Event Recap: Finnish-Austrian Innovation Night – A Deep Dive into the Industrial Metaverse and AI
Last week, AI Austria and the Finnish Embassy in Vienna co-hosted the Finnish-Austrian Innovation Night, a vibrant event that showcased the synergies between Finnish and Austrian innovation ecosystems with a special focus on the industrial metaverse and artificial intelligence. Set in the elegant surroundings of the Finnish Ambassador Nina Vaskunlahti’s residence, the evening provided a unique platform for cross-border exchange, bringing together visionary minds from industry, government, and academia to discuss the transformative potential of XR, AI, and sustainable digital solutions. This inspiring event also served as a prelude to AWE 2024, one of the largest global XR conferences, which will be hosted in Vienna.
Exploring XR Ecosystems and International Partnerships
The evening kicked off with a look into the XR (Extended Reality) ecosystems of both Finland and Austria. Sanni Siltanen from Business Finland, Matthias Grabner from AI Austria, and Austrian Member of Parliament Süleyman Zorba shared their insights, each shedding light on how XR is growing and evolving in their respective countries. Their presentations highlighted the progress of both regions in adopting immersive technologies for industrial applications and underscored the importance of international collaboration in advancing the metaverse on a broader scale.
The Human-Centered Industrial Metaverse
One of the evening’s highlights was a presentation by Hanna Heinonen from KONE, a Finnish company renowned for its commitment to innovation and human-centered design. Heinonen introduced the audience to Finland’s approach to the industrial metaverse, which focuses not just on technological advancements but on how these advancements impact human experience. By exploring user-centered applications in areas like infrastructure, maintenance, and remote support, KONE illustrated how the industrial metaverse can enhance productivity while maintaining a strong focus on the needs and well-being of people who engage with these technologies.
Sustainable Digital Twins and Lifelong Product Management
Pasi Hurri, a prominent figure in the Finnish tech landscape, captivated the audience with a thought-provoking discussion on the importance of sustainable digital twins. Hurri argued that the industrial metaverse should be about more than simply expanding computational power for entertainment; instead, it should prioritize the efficient, responsible management of products throughout their lifecycles. His message resonated with the audience: we should shift focus from trivial digital uses to sustainable applications like digital twins that track and manage the “lifecycles of all brainless products manufactured.” This approach ensures that every product, from inception to end-of-life, is optimized for minimal environmental impact.
Academia-Industry Collaboration: A Panel of Innovators
Another key segment of the event was a lively panel discussion on the role of academia-industry collaboration in driving metaverse and AI advancements. Moderated by Santeri Saarinen of Helsinki XR Center, the panel included Markus Lorenz Wiedemann, Matthias Grabner, Alissa Burova, and Harald Sehrschön. Each panelist offered their perspective on how partnerships between universities and companies can accelerate the development of new technologies and foster a culture of innovation. They underscored that by bringing together diverse expertise and resources, academia-industry collaborations can address complex challenges, create practical applications for theoretical research, and ultimately make emerging technologies like XR and AI more accessible and impactful.
Umdasch Group’s Metaverse Journey
In a showcase of local innovation, the Umdasch Group presented their pioneering work in building a metaverse tailored to their specific industrial needs. This unique metaverse aims to streamline operations, facilitate training, and create new opportunities for interaction and engagement across their teams. By sharing their journey, the Umdasch Group highlighted how even companies traditionally outside the tech sector can embrace and contribute to the industrial metaverse, customizing digital environments to enhance real-world workflows.
“Sisu” and the XR Industry
Wrapping up the evening, Martin Herdina, an expert in XR, spoke about the concept of sisu—a Finnish term that captures resilience, determination, and grit. He emphasized that working in XR requires a special kind of perseverance, especially in a field that continuously faces technical challenges and fluctuating market dynamics. Herdina’s insights into sisu provided a relatable reminder to all attendees of the resilience required to advance and thrive within the XR industry.
A Collaborative Success
The Finnish-Austrian Innovation Night was a memorable evening that fostered insightful discussions and meaningful connections between Austrian and Finnish innovation leaders. AI Austria extends heartfelt thanks to the Finnish Embassy and Permanent Mission of Finland to the UN in Austria, as well as to all speakers and guests, for their enthusiastic participation and contributions. As we look forward to AWE 2024 in Vienna, we are excited to see how these collaborations will continue to evolve, bringing fresh ideas and sustainable solutions to the forefront of the XR and AI industries.
Kiitos (Thank you) to everyone involved for making this event a great success!