德国拥抱虚拟世界的第二次机会：从虚拟承诺到实际应用

由于认识到虚拟宇宙改变行业和公共服务的潜力，德国对虚拟宇宙重新产生了兴趣。各国政府和研究机构正在探索在公共管理、工业和教育等领域的实际应用。通过专注于特定用例并解决与硬件、数据安全和员工培训相关的挑战，德国旨在利用元宇宙的潜力来增强公民参与、改善服务交付并推动公共和私营部门的创新。

The Resurgence of the Metaverse in Germany: A Second Chance for Virtual Evolution

德国虚拟宇宙的复兴：虚拟进化的第二次机会

Once hailed as the frontier of human interaction, the metaverse stumbled after its initial burst of excitement. Vague promises, uncertain financial benefits, and costly hardware hindered its widespread adoption. However, a second wave of interest is brewing in Germany, fueled by a shift towards exploring the metaverse's practical applications in public administration and industry.

虚拟宇宙曾经被誉为人类互动的前沿，但在最初的兴奋爆发后却陷入了困境。模糊的承诺、不确定的财务收益以及昂贵的硬件阻碍了其广泛采用。然而，由于探索虚拟宇宙在公共管理和工业中的实际应用的转变，第二波兴趣正在德国酝酿。

Metaverse: The Evolution of Digital Connectivity

Metaverse：数字连接的演变

The metaverse is a virtual space built on a tapestry of technologies, including blockchain, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, spatial computing, and digital twins. Its promise: to bridge the gap between the physical and digital realms, fostering a new era of connectivity and innovation in diverse sectors.

元宇宙是一个建立在区块链、虚拟现实（VR）、增强现实（AR）、物联网（IoT）、人工智能（AI）、大数据、空间计算和数字技术等多种技术之上的虚拟空间。双胞胎。它的承诺：弥合物理领域和数字领域之间的差距，培育不同领域互联和创新的新时代。

Government Services in the Metaverse

元宇宙中的政府服务

Public administrations could revolutionize their services by integrating them with the metaverse, believes Günter Wenzel, team leader of the Building Culture Innovation research unit at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO.

德国弗劳恩霍夫工业工程研究所 IAO 建筑文化创新研究部门的团队负责人 Günter Wenzel 认为，公共行政部门可以通过将其与虚拟世界相结合来彻底改变其服务。

Wenzel envisions a scenario where citizens access government services from any device, using secure cryptographic technology to safeguard transactions and ensure data privacy. This paradigm shift will eliminate the need for physical interactions at government counters, empowering citizens to engage with authorities from the comfort of their homes.

Wenzel 设想了一种场景，公民可以从任何设备访问政府服务，使用安全加密技术来保护交易并确保数据隐私。这种范式转变将消除在政府柜台进行实际互动的需要，使公民能够在舒适的家中与当局接触。

Advanced technologies, such as digital twins of buildings, will assist in managing real estate and infrastructure, enabling AI-assisted monitoring and maintenance. Moreover, immersive technologies, including VR and AR, could enhance collaboration within government agencies, leading to increased efficiency and improved communication, as demonstrated by pilot projects in Lower Saxony.

建筑物数字孪生等先进技术将有助于管理房地产和基础设施，实现人工智能辅助监控和维护。此外，包括 VR 和 AR 在内的沉浸式技术可以增强政府机构内部的协作，从而提高效率并改善沟通，下萨克森州的试点项目就证明了这一点。

Challenges and Risks: Navigating the Metaverse's Complexities

挑战和风险：应对元宇宙的复杂性

Despite the optimistic outlook, Wenzel acknowledges the uncertainties associated with implementing immersive technologies in public administration. He emphasizes the need for a cautious approach that considers both the potential benefits and the inherent risks.

尽管前景乐观，但温泽尔承认在公共管理中实施沉浸式技术存在不确定性。他强调需要采取谨慎的态度，既考虑潜在的好处，又考虑固有的风险。

Cybersecurity and data protection are paramount concerns, requiring robust measures to safeguard sensitive information. Additionally, the impact on employee health and data handling practices must be carefully evaluated.

