Edge IoT Industrial Immersive and Spatial Computing Applications

Immersive technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (XR), alongside advanced concepts such as digital twins (DT), immersive triplets (IMT), the metaverse, omniverse, and spatial computing, represent a significant shift in industrial applications across sectors like culture and heritage, manufacturing, automotive, energy, buildings/construction, mobility. transportation, logistics, healthcare, agriculture/farming, tourism, education and training. The convergence of these immersive technologies with edge IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced intelligent connectivity infrastructure is shaping an industrial real-digital-virtual continuum, termed the "Phygital" world. By combining real-world interactions and virtual simulations, industries achieve improved operational efficiency, reduced downtime, enhanced safety protocols, and superior decision-making capabilities [24]. Edge IoT industrial immersive technologies require extensive interdisciplinary collaboration and robust infrastructure, from advanced computing platforms to advanced sensors and haptic devices. Real-time, high-performance processing capabilities, alongside reliable and secure connectivity with very low latency, are fundamental. As these technologies mature, standardisation, interoperability, trustworthiness, ethics, and sustainability become critical considerations, shaping global regulatory frameworks and industry standards. Developing immersive applications requires managing risks associated with data protection, privacy, AI ethics, and technological convergence while fostering innovation and growth. This position paper on “Edge IoT Industrial Immersive and Spatial Computing Applications” aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the convergence between IoT, AI, edge, and spatial computing, and how they are applied to various industrial immersive applications across different industrial sectors. It details the transformative impact of these applications across a wide range of industrial sectors, including culture and heritage, manufacturing, automotive, energy, construction, mobility, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, education and training. For each sector, the paper presents a thorough analysis of specific application scenarios. It identifies the key users and stakeholders involved, describes how these applications are implemented within a virtual world, and outlines the significant added value they bring to the industry. Furthermore, it specifies the required immersive technology functionalities, details the underlying technology layer requirements, and examines how cross-cutting horizontal issues manifest in each specific context. Beyond the sector-specific applications, the paper dedicates chapters to critical horizontal topics such as trustworthiness, ethics, stainability, standardisation, and interoperability. For each of these areas, it identifies the primary challenges to successful implementation and discusses future research trends and directions, offering a forward-looking perspective on the evolution of these technologies. The goal of this approach is to create a holistic document that showcases the current state and potential of industrial immersive applications and provides a strategic roadmap. It highlights the technological requirements and addresses the crucial non-technical challenges, serving as a foundational resource for researchers, innovators, and industry leaders navigating this rapidly advancing field.