted to generate USD 20 billion in revenue by 2024. Blockchain also plays a crucial role in mobile app development.

Decentralized database-based applications will be in demand. One of the primary motivations for these applications is the security they provide. With this technology, sensitive data cannot be manipulated or stolen, as blockchain is exceptionally secure.

Some of the areas where blockchain apps will work more:

• Medical and healthcare
• Digital identity and passwords
• Voting systems
• Banking sector
• IoT and cloud computing

Many mobile applications will include decentralized applications, and blockchain developers will rise as a new trend.

On-Demand Apps

This generation of On Demand applications will be in great demand and on the rise in 2023. Examples of such successful applications are Airbnb and Uber, which have demonstrated the viability of apps in this market.

The market for On-demand mobile applications and websites will reach a staggering USD 335 billion by 2025, according to the most recent PwC estimate.

Annually, users spend USD 57.6 billion on on-demand services. Several industries will experience growth in the use of these applications, which will revolutionize the on-demand market:

• Virtual tutors and coaches
• Food delivery
• House cleaning
• Maintenance services
• Fitness on-demand
• Pet care
• Barber and beauty salon

Mobile App Development Beyond 2023

There are about 6.6 million Android and iOS apps available. It is expanding fast, and developers need to keep up with the technology to progress.

The trends in mobile app development services that are on the rise are not limited to those listed above. However, they are the ones that will be the most prominent.

The need for mobile app developers to utilize these technologies will inevitably expand; thus, it is prudent to start now.

• The Synthesis platform can programmatically produce enormous amounts of precisely tagged image data at orders of magnitude enhanced speed and decreased cost compared to current methodologies.
• Synthesis Scenarios is the first solution that enables precise control of intricate, multi-human simulations across a wide range of contexts for ML model building.

Synthesis AI, a leader in synthetic data technology, released two new products – Synthesis Humans and Synthesis Scenarios. The two solutions are the most comprehensive and in-depth offerings of human-centric synthetic data. The Synthesis platform can programmatically produce enormous amounts of precisely tagged image data at orders of magnitude enhanced speed and decreased cost compared to current methodologies. This is accomplished through a proprietary blend of generative AI and cinematic CGI pipelines.

The new products aim to make the development and use of synthetic data more seamless than ever before and are an extension of the company’s data generation platform, further solidifying Synthesis AI’s position as a market leader in this field.

Yashar Behzadi, CEO and Founder of Synthesis AI, stated, “Synthesis Humans and Synthesis Scenarios are a natural evolution in our synthetic data roadmap. Synthetic data powered by generative AI is now recognized as a more efficient paradigm for building computer vision AI. Our new products will enable the development of more sophisticated multi-human AI models essential for emerging applications.”

Synthesis Humans allows Machine Learning (ML) experts to build more sophisticated production-scale models, offering them over 100,000 unique identities and the option to modify hundreds of features, such as emotion, body type, dress, and motion. A straightforward User Interface (UI) allows developers to quickly create labeled data, and a robust API lends support to teams who prefer programmatic access and control.

Synthesis Scenarios is the first solution that enables precise control of intricate, multi-human simulations across a wide range of contexts for ML model building. The Synthesis AI platform is presently used by market-leading software, consumers, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), autonomy, teleconferencing, and metaverse companies to create more reliable and effective models. With the additional features in Synthesis Humans and Synthesis Scenarios, Synthesis AI now facilitates the building of ML models for a variety of both established and new applications, such as:

ID confirmation: Synthesis Humans offers a variety of data in a completely privacy-compliant way, eliminating the privacy and legal restrictions connected with gathering facial data. The capability would enable more reliable and impartial ID verification models for use cases such as contactless ticketing, online banking, and smartphones, among others.

Metaverse/AR/VR: Applications for augmented reality, virtual reality, and the metaverse rely on the lifelike capture and reconstruction of people in the digital world. Large volumes of diverse, labelled data are needed to develop avatars and build these fundamental ML models. Synthesis Humans offers the most comprehensive set of available demographics along with richly labelled 3D data. The creation of multi-person tracking, and interaction models is supported by Synthesis Scenarios.

