Category: Innovación

Advanced XR Project Development: A Comprehensive Guide

In the digital age, high-quality content is essential for engaging and retaining audiences, as well as provide value and resolve problems to real life. It helps build trust, establish authority, and drive traffic. Compelling content can differentiate a brand, provide value to the audience, and foster community engagement.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezLeave a comment

In the digital age, high-quality content is essential for engaging and retaining audiences, as well as provide value and resolve problems to real life. It helps build trust, establish authority, and drive traffic. Compelling content can differentiate a brand, provide value to the audience, and foster community engagement.

Experience brings things to life, creating immersive and memorable moments that engage the senses and emotions. On the other hand, content touches the heart, the senses and the perception of being there, resonating on a deeper level by conveying stories, ideas, and emotions that connect with the audience. Together, they form a powerful combination: a rich experience that captivates and meaningful content that inspires.

In the development and implementation process of advanced “XR projects”, I have had the opportunity to work with highly potential and excellent teams in design and development. However, there are still some barriers that make the design of the solution and the concept require a fundamental effort to have an initial global vision.

This vision should enable us to visualize what we are going to offer our target audience, what we intend for them to feel, do, play, get excited about, or even hate us forever. Playing with emotions is something magical that requires constant feedback and user testing. But if there’s something fundamental to capturing the sensations and emotions of the user, it is designing a captivating and immersive user journey. This is one of the key elements for success when tackling a complex immersive project.

Then, we have the earthlier, yet no less complex, problems: the technologies to apply, data and information formats, their integration, functionality, programming, and the means or devices where the experiences will be developed and enjoyed. These are just a few pieces of the puzzle that requires a very detailed and well-crafted workflow to achieve the objectives we set at the beginning.

One of the fundamental parts of the initial design is considering the types of content and context we will create and how we can reuse them in the future. Creating these assets, videos, animations, and volumetric captures is extremely costly, and their integration and reuse will allow us to ensure continuity for the project or its future developments. This is often forgotten. While it’s true that it’s not an easy task, if we approach it well, we will achieve significant savings and benefits in the future.

Creating the most innovative and advanced XR (Extended Reality) experiences requires pushing the boundaries of technology and creativity.

Let me share with you some insights an in-depth guide to achieving this:

a. Conceptualization and Planning.

   – Innovative Vision: Aim for a unique concept that leverages the latest XR trends and technologies. Consider incorporating AI, machine learning, and real-time data integration.

   – Comprehensive Objectives: Define sophisticated goals, such as hyper-realistic simulations, complex interactive storytelling, or groundbreaking educational tools.

   – Advanced Target Audience Analysis: Conduct deep research on your audience to understand their technological adeptness, preferences, and potential use cases.

b. Design phase.

   –  Advanced Storyboarding and Scripting: Use detailed storyboards with advanced techniques like branching narratives and non-linear storytelling. Ensure scripts accommodate complex interactions and AI-driven content.

   –  Cutting-edge UX/UI Design: Design intuitive and immersive interfaces with advanced interactions like eye-tracking and gesture controls. Utilize user experience testing tools like heatmaps and biometric feedback.

   – High-Fidelity Art and Asset Creation: Create hyper-realistic 3D models, textures, and animations using advanced tools like Substance Painter, ZBrush, and photogrammetry. Consider procedural content generation for dynamic environments.

c. Development phase.

   –  State-of-the-Art Platforms: Choose platforms that support the latest XR innovations. Unity and Unreal Engine are industry standards, with Unreal Engine being particularly powerful for photorealistic graphics.

   – Innovative Interaction Models: Implement advanced interaction models such as hand-tracking, eye-tracking, and haptic feedback using technologies like Leap Motion, Tobii Eye Tracking, and haptic devices.

   – Programming and Scripting: Develop complex behaviors and interactions using advanced scripting languages and frameworks. Unity uses C# while Unreal Engine uses C++ and Blueprints for visual scripting.

   – AI and Machine Learning Integration: Leverage AI for adaptive learning experiences, dynamic content generation, and personalized user interactions. TensorFlow and PyTorch can be integrated for machine learning capabilities.

d. Q&A, Testing and Iteration.

