Today, two billion frontline workers globally serve as the backbone of various industries, yet they face challenges such as insufficient technical training, collaboration difficulties, and health and safety risks. In developing countries, these workers have even more limited access to modern technology, necessitating innovative solutions for enhanced efficiency and safety.
DataMesh’s mission is to support frontline workers in the current era where technology and human creativity converge, utilizing digital twins and XR technology. In line with this mission, DataMesh introduced DataMesh Director, a 3D guidance tool based on digital twins and XR technology. It enables cost-effective and rapid training on complex equipment using smartphones or MR devices and allows frontline workers to customize operation tutorials without programming or 3D modeling knowledge.
In partnership with 100+ Accelerator and DataMesh, Swire Coca-Cola initiated a digital transformation project to enhance maintenance processes within its bottling facility. By implementing DataMesh’s digital twin and mixed reality technology, local workers received immersive training, enabling them to perform complex maintenance tasks with minimal downtime. This successful collaboration not only reduces operational costs but also empowers the workforce, driving productivity and job opportunities in the region.
In process manufacturing, especially in packaging lines within the bottling facility, training and maintenance are critical yet complex. The intricate disassembly and assembly of aseptic filling valves, traditionally time-consuming to train, are streamlined by DataMesh Director. It creates 3D instructions for local workers on aseptic filling valves, combined with augmented reality (AR) technology, allowing them to intuitively grasp operational procedures through smartphones, tablets, or MR headsets. With DataMesh’s assistance, workers receive real-time feedback, significantly reducing training time, and can now assist senior engineers more efficiently during actual work.
Innovative strategies extend beyond training to daily operations and maintenance. The new training model is proven to reduce expected maintenance downtime by one-third, enabling the production line to produce millions more beverage cans annually as expected.
Inclusive growth, a core element of ESG, is demonstrated in this collaborative project. DataMesh’s solution ensures widespread technology adoption and equalized training, allowing previously marginalized frontline workers to enjoy modern training and operational experiences. These equal opportunities, driven by technology like those from DataMesh, not only promote capability building and employee professional growth but also bring fast tangible benefits to businesses. This true inclusive growth, consistent with the philosophy of ESG, has proven to be a perfect combination of technology and ESG goals, setting a role model for the industry.
DataMesh showcased the innovative achievements in process manufacturing of this collaboration at the 100+ Accelerator 2023 Demo Day by AB InBev, presenting to renowned industry leaders like AB InBev, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Unilever, and more.
Nikita Huang, Chief Operating Officer of DataMesh, expressed gratitude for collaboration with industry leaders and the strong support from AB InBev’s 100+ Accelerator, looking ahead into the future, stating, “This is just the beginning. DataMesh, equipped with Digital Twin and XR technologies, remains committed to offering more convenience and support to frontline workers in process manufacturing, pushing the industry forward.”
The expressway network of Japan has been constantly expanded since the 1960s and its total road length is currently over 10,000km. On the other hand, more than half of the expressway network has been used for over 30 years and aging of structures such as road surfaces, bridges, and tunnels has emerged as a social issue. The dwindling number of expressway maintenance and management engineers in line with the decline in the productive population is also one of the significant challenges.
Given the circumstances, Nexco-East Engineering operating about 4,000km of all the expressways in Japan developed a training app for ETC equipment and tunnel emergency facilities using MR and digital twin technologies, which is implemented in its training center “Technical Training Center (TTC)” located in Takasaki, Gunma. The app serves as an efficient education and training tool to equip every engineer with necessary knowledge and skills to develop quality engineers.
Initiated MR tool development toward improvement and standardization of trainees’ levels of understanding
Since about 10 years ago, the NEXCO EAST group has projected the aging of expressways and maintenance and management labor shortage and promoted the Smart Maintenance Highway (SMH) project to match the existing expressway maintenance and management technologies that the group has acquired with ICT technologies. Through the project, operational DX has been advanced with proactive application of digital capacities to the field operations, e.g. conversion of paper-based drawing preparation into tablet-based tasks and analysis and utilization of accumulated data with Microsoft PowerBI. Assigned with the project, Mr. Tetsuo Hideshima, the Managing Director and General Planning Manager of Nexco-East Engineering said with regard to the project policies,
“We at Nexco-East Engineering ensure that drivers can safely use expressways by providing inspections and troubleshooting all day, all year. For continuous maintenance and management of expressways, it is critical to conduct thorough inspections and diagnoses without overlooking any tiny changes in facilities and structures. To that end, streamlining and labor saving based on ICTs are imperative.”
