Nokia Taps into Metaverse for Industrial Solutions
Nokia was once renowned for producing sturdy mobile phones. The company has turned its attention to exploring the potential industrial applications of the Metaverse.
The firm has been seeking ways to connect remote workers through the Metaverse. Such as those at far-flung beer breweries or isolated airport technicians.
Nokia was once recognized for its consumer mobile device production. It has now pivoted to the creation of technology and equipment that delivers internet connectivity.
Robert Joyce is the CTO of Nokia Oceania. He has shared that the company is focused on delivering the Metaverse as part of its plans.
He mentioned that Nokia set up two labs dedicated to researching the Metaverse and its underlying technologies.
In 2018, they collaborated with a university in Australia to implement metaverse technology in a 5G-connected microbrewery.
Apparently, scientists from a brewery technology laboratory at the University of Technology Sydney have been working on this.
They have joined forces with their counterparts from Dortmund University in Germany to explore the use of augmented reality (AR).
In the experiments, they brew beer and gather information about the brewing process including the recipe, timing, temperature, and volume. This information is then fed back into the digital twin for analysis.
They conduct joint experiments to brew beer and modify the process, temperature, timing, volume, and recipes. They then feed the information back into the digital twin.
This way, they can simulate the brewing process in the digital space to perfect the beer. Meanwhile, Nokia is using the metaverse to help Cessna aircraft technicians in remote airports.
The company collaborated with another company that has a virtual Cessna aircraft in its fleet.
They used Microsoft HoloLens connected to a 5G network and audio instructions. Through this, they can guide technicians along the process of servicing the aircraft through augmented reality.
Nishant Batra is the worldwide head of strategy and technology at Nokia. He recently emphasized that the impact of the Metaverse will be felt first in industries rather than in the consumer market.
This was stated at the World Economic Forum. Batra noted that ports have started using digital twins to track containers on their docks, even if they are buried in stacks.
He added that aerospace companies are constructing engines and fuselages in the digital realm. This is to simulate the flight of an aircraft before any mechanical parts are made.
Joyce Foresees Slow Consumer Metaverse Adoption
Joyce agreed with the notion that the Metaverse will have a bigger impact on industries first, rather than consumers.
He believes that widespread adoption of the consumer Metaverse won’t occur until 2030. He also predicted that by 2024, five times more revenue will be spent on the industrial Metaverse.
This is compared to the consumer or enterprise Metaverse. Joyce added that the current consumer Metaverse technology is not advanced enough and is clunky.
According to Joyce, it will take some time for the consumer metaverse to become popular. This is because the current VR/AR devices are not very comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
He estimates that it may take three to five years for consumer adoption of VR/AR services to significantly increase. Joyce believes it will play a crucial role in facilitating transactions and asset transfers.
He said that when asked about the future of blockchain technology in the Metaverse. Robert Joyce emphasized the importance of using blockchain technology to maintain integrity within the metaverse.
He conveyed this as it can be useful for ensuring the uniqueness of digital assets like virtual real estate. Additionally, he explained that blockchain technology can prevent assets from being duplicated or moved.
However, he also mentioned that not all applications of the metaverse require blockchain technology.
Although it may not be essential, he is grateful that it is available and will likely be utilized in the metaverse.