Future managers might have the ability to instantly assess the physiological condition of employees, thanks to advancements in the industrial metaverse. A recent study from Finnish researchers outlines how the integration of digital twins known as “Metahumans” could revolutionize employee management, transforming it into a more interactive and game-like experience rather than a conventional optimization process.
While current employee management systems focus on productivity metrics and adherence to schedules, the envisioned “industrial metaverse” could provide real-time access to comprehensive worker statistics and attributes at a glance.
Outlined in their paper titled “MetaStates: An Approach for Representing Human Workers Psychophysiological States in the Industrial Metaverse,” researchers from Tampere University propose a system where digital avatars, or digital twins, can be customized to display relevant information about workers. This could include indicators of emotions or physiological states, such as facial expressions indicating fatigue or stress.
Such a system would enable managers to quickly assess worker status, including their location, activity, and well-being, using visual cues within the metaverse environment. For instance, in a factory setting, supervisors could seamlessly monitor operations and employee conditions simultaneously, eliminating the need for manual floor inspections.
Moreover, the innovative applications of MetaStates and Metahumans extend to simulation development. By leveraging data collected from these digital representations, industrial simulations could be enhanced to devise optimal work strategies, implement safety measures, and forecast performance and output for real-time teams.