Microsoft said Kawasaki has become a new customer in what it calls the “industrial metaverse.” Workers at the Japanese company’s factories will begin wearing HoloLens augmented reality headsets to help them with manufacturing, repairs and supply chain management. The devices will also be used in the creation of robots.

Image source: microsoft.com

Announced in 2015, HoloLens uses augmented reality technology to overlay digital images on top of the real world. Such solutions can help in solving industrial problems: for example, Microsoft has proposed creating “digital twins” of the workspace to speed up some production processes. It is no longer necessary to call a repair technician to the Kawasaki factory to fix a failed part, but can communicate remotely with local workers, accompanying them through the repair process and giving specific instructions in the form of visual cues in augmented reality.

In addition to Kawasaki, Microsoft technologies have already interested Heinz, which recently announced its intention to introduce an “industrial metaverse” in the production of ketchup, Boeing has become another partner in the project. It is noteworthy that today the technologies of the metaverse are more focused on business than on the needs of ordinary consumers.

Unlike competitors who emphasize the entertainment features of the metaverse and are just preparing for its wide market launch, Microsoft sells technologies to partners that are already ready to go. At the same time, these solutions are not always tied to a specific type of device – the Mesh for Teams avatars presented in November last year also work with traditional 2D displays.