We are proudly presenting the latest research conducted by Aitor Toichoa Eyam, a Human-AI Interaction Researcher at Tampere University’s FAST-Lab. Aitor’s work: “MetaStates: An Approach for Representing Human Workers’ Psychophysiological States in the Industrial Metaverse” introduces the concept of MetaStates, an innovative approach to representing human workers’ psychophysiological states in industrial simulations. This interview explains how MetaStates can improve digital human representations, and industrial simulations, and contribute to the advancements in Industry 5.0. Read on to discover the technological advancements, key findings, and potential impacts of this research.
How does the concept of MetaStates address the challenge of representing human workers’ psychophysiological states in industrial simulations?
Traditionally, industrial simulations have focused on the characteristics of machinery, robots, or production allocation factors. These applications did not consider crucial aspects influencing human workers’ well-being or performance, such as their emotions or cognitive states. MetaStates enhance the depiction of human workers by presenting a visual representation of their psychophysiological states and influencing their performance metrics in the simulation.
What are the key technological advancements in software and hardware that have enabled the development of photo-realistic avatars used in this study?
Thanks to technological advancements in areas such as vision and perception systems, it is possible to use cameras to scan three-dimensional elements. These cameras can perform facial scans generating 3D meshes. Moreover, advanced computer graphics software such as Epic’s Unreal Engine and MetaHuman Creator or Reallusion’s Character Creator facilitate the integration of facial expression and body posture data to generate photo-realistic digital humans.
Such tools facilitate the development of the external appearance of humans in the digital world. However, it is still a challenge to represent the internal states that influence the decisions and behaviors of an individual. This is where MetaStates enhance the depiction of a human worker.
In what ways do MetaStates enhance the physical representation and performance of digital human workers, and how can this impact the efficiency of industrial simulations in Industry 5.0?
MetaStates introduce a new level of representation and influence on digital human workers in industrial simulations. The MetaStates Reaction Model (MRM) gives digital human workers the capacity to express psychophysiological states in multiple ways such as with facial and body language. The MetaStates Performance Index (MPI) represents the overall status of the worker when performing a given task, considering all the different MetaStates and the task to be performed. The MPI is visually presented with two elements located at the top and bottom of the digital human. These elements serve as visual cues, updating their color depending on whether the worker’s status is optimal, threatening, or suboptimal to perform a task to their skill level.
Introducing MetaStates into Industrial Metaverse applications can lead to more realistic simulations. These simulations can create more sustainable and human-centric solutions by understanding and assessing how multiple situations can positively or negatively influence the well-being and performance of a human worker.
What were the main results, and how will they be used for AI-PRISM developments?
This research opens a new era of Industrial Metaverse applications able to contemplate psychophysiological states in their simulations. The integration of MetaHumans—photo-realistic digital humans enhanced by MetaStates—in simulation platforms can improve the results of simulation algorithms, evoke deeper immersion levels, and promote human-centric development.
The findings from this research are key for the development of the Simulation Environment component. This simulation platform will allow users to combine machinery and equipment, deploy robotic agents, and utilize MetaHumans. The advantage for users is the ability to simulate and test how these components can interact and work together in their actual manufacturing settings or assembly lines.
Finally, which stakeholders can benefit from these findings, and what is their impact on their industries or sectors?
The utilization of MetaStates can benefit several stakeholders. Industrial employers and managers can use these insights to optimize workers’ well-being and productivity. Human resources professionals may implement better support and training systems. Additionally, health and safety regulators could prevent workplace-related incidents or health issues.
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