Virtual try-on: New virtual try-on technologies are coming up to offer individualized and immersive customer experiences. In order to allow ML engineers to create reliable models for human body form and stance, Synthesis Humans provides 100,000 distinct identities, dozens of body types, and millions of clothing combinations.

AI fitness: In order to spur the creation of new AI fitness apps, Synthesis Humans provides a massive amount of precise human body motion data, including body kinds, camera positions, surroundings, and activity variations.

Driver and Passenger Monitoring: As a result of recent EU laws, computer vision systems for monitoring a driver’s condition and enhancing safety have been developed by car manufacturers, suppliers, and AI firms. Synthesis Humans can correctly model important behaviors, drivers, and in-cabin surroundings to make it possible to create more cost-effective and efficient models.

Teleconferencing: With a spike in remote work increases, workers are more dependent than ever on high-end video conferencing systems to stay productive. Leading businesses use Synthesis Scenarios to train new ML models to enhance the teleconferencing experience and video quality.

Detecting pedestrians: The safe deployment and broad usage of autonomous cars are essential. Synthesis Scenarios’ comprehensive, multi-human simulation paves the way for improving pedestrian identification and behavioral comprehension for dependable, safe performance.

VFX: Complex motion capture technologies and facial rigs are needed to create realistic characters and facial motions for visual effects. In addition to automating a large portion of the time-consuming process of hand animation, backdrop removal, and effects animation, Synthesis Humans offers diverse video data with the precise 3D labels required to build fundamental AI models.

Security: Synthesis Scenarios enable the modelling of complex multi-human environments, including homes, offices, and outdoor places, enabling the development of access control and security systems in a way that is both economical and privacy compliant.

Florian Leibert, general partner and 468 Capital co-founder, said, “Synthesis AI continues to innovate in synthetic data. The company’s platform is the first to bring generative AI together with computer graphics pipelines, helping their customers create photorealistic, diverse, and perfectly labeled training data. The new products represent a significant advancement, enabling computer vision teams to build ML models more cost-effectively across more applications and industries.”

• Warehouses, production facilities, shipping companies, and retail stores rely on immersive technologies to work faster, safer, and more efficiently.
• It’s expected that the VR industry market size will reach up to USD 48.5 billion by 2025 as VR applications grow and prices continue to fall.

Since its inception in the 1950s, Virtual Reality (VR) technology has evolved tremendously. More so, in the last five years, VR technology has come a long way from being used just for video games, 3D cinema, and amusement activities. VR adoption has been possible in new applications due to the increased affordability of VR headsets and advanced innovation. The adoption of VR devices is helping organizations with product and process design, supply chain management, virtual collaboration, and experience-based learning, helping them improve efficiency, safety, and productivity.

But who knew that VR technology, which is generally associated with video games, may well revolutionize the supply chain? What started as a high-tech trend for a select few has now become a best practice for large companies as well as smaller enterprises. Warehouses, production facilities, shipping companies, and retail stores now rely on immersive technologies to work faster, safer, and more efficiently.

Right now, there is a clear growing trend among logistics and supply chain companies. The main fields of applications for VR in the supply chain are:

• Order picking in warehousing
• Predictive modeling for the internal supply chain loop
• Secure and efficient delivery

Let’s now get to know some of the value drivers of VR in the supply chain.

How supply chains can utilize VR

Supply chain management has become an essential part of many businesses owing to the age of globalization, and it helps companies achieve success and customer satisfaction. An efficient supply chain management system is a sine-qua-non for companies to succeed. Intelligent supply chain management helps improve customer service, reduce operational costs and improve the financial state of an organization. Modern supply change management encompasses the strategic alignment of end-to-end business processes to realize market and economic value and help the firm gain a competitive advantage over its business rivals.

Several factors, such as the operational needs of an organization, organizational readiness, and the alignment of technology value drivers with a company’s use cases, drive the successful adoption of VR applications in the supply chain.

