Forging the Industrial Metaverse -- Where Industry 5.0, Augmented and Mixed Reality, IIoT, Opportunistic Edge Computing and Digital Twins Meet

The Metaverse is a concept that proposes to immerse users into real-time rendered 3D content virtual worlds delivered through Extended Reality (XR) devices like Augmented and Mixed Reality (AR/MR) smart glasses and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets. When the Metaverse concept is applied to industrial environments, it is called Industrial Metaverse, a hybrid world where industrial operators work by using some of the latest technologies. Currently, such technologies are related to the ones fostered by Industry 4.0, which is evolving towards Industry 5.0, a paradigm that enhances Industry 4.0 by creating a sustainable and resilient world of industrial human-centric applications. The Industrial Metaverse can benefit from Industry 5.0, since it implies making use of dynamic and up-to-date content, as well as fast human-to-machine interactions. To enable such enhancements, this article proposes the concept of Meta-Operator: an Industry 5.0 worker that interacts with Industrial Metaverse applications and with his/her surroundings through advanced XR devices. This article provides a description of the technologies that support Meta-Operators: the main components of the Industrial Metaverse, the latest XR technologies and the use of Opportunistic Edge Computing communications (to interact with surrounding IoT/IioT devices). Moreover, this paper analyzes how to create the next generation of Industrial Metaverse applications based on Industry 5.0, including the integration of AR/MR devices with IoT/IIoT solutions, the development of advanced communications or the creation of shared experiences. Finally, this article provides a list of potential Industry 5.0 applications for the Industrial Metaverse and analyzes the main challenges and research lines. Thus, this article provides useful guidelines for the researchers that will create the next generation of applications for the Industrial Metaverse.