PROLOGUE

The Metaverse is a stack of stacks, verses of verses. But Meta without verse does not rhyme!

Today, we stand at that tryst with destiny where the connected world is becoming more dynamic and visceral. Web3 and its incarnation, the Metaverse, are emerging to connect the world of digital value with that of physical assets. To truly move from robotic cyber-physical smart manufacturing that is the hallmark of Industry 4.0 to the more human-centric solutions of Industry 5.0, we need to include a 360-degree view of the customer and end-consumer.

We also need to enable mass customization of products and services as detailed in our theme called custom manufactory in our prior article on Additive Manufacturing. As products become more connected, we need to mature as platforms to offer new services to customers and partner relationships. We need to be able to manage massive amounts of data from various sources, components, and devices seamlessly through the digital thread to realize the connected value stream through the product and service continuum. Architecting today’s Enterprise involves integrating Core Functionalities between the Customer and the Business using Cloud Provisioning, Intelligent Information and Connected Services so that activities and processes can be optimized and harmonized.

We are in the beginnings of the Metaverse era where digital incarnations will be our manifestations to interact. In this new era, the line between the real and the virtual will become increasingly blurry.

The Metaverse will enable a shared virtual world where identity, relationships, and assets are connected and represented by their digital avatar. Composing the elements of the Metaverse will require intense coordination between people, processes, and technology. New ways of virtually interacting with the physical will be discovered and implemented and the world will become more connected yet private and personalized.

In this article, we introduce our Mantra M5 platform – a cutting-edge solution that aims to bridge the gap between the connected digital world and physical assets by embracing the concepts of Web3 and the Metaverse. With a focus on human-centric solutions and Industry 5.0 principles, the platform seeks to create a shared virtual world where identities, relationships, and assets are represented by digital avatars, enabling a more dynamic and visceral experience.

The platform recognizes the significance of a 360-degree view of the customer and end-consumer in shaping personalized and tailored experiences. By incorporating this perspective, Mantra M5 goes beyond the traditional Industry 4.0 approach of robotic cyber-physical smart manufacturing to embrace more human-oriented interactions and mass customization of products and services.

Central to the success of the Mantra M5 platform is the coordination between people, processes, and technology. The platform will enable new ways of virtually interacting with the physical world, unlocking innovative opportunities for businesses and individuals alike. Throughout this transformative journey, privacy and personalization remain paramount, ensuring that the connected world remains a safe and secure space.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Overview
• Market Analysis
  • GE Predix
  • NVidia Omniverse
  • PTC Thingworx
  • Siemens Mindsphere
• Platform Definition
  • Design-Build-Operate
  • Make-Manage-Move-Market-Maintain
• Nvidia Omniverse Underpinnings
  1. Connect
  2. Compute
  3. Infer
  4. Render
• The MANTRA M5 Tenets
  1. Innovate
  2. Orchestrate
  3. Integrate
  4. Enact
• Linked Solutioning
  • NVidia NVentures Ecosystem
  • Kearney PERLab
  • PTC
  • Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence
  • Ansys
  • Siemens
• Go-to-Market Model
  • Platform
  • Lab
  • Product
• Smart Manufacturing Use Cases
  1. Remote Manufacturing – Operational Digital Twine (ODT)
  2. Composite Manufacturing – Interoperable Digital Twine Framework (ITDF)
  3. Provisioning, Commissioning and Mobilization in a Factory Floor – Connected Factory Digital Twine (CFDT)
  4. MLOPs for Digital Twinning and Predictive Maintenance
• Smart Infrastructure Use Cases
  1. Chicago Digital Twin
• Smart Products and Solutions
  1. Smart Helmets
     • Military Vanguard Wellbeing
     • Industrial Worker Safety
     • Well Care Management
     • Construction Worker Safety
     • Smart Bike Helmet
     • Recreation Helmet
  2. Micro Mobility Solutions
     • Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)
     • e-Scooter
     • e-Bike
     • Compact Commuter Vehicle (CCV)
     • All-Terrain Vehicle (e-ATV)
  3. Macro Mobility Solutions
     • e-Transit Van
     • e-RV
  4. Hyper Mobility Solutions
     • Drone delivery ecosystem
     • Air Taxi e-VTOLs

OVERVIEW

The Mantra M5 is our intelligent platform to enable process related activities of Make, Manage, Move, Market and Maintain in industrial and commercial settings.

