Our first 65 days: India's first Metaverse Experience Centre hosts industry leaders

The problem: it is hard to judge XR without trying it

Most decision-makers have read about VR, AR and digital twins, but few have tried a solution built for their own industry. Headsets, software and use cases come from many different suppliers, and it is difficult to compare them or picture how they would work in your organisation without seeing them side by side.

The idea: everything under one roof

We set up India's first Metaverse Experience Centre (MEC) in Noida to solve this. It brings headset makers, immersive technology providers and potential buyers together in one place. Associations, delegations, colleges, clients and partners visit to see live use-case demonstrations, compare solutions and discuss how to bring them into their own sectors.

In the 65 days after the inauguration, more than 150 industry stakeholders visited to explore how they could use immersive technology in their organisations. The centre has also been featured in more than 144 media reports.

Technologies you can try

• Virtual reality: industry-specific training, walkthroughs, realistic experiences and education modules at the VR station.
• Augmented reality: product visualisation, marketing, architecture and home design, and education.
• Assisted reality: remote assistance and maintenance demonstrated on real machines such as a car or a bike.
• Digital twins: industry-specific twin simulations, data collection and analysis.
• Virtual worlds: business and consumer experiences, including ones with AI integration.
• Gamification: game-based simulations for employee onboarding and training.

Headsets and devices

The centre has more than 15 AR and VR headsets, so most guests in a group can try demonstrations at the same time. Visitors use them at live demo booths with real equipment and machines.

• VR devices: HTC Vive, Oculus Quest 2 and 3, Pico, Ajna Lens, VRone and JioGlass.
• AR devices: RealWear, Vuzix and JioGlass.

Industries covered

The centre shows use cases for automotive, medical, pharma, education, aerospace and defence, sports, FMCG, e-commerce, real estate, entertainment, power and mining, so visitors see solutions they could put into practice in their own organisations.

Events held in the first months

We host industry-specific XR events where associations and delegations get hands-on experience. Each event starts with a 45-minute Metaverse Masterclass by Rrahul Sethi, founder of Metaverse911.

Inauguration day

The centre opened in Noida on 1 March 2024 with more than 30 guests. They tried VR, AR, MR and other immersive experiences, and took part in discussions, presentations and use-case demonstrations.

Pharma Day

25 pharma leaders explored use cases for pharma and healthcare, from interactive demos of virtual drug trials to AR applications for marketing and training.

Enterprise XR Day

An Enterprise XR Masterclass gave leadership teams a clear understanding of immersive technology, its use cases and its practical impact, followed by hands-on, industry-specific demonstrations and time for questions.

L&D Day

L&D leaders from companies including Ericsson, ZS Associates, Bristlecone and Birlasoft explored immersive solutions for employee training and development, with hands-on demonstrations on more than 10 headsets.

Media coverage

• Gadgets 360 covered the launch and the centre's AR, VR and immersive technology offerings.
• The Times of India reported on the centre's XR technology exploration and industry workshops, its aim to become a global hub for immersive technology, and its leadership by Rrahul Sethi and Rohit Verma.
• Business Wire India, The Print and Times Now also covered the launch.

How to make the most of a visit

• Bring the people who will decide and the people who will use the solution, such as plant heads, L&D and marketing.
• Tell us your industry and the problem you want to solve, so we can line up the right demonstrations.
• Try the same use case on more than one headset to compare comfort and fit.
• Use the Q&A time to ask how a solution would work in your own plant or process.

Next step

If you want to explore immersive technology for your organisation, book a visit to the Metaverse Experience Centre in Noida.

First published on the Metaverse911 blog.