   – Comprehensive Testing: Conduct rigorous testing across various devices and environments. Use advanced debugging tools and performance profiling to ensure seamless experiences.

   –  Beta Testing with Advanced Analytics: Use beta testing phases with detailed analytics to gather data on user interactions, preferences, and technical performance.

   – Continuous Improvement: Implement feedback loops with real-time updates and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. Use, standard tools for collaboration and fast operation, Teams is a very powerful tool..

e. Delivery.

   – Optimized Packaging: Optimize the final build for performance across different platforms, including VR headsets, AR glasses, PC, tablets and mobile devices. Use asset streaming and level-of-detail (LOD) techniques for performance optimization.

   – Advanced Deployment: Utilize cloud-based distribution platforms for real-time updates and content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure fast, global access.

   – Post-Launch Support: Provide ongoing support and updates. Implement advanced monitoring and analytics to track performance and user engagement.

Tools and Technologies

–  Development Engines: Unity, Unreal Engine

–  3D Modeling Software: Blender, Maya, 3ds Max, ZBrush

–  Texturing and Painting: Substance Painter, Quixel Mixer

–  AI and Machine Learning: TensorFlow, PyTorch

–  Performance Optimization: NVIDIA Nsight, Intel GPA

–  Collaboration Tools: Jira, Confluence, Slack, Teams

–  Testing Tools: Oculus Debug Tool, SteamVR Performance Test, Pico Deb

–  Video Production: Adobe Premier, Final Cut, DaVinci Resolve

–  Video 360º: Canon, Insta, Kandao

–  Ambisonic sound: Zoom, Sennheiser

Best Practices

–  Pushing Visual Fidelity: Utilize high-resolution textures, advanced lighting (like ray tracing), and realistic physics to create stunning visuals.

– Innovative Interactions: Implement and experiment with the latest interaction methods, ensuring they add value and enhance immersion.

–  Scalability and Flexibility: Design your XR experiences to be scalable and adaptable to different platforms and future technologies.

–  User-Centered Design: Keep the user at the center of the design process, ensuring that advanced features enhance rather than complicate the user experience.

–  Ethical AI Use: Ensure that AI and machine learning applications respect user privacy and data security.

I do not intend to give a master class in XR content design and development with this, but rather a simple support guide, which we will develop in more depth based on years of industry experience.

By combining cutting-edge technology, innovative design, and rigorous development processes, you can create advanced and immersive XR experiences that stand out in the rapidly evolving XR landscape.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Embracing Creative Freedom: The Art of Experimentation in #XR

In the realm of #XR, there are still windows of unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored. As creators, we often find ourselves captivated by the allure of this immersive technology, eager to push the boundaries of our imagination.

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In the realm of #XR, there are still windows of unlimited possibilities waiting to be explored. As creators, we often find ourselves captivated by the allure of this immersive technology, eager to push the boundaries of our imagination.

However, to truly harness the transformative power of XR, we must first grant ourselves the freedom to experiment without fear.

Experimentation is the cornerstone of creativity, serving as the catalyst for innovation and discovery. It is through experimentation that we uncover new techniques, refine our skills, and ultimately, forge new paths in the world of XR.

From my perspective and experience, it’s time to cast aside apprehensions and embrace experimentation wholeheartedly. “Experiment Freely” becomes a new mantra, an opportunity for creative liberation in the XR landscape. This mantra urges us to shed inhibitions, to break free from the chains of self-doubt, and to immerse ourselves fully in the vast array of creative possibilities that XR offers.

What can we understand by “Experiment Freely” in XR?

It means taking risks in experimentation, pushing beyond technological limitations and barriers, and using past learnings to explore, play, and innovate without restrictions. It means daring to dream big, challenging conventions, and exceeding expectations.

At the heart of this ethos lies a simple truth: the beauty of creative work lies in exploration, experimentation, collaboration, and empathy. It is through our willingness to push the boundaries of what is possible that we truly reach our full potential as creators. In the world of XR, this sentiment rings truer than ever.

