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Every bit futuristic as it sounds, early-phase applications of the Spatial Spider web or Web three.0 are already here. Now is the time for leaders to understand what this adjacent era of computing entails, how information technology could transform businesses, and how it can create new value as it unfolds.
Introduction
The
in one case-crisp line between our digital and physical worlds has already begun to blur. Today, we hear of surgeons experimenting with holographic anatomic models during surgical procedures.ane
Manufacturing, maintenance, and warehouse workers are measuring significant efficiency gains through the use of the Cyberspace of Things (IoT) and augmented reality.
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Cities are creating unabridged 3D digital twins of themselves, helping to improve decision-making and scenario-planning.
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Notwithstanding, there’s a sense that we’re non “there” yet.
Today’s engineering science applications are just glimmers of the emerging world of the Spatial Web, sometimes chosen Web 3.0, or the 3D Spider web (see sidebar, “Emerging definitions: Spider web 3.0 and the Spatial Web”). Information technology is the adjacent evolution in computing and it (IT), on the same trajectory that began with Spider web ane.0 and our electric current Web 2.0. We are at present seeing the Spatial Web (Spider web 3.0) unfold, which will somewhen eliminate the boundary between digital content and physical objects that we know today. We call it “spatial” because digital information volition exist in space, integrated and inseparable from the physical world. (To read an example of how it might work in reality, see the sidebar, “A vision of the Spatial Web in wellness care.”)
This vision will exist realized through the growth and convergence of enabling technologies, including augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR), advanced networking (e.one thousand., 5G), geolocation, IoT devices and sensors, distributed ledger technology (e.one thousand., blockchain), and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML). While estimates predict the full realization of the Spatial Web may exist v–10 years away, many early-phase applications are already driving significant competitive advantage.4
Nosotros are at present seeing the Spatial Web unfold, which will eventually eliminate the purlieus between digital content and physical objects that we know today.
Past vastly improving intuitive interactions and increasing our ability to deliver highly contextualized experiences—for businesses and consumers alike—the Spatial Web era volition spark new opportunities to improve efficiency, communication, and entertainment in ways nosotros are only get-go to imagine today. For forwards-thinking leaders, it will create new potential for business reward—and, of course, new risks to monitor.
In this commodity, we volition define the vision for the Spatial Spider web, discuss the technologies it is congenital upon, and describe the path to maturity. The goal for most companies is not to build a Spatial Spider web; still, understanding its capabilities can assistance leaders amend prepare for the long term, get more out of their current investments in the short term, and participate in critical conversations happening today that could determine how this coming era affects both business concern and society.
EMERGING DEFINITIONS: Web 3.0 AND THE SPATIAL WEB
“…the world effectually us is about to light up with layer upon layer of rich, fun, meaningful, engaging, and dynamic information. Data you can see and collaborate with. This magical time to come ahead is chosen the Spatial Spider web and will transform every aspect of our lives, from retail and advertising, to work and education, to entertainment and social interaction.”
—Peter Diamandis5
In that location is no single definition for Spider web 3.0, the computing era that follows our electric current, mobile-powered Web ii.0. Many people identify Spider web 3.0 with the Semantic Web, which centers on the capability of machines to read and interact with content in a manner more akin to humans.6
Recently, definitions of Web 3.0 accept begun to include distributed ledger technologies, such every bit blockchain, focusing on their power to authenticate and decentralize information. Theoretically, this could remove the power of platform owners over individual users.7
Each of these perspectives begins to depict a similar cease country; they just kickoff from different applied science vantage points. Nosotros employ the term “Spatial Web” considering it emphasizes the shift in feel for the stop user past transferring interaction with information away from screens and into physical space (figure 1).
A VISION OF THE SPATIAL Spider web IN HEALTH Care
Stride a few years into the future, where connectivity, processing ability, digital devices, and our ability to analyze and contextualize information have advanced considerably. In this world, much of our interaction with digital information happens away from traditional screens, tablets, and phones. Here, we meet a leading heart surgeon and researcher of cardiovascular health. She is starting her day, not by checking her phone, but past turning on her hands-gratis, intelligent interface.
