Simulation economy gets real
Futureworld May 3 2027
The world has entered a new age of industrial design and engineering, thanks to the emergence of simulation systems, powered by advanced computing and artificial intelligence (AI) agents. These revolutionary platforms allow companies to design, produce, stress-test and iterate new products without the need for any physical prototypes or versions.
“Simulation is allowing us to create products that meet our customers ’ needs faster and more efficiently than ever before,” enthuses Stephanie Chen, CEO of Synthetics, a leading simulation systems provider.
“And we’re doing this for everything from kitchen appliances to space rockets.”
At the heart of this transformation is the ability of AI-driven simulation systems to generate complex virtual models that accurately replicate real-world conditions. Designers and engineers can use these simulations to identify flaws and opportunities for improvement, progressing directly towards optimised final products.
This process is vastly more efficient and cost-effective than the traditional approach of 3Dprinting physical prototypes. Complex design problems can be solved in a fraction of the time, and companies can now bring products to market much faster and with greater reliability. As simulation platforms evolve, we can expect to see even more revolutionary applications that will push the limits of industrial design and engineering beyond its current boundaries.
As Chen notes: “Simulation is allowing us to experiment and explore things much more creatively. We’re able to bring together advanced computing technology and a wider range of stakeholders to create better designs from the start, moving towards optimising both the product and the production process.
“We go beyond the concept of digital twins, and do consumer testing in the metaverse.”
In the simulation economy, businesses can leapfrog innovation hurdles and enter the market with mature models. Just imagine if the iPhone X had been Apple’s first smartphone. /First published in Mindbullets May 4, 2023
INDUSTRY INVADES THE METAVERSE June 29 2026
The internet emerged from its military-academic roots and was adopted by business long before it became a platform for consumers to use for media, entertainment and games. The old hands can remember a time when the cost of broadband was prohibitive for home use and you had to go to work to get properly connected.
Now it is the business use of virtual and mixed reality that is making the metaverse sustainable. Playing fantasy games and socialising as an avatar dressed in designer clothes has its niche market, but that is not the killer app for virtual technologies.
As far back as 2022, industry giants such as BMW saw the potential for creating a fully immersive digital twin for each of its factories, and so were able to simulate production processes and planning for new factories — before they were built.
Teaming up with Nvidia, they built an omniverse environment for every plant and model, creating a platform for planning, training and even repair and maintenance efficiencies.
Now it is commonplace for factory workers, sorry, technicians, to be trained both in digital twin settings as well as on the job with virtual assist.
Leveraging real-time data from the internet of everything optimises automated processes and alerts them when interventions are needed, as well as monitoring the robots that do most of the work.
Metaverse technologies allow industrial companies to design new products and variants, simulate their production, revise and improve the process — like which parts should be 3D printed and which ones welded — and then move straight to actual production in the physical factory. It is hardly necessary to prototype any more, and that saves many millions.
So, if you are impressed with the latest edition of Fantasy Somethingland, remember who is really powering the metaverse: industry. /First published in Mindbullets June 3, 2022
DISCLAIMER
Despite appearances to the contrary, Futureworld cannot and does not predict the future.
The Mindbullets scenarios are fictitious and designed purely to explore possible futures, challenge and stimulate strategic thinking.