Every new experiment is a learning opportunity, a chance to broaden our horizons and refine our art. With each new challenge, we come closer to mastering XR and unlocking its full potential for our creative careers. But this is just a fleeting step in a new direction, one that we cannot be certain where it leads, but it’s exciting.

Embracing uncertainty and venturing into the unknown is a risky and demanding path. A journey into the unknown alongside elements not necessarily prepared for this journey.

The world of XR awaits a new milestone yet to be discovered, ready to be shaped by our limitless imagination and unwavering determination. Let’s embark on a new journey, now.

You can visit some amazing references: #Music5Senses, #VIVALDI30, #MagicalandMysteryTour, and many more to come…

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

VIVALDI 3.0 THE PROJECT. II

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“In the immersive universe of Vivaldi 3.0, we explore the Four Seasons from an innovative and unique perspective. In each season, you can discover the values of nature and how they are endangered by climate change, in a painting that gradually unfolds as we uncover the passage through each one of them. Water, air, earth, and fire blend with the music and sonnets of Vivaldi. The adventure ultimately leads us to discover these elements, revealing the mysteries of the seasons, immersing us in an interactive and visually stunning musical experience.

THE VISION:

Vivaldi 3.0 is the missing piece to recreate the puzzle of creativity and innovation in digital media and its projection into the educational and entertainment world, without forgetting the concerts on its multiple platforms.

A concept born from the fusion of ideas based on Vivaldi’s innovative work, the interpretation of the International Musician Ara Malikian, and a group of professionals in search of the natural evolution of the cycle of life. Integrating art, music, interpretation into the digital world, enhancing the values of humanity and nature, has been the fundamental key of this project.

A first step towards a new metaphorical universe, still to be explored, and in which we feel fully committed. Therefore, at the beginning of this journey, we set ourselves very clear objectives:

  • Contributing to the exponential growth of the digital sector in Spain and Europe, by designing and developing new content and interactive media through emerging immersive technologies.
  • Fostering and accelerating innovation in the sector by presenting a program based on the latest technologies with an innovative and cross-cutting hybrid format, focused on both national and international markets, while valuing European artistic heritage.
  • Bringing knowledge of creative arts and music to society, facilitating access, and democratizing their use through a hybrid platform that highlights the ability of creative arts to evoke emotions and bring people together.
  • Encouraging and accelerating the participation of a greater number of young women in the digital industry, promoting the employment of new generations, through promotion and dissemination in their usual channels, and the development of activities focused on them.
  • Promoting entrepreneurship in innovation, in the new professions and skills required throughout the development of this project, by requiring advanced knowledge in disruptive innovative technologies, which will necessitate specific additional training as part of the comprehensive training plan for the project team.

On the other hand, artists and musician’s collectives are demanding new approaches to reach audiences increasingly distant from traditional performance venues. Additionally, the detachment of young people from traditional models of participating in live events is directly impacting the current ecosystem of creators and artists in a significant way.

THE CHALLENGE

Therefore, in close collaboration with the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, we set out to delve into the world of young people through education, in schools, seeking new approaches and participation in digital environments, such as video games and immersive experiences.

Addressing such a specific issue in the current complex scenario requires experienced partners, with a clear and focused objective at its core: Education.

In collaboration with the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, we embarked on a journey to engage with young people through education, in schools and educational centers, seeking new approaches and involvement in digital environments, such as video games and immersive experiences.

The experience carried out in previous years by both organizations in schools across Spain, “Music with the 5 Senses”, has served as a reference point for us to continue advancing and improving on this path. The results obtained so far have been truly extraordinary.

Hence, we wanted to tackle this new challenge with a much more ambitious, cross-cutting, international, and multicultural approach, capable of becoming a benchmark icon and growing over time, adapting to technological evolution at every moment. Incorporating cross-cutting values such as equality, sustainability, and planet preservation, and observing their impact on elements through music.

THE PROJECT

Moving this project forward requires working with the best partners, sharing a common vision, and betting on an innovative and disruptive idea capable of exciting and engaging the widest possible audience. After all, we are all students of life, constantly updating and revising. And the pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly. Vivaldi and The Four Seasons allowed us to develop the idea to its fullest extent, the Reina Sofia Superior School of Music, the ideal companion to bring the experience to schools and educational centers, and musician Ara Malikian, a key piece in this picture, capable of painting and interpreting unique scenes around Vivaldi’s work.

