We have already seen what the Metaverse is and how to get into it depending on the applicability we want to give it .
Now we will analyze what digital twins are and their importance to grow the Metaverse and pave the way for other brands according to Rediffusion’s Red Labs study.
What are digital twins?
The definition made by IBM would be something like: “the digital representation of an object or system throughout its life cycle, is updated in real time, and uses machine learning, simulation and reasoning to help make decisions.”
In the retail industry, digital twins are used in supply chain management and improved store experiences. Retailers can create supply chain simulations to maintain optimal inventory levels. On a physical level, they collect information from motion sensors and smart shelves to create a digital model of the store and project sales to test its effectiveness.
Many brands such as Amazon and Google collect browsing and purchasing information to offer better insights into what a certain person likes to offer them more attractive products and offers that align with their personal tastes. Basically, it’s like having a digital assistant that collects and analyzes information to provide smarter decision making.
Digital Twins in the Metaverse
Although we have a personalized avatar, it is useless if we do not have a well-designed geographic space to interact. That’s why businesses of all kinds are using 3D replicas of objects, places, systems and resources to create digital twins that represent them.
Increasingly, the digital world resembles the real world, and stores must project this in their digital twins, offering the same experience as in the real world to generate the feeling of immersion when user avatars interact with them.
Unique details
In New Jersey, a system of VR headsets and digital twins is being used so that water system workers can see the pipes under their feet as if they had x-rays. Employees can see the underground pipes and this allows them to dig and fix directly at the fault without breaking the street unnecessarily. While it doesn’t sound as fun or exciting as a video game, it saves millions of dollars on operations and machinery.
This type of applicability allows engineers and architects to inspect different parts of structures that have already been mapped and taken to their digital twin counterparts to monitor their performance. Investors can see models of buildings before they are built, with simulated light and shadow casts, structural details, and more.
Hybrid workspaces
By creating a digital twin of the central office or small offices, an immersive work environment can be created that connects the employee’s home with the headquarters. This type of space can be used to train new workers in a space that simulates the geographical space where these types of activities are carried out but at a distance.
Many new businesses can afford to map out a virtual office instead of renting physical space that is impossible for a start-up to price. Real-time virtual mapping creates all kinds of assets such as tables, doors, different floors, if any, and more details than a true digital twin generates.
Simulations of possibilities
Although the Metaverse is used more for entertainment and escapism, there are many possibilities to simulate different scenarios to anticipate real world situations or prepare people in case they happen.
From safety drills to simulations of the consequences of global warming in cities, they can be projected in the virtual world to collect data, raise awareness and change habits within a factory to improve the environment.
Shops and services
Imagine that clothing store X is many miles from your home. Entering its digital twin in the Metaverse you can walk through its corridors, see its catalog, try its clothes on your avatar and after buying it, receive it by mail within days. This can be applied to any type of product and service that can recreate its digital counterpart in the Metaverse to add another possibility of purchase in addition to its retail store.
Concerts and cultural events
There have already been some artist shows in the Metaverse, all you need to do is buy a digital ticket and enjoy with your avatar in a virtual stadium while the artist’s avatar performs live. This is ideal for people who live in other countries and do not have the possibility to travel to enjoy a concert.
As you will see, the possibilities are endless, and allow expanding the scope of a brand to a new field where creativity and originality prevail above all. Digital twins are the best way to have a brand presence in the Metaverse and by offering an unforgettable experience, we can ensure customer loyalty for a long period of time.