网络安全和数据保护是最重要的问题，需要采取强有力的措施来保护敏感信息。此外，必须仔细评估对员工健康和数据处理实践的影响。

Equipping employees and citizens with the necessary skills for long-term use of immersive technologies is vital for unlocking the metaverse's potential. Continuous education and training initiatives will play a crucial role in ensuring sustainable adoption.

为员工和公民提供长期使用沉浸式技术所需的技能对于释放虚拟宇宙的潜力至关重要。持续的教育和培训举措将在确保可持续采用方面发挥至关重要的作用。

Regional Initiatives Driving Innovation

推动创新的区域举措

Lower Saxony and other German states are actively exploring the metaverse's possibilities. The Fraunhofer-IAO, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation, has launched the CyberLänd project in Baden-Württemberg, a large-scale initiative to assess the metaverse's potential for the region.

下萨克森州和德国其他州正在积极探索虚拟宇宙的可能性。 Fraunhofer-IAO 与 Fraunhofer 制造工程与自动化研究所一起在巴登-符腾堡州启动了 Cyber​​Länd 项目，这是一项评估虚拟宇宙对该地区潜力的大规模计划。

The Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence in Heilbronn is another example of regional innovation, with its planned Metaverse Lab providing a platform for learning and experimenting with the metaverse's applications.

海尔布隆的人工智能创新园是区域创新的另一个例子，其计划中的元界实验室为学习和试验元界应用提供了一个平台。

Industry Embraces the Industrial Metaverse

工业界拥抱工业元宇宙

The German industrial sector has recognized the metaverse's transformative potential for development and production. Siemens Energy harnesses the metaverse to model power plants, optimize maintenance scheduling, and potentially save operators billions of dollars annually.

德国工业部门已经认识到虚拟宇宙在开发和生产方面的变革潜力。西门子能源公司利用虚拟世界对发电厂进行建模，优化维护计划，并可能每年为运营商节省数十亿美元。

Siemens has invested heavily in Germany, including a new campus in Erlangen, which will serve as a hub for research and development related to the industrial metaverse. The company's partnership with Sony is another testament to its commitment, creating an innovative solution that combines Siemens' industrial software expertise with Sony's spatial content creation capabilities.

西门子在德国投入巨资，包括在埃尔兰根建立一个新园区，该园区将作为工业虚拟宇宙相关的研发中心。该公司与索尼的合作伙伴关系再次证明了其承诺，创建了一个创新的解决方案，将西门子的工业软件专业知识与索尼的空间内容创建能力相结合。

BMW is also investing in a digital factory powered by Nvidia's Omniverse platform, enabling extensive design and validation of digital models before physical construction.

宝马还投资了一家由 Nvidia Omniverse 平台提供支持的数字工厂，以便在物理建造之前对数字模型进行广泛的设计和验证。

Cautious Optimism: A Resurgent Metaverse

谨慎乐观：复苏的元宇宙

The metaverse offers a wealth of valuable applications, and Germany's renewed interest is fueled by a pragmatic approach that emphasizes practical implementation. Public administration and industry alike are exploring ways to leverage the metaverse's capabilities to enhance their operations.

虚拟宇宙提供了大量有价值的应用，强调实际实施的务实方法激发了德国人的新兴趣。公共管理和行业都在探索如何利用虚拟宇宙的功能来增强其运营。

While challenges remain, such as data security, legal uncertainties, and hardware limitations, careful planning, employee training, and collaboration between government, industry, and researchers will be key to navigating these hurdles successfully.

尽管数据安全、法律不确定性和硬件限制等挑战仍然存在，但仔细规划、员工培训以及政府、行业和研究人员之间的合作将是成功克服这些障碍的关键。

The metaverse remains a promise for the future, with its full potential yet to be realized. However, sub-technologies and business models can be harnessed in incremental steps, fostering gradual evolution towards a truly transformative digital landscape.

虚拟宇宙仍然是对未来的承诺，其全部潜力尚未实现。然而，子技术和商业模式可以逐步利用，促进向真正变革性数字景观的逐步演变。