Vivaldi 3.0 is not a video game, nor is it a 360º movie; it is a unique experience in which the visitor discovers, explores, plays, and interacts with nature, the work, and the musician in an absolutely immersive way.

A highly complex project that has required an international team of over 50 people, including technicians, designers, producers, editors, programmers… 3 days of recording with 360º 8K cameras, ambisonic surround sound, hundreds of hours of production, editing, and development, the creation of interactive virtual worlds, video editing and animations for live concerts, volumetric capture, etc… representing Vivaldi’s four seasons from a perspective you’ve never imagined before.

Some figures about the project: Over 6 intense months of work, involving an international team with more than 50 professionals, exceeding 4,500 hours of production and development, 3 days of live concert recording, 1 day and two live media concerts with over 600 students from 10 public and private schools, along with international presentations in various media outlets…

Technologies and production software: Insta Pro2 8K 360º cameras, Zoom ambisonic recording equipment, development of interactive virtual worlds, 3D interactive objects, Unity, Blender, Adobe Premiere Pro, ProTools, Tracktion, Bosse, and Pico Neo 3/4, Meta Quest 3 VR devices.

Undoubtedly, an exciting and exponential experience that gives us guidelines for new future evolutions, on which we are already working.

THE JOURNEY

Journey Through the Four Seasons is an immersive interactive virtual reality experience that transports the viewer into the world of Antonio Vivaldi’s musical compositions. Through visually rich storytelling, the viewer will witness Vivaldi’s creative process as he brings his famous concerto “The Four Seasons” to life. Each season is depicted in a unique and captivating environment, where natural elements and music merge to provide a multisensory and magical experience.

Introduction:

The User’s Journey. When experiencing a unique immersive experience, it’s advisable to undergo a prior immersion, to familiarize oneself with the space, how to navigate and manage the devices comfortably and tailored to each individual’s physical characteristics. Only in this way can one fully enjoy the experience. From that moment on, we can embark on the adventure. An adventure that traverses the cycle of life, through the cycle of seasons and day. We’ll feel like a child with a new toy, ready to set off. Upon entering the world, we’ll be in a central position, facing a person… whom we may know, or at least recognize. Represented by a hologram, they’ll address us, proposing a magical journey. And gradually, that dark space where we found ourselves upon arrival, comes back to life.

The Inspiration:

The viewer finds themselves in a space surrounded by mysterious portals inviting them to enter an enchanted forest, enveloped by trees and a gentle breeze. In the center, Vivaldi invites us to immerse ourselves in a magical fantasy, which gradually comes to life as we progress through the experience. Birdsong fills the air as Vivaldi begins to sketch the first musical notes on an imaginary canvas, inviting us to enter the portal representing spring.

Spring:

Upon crossing the portal of spring, the forest comes to life with vibrant colors and blooming flowers. Vivaldi’s “Spring” music begins to play, and the viewer immerses themselves in the sensation of rebirth and growth as they observe how animals and nature shape the melody.

Summer:

Upon crossing the portal of Summer, the atmosphere changes to a warm and sunny day. The viewer can feel the heat of the sun on their skin as they observe nature reclaiming the colors of a hot day. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and the music evolves to reflect the intensity of the heat and the impending storm.

Autumn:

The surroundings transform into an autumnal landscape with leaves gently falling from the trees. Reddish and green hues abound as Vivaldi creates the sensation of “Autumn” through melancholic notes, and the viewer can hear the rustle of leaves and feel the cool breeze in the air.

Winter:

We venture into a cold winter night, illuminated by the moon. The atmosphere becomes icy and snowy as Vivaldi addresses the final season. The viewer is immersed in a snowy forest, experiencing the sensation of cold and hearing the crunch of snow underfoot. The music grows more intense, representing the harshness of winter.