The company also opened TTC in 2012 as a training facility to enhance performance of expressway inspection engineers. For practical training, TTC offers a training environment equipped with real power receiving and distribution equipment, ETC (automatic toll payment system) equipment, and component samples that are exactly the same as those used on expressways.
With regard to the roles of TTC, Mr. Masayuki Namiki, the General Manager of TTC said, “At TTC, over 1,000 of our engineers participate in training programs every year. They go through training to enhance skills based on the internal skill check system to become experts of expressway inspection and maintenance, called ‘highway doctors.'”
Meanwhile, highway structures and facilities have become more and more complex along with the technological advancement and, despite the hands-on learning with such training materials, levels of understanding of the mechanisms and internal structures varied among trainees. This hindered standardization of trainees’ technical levels, constituting an issue for TTC.
The issue was particularly conspicuous in education on ETC equipment. “ETC equipment is composed of multiple devices and how ETC equipment operates was explained with extensive materials such as paper-based radio communication and control signal flow charts, PowerPoint slides, and chalk talks of instructors and then tested with actual ETC devices,” said Mr. Yoshitaka Nakamura, the Manager, Facilities Construction Work Division, Facilities Construction Work Department of Nexco-East Engineering.
“However, it requires considerable time to gain understanding of associations among the training materials. Also, radio communication and control signal flows are impossible to see, so we had to rely on trainees’ imaginations. This resulted in gaps in understanding.”
In response, the company focused attention on the MR (mixed reality) and digital twin technologies. Then a project to develop an “MR for ETC equipment training” was launched out of an idea of combining a 3D model of ETC equipment as well as infrared sensors, radio communication, and data communication routes (which are invisible in reality) with the ETC practice lanes to foster better intuitive understanding.
Endeavor to develop training materials that are easy-to-use for every trainee with no example available as a model
It was DataMesh that contracted with Nexco-East Engineering for its extensive achievements and experiences in the field of digital twins and XR. Mr. Kensho Kashimada, the Director, Marketing and Sales of DataMesh Japan Co., Ltd. looked back, “At that time, there had been no similar attempts at least in Japan. The point was how we could build up MR materials that are easy-to-understand for every trainee while there was no correct answer about what the outcome should be like.”
The first step they took to that end was employment the agile development approach based on a quick PDCA cycles, rather than waterfall-model development that relies on detailed specifications from the beginning. “We carefully proceeded with the development through repeated hearing sessions with the project leading department and TTC instructors who would actually use the tool in practice,” said Mr. Kashimada. They also received the same courses that TTC actually provides to trainees to gain knowledge of ETC equipment mechanisms and applied it to the system.
“By receiving lectures with oral explanations and 2D materials, we witnessed how difficult it is to understand the ETC mechanisms firsthand. We could also appreciate the potential value of the tool we were trying to create. So I think it was a very valuable process,” said Mr. Kashimada.
Thus, after the development period of about six months, accurate 3D models of ETC devices were made and the MR for ETC equipment training using 3D animation superimposed on ETC equipment that is visible via a tablet device or Microsoft MR device “HoloLens 2” was completed.
“Normally, accuracy of SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) in positioning of MR superimposition depends on hardware performance. However, for this MR for ETC equipment training, SLAM features of DataMesh’s proprietary digital twin platform (FactVerse) were used to make SLAM accuracy levels of multiple devices uniform,” explained Mr. Kashimada. Ingenuities are made to realize superimposition of massive 3D data without dependence on device performance by using a technology to load necessary portions of data only.
Mr. Kashimada said those features provides trainees immersive experiences in the MR world without stressful events such as misalignment or freezing of 3D animation.
Mr. Namiki said, “It was really a tremendous work to explain invisible things verbally. But now data and radio waves are visible and this increased the level of understanding dramatically.”
Once getting used to the operational feeling of HoloLens 2, trainees can adjust the position just by reading a QR code on the display without taking any complex procedure. It was reported that instructors could acquire basic operation methods only through a one-day lecture provided by DataMesh.