1. Collaborative visualization – Companies have started to leverage VR technology in their design organizations to improve CAD functionality and engineer employee engagement. What was once considered to be unavailable visualization capabilities is now accessible via VR-enhanced designs. This enables product engineers, architects, and designers to rapidly shift through multiple designs and evaluate them on the spot.
2. Virtual employee collaboration – Using audio and video capabilities of VR, employees can collaborate with other colleagues around a shared virtual space or interact through virtual avatars. As VR instantly enables access to any platform worldwide, it leads to enhanced virtual collaboration through real-time simulations and immersive games. These exchanges help minimize costs and provide manufacturers and suppliers further insight into product and process development earlier in the process.
3. Data capture and visualization – Leveraging interactive 3D data, VR technology is transforming the supply chain right from the stage of the development of the product to the delivery to the end consumer. 3D data visualization helps with complex decision-making and examines the impact of certain decisions on operations. VR applications and devices also help in rapid decision-making, thus addressing pressing concerns within and across organizations.
4. Realistic virtual environments – This has had a great impact on human resources for supply chain organizations. Industries such as energy, and manufacturing, often find it difficult to prepare their employees for high-risk environments. VR can help train employees ans allow them to make quick decisions.
5. Real-time information for merchandize in transit – There are risks concerning the loss, theft, and product tampering when merchandise is in transit. With AR markers placed on containers and packages, companies can monitor their merchandise from checkpoints until they arrive at their destination.

Thus, VR in the supply chain helps reduce loss and ensure product safety even after a long-distance journey.This is of crucial importance for many product categories, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and criticalcomponents for automobiles.

6. Collects important data: VR continuously monitors and evaluates all movements, actions, and product interactions. Understanding the customer’s thought process helps identify the products they are interested in and benefit the company. As a result, the company gains unique insights and can make offers based on their interests which can turn into sales. In other words, VR has the potential to turn each experience into data for the company.

Conclusion

When applied to the supply chain, immersive technologies like VR hold the potential for fewer errors, faster order processing, and less manual input. VR technology can help improve several processes in the supply chain. Organizations must realize the potential of VR sooner than later to stay ahead of their competitors.

• The forum’s founding members include big pre-metaverse entities like Nvidia, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Unity, and Qualcomm.
• The forum expresses its interest in formalizing metaverse development as a unified field.

A standards group for “metaverse” tech is being formed by organizations like Epic Games, Microsoft, Meta, and 33 other companies. The Metaverse Standards Forum plans to promote open, interoperable standards for augmented and virtual reality, geospatial and 3D tech.

According to their press release, the Metaverse Standards Forum will focus on “pragmatic, action-based projects” such as prototyping tools and hackathons that support common standards. The forum has shown interest in developing “consistent terminology” for the space.

The forum’s founding members include big pre-metaverse entities like Nvidia, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Sony Interactive Entertainment, Unity, and Qualcomm, in addition to newer companies like Lamina1, a blockchain payments startup co-founded by Neal Stephenson, the author of Snow Crash.

Though it’s missing a few big names. Nick Statt of Protocol rightly pointed out that there is no sign of Apple that’s working on AR and VR tech. Niantic and Roblox, which have taken significant steps in combining virtual worlds and games, are also absent. Other companies are also expected to join before the forum starts its operation. Meetings and discussions are scheduled to begin in 2022.

Metaverse is the catch term for virtual worlds that include VR, AR, and many other subfields that already have standard bodies, some of which have joined the Metaverse Standards Forum. The open standard does not necessarily mean that the firms will create the metaverse as an interlinked space like the World Wide Web. For example, Epic describes its game Fortnite as a “self-contained metaverse.” Open standards will help developers effortlessly build the same content for different platforms and users to export data from one service to another.

The forum expresses its interest in formalizing metaverse development as a unified field. It hints at which kind of companies are interested in creating the standards for it —or at least those that want to be seen supporting these standards.

The group stated in a press release, “Industry leaders have stated that the potential of the metaverse will be best realized if it is built on a foundation of open standards. Building an open and inclusive metaverse at a pervasive scale will demand a constellation of open interoperability standards.”

Overview

The term Metaverse was introduced by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 sci-fi novel, ‘Snow Crash.’ The writer has narrated humans being represented as avatars interacting with each other and software agents in a three-dimensional virtual space that uses the real-world metaphor.

