McKinsey’s top trends in technology touches on a lot of areas that we at Numorpho Cybernetic Systems (NUMO) are already working on.

• McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2023 | McKinsey

The report covers a range of topics, from emerging technologies like AI and automation to the impact of digital transformation on businesses and society. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the trends that are likely to shape the future of technology and how companies can leverage these trends to stay ahead of the curve.

These follow the five groupings of:

1. the AI revolution,
2. building the digital future,
3. compute and connectivity frontiers,
4. cutting-edge engineering, and
5. a sustainable world.

In this article, we use McKinsey’s Technology Trends Outlook for 2023 as a backdrop to detail our basis and purpose at Numorpho to utilize cutting edge technologies to enable future engineering. Our Everything Connected theme implies process integration to seamlessly pull and push data, information and knowledge to enable solutions that are smart, connected and resilient.

THE INDUSTRIAL METAVERSE by Jeff Winter

Few terms have risen and fallen as dramatically as “𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞.” At its peak in January 2022, the buzz surrounding the metaverse was almost deafening, promising to revolutionize how we interact with digital spaces. However, as with many hype cycles, the fervor has waned significantly—dropping to around 5% of its peak interest. (Source: https://lnkd.in/es-t2Tj2)

But here’s the thing: just because the term “metaverse” has fallen out of favor doesn’t mean the underlying concepts and innovations have lost their impact. The vision of interconnected virtual worlds, augmented reality (AR), and immersive experiences is still very much alive, reshaping industries from gaming and entertainment to remote work and education.

So, perhaps it’s time to rethink our terminology. The “metaverse” as a term may have faded, but its essence is thriving.

The 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 is the convergence of multiple technologies that together create an immersive three-dimensional virtual or a combination of virtual/physical industrial environment. As technology progresses, this metaverse will likely be accessible from any internet-connected device, including VR and AR devices, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other equipment, from anywhere in the world.

In a report by Deloitte and Manufacturing Leadership Council, the manufacturing industry is primed for the adoption of the industrial metaverse, given its ongoing digital transformation and progression towards the smart factory.

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬:
• 𝟗𝟐% of executives stated their companies are experimenting with or implementing at least one metaverse-related use case. On average, companies are running 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐱 metaverse-related use cases.
• Companies are generally implementing technologies like data analytics, cloud computing, AI, 5G, and IoT across multiple projects or are experimenting with individual projects. However, the current adoption of technologies like edge computing, wearables, extended and mixed reality, and blockchain is relatively low, which are crucial to take the next step in metaverse evolution.
• Reduced cost was a primary benefit identified for all use cases.
• Approximately 𝟑𝟎% of the companies are identified as “pacesetters”, which are ahead in metaverse implementation. On average, pacesetters are likely to invest in 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 use cases and are committing 𝟑.𝟔𝐱 larger investments to their metaverse initiatives.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:
https://lnkd.in/enbhBvtN

OUR PERSPECTIVE

Herewith, we will discuss what we are doing in each of these domains:

1. THE AI REVOLUTION

The AI Revolution is certainly an exciting and rapidly-changing field.

McKinsey Definition:

• Applied AI – Models trained in machine learning can be used to solve classification, prediction, and control problems to automate activities, add or augment capabilities and offerings, and make better decisions: This is all about using machine learning models in various ways to automate tasks, make better decisions, and create new products and services. From self-driving cars to personalized healthcare, we’re seeing AI making an impact across many industries.
• Industrializing machine learning – A rapidly evolving ecosystem of software and hardware solutions is enabling practices that accelerate and derisk the development, deployment, and maintenance of machine learning solutions: As AI and machine learning become more common, companies are working to make it easier and faster to develop and deploy these solutions. This includes things like cloud computing and pre-trained models that make it easier for companies to get started with AI.
• Generative AI – Generative AI can automate, augment, and accelerate work by tapping into unstructured mixed-modality data sets to enable the creation of new content in various forms, such as text, video, code, and even protein sequences: This is a cutting-edge area of AI research where computers can generate new content, such as text, images, and even computer code. This is a rapidly-developing field that has the potential to revolutionize everything from creative writing to data science.

The AI Revolution is a fascinating area of technology that’s rapidly transforming many aspects of our lives.

Numorpho’s Take:

Our goal is to further the development of AI, make it less brittle, more contextual and rational, and utilize AI for optimizing and harmonizing process engineering. Our forays into Existential Intelligence (EI) utilizing the 5th order of Cybernetics convert meaning to motion using a multi-modal basis. Our Mantra M5 platform has two constructs that utilize AI:

• • Manthan Design Philosophy for Innovation – A LLM based conversational interface to enable prompt engineering for ideation to imagine-design-create.
  • The TAU Codex Transformer for Multi-modal Inference – A generative AI toolkit to assemble outputs from different perception sources for actionable intelligence.