Conclusion:

“The Immersive Universe of Vivaldi, through the Four Seasons” offers a unique interactive experience that combines classical music with visual and sensory elements. Viewers will be transported into Vivaldi’s world and his compositions, experiencing the beauty and magic of the seasons through the eyes and ears of the composer. They can actively participate in the work, interacting with the environment and elements as they please. Discovering the games and challenges offered throughout the experience. This virtual reality project promises to be an exciting fusion of art and technology that will leave a lasting impression on music and visual narrative enthusiasts. Additionally, thanks to its educational and social component, by combining spaces with music, it aims to convey a subtle message of emotional balance and the need to value and respectfully care for the environment over the years.

This is just the first step towards a magical and unpredictable world, where our commitment to the environment, equality, respect for the values of democratic society, and the natural evolution towards a sustainable and better society will set the course for our next steps. Hand in hand with the most innovative and environmentally friendly technology.

“Vivaldi 3.0 has been funded by the Ministry of Culture and the NextGeneration EU Funds, within the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.”

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

The Future of Immersive Technologies is to focus on the Value Chain

In times of uncertainty, investments must be accompanied by calm reflection when selecting our travel partners and not just service or product providers.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezLeave a comment

Today I want to invite you on a journey from the origins of interactive graphics systems to the world of the metaverse with my friend Marlon Molina.

I want to share with all of you the recent interview that the prestigious Computerworld University conducted with me through an old fellow traveler from the early days of Geographic Information Systems, Marlon Molina.

This a unique and passionate opportunity, in which we remember our steps and experiences in the graphic industry, for more than 30 years, Marlon at Intergraph and I at Siemens.

A time in which we feel like authentic active pioneers, and with the luck of being able to share these experiences with the new generations of enthusiasts of the interactive graphic world.

After a brief and charming conversation about the origins of digital image processing, the leadership of Silicon Graphics workstations (all major film productions used this technology, animation and simulation studios, etc…) and its disappearance by complete at present. Coming to the conclusion that the evolution of technology in recent years, leaves us with lights and shadows uncovered, which are repeated today and against which we must remain on guard.

In times of uncertainty, investments must be accompanied by calm reflection when selecting our travel partners and not just service or product providers.

After this brief review of the history of the interactive graphic world, we take a tour of the current state of immersive technologies, #virtual reality, #augmented reality, #Immersive experiences, the #Metaverse, and the new Vision from ONE Digital Consulting.

And one of the first reflections that come to mind is the insistence of the big manufacturers in selling us a wonderful, virtual and better world, without asking me if I am interested, if I like it, or if I simply prefer to solve the problems of this world. from my freedom, intelligence, and personal decision.

Join me in this conversation, only for fans of advanced technologies and their application to real industry. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did during the interview. I am looking forward to hearing your comments.

https://www.computerworlduniversity.es/tendencias/concentrarse-en-la-cadena-de-valor-es-la-clave-para-el-exito-de-la-realidad-virtual-y-aumentada

Have a great and wonderful day.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Building the Big Forest

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I would love to share a very inspirational and personal conversation with Yoshi Garnica, from Impact Revolution.

Disreality is a fantasy journey into the human psyche that takes you on a ride through the twists and turns of that blurred line between what is real and what isn’t. Along the past recent years, let´s defined it as a hybrid experience, I have been walking around the universe of senses, emotions, arts, and social interaction in virtual worlds, as a real opportunity to build a free, democratic, and more sustainable world.

Nowadays, I am truly convinced that we need to act NOW. Tomorrow is too late.

All these reflections come to my mind during the several interviews, sessions, and talks with very good friends of the XR Community. I must say, thanks to all of you, for allowing me to walk along with you and learn together on these “long and winding road of immersive technologies”.

You can watch the complete interview here:

Key insights from the interview:

✳ He is living now in a privileged place: Guadarrama Natural Park – https://bit.ly/3dDukjB

✳ Happiest moment in Life: When he becomes a dad – holding his kids.

✳Last Impact Message to the world: “Build a big forest” – Metaphor to build a “big community” as a base for sustainability growth.

✳ The Education system is hard to Change.

✳Blade Runner 2049 (https://bit.ly/3A1Z5WQ is an example that VR did not change that much since 2017.