The MR for ETC equipment training, which is well recognized by field operators, too, has been further improved based on feedback from instructors. Currently, additional features such as repeated playback of individual work steps and animation speed adjustment for in-depth explanation make the tool even more effective.
MR for tunnel emergency facilities training making full use of HoloLens 2 characteristics
Out of its confidence in the success of MR for ETC equipment training, Nexco-East Engineering promptly commenced next training MR development, which is the “MR for tunnel emergency facilities training.”
“The internal structure of automatic water sprinkler system for tunnel emergencies cannot be seen from the outside, so we superimposed a CG simulation of the internal water flow and developed training materials for visualizing internals and operating status,” said Mr. Nakamura.
Mr. Namiki said, “In the past, we presented pipe samples from real equipment and illustrations to teach their structures and operations, but we couldn’t actually let water through them to demonstrate the mechanism. Also, explanations somewhat varied among instructors. As with ETC equipment, the gap in levels of understanding among trainees was recognized as an issue.”
As a measure to resolve the issue, DataMesh reproduced the equipment movements from an onset of vehicle fire to watering and visualized the internal structures based on its know-how acquired through development of the MR for ETC equipment training. Furthermore, a feature to adjust transparency of 3D animation of water flowing inside the pipe was added give trainees freedom to observe how water flows and stops inside. Implementation of realistic 3D effects of fire also give realistic experiences to enhance understanding.
Finally, quality of this MR for tunnel emergency facilities training is surprisingly high and precise even to experienced engineers including Mr. Hideshima. “From water flow and the valve opening mechanism to things going on behind pipes are all comprehensible at a glance. I sensed the poser of MR anew,” said Mr. Hideshima.
As the MR for tunnel emergency facilities training is equipped with the “pseudo reproduction feature” to learn points to check in the event of any malfunction and restoration methods, the MR system has a possibility to be applied to a future remote maintenance system.
Plus, linking tablets and other devices has enabled remote training, creating an environment where a greater number of trainees can take part.
Above all, the MR for tunnel emergency facilities training fully taps HoloLens 2 potential compared with the MR for ETC equipment training. In fact, for training using the MR for ETC equipment training with outdoor ETC equipment, tablets are mainly used as output devices because visibility of HoloLens 2 can be deteriorated depending on sunlight intensity. On the other hand, tunnel emergency facilities are indoor equipment and not subject to sunlight. This is where HoloLens 2 comes in.
Mr. Namiki said, “While a tablet needs to be held with both hands, HoloLens 2 is a head-mounted display, which sets both hands free. So trainees can touch devices while going through MR training. It also allows individual trainees to rewind, pause, and adjust the transparency level, giving an advantage in tailoring training sessions to individual levels of understanding.”
Toward even more effective ICTs through professional collaborations
After realizing the quality training tools by using the digital twin and MR technologies, Nexco-East Engineering has a plan to further promote use of ICTs to address the issues of facilities aging and labor shortage, which are expected to be further accelerated.
Exploring possibilities of ICT usages in various scenes, Mr. Nakamura said, “We have an ambition to expand our use of ICTs beyond TTC hands-on training to online training, OJT training, establishment of hands-on safety education system to improve field safety management skills, and remote maintenance, etc.”
With a view to establishment of a system for effective use of ICTs, Mr. Namiki struggling in the field of training said, “In recent years, equipment and facilities have become more and more sophisticated and suffered less failures. It may appear to be a good thing, but on the other side of the coin, most engineers in the future could be inexperienced in failure responses. We would like to establish a system to support engineers with the power of ICTs rather than relying on experienced engineers when the time comes.”
On the other hand, Mr. Hideshima is hopeful about professional partnerships. He said, “Although we have excellent expertise in expressway technologies, we admit we cannot fully catch up with ever-improving ICT seeds and technological innovations. In that regard, we are really hopeful about continuation of partnerships with ICT professionals such as DataMesh and Microsoft Japan.”
Based on ideal partnerships in which expressway professionals and ICT professionals work together to resolve issues and mutually give valuable input to technologies and knowledge, Nexco-East Engineering will continue maintaining and advancing safety on expressways, one of the essentials of our modern lives.