It coordinates design, engineering, manufacturing and customer enablement via a comprehensive fabric consisting of ideation, product development, production, after-market and intelligent analysis. This will facilitate Industry 4.0 operations and beyond to enable innovators, builders, manufacturers and customers to coordinate, cooperate and meaningfully interact. Thus people, process and technology will be conjoined by interoperable systems that pull-push information with an actionable basis.

As we progress to Industry and Services 5.0, the Mantra M5 will include customer centric services as well as process and product optimization and solution evolvement based on changing needs.

The goal of Mantra M5 is to provide an easy-to-use environment for businesses to develop, deploy, and manage their products and services. Mantra M5 will enable businesses to create virtual versions aka Digital Twins of their products and/or services that would complement real time production, marketing, training, and demonstration purposes.

Mantra M5 would also enable businesses to move their products and services into the Metaverse. This would allow businesses to tap into new markets, adjacencies and circular economy models and create new experiences for their customers that would be engaging, interactive and even immersive.

MARKET ANALYSIS

Engineering corporations like GE, Nvidia, PTC and Siemens have already been building collaborating platforms for Industry 4.0 but they are either specific to a single stream – upstream product development, midstream manufacturing or downstream maintenance and support activities, or cater to integrating their own tools.

Here is a summary of the salient features in some of the tools:

GE Predix Platfom: The GE Predix platform is an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed by General Electric (GE). It is designed to connect industrial assets, collect and analyze data from these assets, and enable businesses to gain valuable insights and optimize their industrial operations.

Key features of the GE Predix platform include:

1. Connectivity and Integration: Predix provides various connectivity options to connect a wide range of industrial devices, sensors, and machines. It supports standard communication protocols, making it compatible with different types of industrial equipment and systems.
2. Data Collection and Management: The platform enables businesses to collect data from connected industrial assets in real-time. It can handle large volumes of data, securely store it, and organize it for further analysis and processing.
3. Industrial Analytics: Predix offers advanced analytics capabilities to process and analyze the data collected from industrial assets. It allows businesses to gain insights into performance trends, identify anomalies, and make data-driven decisions.
4. Predictive Maintenance: The platform supports predictive maintenance, which involves using data and analytics to predict when industrial equipment is likely to fail. This proactive approach to maintenance helps reduce downtime and optimize maintenance schedules.
5. Asset Performance Management: Predix helps businesses monitor and manage the performance of their industrial assets. It provides insights into asset health, utilization, and efficiency, enabling businesses to improve overall asset performance.
6. Industrial Applications and Solutions: The platform offers various pre-built applications and solutions tailored to specific industrial use cases. These applications address challenges in industries such as manufacturing, energy, aviation, and healthcare.
7. Security and Compliance: Predix emphasizes security and compliance to protect industrial data and ensure the integrity of the platform. GE implements robust security measures to safeguard data from potential cyber threats.
8. Scalability and Interoperability: Predix is designed to scale as IoT deployments grow, accommodating a large number of connected assets and users. It also emphasizes interoperability with existing industrial systems, making it easier for businesses to integrate the platform into their current infrastructure.

Nvidia Omniverse: NVIDIA Omniverse is a powerful and innovative platform developed by NVIDIA, a leading technology company known for its graphics processing units (GPUs). Omniverse is designed to revolutionize 3D content creation and collaboration across various industries, including gaming, film, architecture, engineering, and virtual reality.