✳Experience with building Smart Education Labs with VR

✳Important to increase Accessibility of Technology to poorer countries – Reminded me to our last interview with Alfredo Serrano 🙏

✳Favorite professional project: “Music with 5 senses” – Virtual Concerts to CONNECT:

Arts 🔗 Creativity 🔗 Values 🔗 Nature🔗 Citizens

✳VR could help the Coaching Industry facilitate Engagement, Empathy, and Connection. Important the Environment, Story, and Technology used (for interaction). OpenBCI uses Neuroscience with VR.

✳Last Impactful message to Startups and Entrepreneurs ❤: Unique vision, Build Trust, Work a lot, Value Time, Strong Team, Good mentors, Create a Business Plan (importance of performing a Market Analysis, know your competitors!)

Was a great interview Carlos – Many thanks for sharing your valuable time with us. It’s much appreciated.

Best of luck in Revolutionizing the Education System!

All your thoughts and comments are very welcome.

Have a great time.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernandez

Remembering my time as a student at Babson College.

One of my very best personal experiences throughout my long professional career was being a student in the International Entrepreneurship program at Babson College.

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezLeave a comment

One of my very best personal experiences throughout my long professional career was being a student in the International Entrepreneurship program at Babson College.

In 1998, my past company Siemens decided to anticipate the competition, developing a joint program with Babson College to develop the Entrepreneurial spirit within the organization. Raising the talent of high potential and creating high-performance teams, capable of accelerating the transformation of a product company, into high-value-added services.

I was one of those selected for that program and thanks to that experience, allowed me to develop skills and abilities that helped me design and implement new global business areas at an international level, with a focus always on innovation.

A one-year international program, with professors from the most prestigious business schools, the participation of all managers of business centers and CEOs from different regions, in a spectacular and highly collaborative environment.

I seem to remember that this was one of the first international experiences of this type carried out by Babson College, between 1998 and 1999.

An unforgettable experience and I must thank Siemens and Babson College for that opportunity, whose principles continue to be a world reference today.

Carlos J. Ochoa ©

Humanos Virtuales en el #Metaverso. ¿Y ahora que?

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Fija tu rumbo a una estrella y podrás navegar a través de cualquier tormenta. Leonardo Da Vinci.

Humanos Virtuales en el #Metaverse. Congreso Digital Enterprise Show en #Madrid. Parece que, en los últimos meses, y en particular, desde que Mark Zuckerberg lanzó su proclama sobre Meta, ya todo se ha vuelto Meta-Verso. Y algo más que una metáfora, es una nueva dimensión a un mundo paralelo y finito, y que aún hoy, tiene muchos laberintos por desentramar…¿Estamos listos para ello?

El pasado mes de mayo tuve el inmenso placer de presentar estas reflexiones previas en torno a los Meta-humanos, en el Panel de VRARA del Congreso DES celebrado en Madrid y aquí os dejo el video de la presentación.

https://youtu.be/1QGRvcQiWqE

Desde ONE Digital Consulting, llevamos años desarrollando e implantando plataformas virtuales inmersivas para la educación: Talleres, Masterclasses, Formación de Profesores, Proyectos Colaborativos…en donde miles de estudiantes y profesores han participado de esta experiencia, viviéndola de una manera muy innovadora, inspiradora y positiva.

Estas experiencias nos han permitido desarrollar actividades On-Line, en modo síncrono y asíncrono en varios centros y países del mundo. Desde Estados Unidos, a la India, Rusia, Latino América, Europa, España…y contando con los mejores y mas experimentados colaboradores a nivel internacional. Algo inimaginable hace algunos años, hoy marca un punto de inflexión hacia el nuevo paradigma de una Educación Digital, más inclusiva, participativa, colaborativa, inspiradora, igualitaria, limpia y sostenible.

Cualquier comentario, es siempre bienvenido

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Reimagining Business Performance with Industry XTR

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Industry XTR, are we facing the new paradigm?