The Metaverse⁠ is a combination of the word ‘meta’ meaning beyond, and the word ‘verse,’ which is derived from the word universe. Put together, metaverse is a mixture of physical and virtual reality, stated the Metaverse Roadmap, a 2008 initiative by the ​​Acceleration Studies Foundation (ASF).

This is how Metaverse Roadmap Overview explains the latest technology: “The Metaverse is the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space. It is a fusion of both while allowing users to experience it as either.” Put simply, the Metaverse is the nexus point at which the virtual and real world come together.

Some define Metaverse as good as Virtual Reality (VR) or something very close to Extended Reality (XR). In reality, Metaverse stands something between the real and virtual world that can be worked upon by complementing technologies.

Thus, the Metaverse can be defined as a shared virtual 3D environment or an interactive, immersive, and collaborative space. It’s basically a network of always-on virtual environments where multiple people can interact among themselves and with digital objects while handling virtual representations or avatars of themselves.

Metaverse can be imagined as a combination of immersive virtual reality, a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, and the web. The concept comes from science fiction, where many people in the technology industry visualize it as the successor to today’s internet. Even though it looks like a vision at this point, bigger technology companies like Facebook and Microsoft are looking forward to making a metaverse setup for many online activities, including play, work, study, and shopping.

Last year in June, Facebook, now Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, expressed his views about an ambitious new initiative. He explained that the company’s future would look completely different from its current project, which consists of building a set of connected social apps and some hardware to support them. Instead, he said, Meta is working on creating a maximalist, which will be an interconnected set of experiences straight out of sci-fi — a world known as the Metaverse.

Three major aspects of the Metaverse are:

• Presence –

The experience of truly being in a virtual space with virtual others is referred to as presence. Decades of studies have demonstrated that this sense of embodiment enhances the quality of online interactions. Virtual reality technologies, such as head-mounted displays, enable this sense of presence.

• Interoperability –

This will ensure effortless travel between virtual spaces within the same virtual assets such as avatars and digital items. For example, ReadyPlayerMe, a Metaverse full-body 3D avatar creator, enables people to design an avatar that they can use in multiple virtual worlds, including Zoom meetings, through apps like Animaze.

Blockchain technologies such as cryptocurrencies and nonfungible tokens (NFT) perform digital goods transactions across virtual borders using interoperability.

• Standardization –

The standardization process allows the interoperability of platforms and services across the Metaverse. Different mass-media technologies such as printing press or texting require common technological standards for widespread adoption. Open Metaverse Interoperability Group, an international organization, is responsible for defining these standards.

Is Metaverse the future?

Many look at Metaverse as the future of the next technology generation. But there arises a few questions about whether the Metaverse can replace the latest technologies. Some of the queries have been listed below –

Will it replace smart TVs?

Technology is evolving every day, and so is the case with smart TVs. Recent data released by Strategy Analytics states that by the end of 2020, the smart TV will be present in more than 665 million homes, equivalent to 34% of global houses. It is even estimated that by 2026, the number will rise to 51% as the demand for TV ownership will reach 1.1 billion homes.

With the potential rise in AR and the Metaverse, there is still a long way to go when either or both the technology turns truly mainstream. The pandemic has made the audience lean more toward the TV and other latest technologies, but their importance has remained intact. No doubt, with time, the chances are high that consumers may stop using their flat screens to get into AR/VR/MR environments, building a wider Metaverse. It can, thus, be concluded that TVs have not yet lost their place on the walls of living rooms.

• Is Metaverse more than video conferencing?

The pandemic has made remote meetings and video conferencing a major part of work-from-home life. But it lacks the experience of providing a face-to-face experience. And this is where Metaverse can fill the gap.

Holograms are still a part of the far future. Facebook recently developed a Horizon Workrooms concept, a free Oculus Quest app where users can experience virtual meetings and feel direct interaction.

Another platform that has shown major interest in Metaverse is NVIDIA’s real-time simulation and collaboration platform, the Omniverse. The platform enlightens the power of NVIDIA’s GPU technology with a range of business services and 3D tools.

• Will it exceed virtual collaborative experience?

Who would not like to design a collaborative meeting space according to their will? For example, adjusting the colors of the wall, placing working stations, or putting up little decoratives on the desks.