The key features of NVIDIA Omniverse include:

1. Real-Time Simulation: Omniverse utilizes advanced real-time rendering and physics simulation to create highly realistic and interactive 3D environments. This technology allows artists, designers, and developers to visualize and manipulate complex scenes in real-time, making the creative process more efficient and productive.
2. Interoperability: One of the standout features of Omniverse is its ability to seamlessly connect and synchronize different 3D design tools and software. It acts as a collaborative platform where multiple applications and users can work together in a shared virtual space, regardless of the software they are using.
3. AI-Driven Workflows: NVIDIA Omniverse integrates AI capabilities, such as deep learning and machine learning, to enhance the creation and rendering of 3D content. AI-driven tools can assist in automating tasks, improving realism, and streamlining the creative process.
4. Digital Twin Simulation: The platform supports the creation of “digital twins,” which are virtual representations of physical objects, systems, or environments. This feature finds applications in industries like architecture, manufacturing, and autonomous vehicles, allowing for testing, optimization, and analysis in a virtual environment.
5. Collaboration: Omniverse enables real-time collaboration among geographically dispersed teams, allowing artists and professionals to work together on the same project simultaneously. This fosters efficient communication and seamless cooperation, ultimately leading to better results.
6. Simulation and Visualization: With Omniverse, users can simulate and visualize a wide range of scenarios, from architectural walkthroughs and engineering simulations to realistic special effects in films and games.

PTC Thingworx: PTC ThingWorx is an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed by PTC, a leading software company specializing in product lifecycle management (PLM) and IoT solutions. ThingWorx aims to enable businesses to connect, analyze, and leverage data from IoT devices and sensors, helping them to make informed decisions, optimize processes, and create new value-added services.

Key features of PTC ThingWorx include:

1. IoT Connectivity: ThingWorx provides various connectivity options to connect and integrate a wide range of IoT devices, sensors, and machines. It supports various industrial communication protocols, making it compatible with different types of equipment and systems.
2. Data Collection and Management: The platform allows businesses to collect data from connected devices in real-time. It can manage large volumes of data, store it securely, and organize it for further analysis and processing.
3. Analytics and Insights: ThingWorx includes advanced analytics capabilities to process and analyze IoT data. It enables businesses to gain valuable insights from the data collected, identify patterns, trends, and anomalies, and make data-driven decisions.
4. Application Development and Visualization: ThingWorx offers tools for building custom IoT applications and dashboards without extensive coding knowledge. Users can create interactive visualizations and reports to monitor and control IoT devices and processes.
5. Predictive Maintenance and Remote Monitoring: The platform supports predictive maintenance, allowing businesses to predict when equipment might fail and proactively schedule maintenance, reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency. It also enables remote monitoring of assets, facilitating real-time status updates and alerts.
6. Industrial Connectivity and Integration: ThingWorx is designed for industrial use cases and is well-suited for connecting and integrating with existing industrial automation and control systems, such as SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems).
7. Scalability and Flexibility: ThingWorx is designed to scale as IoT deployments grow, accommodating a large number of connected devices and users. It also offers flexibility in deployment options, including cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid setups.

Siemens Mindsphere: Siemens MindSphere is an industrial Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed by Siemens, a global engineering and technology company. MindSphere is designed to connect industrial assets and machines, collect and analyze data from these assets, and enable businesses to derive valuable insights and optimize their operations.

Key features of Siemens MindSphere include:

1. Connectivity and Integration: MindSphere provides various connectivity options to connect a wide range of industrial devices, sensors, and machines. It supports standard communication protocols, facilitating seamless integration with different types of equipment and systems.
2. Data Collection and Management: The platform allows businesses to gather data from connected assets in real-time. It can handle large volumes of data, securely store it, and organize it for further analysis and processing.
3. Industrial Analytics: MindSphere includes powerful analytics capabilities to process and analyze the data collected from industrial assets. It enables businesses to identify patterns, anomalies, and performance trends, facilitating data-driven decision-making.
4. Predictive Maintenance: The platform supports predictive maintenance, which involves using data and analytics to predict when industrial equipment is likely to fail. This enables businesses to schedule maintenance proactively, reducing downtime and optimizing maintenance costs.
5. Asset Performance Management: MindSphere helps businesses monitor and manage the performance of their industrial assets. It provides insights into asset health, utilization, and efficiency, allowing businesses to improve overall asset performance and optimize operations.
6. Industrial Applications and Solutions: The platform offers various pre-built applications and solutions tailored to specific industrial use cases. These applications address challenges in different industries, such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and healthcare.
7. Security and Compliance: MindSphere focuses on ensuring the security and integrity of industrial data. Siemens implements robust security measures to protect data from unauthorized access and potential cyber threats.
8. Scalability and Interoperability: MindSphere is designed to scale as IoT deployments grow, accommodating a large number of connected assets and users. Additionally, it emphasizes interoperability with existing industrial systems, making it easier for businesses to integrate the platform into their existing infrastructure.