Never give up on your dreams. John Ford

It is true that Covid has been a serious blow in the advance towards Industry 4.0 in those companies in transition. Being seriously affected the processes of digital transformation, production, logistics, dependence on raw materials, etc., increased by the lockdown of a large number of organizations. Accepting that 4 key pillars of Industry 4.0 are digitization processes, including standardization, development of new skills and workforce, disruptive innovation processes and investments, it is clear that COVID has paralyzed industrial activity worldwide. And we continue to suffer from its impact today …

After participating in the first face-to-face events and conferences during the last weeks, we meet again and discuss the “state of the art” of our companies, markets and new challenges that we will face in this new scenario.

And it is true, that even today, many are not able to assimilate, that nothing is going to be as before. Although the changes do not occur at the speed that some want us to see, it is true that many activation and acceleration mechanisms have already been put in place in some organizations. Strengthening them in leadership positions and others are being left behind, hopelessly.

If we analyze some of the pillars of Industry 4.0, it is in investments, standardization, skills development and disruptive innovation where the greatest imbalances have occurred. Clearly marking a before and after among some companies, which have been able to adapt to the new situation quickly and activate very solid innovation mechanisms. While others continue to try to compose themselves and return to a pre-pandemic scenario, as a valid point of reference.

Reimagining Business Performance with Industry XTR, are we facing the new paradigm?

Perhaps it is time to take a step further, seeking “exponential acceleration” and trying to find solutions to new problems that we would never have thought before would intercept our society in this way. So, continuing with the transition to Industry 4.0 again, today, no longer makes sense.

From my perspective, today, it is absolutely necessary to rethink the industry model, without trying to return to pre-pandemic scenarios, which would be a long delay and would take us back to 2019.

Rethinking Industry 4.0, facing a new Business Performance process, accelerating the digitization processes, through the integration of disruptive technologies, with the training of new skills, incorporating new forms of more efficient and remote collaborative work, developing assessment platforms, empowerment and loyalty of high-performance teams and decentralizing networks of supply and manufacturing in several poles and suppliers, seeking value in competition in efficiency and innovation, and not only in price, not so dependent on a single country.

Anticipate foreseeable future crisis situations, minimizing the risks and impacts of technological threats, lack of talent to lead change, cybersecurity and virtual transactions, new pandemics, energy crises, climate change, shortage of raw materials and logistics. Just to list a small series of them.

Those who have the new vision of Industry XTR, will be able to lead the transformation of society to a safer and more sustainable planet.

These are some reflections, while I have my cup of coffee and listening my jazz session. Today with Kenny Burrel, enjoy.

Thoughts and ideas are always welcome. Good afternoon and good luck from the RealVerse.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Chronicles from the #RealVerse. Chapter II

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Don’t run so fast Metaverse. The great trap of the Meta Boomers.

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein.

We live in an increasingly ephemeral and unequal society. Where the truth hides behind thick layers of images, headlines, screens … and where the speed of things is unreal. I do not know if this unjustified rush is accelerated by the need to flee or escape from ourselves.

So little do we like each other? Do we want to be immortal? Do we want to be other? We do not accept reality? … what is the real question to this paradigm. Maybe the is another answer to that question.

In the real world, nothing moves so fast, nor does society demand such ephemeral generosity, rather democracy, justice, equality, transparency … Searching for the ubiquity of the human being, ethics, transparency, honesty, goodness … .life, still exist … and are all around us, despite the Meta Boomers.

After more than 30 years involved in engineering, advanced technologies and working on real world projects … believe me if I tell you, I have never lived a similar time before. Where everyone is a futurist, visionary, town crier, spokesperson … without adding the slightest ounce of value to society, or to its real problems. Showing once again, that ignorance is very daring.

One of the great barriers to acceptance of advanced technologies is that they are credible, convey truthfulness, solve real problems, and the majority of society accepts and employs them for their mutual benefit.

Yesterday, without going any further, I saw a TV program about advanced robotics, the complexity of programming. The design of processes to teach robots to learn, to program tasks that are very easy for a human, but highly complex for a robot, until the final test is performed. This is a space for little fantasy and a lot of hard work. Today, robotics, 3D, AI, is taught in schools since childhood, it is understood, its contribution, benefits, risks … it is accepted and it lives with us a little more every day.

But this has required a long period of training, development, successful implementation in production processes, at home, in industry, etc … and this is not easy, nor is it free.