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This avant-garde device curates multiple media channels that filter contextual information into her field of view, from social media and the news to her work schedule and secure patient information. This morning, she uses it to call a self-driving car to accept her to the hospital; on the way, she attends a brief, holographic video conference with her child’southward teacher. As the car reaches the hospital, the device shifts settings to enable a secure and rich mixed-reality medical surround, lowering the priority of notifications from her personal life.
She begins work by digitally “scrubbing in” for robotic surgery on a patient thousands of miles away.
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In this procedure, she volition virtually guide her onsite human and robotic colleagues, who are present with the patient in the physical operating room. She’ll administer the procedure using combinations of “run into-what-I-run across” features, haptic-enabled and custom 3D-printed surgical instruments, and hands-free digital models. Just before they brainstorm, the team virtually convenes around a 3D digital twin of the patient’s middle.10
This exact digital replica has been a valuable tool in helping establish a surgical plan; thus far, it has been used to collaboratively monitor the patient’s condition, customize the surgical implants,
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and aid the patient visualize the process. As the team moves into surgery, this digital twin provides real-time, AI-supported insights on the patient’due south condition, poised to warning the surgical staff to potential alternate interventions. Fortunately, this surgery goes equally planned; our surgeon successfully completes the process, and onsite colleagues close the patient for recovery.
Every bit the team finishes, data from the procedure is collected, analyzed, and collated for a variety of purposes, based on the demand and security permissions of whoever is accessing it. It will exist used to back up the individual patient’south postoperative care team; other parts of the wellness system may simultaneously draw off the same database using the billions of data points to aid monitor public health and system capacity, run simulations, and improve outcomes.
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We are already seeing the early signs of this imagined futurity, although the interconnected network required across patient intendance, R&D, infirmary systems, and other supportive industries may exist a number of years away. Still, we can see the value of these new interfaces and digital threads intertwining seamlessly for more constructive results, both for the individual and the organization. This integrated concrete and digital network is expected to exist constructed over fourth dimension, built on the convergence of advanced technologies layered and designed both securely and interoperably.13
Building the Spatial Spider web
While nosotros tin can’t predict precisely when Spatial Spider web maturity will arrive, the trend line toward this future has been emerging for decades. Just as earlier capabilities gave ascension to Web 1.0 and Web 2.0, today’due south leading technologies are fueling and informing the evolution into the Spatial Web as they advance beyond the three bones tiers of IT architecture (run across figure two):
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Interaction:
The software, hardware, and content that we ultimately interact with -
Ciphering:
The logic that enables the interaction -
Information:
The data and construction that allow computational functions to be completed accurately, efficiently, and deeply
Gabriel René, executive director of the Spatial Web Foundation, notes: “Downstream of these engineering investments are the combinatorial benefits that come up when you are not implementing them entirely separately, but as part of a larger strategy. This is how nosotros upgrade to Web three.0.”14
“Downstream of these technology investments are the combinatorial benefits that come when y’all are not implementing them entirely separately, but as office of a larger strategy. This is how we upgrade to Spider web 3.0.”
—Gabriel René, executive director of the Spatial Web Foundation
Interaction:
AR/VR devices are expected to be a master gateway for humans to access the Spatial Web, although course factor may eventually range from AR glasses or digital contact lenses to haptic wearables, IoT devices, sensors, robots, autonomous vehicles, and beyond. For the Spatial Web to become widely adopted, AR interfaces in particular volition need to go more affordable and comfy to wear for long periods of time.
