Metaverse and Omniverse are terms that are gradually becoming more familiar in any area of our daily lives, from education, training, medical treatments and to one of the most life-transforming sectors: industry.
In the case of the Metaverse, this term started to become popular since Meta Platforms Inc, conglomerate owner of social networks such as Facebook and Instagram announced its new approach in October 2021.
Along with the name change, it also made clear the company’s vision for the coming years, allocating $10 billion for the development of its version of a new reality, the Metaverse.
It would not be risky to say that this quest to generate virtual and immersive environments is the next evolution of the the Internet since large technology companies such as Microsoft have also joined the visionary transformation.
In the words of Bill Gates, the next virtual meetings will move from 2D square boxes (Zoom, Teams, Google Meats, etc.) to three-dimensional environments where participants will be represented by avatars and where they will even interact with characters built by Artificial intelligence. This vision will transform what we know as a home office or remote work.
Another technology giant that has invested heavily in virtual reality and augmented reality environments is NVIDIA, a manufacturer and developer of graphics processing units and integrated circuit technologies.
NVIDIA’s Omniverse proposal is more ambitious, as its focus is not limited to entertainment environments, but seeks to establish a link between reality and virtuality by focusing on industrial development. Even going so far as to develop fully digital factories in collaboration with major manufacturers such as BMW.
In the next paragraphs, we tell you a little more about this interesting world.
What is the Metaverse?
“The metaverse refers to the change in the way we interact with technology.”
The metaverse is a network of three-dimensional virtual nodes where people can act, do business, work, and forge connections. It is a term coined by Neal Stephenson in 1992 when he used it to describe a future world based on virtual reality in his novel Snow Crash.
The metaverse has the potential to be a more immersive and interactive online experience than is currently possible with traditional 2D websites and social media platforms. With the development of new immersive technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality, the metaverse is coming closer and closer to reality.
These technologies allow users to have a more realistic and engaging experience in the metaverse. Companies are already beginning to explore how they can use the metaverse for marketing, sales, and customer service. The metaverse has the potential to redefine the way we interact with each other and the world around us.
Companies such as Meta are investing large sums of money to develop tools that allow users to wrap themselves inside the Metaverse. Devices such as the Meta Quest 2, glasses that combine virtual reality and augmented reality, or haptic gloves, which give the user sensations such as touch, movement, or texture, are making the experience more and more immersive.
It is important to understand that the Metaverse is not an alternative to the Internet, nor does it compete with it. The Metaverse builds on the internet by merging it with technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, and even social networks.
The Microsoft Metaverse
Microsoft’s entry into the metaverse space is an exciting development for those who have been following the potential of this technology. The company’s mesh platform, which will allow users to establish a virtual presence on any device using a personalized avatar, has the potential to transform the way we interact with each other and our environment. In addition, Microsoft’s investment in mixed-reality technology means that the metaverse will be able to offer a truly immersive experience. With the launch of mesh, it appears that Microsoft is well-positioned to become a major player in the metaverse space.
What is the Omniverse?
Omniverse is a cloud-based platform that allows users to create and collaborate on 3D models and simulations in real time. It uses NVIDIA RTX technology to provide realistic lighting and shadows, as well as physics-based rendering. This makes it ideal for applications such as product design, architectural visualization, industrial processes and gaming.
How does it work?
Omniverse is divided into three parts: the Omniverse Nucleus, the Omniverse Composition Engine, and NVIDIA CloudXR. The Nucleus is a central server that allows users to connect and share data. The Composition Engine is a desktop application that allows users to create and edit 3D models. NVIDIA CloudXR is a cloud service that provides the computing power needed to render high-quality graphics in real-time.
Omniverse is a project that NVIDIA, in conjunction with 500 companies, envisions as a revolution in the way we create and develop, rethinking the way we work together and how what we do in virtual environments can impact the physical world.
NVIDIA and BMW Collaboration: New Industry in the Omniverse
In a world first, BMW and NVIDIA have designed a completely virtual factory. Using the power of NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform, BMW’s global teams can collaborate in real-time from different locations around the world and using different software packages such as Revit, Catia, or Clouds. All changes will not only be visible in the virtual environment but also in the physical world. That is what the Omniverse is all about, creating a real connection between the real and the virtual.
It is a new way of approaching the planning of highly complex manufacturing systems. In it, people and robots work together, engineers collaborate anywhere, and factories are simulated in photorealistic spaces. The benefits of this system are enormous and far-reaching, and we look forward to seeing how this collaboration between BMW and NVIDIA develops over time.”
The benefits of a virtual factory
Designing a factory virtually has many advantages. For one, it allows for faster reconfiguration of the factory design. If there is a change in production line requirements or a new robot needs to be integrated into the system, it can be done quickly and easily in the virtual environment without affecting production in the physical world.
In addition, designing factories virtually allows engineers to collaborate from anywhere in the world in real-time. This opens up new possibilities for distributed teamwork and remote problem-solving. For example, if an engineer in Munich needs to talk to an engineer in China about a design problem, he or she can easily do so using Omniverse’s photorealistic simulation environment.
Finally, designing factories virtually helps reduce costs by eliminating the need for costly physical prototypes. By being able to test designs and configurations in the virtual world first, significant savings can be realized before anything is built in the real world.
The collaboration between NVIDIA and BMW is exciting news for the manufacturing industry. The ability to design factories virtually has huge implications for the way manufacturing systems are planned and built. We look forward to seeing how this collaboration over time and what other innovations emerge from it.
The Metaverse / Omniverse impact on workspaces
Imagine a day with a full agenda, you have to surf between consecutive meetings and you are asked to be present at a meeting to take note of what has been agreed… what if artificial intelligence can attend for you?
This virtual world is poised to rethink what we know about the world of work. What changes are likely to emerge?
New immersive forms of collaboration
Teams will be able to work in photorealistic simulated environments no matter where they are in the world.
The emergence of new digital “colleagues” based on artificial intelligence.
What we have known until now as virtual assistants may take a radical step forward, becoming virtual co-workers, with whom we can engage to take on more monotonous or computerized tasks.
Accelerated learning and training
One of the great advantages of virtual reality is the increase in retention capacity, improving training programs, and reducing training times.
Skills acquisition through virtualization and gamified technologies
New learning dynamics can be much more stimulating, including factors that until years ago we could only conceive of in video games.
New ways of rethinking the office and the work environment
After the pandemic, what we know as remote work or home office accelerated, and many companies and workers found the wonders of working from anywhere or from home. However, with this came nuances, as according to Nuffield Health, almost a third of remote workers in the UK experienced difficulties separating work life from their personal life or home. It was difficult to switch off at the end of the working day as there was no clear demarcation between home and work life.
This had a clear impact on performance, productivity, and communication. Studies have shown that, contrary to popular thought, remote work due to poor technologies (compared to virtual reality) workers are becoming less and less interconnected.
With the metaverse also comes new ways of approaching the home office, introducing virtual elements where even features of adventure, spontaneity, and surprise are added.
The metaverse is a constantly evolving landscape and New Discovery Agency is at the forefront of virtual reality development. We invite companies to partner with us to create innovative VR experiences for their clients. With our cutting-edge technology and experienced team, we can take your business to the next level. Contact us today to find out how we can help you enter the metaverse.