Of Xs and Os…..

The Mantra M5 platform seeks to go beyond the single-stream focus and tool-centric integration by embracing a broader vision of connecting the digital world with physical assets through Web3 and the Metaverse. It aims to provide a shared virtual world where a person’s identity, relationships, and assets are represented by digital avatars, offering a more holistic and immersive experience.

Moreover, the Mantra M5 platform emphasizes human-centric solutions and Industry 5.0 principles, encompassing a 360-degree view of customers and end-consumers. This focus on mass customization and personalized experiences aligns with the future needs of industries and sets the stage for enhanced collaboration between people, processes, and technology.

We have already identified the NVidia Omniverse to be our ubiquitous framework upon which we will build out the make, manage, move, market and maintain features of Mantra M5. It will seamlessly connect with simulation tools and other IoT services provided by the other platform providers and that are already provisioned at the clients’.

We will utilize the services of an ISP like Kearney (PERLab) to consult and help us with the integration scenarios that will be specific to every implementation utilizing the Digital Twine to blueprint the initiatives in detail.

PLATFORM DEFINITION

“You can’t understand things unless you build them” – Richard Feynman

Mantra M5 is a development, composing, and deploying platform built on top of Nvidia’s Omniverse. It helps bring products and solutions to life in the next iteration of digital transformations that we are embarking on. It will use NVIDIA’s bit-and-bytes to orchestrate a cyber-physical environment for the Industrial Metaverse to enable themed ideation, process automation, dynamic visualization, and actionable intelligence.

Design-Build-Operate

“Omniverse is not a tool. It is a tool for connecting tools” _ Jensen Huang @ SIGGRAPH 2023

“Design, Build, and Operate” is the core theme of NVIDIA Omniverse, an innovative platform that revolutionizes 3D content creation and collaboration across various industries. This theme encompasses the key aspects of Omniverse, which are designed to enable virtual simulation by connecting, computing, inferring, and rendering. Herewith we elaborate on each component and how it provides the framework for the Mantra M5 platform:

1. Design: In Omniverse, the “Design” aspect refers to the creation and development of 3D content, such as virtual environments, assets, characters, and objects. The platform provides powerful tools and capabilities for artists, designers, and developers to design and model 3D assets with high fidelity and realism.
   • Real-Time Simulation: Omniverse enables real-time simulation, allowing creators to interactively visualize and manipulate 3D scenes as they are being designed, providing instant feedback and enhancing the creative process. This is done by externally connecting to CAD and CAE tools provided by the partner ecosystem like Autodesk, Dassault Systemes, Ansys, PTC, Siemens, Hexagon and others.
   • Interoperability: Omniverse emphasizes interoperability, allowing seamless collaboration between different 3D design tools and software. Artists, designers and engineers can work together on the same project simultaneously, regardless of the software they use, promoting efficient teamwork.
2. Build: The “Build” aspect involves constructing and assembling 3D scenes and environments using the assets created in the design phase. Omniverse provides capabilities to efficiently build complex and interactive virtual worlds.
   • Digital Twin Simulation: Omniverse supports the creation of “digital twins,” which are virtual representations of physical objects, systems, or environments. This feature finds applications in various industries, such as architecture, manufacturing, and autonomous vehicles, allowing for testing, optimization, and analysis in a virtual environment.
   • AI-Driven Workflows: The platform integrates AI capabilities, such as deep learning and machine learning, to enhance the building process. AI-driven tools can assist in automating tasks, improving realism, and streamlining the creation of virtual worlds.
3. Operate: The “Operate” aspect focuses on using the virtual simulations for various purposes, such as training, analysis, and visualization. Omniverse provides tools and functionalities to interact with and manage the virtual environments.
   • Data Visualization and Analysis: Omniverse enables users to visualize and analyze data within the virtual simulations. This feature is particularly useful for data-driven decision-making and scenario analysis.
   • Virtual Training and Simulation: The platform can be utilized for training personnel in various industries, such as aviation, healthcare, and manufacturing, by providing realistic and immersive virtual training environments.
   • High-Quality Rendering: Omniverse leverages advanced rendering capabilities to ensure high-quality visuals and realism, contributing to a more immersive and engaging user experience.

