YMX brings the metaverse to industrial sites

Only last week we highlighted how useful VR training is for some of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Yet, putting out fires or fixing oil drills in the middle of the ocean are far from the only cases for which training on location can prove difficult. Mundane examples, such as teaching technicians how to operate machinery in a factory, can also benefit from expanded reality technologies, given how common they are all over the world.

For many excited about the metaverse – present company included – it’s precisely those use cases that make the technology appealing. Money saved on training is money that can be invested. Same for money saved on routine inspections, cataloguing and a myriad of other functions that must be done and yet gain little from the operator being present – or even human. Airline pilots train extensively in virtual environments and are heavily assisted by technology; surely there’s much to gain in taking a similar approach to other industries?

South Korean YMX is betting exactly on that. In its early days, the company focused on more traditional virtual training solutions, but it has been quick to embrace the metaverse. Its aim: to simplify the life of workers through XR and AR. At CES it debuted its latest product, designed to ease inspections for the construction industry but built with other industries – such as manufacturing and the military – in mind.

We spoke to one of its QA Engineers to learn more about it, in a brief chat transcribed below and edited for clarity.

Could you please introduce yourself and the company?

My name is Hyesun Jang and I’m a Senior QA Engineer at YMX, based in South Korea.

We’ve developed an industrial metaverse platform, geared towards collaboration and training simulation, mostly leveraging XR/AR technology.

YMX offers two products, the MXepc and the MXvts. What do they do and what’s the difference between them?

The YMX MXepc is designed for construction and engineering purposes. It uses XR and AR to help professionals inspect construction sites and look for any defects against the original plans/models. It helps workers save time by comparing the site with the model and using XR/AR to highlight where there might be issues.

The YMX MXvts is a virtual training simulator. When companies train newly hired engineers it can take them up to a year to be ready for the job. We’ve found that with our simulators that length of time can be reduced to as little as one-and-a-half months. Naturally that time-saving contributes to reduced costs and increased revenue.

How long has YMX been in business and what brought it to CES?

The company was first established in 2018 and has since become focused on the metaverse. While we’re based in South Korea, we currently do business in Singapore and have the intention to further expand internationally. People come to CES from all over the world so this is a great way to introduce our brand to potential clients.