Gather.town, a fully customizable visual space platform, enables anyone to create and customize virtual offices and populate them with friendly avatars. This gives collaboration a more real feel.

Mozilla has also come up with a similar concept named Hubs platform, where a user can design a virtual meeting space and provide a better communication platform accordingly.

It would be interesting to have a virtual office of its own, go around the place, read notice boards, or attend training and wellness events as it is all happening in real-time.

Take away

Till the time nobody can experience what Metaverse is, it is difficult to find what it is all about. Is it going to be a mix of virtual 3D technology? Or will it give users a different experience altogether? Is it going to be a new form of the Internet world? Let’s hope the future holds all answers for these.

What’s sure is that the Metaverse will bring a set of regulations, standards, and protocols before it takes off. Content creators who wish to enter the Metaverse will require collaborative efforts from major hardware/software providers, IP owners, and other equipment types to make the experience worthwhile.

Metaverse, for sure, is going to bring a major revolution in the technology world.

• The new update allows users to choose whether to enable the setting for all interactions.
• With this new option, people can easily do high-five, punch, and take selfies with other avatars in Horizon Worlds.

After reports of women being groped and sexually harassed in Meta’s new VR spaces, Horizon Worlds and Venues, the company introduced a new feature, ‘Personal Boundary,’ in February to combat harassment. With this feature, the firm has given every avatar a bubble of space with a radius of two virtual feet, making it such so that no one can come within four feet of your personal space.

At that time, Meta made it so that users could not customize the feature. In response to community feedback, Meta is now updating the tool to give people more control over it. The feature has undergone updates and will now allow users to optionally turn the setting off or control when it’s enabled.

As against the earlier option to make the boundary default to on for all Horizon Worlds experiences, Meta will give users the option to choose whether or not they want the setting enabled for all interactions. VR users can turn their Personal Boundary off with the new upgrade, as was the standard before the launch of the feature.

Users will now have three options, which will allow them to decide who can get closer to your avatar. The ‘On for Non-Friends’ option is a default one. As the name suggests, this option will prevent those in the user’s friends list from getting close to the avatar.

The next is ‘On for Everyone’ and ‘Off.’ The latter option effectively returns the user’s avatar to the standard Meta enforced before introducing Personal Boundary feature. In cases where two people meet for the first time in the virtual space, the software will switch to a more restrictive setting to ensure everyone is safe.

Meta believes that the new upgrades will make it easier for people to high-five, fist-bump and take selfies with other avatars in Horizon Worlds.

Additionally, according to Meta, the Personal Boundary will default to the more restrictive setting when two people meet for the first time. For example, if one person’s Personal Boundary is off, but that of the other person’s is set to On for Everyone, the platform will create a four-foot distance between the two people. The Personal Boundary will limit everyone attending the VR Experience Horizon Venues to around four feet.

As much as things like groping have become a significant issue in VR social spaces, this update would suggest that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for helping people feel safe in virtual reality. Meta acknowledges in its latest blog post that these new options will make it easier for friends to high-five, first-bump, and take selfies while in Horizon Worlds.

While announcing the changes, Meta mentioned that developing for VR represents “what are perhaps some of the hardest challenges we’ve tackled in a generation of computing now that we’re no longer limited by fixed viewpoints and traditional flatscreen devices.”

The social media company says it will continue to make changes and improve as it learns more about how Personal Boundary impacts the VR experience.

• The social media giant will unfold the AI project in two parts -‘No Language Left Behind’ and ‘Developing a Universal Speech Translator.’
• Meta aims to deploy these new technologies into an app integrated into future wearable devices and VR and AR projects.

During Meta’s latest ‘Inside the Lab: Building for the Metaverse with AI livestream’ event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company’s research division is working on a “universal speech translation system” that will allow people worldwide to communicate with one other using different languages instantaneously. With this, the company aims to move with its unblinking vision for the future, the Metaverse.

“The big goal here is to build a universal model that can incorporate knowledge across all modalities… all the information that is captured through rich sensors,” Zuckerberg said. “This will enable a vast scale of predictions, decisions, and generation as well as whole new architectures training methods and algorithms that can learn from a vast and diverse range of different inputs.”