“From water flow and the valve opening mechanism to things going on behind pipes are all comprehensible at a glance. I sensed the poser of MR anew,”
— Mr. Tetsuo Hideshima, Managing Director and Chief of Planning Headquarters, Nexco-East Engineering
“While a tablet needs to be held with both hands, HoloLens 2 is a head-mounted display, which sets both hands free. So trainees can touch devices while going through MR training. It also allows individual trainees to rewind, pause, and adjust the transparency level, giving an advantage in tailoring training sessions to individual levels of understanding,”
— Mr. Masayuki Namiki, General Manager, Technical Training Center Manager, Nexco-East Engineering
“We have an ambition to expand our use of ICTs beyond TTC hands-on training to online training, OJT training, establishment of hands-on safety education system to improve field safety management skills, and remote maintenance, etc.”
— Mr. Yoshitaka Nakamura, Manager, Facilities Construction Work Division, Facilities, Construction Work Department, Nexco-East Engineering
“At that time, there had been no similar attempts at least in Japan. The point was how we could build up MR materials that are easy-to-understand for every trainee while there was no correct answer about what the outcome should be like.”
— Mr. Kensho Kashimada, Director, Marketing and Sales, DataMesh Japan Co., Ltd.
This customer story was originally published by Microsoft here.
Driving Creation and Management Efficiency through Digital Twin-Based Generative AI
Aug 17, Beijing — DataMesh is proud to unveil FactVerse AI. This groundbreaking tool is the newest innovation from FactVerse, DataMesh’s enterprise metaverse platform, designed to democratize digital twins. By harnessing the power of generative AI tools and GPT technology, FactVerse AI seeks to significantly enhance the efficiency of digital twin content creation. This empowers businesses to operate and manage more intelligently, delivering an unparalleled digital twin experience.
FactVerse AI, an AIGC tool built in FactVerse, addresses AIGC-related tasks tailored for enterprise-level needs, facilitating organizations in rapidly developing digital twins and comprehensive enterprise metaverse environments.
Considering the widespread appeal of ChatGPT, the role of generative AI technology in influencing digital twin innovations is clear. In this context, the multi-modal functionalities powered by LLM emerge as foundational engines for constructing the enterprise metaverse. FactVerse AI incorporates three core components: LLM (the foundational language model), Modifier (fine-tuning the LLM for specific industries or applications), and Agent (FactVerse’s multi-modal interactive interface). Collectively, these capabilities of FactVerse AI provide a solution that amplifies business operations and management.
Key Features Include:
Knowledge Base Integration: Enables businesses to seamlessly integrate various types of corporate knowledge documents and data into FactVerse AI’s knowledge hub, granting the AI model instant access to real-time, proprietary corporate data.
Easily deploying a knowledge base with up-to-date data
Smart Search and Content Creation: Offers sophisticated search capabilities within the corporate knowledge base. Combined with its content generation capabilities, it ensures rapid access to essential data and subsequent content production.
Adaptable Chatbot Frameworks: Pre-embedded Conversational AI/Virtual Agent/Chatbot templates allow for the customization of AI assistants, aligning them with varied operational roles, fostering efficient collaboration.
Using AI Assistant Template to deploy a virtual assistant based on different role needs
Industry-Specific Knowledge: FactVerse AI support implement of GPT-like AI models to provide customized content creation and processing tools, tailored to capture the intricacies of specific industries or user profiles.
Translation and Voice Capabilities: Offers extensive multi-language translation tools and voice synthesis, enhancing cross-lingual communication and content generation.
Real-time Data Access: Enables instant interfacing with existing corporate data systems, drawing real-time data (such as production data or monitoring data) into digital twin scenarios for enhanced monitoring and management.
In its current iteration, FactVerse AI has been seamlessly integrated into the DataMesh FactVerse cloud platform, making it readily available for enterprises. Organizations are now equipped to leverage this product for the development of proprietary corporate knowledge bases and the strategic deployment of AI assistants. The versatility to introduce a range of AI assistants tailored for varied tasks – from data analytics and market research to bid document drafting – redefines the landscape of operational efficiency. Furthermore, the one-click voice generation capability, complemented by robust multilingual support, sets a new benchmark for modern content creation efficiency.
For more information about FactVerse AI and product trials, please reach out to us at service@datamesh.com.