However, the futuristic Meta Boomers, the newcomers to this futuristic world, discovered by them of the “Edge-Science”, find a context, where everything seems simple and they give free rein to the verb, without the slightest training and with a wide and generous ignorance of the fundamentals, technologies, risks and benefits that these paradises of the future hide … Oops, how scary …

It seems that, if today you do not talk about the Metaverse, you are not “cool” beings, or you simply are not and you are not even … experts in Creative, Educational, Communicative, Digital, and blablative Metaverse, who go even under the stones, even to dare to prophesy that “The Future is in the Metaverse” … Oops how scary

The news of the day, which sweeps the networks, is that Bermuda is in the Metaverse, everyone retweets, and hallucinates, without knowing the vast majority, not even where Bermuda is … in short, “breaking news”.

Barriers to entry? Here is one that spreads like weeds in a natural forest: the Meta Boomers, who are going to leave the field depleted before we wake up from our first dream.

20 years ago, I was extremely lucky to participate in the development of a virtual educational platform. It included customizable avatars, virtual tutors, virtual tours of natural landscapes, interactive games, spaces for teachers, students and parents. In short, an entire educational community based on client-server architecture with hundreds of value-added services: Edutopia. Thousands of children from hundreds of schools in Spain were online users of this platform, now obsolete and lost in the cloud. I have to honestly say that this was available to the entire educational community for free and was beyond many Goals to be drawn in the short-lived near future.

We will see how this continues in the next chapter of Chronicles from RealVerse, enjoying a cup of Colombian coffee listening to John Coltrane, by the way, something real and extraordinary.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©

Re-innovate or die. And now What else?

Carlos J. Ochoa FernándezLeave a comment

Innovate, change or alter something, introducing new features. This is how the dictionary of the real academy defines this word so repeated and with such insistence in these times. There is no doubt that innovation can be redefined in many ways and in fact, it is done and interpreted that way, but if we want to simplify the definitions and make them understand in a simple way, we could say that it is the process of redoing, reinventing something in a different, efficient way that adds value. Think different, act different, reinvent yourself, anticipate, imagine, dream and carry it out with all the passion you are capable of showing.

These have been the keys to the success of some visionaries of the 20th. century, but also that of man throughout the development of its history, however only a select few are on the list of geniuses. Innovation is permanently linked to the evolution of man and it is enough to look around us in an instant of our life, on a street or in an office and look at the elements that surround us and that just a few years ago did not exist and even were unimaginable to think of its single existence in the near future like today.

And it is the “imagination” that allows us to dream of a new world and innovation that materializes it and turns it into reality. These being the key pieces for the beginning of a new cycle, where integrity, intuition, responsibility and creative thinking will be a benchmark for the new visionary companies of the 21st century.

In this minimal corner of the cyber-space, we are going to unravel the keys to Innovation, the barriers we encounter on a daily basis, the potential solutions and the escape routes, in order to come up with a mini guide for entrepreneurs who have decided to reinvent themselves or reinvent their business, promoting innovation at critical points in the value chain of their businesses.

However, over the last few years, it has become clear that beyond innovation there is entrepreneurship. And it is vitally important to understand that “Innovation” has no value until you are able to create a business model around this idea and turn it into a product or service ready to be sold. If you are not able to turn an “Idea” into something that creates customers, this does not work.

And that is when the figure of the entrepreneur makes sense. And that is why it is important to clearly identify and differentiate between innovators and entrepreneurs.

An “Innovator” is fundamentally a creator, a person capable of solving or solving problems in a creative and differential way, with great passion for constant improvement. Innovators are fundamentally thinkers. But an “Entrepreneur” is oriented to action, to the construction or materialization of things. This includes the development of a business around an innovative idea, for its subsequent materialization.

Therefore, when an “innovator” approaches us, with that special sparkle in his eyes and says: !!! I have a great idea!!!.

The entrepreneur’s response is immediate: Can we materialize and monetize it? Who is your target customer? What is the business model? Why will customers go crazy with your product?

Investing in Innovation without a developed entrepreneurship model is like throwing flowers into the sea, they will never grow.

Carlos J. Ochoa Fernández ©