The “Design, Build, and Operate” theme of NVIDIA Omniverse will enable us to create, collaborate, and experience virtual simulations with unprecedented realism and efficiency, making Mantra M5 a powerful tool across industries and domains.

Make-Manage-Move-Market-Maintain

Building a platform for the Industrial and Commercial Metaverse with the functions – Make, Manage, Move, Market, and Maintain – helps create a powerful and comprehensive solution for optimizing process flows in various industries and domains.

Here is an elaboration on each of these functions:

1. Make: The “Make” function focuses on the production and manufacturing processes. It involves technologies and tools that streamline the creation of products and goods, such as:
   • Product Development: Enabling themed innovation by ideation, iteration and prototyping the design and making it a viable candidate for manufacturing and marketing.
   • Manufacturing Automation: Integrating automation and robotics to improve efficiency and consistency in the production process.
   • Quality Control: Implementing systems to ensure products meet the required quality standards.
   • Resource Planning: Managing the allocation of resources, such as raw materials and labor, to optimize production schedules.
   • Digital Twin: Creating digital replicas of physical assets or processes to simulate and optimize manufacturing operations.
2. Manage: The “Manage” function involves overseeing and optimizing the various aspects of the industrial and commercial processes include features such as:
   • Asset Management: Tracking and monitoring the performance, maintenance, and lifecycle of assets, equipment, and facilities.
   • Supply Chain Optimization: Streamlining the supply chain by monitoring inventory levels, logistics, and delivery processes.
   • Process Monitoring and Optimization: Analyzing data in real-time to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies for continuous improvement.
3. Move: The “Move” function deals with transportation and logistics within the industrial and commercial processes like:
   • Fleet Management: Tracking and optimizing the movement of vehicles, goods, and personnel to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
   • Route Optimization: Utilizing algorithms and data to find the most efficient and cost-effective transportation routes.
   • Real-Time Tracking: Providing real-time visibility of shipments and assets throughout the transportation process.
4. Market: The “Market” function involves activities related to marketing products and services such as:
   • Digital Marketing: Leveraging digital channels, such as social media and online advertising, to reach target audiences.
   • Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Managing interactions and relationships with customers to enhance sales and support.
   • Marketplace Integration: Integrating with online marketplaces to expand sales channels and reach a broader customer base.
   • Monetization: Evolving the commercial component beyond the initial sell to have bundling, service provisioning, warranty protection, subscription service and over the air software update features.
5. Maintain: The “Maintain” function focuses on the upkeep and support of assets and products throughout their lifecycle. It includes features such as:
   • Predictive Maintenance: Using data analytics and AI to predict equipment failures and schedule maintenance proactively.
   • Remote Monitoring: Monitoring assets and processes from a centralized location to detect issues and perform remote diagnostics.
   • Service and Support: Providing customer support and service to address issues and ensure customer satisfaction.

By integrating these five functions into our Industrial and Commercial Metaverse platform, we offer a holistic solution that optimizes process flows, enhances efficiency, reduces downtime, and improves overall business performance across various industries and domains.

NVIDIA OMNIVERSE UNDERPINNINGS

Connect, Compute, Infer, and Render are four components that are foundational pillars of Omniverse, and they underpin the platform’s capabilities to enable virtual simulation.

