Driving between San Francisco and San Jose is rarely enjoyable, but the journey from the Game Developers Conference in SF to the Nvidia GTC 24 conference in SJ was worthwhile as I moderated an insightful panel on the industrial metaverse.
The session, titled “Digitalizing the World’s Largest Industries with OpenUSD and Generative AI,” attracted a full house amid 16,000 engineers and notable figures like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and CNBC’s Jim Cramer.
Our panel featured industry experts including:
- Rev Lebaredian, VP of Omniverse and simulation technology at Nvidia
- Patrick Cozzi, CEO of Cesium
- Joe Bohman, EVP of PLM products at Siemens Digital Industries Software
- Andy Pratt, CVP of emerging technologies at Microsoft
- Christine Osik, head of simulation at Amazon Robotics
- Benjamin Chang, VP of global manufacturing at Wistron
- Paulina Chmielarz, industrial operations innovation director at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR)
Progress in Digital Twins
Our discussion centered on how quickly major industries are adopting digitalization to streamline complex processes. With the growing acceptance of digital twins and the Pixar-inspired Universal Scene Description (USD), companies are eager to establish the OpenUSD standard for standardized assets, facilitating collaboration and enhancing productivity.
For those unfamiliar with digital twins, they allow companies to create and test virtual factory designs before committing to physical construction. This approach ensures accuracy by simulating the real-world factory environment. By integrating sensors, companies can gather real-time data to refine their virtual models, optimizing performance and reducing costs significantly.
Our panel extensively explored advancements in simulation technology and the ongoing challenge of closing the "SimToReal" gap. The consensus is clear: accuracy in simulations needs continuous improvement to meet enterprise demands.
Here’s a recap of our conversation, along with a link to the full video of the panel discussion.
Nvidia GTC 2024 Omniverse/Digital Twin Panel
Dean Takahashi: I’m Dean Takahashi, lead writer for GamesBeat at [media outlet]. Though this session focuses on enterprise technology rather than gaming, I'll weave in some game references. My experience spans 35 years in tech, 27 of which focus on games, highlighting the intersection of these fields. Let’s begin with Andy Pratt from Microsoft.
Andy Pratt: As Corporate Vice President for emerging technology, I oversee advanced AI teams and focus on providing scalable value for our customers. Game technology is increasingly used in heavy asset management today.
Benjamin Chang: I represent Wistron, a leading EMS provider, specializing in process engineering and digital transformation for smaller factories.
Christine Osik: From Amazon Robotics, I lead simulation and operational teams, developing everything from robotic work cell emulators to complete digital twins.
Joe Bohman: As head of PLM products at Siemens, we provide tools that help customers design various products, including the impressive LNG carrier showcased during Jensen’s keynote.
Patrick Cozzi: I’m the CEO of Cesium, where we empower developers to create 3D simulations and experiences using geospatial data.
Paulina Chmielarz: At Jaguar Land Rover, I lead initiatives to digitize our manufacturing and supply chain processes.
Rev Lebaredian: I oversee the Omniverse and simulation teams at Nvidia, focused on creating simulations for AI development, as highlighted in yesterday's keynote.
Key Insights from the Panel
Dean Takahashi: Let’s discuss the technology requirements and priorities from your respective industries regarding digitalization.
Paulina Chmielarz: Our priorities include strengthening our infrastructure, establishing systems of record for essential data transactions, and implementing technologies to drive business advancements.
Christine Osik: At Amazon, safety is paramount for our robotics fleet, and we leverage simulations and digital twins to optimize design flows and operational metrics.
Benjamin Chang: Wistron initiated our smart manufacturing journey a decade ago, focusing on creating a data-driven factory through IoT technologies to enhance visualization and derive valuable insights.
Dean Takahashi: Rev, considering our ongoing discussions, how accurate do digital twin simulations need to be for industrial applications?
Rev Lebaredian: The accuracy required boils down to the specific problem at hand. Each simulation must address unique physics and data sources, and while data harmonization is crucial, it's a complex challenge.
Conclusion
The panel underscored the vast potential of digital twins and generative AI in reshaping industries. As organizations strive for digital transformation, the collaboration between different technologies, especially through standards like OpenUSD, will be essential in driving future innovations and efficiencies.
For those interested, you can watch the full panel discussion .
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