In recent years, meaning investments have occurred in this area. Traditional incumbents, such as Google,15
are standing to develop and evolve AR hardware. Facebook—an active participant in the VR infinite since its U.s.a.$2 billion acquisition of Oculus VR in 2014—has recently made a slew of investments focused on AR and the AR Deject, including a project called Alive Maps that will reportedly create shared 3D maps of the world.sixteen
Apple17
has been developing its own low-cal-weight AR glasses and has practical for a series of patents that could significantly reduce the size of such AR devices.18
Zooming out to look at the broader tech manufacture, nosotros see upward trends in innovation and evolution of technologies supporting the interaction layer of the Spatial Web. For example, the number of AR-related patents published yearly in the United States grew more than than threefold over the last ten years (see effigy iii).19
Computation:
AI/ML will play a foundational role in Spatial Web computation. It enables machines and devices to understand the nondigital earth, for example, via figurer vision and natural linguistic communication processing. It volition as well bulldoze contextual, personalized experiences via AI’south ability to self-program, continuously learn, and make contextual decisions. This will be critical for Spatial Web maturity, and it will require immense amounts of processing power. In improver, to rapidly and securely transmit rich, high-definition, contextual media experiences from physical objects to a ciphering layer and back to the finish user, extremely fast network connectivity volition exist required. All of this will depend on high-bandwidth networks and more than distributed locations for calculating, making 5G connectivity and Edge computing cadre enablers.
Edge computing helps to reduce latency by decreasing the altitude betwixt the device and a cloud-based processor.twenty
5G, which can enable download speeds upwardly to 100 times faster than 4G,21
has seen a high level of investment in contempo years, driving predictions that the number of connections could grow from roughly x one thousand thousand in 2019 to over one billion in 2023, representing just nether 10% of all mobile device connections.22
Contempo economic shifts may slow this over the curt term; nevertheless, as of Jan 2020, 5G had already been deployed in 378 cities across 34 countries.23
A fundamental infrastructure to support this level of computation is the AR Cloud (see sidebar, “AR Deject and 3D-mapping the concrete earth”).24
This volition require engineering ranging from automobile vision to 3D modeling technologies that will allow the creation, positioning, and anchoring of digital content over physical objects.
Information:
Data sources and types are increasing constantly and volition only accelerate as sensorized devices proliferate. This makes privacy a critical consideration, and information technology is why many consider distributed ledger technologies, such every bit blockchain, to be foundational.25
Through congenital-in immutability, data integrity and security are ensured, assuasive platforms or companies to incorruptibly manage admission and identity control.26
Because of this, blockchain’s authentication abilities tin enable open ecosystems, without restricting users, as many platform-based applications practice today. This ability to decentralize spurs the hope that the Spatial Web will realize the vision of a truly open and democratized cyberspace.27
Apart from its security capabilities, blockchain as well plays a function in managing entities in the concrete world—from buying location-based digital existent estate to managing nonprivate spaces such as parks and fifty-fifty nongovernmental locations such as oceans. One company, XR Web, has already started selling spaces on the Earth’south digital layer.28
All told, this is a story of technology converging beyond the three layers of IT. Nosotros see measurable innovation beyond all three tiers discussed in this department. Patent publications are typically considered a good indicator of innovation activity and investments, and applications related to Spatial Web technologies have shown clear growth over the terminal decade (come across effigy 3). While not all of these patents are sectional to the Spatial Web, every innovation can assistance in its eventual realization. Furthermore, Spatial Spider web–specific patents (those that specifically mention Spatial Web, AR cloud, or 3D Web) have demonstrated a tenfold increase in the final 10 years.29
AR Deject AND 3D-MAPPING THE PHYSICAL WORLD
The AR Cloud is a key enabler of the Spatial Web; some groups fifty-fifty use both terms interchangeably. According to the Open AR Cloud clan (OARC), the simplest definition of the AR Cloud is a 3D digital copy of the globe.30
By creating 1:ane scale digital models that are motorcar-readable, updated in real time, and associated with precise geolocation information, spatial experiences can become richer, more authentic, and more connected. Ultimately, its creation helps enable our power to fully erase the line between digital and concrete objects. Today, a diverseness of companies are working toward its development.