“This is going to be especially important when people begin teleporting across virtual worlds and experiencing things with people from different backgrounds,” he continued. “Now, we have the chance to improve the internet and set a new standard where we can all communicate with one another, no matter what language we speak or where we come from. And if we get this right, this is just one example of how AI can help bring people together on a global scale.”

Zuckerberg further stated that Meta is working on the project in two parts. The first initiative, called ‘No Language Left Behind,’ will provide AI models capable of translating languages using fewer inputs and training examples. “We are creating a single model that can translate hundreds of languages with state-of-the-art results and most of the language pairs, everything from Austrian to Uganda to Urdu,” he explained.

As the project name suggests, it aims to bridge the gap between the access to advanced translation technologies available for major languages like English, Mandarin, and Spanish and the options available for lesser-used, native languages. This last category still represents billions of people worldwide that Meta doesn’t want to leave behind.

The second part of the project talks about developing a Universal Speech Translator. It will be a real-time system that directly translates speech from one language to another without the need for a written intermediary. This will be particularly useful for translating languages where the translator cannot use any standard writing system.

“Eliminating language barriers would be profound, making it possible for billions of people to access information online in their native or preferred language,” Meta wrote in a blog post. “Advances in Machine Technology won’t just help those people who don’t speak one of the languages that dominate the internet today; they’ll also fundamentally change the way people in the world connect and share ideas.”

Once ready to deploy, Meta envisions these new technologies to be incorporated into an app for future wearable devices and into its VR and AR projects.

Google and Apple are among the other tech giants developing similar technologies. Meta is, thus, faced with the challenge to create a more reliable and user-friendly system than its competitors while keeping up with the trust of its users, whose conversations will flow through Meta’s servers.

• The social media giant will unfold the AI project in two parts -‘No Language Left Behind’ and ‘Developing a Universal Speech Translator.’
• Meta aims to deploy these new technologies into an app integrated into future wearable devices and VR and AR projects.

During Meta’s latest ‘Inside the Lab: Building for the Metaverse with AI livestream’ event, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company’s research division is working on a “universal speech translation system” that will allow people worldwide to communicate with one other using different languages instantaneously. With this, the company aims to move with its unblinking vision for the future, the Metaverse.

“The big goal here is to build a universal model that can incorporate knowledge across all modalities… all the information that is captured through rich sensors,” Zuckerberg said. “This will enable a vast scale of predictions, decisions, and generation as well as whole new architectures training methods and algorithms that can learn from a vast and diverse range of different inputs.”

“This is going to be especially important when people begin teleporting across virtual worlds and experiencing things with people from different backgrounds,” he continued. “Now, we have the chance to improve the internet and set a new standard where we can all communicate with one another, no matter what language we speak or where we come from. And if we get this right, this is just one example of how AI can help bring people together on a global scale.”

Zuckerberg further stated that Meta is working on the project in two parts. The first initiative, called ‘No Language Left Behind,’ will provide AI models capable of translating languages using fewer inputs and training examples. “We are creating a single model that can translate hundreds of languages with state-of-the-art results and most of the language pairs, everything from Austrian to Uganda to Urdu,” he explained.

As the project name suggests, it aims to bridge the gap between the access to advanced translation technologies available for major languages like English, Mandarin, and Spanish and the options available for lesser-used, native languages. This last category still represents billions of people worldwide that Meta doesn’t want to leave behind.

The second part of the project talks about developing a Universal Speech Translator. It will be a real-time system that directly translates speech from one language to another without the need for a written intermediary. This will be particularly useful for translating languages where the translator cannot use any standard writing system.

“Eliminating language barriers would be profound, making it possible for billions of people to access information online in their native or preferred language,” Meta wrote in a blog post. “Advances in Machine Technology won’t just help those people who don’t speak one of the languages that dominate the internet today; they’ll also fundamentally change the way people in the world connect and share ideas.”

Once ready to deploy, Meta envisions these new technologies to be incorporated into an app for future wearable devices and into its VR and AR projects.

Google and Apple are among the other tech giants developing similar technologies. Meta is, thus, faced with the challenge to create a more reliable and user-friendly system than its competitors while keeping up with the trust of its users, whose conversations will flow through Meta’s servers.