DataMesh has recently released FactVerse Designer 1.0, an updated version of its pioneering enterprise metaverse designer. This tool, designed for the creation of digital twin scenes involving complex systems and businesses, provides a streamlined approach to leveraging enterprise assets to construct digital twin and metaverse scenarios, bringing the open-world gaming architecture and rapid scene design to the enterprise world.
Key features include:
Standardization and rapid creation of digital twin scenes for enterprise digital assets.
Support for various types of data and behavioral logic to drive scene operations.
Quick and low-cost implementation of complex business logic through behavior tree tools, flexible for adjustment on the fly.
Real-time optimization and adjustment based on scene operations.
Diversified scene editing tools and effect components.
Alongside this release, substantial updates have been made to DataMesh’s flagship platform FactVerse, extending the capabilities of the company’s comprehensive suite of digital twin and XR solutions.
FactVerse Designer 1.0 incorporates various enhancements over its previous versions. This advanced innovative tool facilitates seamless design and execution of simulations, particularly for systems requiring complex operational logic. Importantly, it provides a user-friendly interface and intuitive operations, even for those without a programming background, enabling them to easily participate in scene design. Additionally, users can adapt and optimize their simulation results dynamically in response to the rapidly changing data associated with their most recent business operations.
FactVerse Designer is meticulously designed to cater to the specific needs of industries like manufacturing, transportation, and logistics. By integrating real-time data into digital twin scenes, it assists frontline users in identifying potential issues promptly, gaining insights, and implementing data-driven solutions. This tool supports agile adjustments in response to evolving business dynamics.
Standout capabilities of FactVerse Designer include:
Digital Twin Template: The intuitive template editor facilitates quick digital twin creation, providing a suitable 3D representation. Users can effortlessly develop standard digital twin templates through straightforward structure property configurations and a visual approach to behavior tree construction. This feature simplifies the creation and management of similar digital twins across different scenarios.
Digital Twin Scene: The scene editor allows users to easily establish the layout and interconnections of digital twins within an application scene, using straightforward drag-and-drop actions. A flexible playback debugging function supports real-time modification of digital twin properties based on issues identified during the playback of scenes. It also enables real-time tracking of the behavior tree traversal state and scene operation logs. Moreover, in path planning mode, users can outline three-dimensional pathways for scene characters such as vehicles and personnel within the digital twin scene to implement character movement, so that the movement of digital twins aligns with their real functioning status.
Behavior Tree: This feature provides a visually appealing and graphical tool for constructing behavior trees. Its user-friendly design allows users to quickly understand and grasp the operational skills and implement a diverse range of action nodes, including digital twin control nodes, path nodes, and mathematical function nodes.
The continual evolution of FactVerse and its applications further demonstrates DataMesh’s commitment to enhancing its capabilities in empowering Training, Experience, Monitoring & Control, and Simulation (TEMS) for enterprises to optimize operations, enhance productivity, and facilitate data-driven decision-making, accelerating the democratization of digital twins.
For more information about FactVerse, inquiries regarding enterprise metaverse collaboration, digital twin scenario creation, product trials, or subscriptions, please reach out to us at service@datamesh.com.
Learn more about how to utilize FactVerse Designer by reading this User Manual.
About DataMesh
DataMesh is a leading high-tech innovator dedicated to democratizing digital twins and connecting the digital and real world, empowering frontline workers. Headquartered in Singapore, DataMesh operates across Japan, North America, Southeast Asia, China, and Australia, with over 500 customers in the AEC, manufacturing, and facility management industries. In 2020, DataMesh was the only finalist from Asia in the Microsoft Partner of the Year, Mixed Reality category. The company won NTT Docomo’s top DX award in 2021 and was enrolled in the IMDA Spark program in Singapore. DataMesh also made it to Forbes Asia’s 100 to Watch list in 2022. Visit us at https://datamesh.com/.
DataMesh has announced the launch of DataMesh Simulator 2.0, an innovative platform designed to provide operators with an immersive learning experience. Based on digital twin and motion simulation technologies, it integrates equipment operation simulation training, job simulation training, and operational behavior assessment into a single platform, addressing key challenges in heavy machinery, mining equipment, specialized vehicles, aircraft, and more.