• 1. Connect: Omniverse connects various 3D design tools, content libraries, and services to foster seamless collaboration and data sharing among different users and teams.
  2. Compute: The platform utilizes the power of NVIDIA’s GPUs and data centers to perform complex computations, simulations, and rendering in real-time, delivering high-performance and responsive experiences.
  3. Infer: Omniverse leverages AI capabilities for inference, enabling intelligent automation, optimization, and enhancement of 3D content creation and simulation workflows.
  4. Render: Omniverse employs advanced real-time rendering techniques to produce stunning visuals and realistic environments, enhancing the overall quality and immersion of the virtual simulations.

MANTRA M5 TENETS

At Numorpho Cybernetic Systems (NUMO), we plan to utilize Omniverse foundation and build our four tents on top of it to:

1. Innovate – the themed layer for our innovation workflow (MANTHAN) to enable coordinated agile development of physical products and their digital counterparts,

2. Orchestrate – the backbone to create dynamic blueprints using our reference architecture, the Digital Twine for process automation that would enable an end-to-end holistic view of all activities up-stream, mid-stream, and down-stream,

3. Integrate – the information bus for our Tendril Connector that integrates data using different protocols like API gateways, service meshes and microservices to enable pertinent data transfer, and

4. Enact – the coordinator for our multi-modal intelligence engine the TAU Codex Orchestrator that would aggregate information from multiple inference engines to enable actionable intelligence.

This is represented in the following diagram:

This will enable the appropriate pull-push of data, 3D models and process information to build out the first platform for the Metaverse. Dynamic cyber-physical solutions can thus be composed with actionable intelligence. The Omniverse layer will aggregate product development (model) data with physical and material engineering needs (additive and digital manufacturing), built-up area visualization using IoT & AR/VR (production shop floor, infrastructure, transportation, and mobility) and enable the seamless end-to-end compositions of digital threads and digital twins.

LINKED SOLUTIONING

GO-TO MARKET MODEL

USE CASES

SUMMARY

The Mantra M5 is our Digital Twin Operational Environment that coordinates our four tenets to Innovate, Orchestrate, Integrate and Enact automated processes combining physical, digital and synthetic realms into a unified platform.

The Mantra M5 platform focus on the following aspects:

• Connectivity: The ability to connect people, processes, and platforms in a secure and reliable way. This includes external services and data sources (Tendril enabled).
• Automation: The Mantra M5 platform automates tasks to improve efficiency and accuracy. This includes automating the ideation, management, production and analysis processes (Digital Twine reference architecture).
• Data Management: The Mantra M5 platform should be able to store, manage and analyze data. This will enable the platform to make decisions based on actionable intelligence and data-driven insights (TAU Codex Transformer).
• Security: The Mantra M5 platform is secure, reliable and compliant with all applicable regulations. This includes data privacy, cybersecurity and other compliance standards.
• Scalability: The Mantra M5 platform is able to scale to meet the needs of future customers and applications. This is based on its underpinnings with NVidia and Microsoft
• Cost: The Mantra M5 platform will be cost-effective and value additive to ensure that it is accessible and affordable to all users.
• User Experience: The Mantra M5 platform has an intuitive user experience to ensure that it is easy to use and understand. This includes having a simple and user-friendly interface. Here we will utilize the power of LLMs, generative AI and other tools to streamline interfacing.

The Mantra M5 platform represents a step forward in embracing the potential of the Metaverse and Web3 technologies to create a connected, personalized, and dynamic future. Through the platform’s focus on Industry 5.0 principles, mass customization, and human-centric solutions, it seeks to enable a world where the virtual and physical realms are seamlessly integrated for the benefit of individuals, businesses, and society as a whole.

In a separate content Nelson Mandela said, “It’s a long walk to freedom”. The journey has begun. Is it freedom or bondage at the end of the walk? Time will tell.

History starts now.

NITIN UCHIL Founder, CEO & Technical Evangelist
nitin.uchil@numorpho.com