We are also investing in responsible AI where ethics and explainability will be key characteristics of our constructs. In this regard we are building a constitutional basis for the use of AI in process engineering scenarios and have published 42 whitepapers detailing the coming wave of technology and the appropriate use of AI that delves into philosophy, metaphysics, cognition and computation, and maturing the solution in stages.

2. BUILDING THE DIGITAL FUTURE

A focus on the technologies that are shaping the future of software development, digital trust, and the decentralized internet.

McKinsey Definition:

• Next-generation software development – New software tools, including those that enable modern code-deployment pipelines and automated code generation, testing, refactoring, and translation, can improve application quality and development processes: New software tools are making it easier and faster to develop and deploy code, leading to more efficient development processes and better software quality. This includes things like data pipelines, automated code generation, and other modern software development practices.
• Trust architectures and digital identity – Digital-trust technologies enable organizations to build, scale, and maintain the trust of stakeholders in the use of their data and digital-enabled products and services: As we move more of our lives online, the need for secure, trustworthy digital systems is becoming more important than ever. This includes things like encryption, digital signatures, and other technologies that help us verify identities and protect data.
• Web3 – Web3 includes platforms and applications that aim to enable shifts toward a future, decentralized internet with open standards and protocols while protecting digital-ownership rights. It’s not simply cryptocurrency investments, but rather a transformative way to design software for specific purposes. This shift potentially provides users with greater ownership of their data and catalyzes new business models: This is a term that refers to a decentralized version of the internet that’s built on open, public blockchains. This has the potential to give users more control over their data and create new types of digital products and services.

The technologies in this grouping are shaping the future of software development, digital trust, and the decentralized internet.

Numorpho’s Take:

We have been involved in Digital Transformation right from the beginning. Our Web 3 based Digital Twine World Model (DTWM) reference architecture connects the dots between systems integrating people, processes and platforms utilizing digital threads and digital twins to optimize and harmonize processes. The DTWM is standardized on the framework defined by the Digital Twin Consortium (DTC) and utilizes its Capability Periodic Table (CPT) and its groupings.

Our goal is to enable the industrial metaverse be it in smart manufacturing technologies, infrastructure builds or new age technologies by operating on the physical by utilizing digital technologies to make, manage, move, market and maintain our products and solutions. Cyber security is a key underpinning in all our digital endeavors, and we are members at MxD, a DoD funded organization whose key thesis are design for manufacturing, intrusion detection using NIST’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Compliance (CMMC) framework and supply chain optimization.

3. COMPUTE AND CONNECTIVITY FRONTIERS

This grouping is all about the technologies that are pushing the limits of computing and connectivity.

McKinsey Definition:

• Advanced connectivity – Wireless low-power networks, 5G/6G cellular, Wi-Fi 6 and 7, low-Earth-orbit satellites, and other technologies support a host of digital solutions that can drive growth and productivity across industries today and tomorrow: New wireless technologies, including low-power networks, 5G/6G cellular, and satellite internet, are making it possible to connect more devices and people to the internet than ever before, enabling new kinds of digital solutions.
• Immersive-reality technologies – Immersive-reality technologies use sensing technologies and spatial computing to help users “see the world differently” through mixed or augmented reality or “see a different world” through virtual reality: This covers technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR), which use sensors and spatial computing to create immersive digital experiences.
• Cloud and edge computing – In cloud and edge computing, workloads are distributed across locations, such as hyperscale remote data centers, regional centers, and local nodes, to improve latency, data-transfer costs, adherence to data sovereignty regulations, autonomy over data, and security: This refers to the distribution of computing workloads across various locations, including cloud data centers, regional centers, and local devices, to improve performance, security, and data privacy.
• Quantum technologies – Quantum-based technologies could provide an exponential increase in computational performance for certain problems and transform communication networks by making them more secure: Quantum computing and quantum networks could revolutionize the way we solve complex problems and communicate, leading to breakthroughs in fields like cryptography and materials science.

This grouping is all about the technologies that are enabling new kinds of experiences and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with computing and connectivity!

Numorpho’s Take:

Our Mantra M5 Platform will utilize Nvidia’s Omniverse Framework along with its Compute server to enable simulations of parts and utilize it for synthetic learning for our genAI capabilities.