Maps of concrete spaces and digital twins volition be created for everything: cities, rooms, retail spaces, public areas. Once maps are built, locations could be defined in space and new types of transactions and interactions go possible. Equally people and objects begin to motility through these maps, it should become possible to gather a wealth of previously unavailable data about people and processes: how they gather, move, and interact, and which experiences they find useful.
Getting from here to there: A path to the mature Spatial Web
Every bit described in the previous section, the Spatial Spider web volition require advances in all three tiers of IT infrastructure to come to full fruition. The path to maturity tin can be viewed in three general stages: Augmentation, Optimization, and Unification (run across effigy 4). While the Unification stage is still estimated to be a few years away, many companies are already generating value through the Augmentation and Optimization phases.
In the first phase,
Augmentation, organizations implement technologies to “augment” the capabilities of workers, machines, and processes. They tend to be asunder from each other, and workflows remain largely the aforementioned as before.
Nearly industries are already at this stage, implementing technologies such equally AR to back up frontline workers in manufacturing, maintenance, and field service;31
VR learning to back up hard, expensive, or dangerous skill development;
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and the IoT to drive predictive maintenance.33
These use cases are already demonstrating valuable returns for companies—for example, i company compared AR line-of-sight instructions to using a traditional manual for wind turbine assembly. Using the AR workflow, technician performance improved past 34%.34
Through successful applications, organizations lay the foundation for the second phase,
Optimization, where use cases become more integrated and cross-functional. For example, in earlier stages of maturity, a digital twin could allow factory engineers to motility from reactive to predictive equipment maintenance.35
Every bit the organization becomes more than sophisticated, it begins to integrate data and place opportunities for cross-functional optimization via a broader asset performance management (APM) system. APM helps inform not just maintenance timing, but also operational procedures, and material and part procurement, which tin can atomic number 82 to gains across the enterprise—from fabric spend to savings on insurance premiums resulting from deep reductions in catastrophic failures.36
In another example of organizational optimization, Wayfair saw the opportunity for AR to aid customers visualize and identify furniture in their homes.37
While the visitor measured significant boosts in conversion and reduced returns as a result of the experience, the time and effort in creating high-quality 3D production models spurred it to look for additional uses. Today, about its entire online itemize is created using those 3D models, instead of standard photography. The level of cost savings from catalog and marketing asset production has unlocked value and further investment in 3D experiences across the company.38
The third stage,
Unification, is when the more complete vision of the Spatial Web emerges, as technologies and ecosystems converge. While the earliest manifestations have been seen in gaming, a number of 3D-specific startups such equally Ubiquity639
and WRLD,40
in improver to long-standing companies such as Esri,41
are actively developing spatial capabilities for broader enterprise and consumer applications. Ultimately, these companies are looking for a platform that helps everyone move seamlessly from context to context, with the right data and experiences available at the right time and location.
There is a lot of conjecture about how the mature Spatial Web will manifest. Possibilities range from a completely open-source, democratized Spatial Spider web that anyone can join (irrespective of device) to platform-divers, walled-garden Spatial Web(s) that are owned and governed by a small number of large companies. The style technology advances and which group defines the Spatial Web will have enormous influence over how this new world unfolds—and the vast amounts of data it volition generate.
Many early on proponents are hopeful that the mature Spatial Spider web will embody a return to the early vision of “universality,” inspired and driven by World Wide Web inventor Tim Berners-Lee.42
They argue that Spider web ane.0 became possible and valuable because of the network effect and innovation its openness welcomed through the establishment of open web standards. Although Spider web 2.0 made user-generated content easier and, some may say, democratic, the heavily individual and app-driven networks have foregone openness.43
This has made it difficult for users to switch platforms and has reduced the interoperability of today’s digital interactions. Many contend this impedes innovation and consumer control.44
This is why at this early stage of the Spatial Web/Spider web 3.0, a number of groups, including Open up AR Cloud, IEEE, and the Spatial Web Foundation, are pushing to create open up standards that will realign behind a decentralized and democratic gear up of values.45
Standards-setting may sound dry, but information technology is central to determining the future of the Spatial Web—and who will control the vast amounts of data information technology generates. The outcome will have significant implications economically, socially, and ethically (see sidebar, “Ideals and privacy challenges in the Spatial Web”). This is why it is so important for all types of companies to participate in creating these standards.
