12 Apr Thanks to CETEM, metaverse applied to the furniture sector comes to the 61st edition of the FMY.

Mixed reality, the worlds of virtual reality and physical reality blend and interact, opening a new path and new applications in the field of furnishings

The new research project is titled ‘metaverse 12’

Every year Innovation in the furniture, wood and related industries have been displayed by the Fair’s exhibitors, in most cases, linked to the value of sustainability, circularity or industrial processes which are more respectful to the environment.

The stand which always attracts the attention of professionals is the Region of Murcia’s Furniture and Wood Technology Centre (CETEM). A business association whose aim is to carry out and promote R&D activities and services within a technological, innovative and sustainable environment.

For the 61st edition, the show will offer the best, highly technical, quality products and for visitors to grasp relevance of the slogan ‘Up Close’. Last year the Pharaon project was the main attraction. This time CETEM will surprise visitors with one of its new research projects, the metaverse.

The technology centre has been working for several years with augmented reality, specifically with virtual reality applied to the furniture sector. At the moment, according to its director, José Francisco Puche Forte, they’re working “with mixed reality, which could be considered as the metaverse applied to the furniture sector”.

“Virtual reality and physical reality mix and interact with each other”, says Mr. Puche, who highlights its application in the field of furnishing “it will be very useful because, by donning the virtual reality glasses, we can enter a room with real furniture and place decorative elements virtually”. “Both realities interact, in such a way that if a virtual vase is on a real table, when the table is removed, the vase will fall and break,” he adds.

This application will be especially interesting for spaces that already have furnishings, as “when incorporating new elements this virtual proposal interacts perfectly with reality. This will not only allow to see how these new elements look aesthetically, but to physically check if their dimensions will allow them to fit into the space.

This metaverse research project can be experienced live by visitors to the CETEM stand. All they have to do is wear the special glasses. “The next step after the metaverse is applied to the furniture sector will be what is called holistic reality, this will be produced when these virtual elements are able to generate touch, for example”, something they are already working on.

Finally, and apart from what can be seen at its stand, over the last year CETEM has been developing several innovative projects. Funded by the Instituto de Fomento (INFO), as part of its 2022 call for grants. This is the case of Vinnona, Cirad, Ubiasist, ID-Tac, Furniture Twins and Vintec22, who are researching the use of bioeconomic favouring materials, the circularity of materials, use of AI in the field of human care, application of the so-called ‘digital twins’ or the computerisation of logistics systems or the implementation of technological surveillance in companies.