Traditional training in these fields often faces challenges such as training duration, cost, accessibility, safety, and weather dependencies, as it heavily relies on the availability of real equipment and physical environments. To overcome these challenges, many enterprises are turning to digital solutions to supplement their training activities.
DataMesh Simulator 2.0 features several key modules, including environmental simulation, mechanical simulation, practical training, and practical examinations. It effectively helps deal with limited training durations and environments on actual machines by allowing trainees to familiarize themselves with various types of engineering machinery before engaging with real equipment and environments. With DataMesh Simulator, users can practice extensively at any time, gaining operational skills and techniques while significantly improving training efficiency.
The platform creates a 1:1 replication of the real machine experience by combining the advantages of hardware and software. It includes a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) or six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) motion platform, a dynamic simulation system, environment simulation, a simulated training cockpit, a motion control system, and front/left/right panoramic display screens with surround sound simulation systems. Additionally, it is equipped with software covering theoretical learning, cloud services, simulation, visualization, examination, signal acquisition, sound, and motion control systems. Together, these components create digital twins of the real working environment, enabling an effective alternative to traditional engineering equipment training methods.
For trainees, DataMesh Simulator allows them to fully immerse themselves using handheld controllers, displays, pedals, joysticks, control panels, and other interactive elements and the platform incorporates text prompts, guided animations, force feedback, and motion simulation within the teaching process. For trainers, such as training schools or enterprises, the platform enables them to develop diverse interactive means for simulation-based training and assessment and provides flexibility to design comprehensive quantifiable indicators, facilitating content creation and reuse of virtual courseware.
Compared to traditional training methods, DataMesh Simulator offers several advantages:
Reduced Training Costs: By eliminating the need for specific environmental conditions like weather and terrain and powered by electricity instead of gasoline, DataMesh Simulator utilizes digitized and iterative 3D content and courseware based on the FactVerse platform, achieving significant cost savings compared to investments in real equipment.
Greater Flexibility: The platform provides exceptional flexibility in training scenarios. Training schools or enterprises can create customizable digital twins, scenarios, and assessment logics using FactVerse’s zero-code tools. It supports multi-user collaborative training, allowing users to easily switch between different training scenarios as needed.
Enhanced Safety: DataMesh Simulator significantly reduces operational safety risks, property damage, and potential risks to life. By simulating dangerous operations within a safe environment, operators gain valuable experience without compromising safety.
Comprehensive Training Management: The platform incorporates a comprehensive learning management system with an immersive training experience that enables extensive tracking and feedback on training performance data and assessment methods. It ensures an immersive training experience and seamless integration with mainstream examination systems, supporting various file formats.
DataMesh Simulator empowers businesses to enhance flexibility in training scenarios, reduce training costs, and deliver safer and more reliable training methods and comprehensive training management. By using DataMesh Simulator, SANY and Sunward recreate the operating process of rotary drilling rigs to enhance operational and training efficiency in a digitized manner, significantly reducing accidents caused by inexperienced operators, lowering training costs, and minimizing mechanical wear and tear on equipment.
Setting New Standards for Motion Simulation Training
DataMesh Simulator distinguishes itself from other training platforms through its exceptionally immersive simulation fidelity, realistic motion simulation, and immersive operating cabin experience. Unlike conventional equipment systems with limited visual effects and outdated architecture, DataMesh Simulator utilizes digital twin technology, simulation-based solutions, and motion control to create an authentic sensory experience. It accurately reproduces mechanical states such as movement, tilting, rotation, and vibration, offering a user-friendly UI and simulation system.
Powered by DataMesh’s enterprise metaverse platform, FactVerse, the Simulator offers diverse interactive means for simulation-based training and assessment. Trainees can fully immerse themselves using handheld controllers, displays, pedals, joysticks, control panels, and other interactive elements.
DataMesh Simulator integrates DataMesh Learn training solution, providing a comprehensive and unified assessment system for trainee information management, which supports tracking training progress, editing and distributing examination content, archiving and querying assessment results, and more.
The platform supports private and cloud-based deployment, with a modular approach offering zero-code tools for content creation, enabling customization and upgrades to meet evolving enterprise needs. Additionally, the visual system seamlessly integrates with mainstream VR presentation methods, offering flexibility in adjusting courses and enhancing the overall training experience.
