Sony, a company that has a place in the global AR/VR headset market, unveiled its new headset in collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Siemens stated that it will integrate this headset with its NX immersive design software used for product engineering. This integration will utilize the Xcelerator product portfolio to provide Siemens' industrial customers with 3D design, review, and collaboration capabilities. The collaboration between Sony and Siemens in launching the new headset essentially reflects a shift towards the industrial metaverse, marking a transition from consumer-oriented applications to a focus on industrial solutions. "There are many exciting things that the industrial metaverse can bring to global manufacturers. We have a very structured view of this - the industrial metaverse will bring fully immersive environments to the next level of digital twins," said Bob Jones, Vice President of Global Sales and Customer Success Execution at Siemens Digital Industries Software (DISW). Jones also believes that once Sony releases its headset, the demand for Siemens' industrial metaverse products will further increase. However, not everyone shares Jones' optimism. Last year, Microsoft disbanded its "Industrial Metaverse Core" team, consisting of about 100 employees, in order to focus on building AI chatbots. At the same time, Meta also downsized its Reality Labs division, which focused on metaverse technology and advancements. However, Sony and Siemens are not the only companies investing time, effort, and funds into the metaverse. Earlier this year, Apple released its Vision Pro mixed reality headset. The company recently published a blog post claiming that they expect Vision Pro to lead a new era of commercial spatial computing. Leading the way in the manufacturing industry Interestingly, the automotive industry has already been at the forefront of utilizing the metaverse. It enables engineers to interact with comprehensive digital twins, identify potential issues or improvements in the virtual domain, explore alternative methods, and then build physical prototypes. "They are using the metaverse for virtual prototyping of car designs and providing immersive training for assembly line workers using AR/VR/Web3D-based virtual showrooms/configurators," said Anuj Gupta, Head of Enterprise and Sales at AutoVRse. Automotive companies are also using the metaverse for remote maintenance support. The metaverse facilitates real-time transmission of repair data from dealerships and auto repair shops to manufacturers' after-sales service and development teams. This seamless data integration enhances car maintenance, repair, and after-sales development. Gupta pointed out that Tata AutoComp Systems Limited (TACO), a leading automotive component manufacturer, is using virtual reality to train their assembly line workers on how to assemble cockpits, seats, radiators, HVAC systems, etc. "In our collaboration with Tata Motors, we have used virtual reality technology to enhance customer engagement, providing an immersive preview of the brand vision. Similarly, we have also integrated immersive virtual reality setups, including HTC VIVE headsets, for Bosch, applied in the sales process and training of flagship store and airport staff," revealed Gupta. "Volvo utilizes virtual reality to showcase its luxury cars to customers, enabling personalized customization and providing a more informed and memorable car buying experience," he added. It's not just the automotive industry that has found use cases in the industrial metaverse, other manufacturing companies have as well. Jones stated that European battery manufacturer Freyr utilized Siemens' comprehensive digital twin to meticulously design every aspect of their Gigafactory before construction. "Their goal is to utilize the metaverse to enable potential customers to interact with comprehensive digital twins, ensuring that the factory meets their operational requirements and effectively fulfills their needs," he said. Siemens has created a digital-native factory in Nanjing using the metaverse, integrating digital technology from the very beginning. The simulation of the digital twin optimized construction, avoiding costly mistakes. In addition, continuous simulation has improved efficiency, resulting in a 200% increase in capacity and a 20% improvement in production efficiency. The rise of the industrial metaverse Gupta believes that the metaverse is poised for significant growth in the coming years. "As industries worldwide embrace digital transformation, more and more people are recognizing the potential of metaverse technology in revolutionizing operations, training, and collaboration in manufacturing and related industries," he said. In addition to companies like Meta and Microsoft, other companies such as AWS and NVIDIA are also working on the metaverse. However, Siemens is one of the few companies making significant progress in this technology. Jones revealed that their clients have directly contacted them inquiring about the company's industrial metaverse products. "This is one of our products that doesn't require marketing spend." "A Japanese automaker has already started engaging with us on this initiative. We have also received significant interest from multiple clients in the United States," said Jones. Furthermore, he expects the initial interest to likely expand into the realm of product development, especially after the launch of Sony's headset.