Interscale Content Hub – The debate on digital twins vs metaverse is picking up speed as both technologies advance and reshape various industries.
Digital twins are basically virtual replicas of physical entities. They allow for real-time monitoring, analysis and simulation.
The metaverse, on the other hand, is a fully immersive virtual world where users can interact with digital environments and other users.
Having a good grasp of the differences and similarities between the two is pretty important for businesses that want to use these technologies to innovate and improve efficiency.
Right, let’s go through the differences and similarities one by one.
Is Digital Twin a Metaverse?
No, a digital twin is not a metaverse, but they are closely related.
Yup, while people often talk about the future of digital technologies in the context of both digital twins and the metaverse, they’re actually two very different things.
Zhihan Lv and colleagues look at how digital twins and the metaverse affect cities in their paper, “Impact of Digital Twins and Metaverse on Cities: History, Current Situation, and Application Perspectives.“
Lv explains that a digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical asset, process, or system.
It’s a dynamic, data-driven model that mirrors its real-world counterpart in real-time or near-real time.
This tech is used for things like simulation, analysis, optimisation and predictive maintenance in all sorts of industries, including construction, manufacturing and healthcare.
The metaverse is a broader concept. As Lv and colleagues define it, the metaverse is “a collective virtual shared space created by the convergence of virtually enhanced physical reality and physically persistent virtual space, including the sum of all virtual worlds, augmented reality, and the internet.”
The metaverse uses tech like virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR) to create a really immersive experience.
3D CityScapes in the article, “Metaverses vs. Digital Twins: Here are the Differences Between the Two,” shows us the closest examples of metaverses, which include video games like Roblox. In these games, players can craft virtual avatars of themselves and interact with others.
We can also see Minecraft, where users can create open-world environments that other participants can join.
The last example is Fortnite, where players can battle to the death on custom-built islands or hang out and watch virtual concerts.
In their article “Digital Twins, Virtual Twins & the Metaverse”, Dassault Systèmes points out that the metaverse is still mostly just a concept that needs to be turned into real-world applications.
While the metaverse is all about immersive experiences and social interactions, digital twins are already delivering tangible value in various industries.
It’s also worth mentioning that digital twins are just one part of the bigger picture when it comes to the metaverse.
Absolutely. Digital twins are a great addition to the metaverse, allowing for detailed simulations and interactions with real-world counterparts.
If you want to know more about how digital twins can be useful, take a look at “From BIM to Digital Twins for Buildings: A Lowdown for Aussie AEC Pros.”
What is the Difference Between Digital Twins and Virtual Reality?
Digital twins and virtual reality (VR) are both key to how we interact with digital technology, but they serve different purposes and work in different ways.
As we mentioned earlier, a digital twin is a virtual model that’s designed to accurately reflect a physical object.
This model uses data from sensors and other IoT devices to show how a physical object works, operates, and behaves in real time.
Virtual reality, on the other hand, is a technology that creates a completely digital environment that users can interact with in real-time.
VR doesn’t necessarily copy real-world objects or processes. Instead, it creates completely new environments for users to explore and interact with.
VR is used a lot in gaming, training simulations, education and virtual meetings.
The main difference is in how they’re used and how they’re integrated.
Digital twins are really useful in industries where it’s important to be able to simulate physical objects and systems in great detail for maintenance, optimisation and innovation.
VR, on the other hand, is more about creating immersive experiences for users, often without any real-time data or physical objects involved.
While digital twins can be used in VR to make simulations look more realistic and work better, the two technologies are used for different things.
Overlapping Areas and Synergies
As discussed earlier, there are some big areas of overlap and synergy between digital twins and the metaverse.
Both technologies use advanced data analytics, IoT, and real-time data processing to make user experiences better and make operations more efficient.
Looking for some insight into how IoT and digital twins work together? Read “How Can Digital Twins be Used in IoT Applications: Your Cheat Code Here.”
Data-Driven Insights
Both technologies use real-time data to create accurate and dynamic representations.
This data can be used for analysis, optimisation and decision-making in both contexts.
For instance, in a smart factory, a digital twin can gather data from sensors on the factory floor, which can then be used to improve production processes in the physical factory and simulate scenarios in the metaverse for training or planning purposes.
Enhanced Simulation and Testing
Digital twins let us simulate things in the metaverse with amazing precision and real-time capabilities.
For example, digital twins of infrastructure can be used in the metaverse to test out new developments, traffic flows and environmental changes.
This combination lets urban planners make data-driven decisions in a highly interactive and visual environment.
Training and Education
The metaverse is a virtual environment where digital twins can be used for training and educational purposes.
For instance, medical students can get to grips with the anatomy of human organs by interacting with digital replicas in a VR environment, without the need for physical specimens.
This makes learning more engaging and gives people the chance to gain hands-on experience in a secure and supervised setting.
Enhanced Customer Experiences
In retail and customer service, digital twins can help create personalised experiences within the metaverse.
For instance, you can use digital twins of products in virtual showrooms, so customers can check them out and make any changes they want before buying.
Collaboration
The metaverse is a great place to work together and talk about digital twin models.
Stakeholders can get together virtually within the digital twin environment to look over designs, talk about any issues, and make decisions.
This is especially relevant in industries like architecture, engineering, and construction, where it’s crucial for teams to work together even when they’re in different locations.
Visualisation
VR can be used as part of the metaverse to create amazing experiences in digital twin environments.
This makes it easier for users to explore and interact with digital twins in a more intuitive and engaging way, which helps them to understand things better and make better decisions.
Take healthcare, for instance. Doctors can use VR to visualise a patient’s digital twin, which helps them understand their anatomy better and plan surgeries more effectively.
Support System in Digital Twins and the VR Landscape
If you want to make the most of digital twins and the metaverse in the AEC industry, you’ll need to bring in the experts and get some tailored solutions.
That’s why, with over 10 years in the business, we can help you make the right use of these technologies with solutions custom-made for your needs.
No matter if you’re looking to make your BIM workflows more efficient, create some cool VR experiences, or develop a comprehensive digital twin strategy, Interscale has the experience and expertise to guide you.
What does that mean for your business?
This means we’ll be there to support you, helping you work more efficiently, make better decisions and bring new ideas to market faster.
Don’t hesitate to drop us a line to arrange a meeting. We’re here for you 24/7, ready to make whatever changes you need to make to fit your needs and goals.
Alternatively, you can start with some basic info on our Interscale BIM Management Support page here.
In Closing
Once you get to grips with how these technologies work together, you can use them to get better results on your projects.
If you want to find out more, why not team up with experts like Interscale?
With Interscale’s support, you can get a full understanding of how digital twins vs metaverse utilisation can be used in your projects.