The Tendril ConnectorTM consists of protocols for data communication to integrate systems and services. It enables secure and robust integrations using API Gateways, Microservices and Service Meshes to enable North-South interactions (webservices and HTTP protocols) and East-West question focused ingestions with Big Data, IoT, Edge servers and connected devices.

mHUB, the innovation center that we are members at runs a series of accelerator programs that comprise of cohort companies per domain that are selected to ideate on their vision by collaborating with each other and startup companies here, with access to all the hardtech equipment and facilities, mentoring program and institutional relationships with large companies. 8-10 companies in a particular domain collaborate and with us on a daily basis for a 6-month program. We have IoT, MedTech and CleanTech now with us (around 25 companies) that are dedicated to hardtech innovation where connectivity in its various flavors is key:

• For IIoT it is the interaction between smart devises via edge servers and service meshes,
• For MedTech it is short range biometric information that is fed to mobile devices to be uploaded to the cloud for health information, and
• For CleanTech it is remote management of field equipment and monitoring its conditions.

Our Everything Connected theme based on the Tendril Connector enables composbale arctitecture to be created in the above domains.

4. CUTTING-EDGE ENGINEERING

This grouping is all about the technologies that are transforming the way we move around, how we interact with the natural world, and even how we explore space.

McKinsey Definition:

• Future of mobility – Mobility technologies aim to improve the efficiency and sustainability of land and air transportation of people and goods using autonomous, connected, electric, and shared solutions: New technologies are being developed to make transportation more efficient, sustainable, and accessible, including autonomous vehicles, electric cars, and connected transportation systems.
• Future of bioengineering – Converging biological and information technologies improve health and human performance, transform food value chains, and create innovative products and services: New advances in biology and information technology are being used to improve human health, develop new drugs and medical treatments, and create more sustainable food systems.
• Future of space technologies – Advances and cost reductions across satellites, launchers, and habitation technologies are enabling innovative space operations and services: Advances in space technology, including cheaper and more efficient satellites, rockets, and space habitats, are enabling a new era of space exploration and commercialization.

These technologies are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in engineering, from the way we get around to the way we understand the world and beyond. It’s an exciting time for engineers and innovators!

Numorpho’s Take:

Our forays into mobility include micro, macro and hyper.

https://interestingengineering.com/science/ai-driven-algo-devises-3d-printed-foam-boosts-helmet-protection-by-25 – Traditional methods of shielding fragile goods and human tissues from impact energy rely on isotropic foam materials. The mechanical properties of these foams are inferior to an emerging class of metamaterials called plate lattices, which have predominantly been fabricated in simple 2.5-dimensional geometries using conventional methods that constrain the feasible design space. In this work, additive manufacturing is used to relax these constraints and realize plate lattice metamaterials with nontrivial, locally varying geometry. The limitations of traditional computer-aided design tools are circumvented and allow the simulation of complex buckling and collapse behaviors without a manual meshing step. By validating these simulations against experimental data from tests on fabricated samples, sweeping exploration of the plate lattice design space is enabled. Numerical and experimental tests demonstrate plate lattices absorb up to six times more impact energy at equivalent densities relative to foams and shield objects from impacts ten times more energetic while transmitting equivalent peak stresses. In contrast to previous investigations of plate lattice metamaterials, designs with nonuniform geometric pre-buckling in the out-of-plane direction is explored and showed that these designs exhibit 10% higher energy absorption efficiency on average and 25% higher in the highest-performing design.

5. A SUSTAINABLE WORLD

This grouping is all about the technologies that are helping us move towards a more sustainable future, by reducing our impact on the environment and addressing the challenges of climate change.

McKinsey Definition:

• Electrification and renewables – Electrification and renewables help drive toward net-zero commitments and include solar-, wind-, and hydro-powered renewables and other renewables; nuclear energy; hydrogen; sustainable fuels; and electric-vehicle charging: This includes renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydro power, as well as electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. These technologies are key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning away from fossil fuels.
• Climate technologies beyond electrification and renewables – Climate technologies include carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS); carbon removals; natural climate solutions; circular technologies; alternative proteins and agriculture; water and biodiversity solutions and adaptation; and technologies to track net-zero progress: This covers a range of technologies that can help mitigate the impacts of climate change, including carbon capture and storage, natural solutions like reforestation, and sustainable practices in areas like agriculture and water management.

These technologies offer hope for a more sustainable future, by reducing our impact on the planet and helping us adapt to the challenges of climate change. It’s an area of technology that’s critical for the health of our planet and the well-being of future generations!

Numorpho’s Take:

Born, not built. Smart cities

SUMMARY

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