With DataMesh Simulator, trainees can be able to handle equipment in advance and gain valuable experience, addressing challenges such as limited learning time, opportunity and efficiency, and safety in real environments. For enterprises, manufacturers, and training institutions, it provides an efficient, cost-effective, safe, and controllable training solution. By applying digital twin and motion simulation technologies, DataMesh Simulator 2.0 will help drive the development of simulation-based training and provide a new training and assessment approach for the engineering equipment industry.
DataMesh Director 5.4 offers a variety of new features and major enhancements to help users create and manage digital twin resources more quickly and easily, with an optimized user experience. Meanwhile, at this exciting moment, we are presenting the brand-new icons of the DataMesh Director family.
New icons of DataMesh Director
New features of DataMesh Studio
NEW pane of the “Resources” library and “Roles” now supports users to adjust the size of the area freely, by clicking and dragging the slider.
NEW search function in the “Resources” library has been added. With the new file type filter, users can find resources more quickly.
NEW toolbar that features a set of buttons including Home, Save, Undo, and Redo has been added in the upper left corner. Moreover, new capabilities include Group, Ungroup, Copy, Paste, and Delete.
NEW “Group” function allows users to group multiple selected roles. Users can create a name for the group, adjust its position and rotate it, in short, using the group as a role.
NEW “Light Source” gadget enables users to add light sources to a scene, supporting the configuration of attributes including light intensity, color, and light range. Two light sources are added by default when a scenario is created in DataMesh Director 5.4. Users can then modify the light sources based on their needs afterwards. When a scene is being played, the light source models are automatically hidden.
Adjusting the range of the lightingAdjusting the angle of the lightingAdjusting the intensity of the lightingAdjusting the color of the lighting
New features of DataMesh One
NEW support for the Azure Spatial Anchor function for the positioning of a scenario. Once configured, the positioning of a scenario is set up and remains effective until further changes are made.*
NEW support for scanning a QR code to view 3D resources quickly. The button is in the upper right corner.
The ability to operate 2D resources in scenarios has been enhanced, with new supports including full screen, pause, mute, fast forward, rewind, and pin a 2D resource on top.
The operation panel has been redesigned to improve functionality and users’ efficiency.
Bug fixes and other operational experience optimization.
New features of DataMesh Importer
NEW support for the quick view of models. By dragging a model file onto the Importer icon, users can view the models immediately.
NEW “Operating Parameters” pane to display key parameters such as memory usage, DrawCall, Batches, and FPS.
Bug fixes and other operational experience optimization.
Tips
1. Third-party login is not yet supported on macOS devices.
2. DataMesh One 5.3.3 and earlier versions do not support opening a scenario created by Studio 5.4.
The DataMesh Director 5.4 has been published on all supported platform app stores. Customers who have purchased DataMesh SaaS services can directly upgrade the DataMesh Director client. For any queries, please contact service@datamesh.com.
*Note: The function of spatial anchor requires Microsoft Azure Spatial Anchors services. For the pricing, please visit here.
After 18 months of polishing, DataMesh Director 5 just gets released! Compared with the earlier version, Director 5 enables users to build better digital twin workflows. Some notable changes:
Significantly improved BIM capabilities, allowing digital twin applications to span construction, supervision, and operation
Optimized editing experience, making digital twin content generation more convenient
Improved enterprise data security feature, making digital twin more secure on the cloud
Looking back at Director 4, we released the SaaS version of DataMesh Digital Twin Cloud Services (DCS) digital twin platform applications. The platform enabled better-standardized support capability in manufacturing training, after-sales, and construction. Our global customers have reached 100. Now with DataMesh Director 5, we will further enhance the ability to build BIM-based large-space digital twin scenarios, the ability to connect BOM and IoT platforms, and the ability to create hybrid deployments. The improvements will enable complex digital twin systems to become readily available anytime, anywhere.
Improved BIM Support
Multi-level sub-object editing and import In DataMesh Director 5, users can pre-select the structural information of sub-objects when uploading 3D models in the new DataMesh Importer. In this way, DataMesh Studio can handle multi-level sub-object models more efficiently after importing, which is convenient for users to create content based on object structure.