Recommendations: Where to begin for business concern leaders
In the coming years, business strategies and consumer behaviors will evolve effectually the Spatial Web’s growing ability to evangelize intuitive interactions with highly contextual and personalized information. Well-nigh businesses aren’t going to build their ain Spatial Web; they will participate in it as it becomes the next major era in computing, analogous to how Spider web 2.0 capabilities have driven new mobile behaviors and ways of working.
Many business leaders may go the impression that this evolution is besides far off to warrant attention. Withal, there are important deportment to exist taken today to ready for, benefit from, and shape this new era every bit it unfolds. While the best entry points may vary by manufacture segment, the following deportment will be beneficial for almost:
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Build with the future in mind.
Most large companies have already started working with many of the technologies enabling the Spatial Web, but often they aren’t building with that end-state in mind. This can cause them to miss valuable efficiencies. For example, start looking for ways to streamline and connect 3D assets—if you’re a manufacturing visitor, bring 3D product models from production ideation to manufacturing plant technician training, all the way through to marketing and client support. -
Experiment with IoT and location-based sensors.
Tapping into sensor information enables a concern’south operational sensation, which, in turn, can yield optimized operations. Learning to manage data from sensors—whether from retail stores’ photographic camera feeds, trackers on trucks, or infusion pump sensors in hospitals—helps ready the business for handling the volume of information, and also helps them brainstorm to do good from the insights they tin provide. An increasing diverseness of sensors will get key inputs for Spatial Web users. -
Map out your business.
Whether it’s modeling large facilities for wayfinding, having a digital twin of your brick-and-mortar store shelves and inventory, creating geographical models to optimize logistics, or creating a digital twin of the manufacturing line, it’s going to become increasingly important to have a digital representation of your business and the location of its elements. This helps to lay the background for monitoring and optimizing by using its digital equivalent. -
Insist on interoperable, ethical standards.
The Spatial Web is a convergence of emerging technologies. Both established and new organizations are already starting to establish standards to enable interoperability across applications. These organizations and the resulting standards efforts can be strengthened by support from the business organisation community. Jan-Erik Vinje of Open AR Cloud group urges, “Now is the time to go that perspective … and also speak about the manner nosotros call back about this future and what values should be the Due north Star when making this technology if we want to arrive do good every bit many people as possible and be a proficient engine of economic growth and technological and societal development.”46
“Now is the time to get that perspective … and also speak about the mode we recall about this hereafter and what values should be the North Star …”
—January-Erik Vinje, managing director and co-founder of Open up AR Cloud group
Truly transformative technologies enable new employ cases, and without question we’ll be telling different stories about the Spatial Web five years from at present. Simply by participating with this vision in mind from the beginning, your company may exist better positioned to tell that story instead of having it told to yous.
Disclaimer
All information on Spatial Web patents is sourced from the United states Patents and Trademark website, a publicly available source: https://www.uspto.gov/. The purpose of the analysis is to place full general themes in technologies related to the Spatial Web. The classification of the patents under the private enabling technologies is based on an automated query of keywords in the patent clarification and the Cooperative Patent Classification provided by the USPTO, accessible through the link: https://www.uspto.gov/spider web/patents/nomenclature/. Deloitte has no role in defining or determining the patent nomenclature, and Deloitte did not review any individual patents in preparing this assay.
Source: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/digital-transformation/web-3-0-technologies-in-business.html
