Turku University of Applied Sciences develops industrial metaverse based on a Nokia solution

Picture: An illustration of the demonstration of the new technology. Aapo Nikkola, Turku University of Applied Sciences

In the metaverse, i.e. a virtual world with several users, it is possible to utilise new kinds of tools and ways of working in cooperation with other employees and organisations.  

“Finland stands out as the first European nation to launch a national Metaverse initiative, positioning itself among the pioneers globally. With a noteworthy and steadily expanding metaverse ecosystem, Finland is well-positioned for this exciting future development”, says Ville-Veikko Mattila, Head of Multimedia Technologies at Nokia, and a Finnish Metaverse initiative program lead.

Cooperating in a realistic virtual environment

With the help of new technology from Turku UAS, collaborative environments for many users can be created in the metaverse. These can be, for example, a ship under construction, a robotic production line of a car factory or an operating room. In collaborative environments, users from different organisations can work in the same virtual space at the same time. High-quality 360° video provides a more realistic environment and therefore a richer experience for the user. 

The New technology can be used to improve work productivity and safety and to increase well-being at work. For example, the metaverse can be used to meet people or demonstrate a new product regardless of time and place. Applications also include joint training, planning, and administration of organisations. 

The solution is based on Nokia's RXRM (Real-time eXtended Reality Multimedia) technology, which enables the transmission of high-resolution and fast-updating video images with low latency. This responds to the massive data transfer needs of large numbers of users. 

Turku UAS' Futuristic Interactive Technologies research group (FIT) combined Nokia's technology with its metaverse platform and built a prototype containing 360-degree video from the Turku archipelago. The research group has been developing industrial metaverse technology since 2022. In spring 2023, the technology was commercialized as a startup called ProVerse Interactive Oy.

– Turku University of Applied Sciences will continue to have the opportunity to further develop its own industrial metaverse environments by simultaneously utilising the best features of the metaverse platform, the Unity physics engine and Nokia's RXRM technology, says Mika Luimula, leader of the research group.