Support multi-space positioning Marker Under the new positioning mode of DataMesh Studio, multiple positioning markers are now supported within the digital twin scene. Markers can be printed on paper to enable positioning for cell phones and AR glasses. By scanning the Marker, users can quickly create the virtual-real combination of any location in DataMesh One and retrieve the digital twin content in building construction, maintenance, and operation.
Model masking function When editing a scene, objects can be set to transparent, retaining their spatial location information and outlines, forming a mask for the virtual image behind them. The mask function allows users to accurately present virtual scene content in multiple directions when building scenes while avoiding the obstruction of the virtual image to the line of sight in the experience. Content creators can use it for better expression of large space scenes and fine-grained content.
Visual datum and ground transparency Director 5 adds a visual datum concept and provides ground transparency options, enables users to manipulate BIM more efficiently. In DataMesh Studio, the datum can be easily moved by Shift+mouse pull, and the view rotation point is always at the center of the datum. The non-MR mode of One side also supports a similar operation. DataMesh Studio also added a ground transparency option. The transparency of the ground can be adjusted during editing, helping the users view the part below the horizontal plane, for example, buildings and corridors.
Optimized Content Creation Experience
DataMesh Importer The 3D model and resource import function is now a standalone application, DataMesh Importer, to optimize content creation workflow. You can download it from Microsoft Store and Mac App Store. New content can now be uploaded and optimized without exiting Studio’s editing mode. Self-service 3D model cloud conversion service is currently in internal testing in our Japan region. It will be available in the other regions later this year.
Script objects support quick copy and paste
When editing content in DataMesh Studio, users can now use the object copy and paste shortcut (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) to improve editing efficiency.
Images and videos ‘Always Facing Viewer’ Director 5 adds camera orientation for image and video controls. When the camera orientation option is checked in the Object panel, images and videos will always face the viewer’s camera view, allowing users to view information from different angles.
Restore camera view DataMesh Studio adds the ability to restore the recorded camera position. Users can restore the last recorded position of the camera with one click.
Temporary object hiding This feature enhances the experience of editing the content of complex structural objects. (Does not affect DataMesh One)
Web page embedding in AR Director 5 provides users with web page embedding capabilities to leverage existing enterprise data dashboards, reports, and office system information. Content creators can now insert Web controls directly into the scene using DataMesh Studio. Using DataMesh One, you can display the corresponding Kanban boards on-site with just one click and no custom development required, making it easier to create digital twin applications.
Optimized scene list performance In Director 4, editing a single scene refreshes all subsequent scenes. As more and more users started to build complex scripts for playbooks, the performance of DataMesh Studio degrades. Director 5 made several optimizations to the Studio’s scene list. When making changes to the scene content, only the current scene preview gets refreshed.
Improved Enterprise Data Security
Login IP allowlist IT administrators of enterprise tenants can now adjust who can access the services by setting the login IP allowlist in DCS. This new feature restricts reliable user sources to safeguard enterprise data security.
Hybrid Deployment Support DataMesh Director 5 supports enterprise SaaS/private hybrid deployment to protect sensitive data from leaking. Hybrid deployment creates a physical boundary of CAD drawings. In this way, content creators can desensitize data within a protected environment, facilitating end-users to use the product in public scenarios.
Australia Region Goes Live To ensure cross-border data compliance, DataMesh Director 5 adds an Australian region to serve customers in the area. The new region is operated by our Australian partner Holovision 3D locally, which is a professional BIM service provider based in Brisbane. Holovision 3D also provides 3D scanning, surveying, and BIM design services.
Management Process Optimization DCS portal has been optimized to make the registration and login experience smoother. The max number of trial license users has been increased to 4 per tenant.
WebGL deployment In Director 5.0, DataMesh One starts to support WebGL deployment (WebXR not yet supported). WebGL experience is related to the user’s browser environment. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with DataMesh if you want to join the private testing.
Customers who have already subscribed to DataMesh Director SaaS service can upgrade the client directly. For platform development, live demo or product quote, please get in touch with us at service@datamesh.com
DataMesh Director 4.3.7 has been released! This version fixed several bugs, made performance improvements, and expanded support for more data types. Most importantly, we added a 1-Click Data-Driven feature in this release for Preview testing. You can contact us for a special license update.
If you are still using version 4.2, please update ASAP. The old one client/studio does not support the new features introduced in 4.3.
